Killavullen Farmers Christmas Market Sat 19th 12-4pm

Killavullen Farmers Christmas Market Sat 19th 12-4pm

Christmas is nearly upon us and that means preparations are ramping up. It's going to be a Christmas like no other but the small things will make it special. Killavullen Farmers Market has their famous Christmas Market on Saturday 19th from 12pm to 4pm. Be sure to come along as it is your chance to beat the crowds in the towns and cities. It is also a great opportunity to not only get some fantastic, unique products and gifts, it is also a great way to support small, local businesses and families.

 

All regular stallholders will be there as usual, along with a number of seasonal producers. You will find plenty for the festive season ahead from staples to seasonal veg to unique gifts, all from local producers. One of the oldest farmers markets in Ireland, now into its 19^th year, the regular Saturday market. is in the grounds of the Nano Nagle Centre, on the main road between Castletownroche and Mallow with plenty of parking. The market is continually evolving and continues to surprise each week!

 

Regular stallholders have a range of products from locally grown vegetables all in season, handcrafted baked goods, Arbutus breads and pastries, jams, chutneys and cordials. There is a fine selection of smoked salmon, fresh raw milk and yoghurts. You can also buy a free range organically reared ham on the day.

 

Killavullen farmers market is a great spot to pick up crafted goods including knitwear, kids toys and wood turned products. The second hand bookstore is a must for any reader. All books cost €1 and donations of books are also gladly accepted.

There is plenty of parking and the market is carefully laid out to ensure ample social distancing. 

We wish all our friends and customers a happy and safe Christmas and hopefully we will begin to emerge from the shadows of the pandemic on our return in the Spring.

  

Facebook:

 

https://www.facebook.com/killavullenfarmersmarket/

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Porter, IPA and Artisan Coffee in Eight Degrees Christmas Pack

A Quart of Ale± #25A

Moving on over to craft with Eight Degrees at Christmastime

Porter, IPA and Artisan Coffee in Eight Degrees Christmas Pack 

All six of the Munro series

Eight Degrees The Black Road Campfire Porter 6.5%

Not too long ago, I used to frequent a bar where there were three stouts on offer. It really had to be a Cork bar. And it was. The good old boys, and some not so old, had a certain skill. 

The barman was always ahead of the thirsty posse, filling pints and lining them up. Which was the Guinness? Murphy’s? Beamish? Some fellows could tell by the colour. Others by tapping the full pint with a fingernail. I was always impressed. But I think those good old boys would be lost today with the variety of the black stuff, both stout and porter, available, thanks to the rise of craft beer producers.

Just got one of the most recent in my hands, the Black Road Campfire Porter by Mitchelstown’s Eight Degrees. It, along with Fort of the Fianna Belgian IPA, both form part of the Mitchelstown’s brewery’s Irish Munro series and each features in their widely available Christmas special, the pack completed by a bag of superb coffee from Badger & Dodo, the local roaster.

Initial signs from the porter are good, the classic mahogany/black with a coffee coloured head. Aromas are smoky, coffee. The palate is smooth, complex, caramel and that smoke trace again; chocolate and coffee and sweet caramel take me home.

The Eight Degree folks are naturally adventurous. Who wouldn’t be if you live in the vicinity of their beloved Galtymore. Irish Munros are peaks over 3,000 ft. Many of these peaks belong to the MacGillycuddy Reeks in Kerry, one is in Wicklow, and then, towering over the Mitchelstown brewery, is Galtymore. 

The Galtees are not just decorative. “These mountains are also key to us producing world class beers, producing wonderfully soft water via its red sandstone ridges. The Black Road is the hillwalker route up Galtybeg and onto the higher Galtymore for magical views across the countryside. Inspired by the mountains, we’ve brewed a porter using Belgian and German malts that impart beech- and oak-smoked flavours along with coffee notes.”

Details:

Malt: Irish pale ale malt, beech smoked malt, oak smoked wheat, café malt, CaraAroma, chocolate malt.
Hops: A light bittering of Nugget.
ABV: 6.5%
IBUs: 12

I just love Eight Degrees. They tell good yarns, make great beers and are always game for a laugh. And always come up with Food Pairings. In this case: This smooth sipper is eminently suited to campfire foods: bonfire bangers, or sausages, cooked on sticks over a woodfire, potatoes slow roasted in the embers and bubbling pots of homemade baked beans with lots of smoked paprika. 

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Eight Degrees “Fort of the Fianna” Belgian IPA 5.4%

Clear and gold in the glass, this September issue in the Eight Degrees Irish Munro series takes you to the summit. Whether mountain high or just atop a bar stool, this Belgian IPA is one to enjoy.

The short-lived head doesn't last as a long as a foggy cap on the head of Kerry’s Caher, which just about qualifies as an Irish Munro. The flavour though, strong and hoppy, is long-lived, a bit like the legendary Fianna who, with leader Fionn MacCumhaill, enjoyed their adventures across the Irish mountains long before the invention of those para-glider things. Sorry, Mr Kiwi!

But big congrats to all at Eight Degrees for yet another superb beer in this series. Excellent citrus and floral notes here, smooth and soft and a dry and bitter finish. A very satisfying taste adventure whether mountain high or just atop a bar stool.

They say: We added our current favourite hop Loral into the whirlpool for this Belgian IPA, followed by dry hopping with the elite new experimental HBC 522, which has strong citrus and floral notes. Singing above all this is our Belgian yeast strain of choice: BE256 is a quick attenuator producing a clean beer with hints of spice, clove and banana. Raise a glass to the Fianna.

Details:

Style: Belgian IPA
Malt: Irish pilsner malt, wheat.
Hops: Loral, dry hopped with HBC 522.
Yeast: BE256
ABV: 5.4%
IBUs: 44

Food advice: The delicious bitter flavour of this beer will play happily with a big serving of the best Belgian-style frites and mayo. Add a side of Glenbeigh moules for extra glory, but hold the lemon. You’ve all the bitterness you need in the glass. Try with a Moroccan butternut squash casserole to cut through the sweet veg and play happily with those spices. For the ultimate pairing, get a slice of pumpkin pie; the fruit and floral flavours of the beer will enhance the savoury-sweetness of this quintessential autumn desert.

Get social: #FiannaBelgianIPA

And more news from Eight Degrees: We've also released the final beer in our IRISH MUNRO Series; Devil's Ladder Belgian Tripel aged in sherry casks. This is the pinnacle of our 2020 series, a beautiful beast of a beer which can straddle both sides of the Christmas meal. Chill and serve in small sherry glasses to start, with a selection of tapas-style nibbles: good olives, smoky roasted almonds, salty anchovies. For a sweet ending, serve it at room temperature in a brandy snifter to offer a delicious counterpoint to Christmas pudding, chocolate Bûche de Noël, or even a creamy stilton.  

Think I'll keep that one until the big day itself!

Amuse Bouche

 

Kiev

‘I know we can,’ Reacher said. ‘That goes without saying. We can take what we want. But that’s the least of your worries. Because this is about more than just a mean transaction. You ran across the street and ratted the old lady out. You caused no end of trouble. What was that?’

‘Are you from Kiev?’

‘No,’ Reacher said. ‘But I had their chicken once. It was pretty good.’

‘What do you want from me?’

‘Gregory is going down. We need to decide if you’re going down with him.’

from Blue Moon by Lee Child (2019). Recommended.

Cheers 201112: JJ Corry, Black's Distillery, Station to Station, Maharani

 Cheers 201112. 

JJ Corry, Black's Distillery, Station to Station, Maharani

Maharani Christmas Hamper

The perfect gift for the Gin lover in your life.

We were so honoured to have all our gift boxes sell out already! But don't worry we've put together some very lovely Maharani Christmas Hampers. A bottle of our award-winning Maharani Gin, two signature Maharani/ Rebel City Distillery glasses and a little sweet treat. The perfect gift for the Gin lover in your life including yourself.

Maharani gin is zested with pomelo, and uniquely spiced with cassia and nutmeg mace, all sourced from an organic farming co-operative in Kerala, India. Produced by Rebel City Distillery, which is located in the old Ford building in the docklands of Cork City. It is the first distillery in Cork City in over 50 years. More details here

Station to Station Wine have...  

Premium Hampers, gift packs with Ireland's best indie spirits and craft cocktails. Zalto Glassware, boxed Port and Champagne Gift Ideas. A serious Cellar List. We have it all.

Check it all out here

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Free hamper time! Black's Brewery & Distillery have news!

Well it's getting to that time of year folks and we wanted to finish 2020 with a bang! We have a very special offer for any of you that would like to become a member of the founders club and invest in a cask next week. Any new members or existing members purchasing a cask over this weekend will be sent the Mega Founders Hamper (worth €750)  for free! Please contact us below if you would like to avail of this offer!  To avoid confusion this free hamper is available when you invest in a full cask from our founders club program. This offer is open to new and existing founder club members. Stock is very limited so if you are interested please reach out now without delay!  All orders need to be confirmed and deposit paid by close of business Tuesday to give time to get your hamper to you before the big day! More info here. J.J. Corry Irish Whiskey The Christmas season is well and truly upon us at J.J. Corry HQ! Before we wrap up the year we have two very special events to share with you. J.J. Corry x Milroy's of Soho  Bonder's Blending Session and J.J. Corry Christmas Pop-Up Details here

A Quart of Ale± #25. Moving on over to craft . Another round of IPA

A Quart of Ale± #25

Moving on over to craft 

Did you hear? Fidelity, with Whiplash, is back in 2021. Dates, ticket details here.

Another round of IPA

12 Acres “Make Hay” Session IPA 3.8%, 440ml can Ardkeen Store

When I was making hay, it was usually a bottle of the black stuff that was produced, more than just a bottle if we were threshing. But either way that was for the older fellows - we pale pioneer-pinned youths had to make do with tea and scones (pretty good too!). This County Laois farm do it differently.

This “Make Hay” session IPA from the 12 Acres Brewery has a lemon colour, a herd of bubbles galloping up through the haze. Aromas are citrus with a touch of clean pine. On the palate, it is assertively hoppy with a mix of peach, mango and the citrus enveloping that malt body and the finish is also hoppy.

This flavoursome easy-drinking IPA has more bite than you’d expect from a 3.8 abv, due to late hops additions (Citra and Amarillo). Other ingredients include their own pale ale malt, some oats and Munich malt. Put it on your session list!

Another well-made beer from the Co. Laois brewery where Our Land to Your Glass is the logo, based on the fact that all of the water used and some of the barley comes from the family farm. “The 12 Acres field on our farm is where we have been growing malting barley for the brewing industry for generations. Now we are craft brewing our own beer and we’ve named it after one of the fields where the barley is grown”.

Kinnegar Bucket & Spade Session Rye IPA 4.2%, 440ml can Ardkeen Store 

Colour is a foggy gold, white head fades away to a the barest of covers in no time, leaving the merest lacing on the glass. This easy drinking Rye IPA is unfiltered and naturally carbonated. You notice the rye influence in the aromas (touch of spice too) and also as you sip this fresh fruity (citrus) session beer from the Donegal brewery who have more than one rye on their portfolio. Fruit and bitterness are well balanced here and the malt too keeps its end up making it one of my favourites from the list, though not one of their core beers. 

Nice little extra time bonus as the Ireland v Slovakia continues past the 90th minute and, after extra time, into the shootout. And then, suddenly, there was a little more bitterness than previously! C’est du sport.

Wicklow Wolf Eden Session IPA 3.8%, 330ml can via Ardkeen Store

This easy-drinking session IPA is pale and hazy. Pine and tropical fruit in the aromas. Those fruits along with bitterness in the palate and here the malts play a part in making this a well balanced beer. Under 4 per cent but a session beer with a flavour packed punch. Pretty much a perfect session drink.

This  is unfiltered and unpasteurised. Hops are El Dorado and Chinook while malts are Pale, Cara Ruby, Flaked Oats. IBU is 35 

They say:Wicklow, because that is where we opened our brewhouse. Wolf, because the last one ranged freely across the Wicklow countryside, and because the hops we plant on our farm takes its name ‘humulus lupulus’ from that wild and proud creature.

Firestone “Easy Jack” IPA 4.0% , 12 fl ozs Bradley’s

“Hoppy goodness with even more drinkability.”  Easy Jack’s got a light amber colour and a white head that reigns briefly.  It’s clear, so you see a myriad of bubbles rising. The bubbles don’t get get up your nose but the hop aromas do. Excellent balance in this can, terrific harmony between hops and malt, and a full body to enjoy as well. A good one but plenty of Irish IPAs are as good and quite a few better.

A few figures: 4% abv, 40 IBU, 5.5 colour, 120 calories.

They say: Easy Jack is a different breed of IPA, brewed and dry hopped with a globetrotting selection of newer hop varieties from Germany, New Zealand and North America. 

Hops

 Kettle: CTZ, Amarillo, Simcoe

 Dry Hops: Mosaic, Mandarina, Melon, Citra, Amarillo

Malts: Two Row, Wheat, Cara Pils, Oats, Munich, Crystal Light

The story: Firestone Walker Brewing Company began innocently enough: two brothers-in-law—Adam Firestone and David Walker—debating the subject of good and bad beer. Their search for a decent local ale finally led them to brew their own starting in 1996. The original Firestone Walker brewery was located in a converted shed on the family vineyard.

Black’s Totally Tropical IPA 5.0%, 440ml can Ardkeen Store

This 2020 release from Blacks of Kinsale is billed as a “beer with a totally tropical taste”. It “brings mango and pineapple to the party” and it does, for sure, certainly with the tropical aromas. 

Perhaps, late in year, this IPA “perfect for a chill summer session”, is out of season. 

IBU is listed as 55. While I was writing that last sentence the white head had vanished, leaving a slightly hazy golden liquid with bubbles crowding up towards the top.

Food pairings recommended are BBQ Chicken skewers, Moroccan Tagine, Tipsy Cake with rum.

Don't Forget to Feed the Birds. Check out this relish jar feeder!

 PRESS RELEASE 

 

MAKE YOUR OWN DIY GLASS JAR BIRD FEEDER THIS FESTIVE SEASON

  Keep our ‘beloved garden birds’ fed over the harsh winter months in six easy steps

 

To mark their continued sponsorship of the annual Birdwatch Ireland Ireland Garden Bird Survey, Ballymaloe Foods have shared how to make your own DIY Winter Jar Bird Feeder as well as some tips we can all easily do to make winter easy for birds.

 

As the weather gets colder, it's important to remember the little birds that pop into our gardens to feed during the winter. Here are some tips on looking after the birds from the BirdWatch Ireland team: 

• Put out food & water between November and March. During these months, natural food sources (fruit, berries, nuts & seeds) are no longer available.

• A diversity of foods will allow you to help a diversity of species. High-calorie foods like fat balls, suet blocks, peanuts, and sunflower seeds are all great.

• One of the essential things during cold weather is to put out fresh water. The icy conditions mean natural water sources might be frozen over, so your birds will need somewhere to drink and wash.

 

Six easy steps to transform your Ballymaloe Relish Jar into a perfect DIY Winter Bird Feeder:

1. Make sure the glass jar is empty and washed.

2. Place two pieces of string or rope on a flat surface.

3. Place a wooden spoon on top of the string/rope.

4. Place a glass jar on its side on top of the wooden spoon so the pieces of string/cord are at the top and bottom of the pot.

5. Wrap the string/rope around the spoon and jar and secure it to a sheltered branch.

6. Fill the jar with birdseed.

 

Yasmin Hyde of Ballymaloe Foods has been using mason jars for years to keep her own garden birds fed. She says "From an early age I have been aware of the importance of extra feeding to help birds and wildlife prepare for spring. My father, Ivan Allen, was a great lover of flora and fauna, especially birdlife. As farming practices were modernised on Ballymaloe Farm, we have continued his work to ensure the wildlife on the land were protected. When birds have access to more nutrients in winter, the spring mating season will be more successful. Chicks will have healthier weights, and egg-laying will happen earlier. Ballymaloe Foods are sponsoring this year's BirdWatch Ireland Irish Garden Bird Survey, and it seemed like a great idea to upcycle our relish jars to help further our wild birds thrive during these cold months."

 

The Irish Garden Bird Survey is BirdWatch Ireland's most famous citizen science survey. Now in its 32nd year, the survey is a strong winter tradition in many households across the country. Information gathered will help provide Birdwatch Ireland with vital information on how our garden and countryside bird populations are faring during the harsh winter months each year.

 

It is open to everyone and begins on Monday 30th November 2020 and runs until February 2021. 

 

Take part here - 

https://birdwatchireland.ie/our-work/surveys-research/research-surveys/irish-garden-bird-survey/taking-part-in-the-irish-garden-bird-survey/. 

Kindly sponsored by Ballymaloe Foods, Ballymaloe House & Shop & Ballymaloe Cookery School. 

 

Cheers 200912. The Drinks Digest. Fidelity. Whiplash. O'Briens Wine. Clonakilty Distillery. Wines of the World.

Cheers 200912. The Drinks Digest. Fidelity. Whiplash. O'Briens Wine. Clonakilty Distillery. Wines of the World.

Fidelity beer festival to return in 2021

Founded by Whiplash and The Big Romance, Fidelity Beer Festival is set to return to Dublin’s

Mansion House on July 16th and 17th 2021, following a break this year.

Building on the success of the first event, Fidelity will once again bring world-class breweries

to the city, many for the first time, for two evening tasting sessions over two days. Unlike

many other beer festivals, Fidelity’s concept is simple – your ticket includes all your beer

samples. No tokens or cash required! Once you collect your specially designed tasting glass

at the door, you’re free to start sampling some of the best beers from a line-up of both

international and local breweries. Whiplash will be creating some limited-edition beers for

the event too.

The festival is designed to allow guests sample at their leisure and take the time to meet all

the fantastic brewers while they serve their incredible beer. As with the previous event,

many of the beers available for sampling will be pouring in Ireland for the very first time,

and each session will have a completely different roster of beers. There will also be a

selection of Dublin’s finest DJs and more to add to the entertainment. The full line-up of

breweries will be announced in 2021.

Tickets cost €62.50 + fees and will be available on Thursday 10th December at 9am from

fidelity.beer.

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Lynne Coyle MW takes you through her picks in

O'Briens Annual Fine Wine Sale

Château Phélan Ségur

CULT, ICONIC & CLASSIC WINES AT REMARKABLE VALUE IN OUR ANNUAL FINE WINE SALE
By Lynne Coyle MW | O'Briens Wine Director


Our annual Fine Wine Sale starts in-store and online 11am Monday 7th December, with our carefully curated selection of cult, iconic and classic wines. On offer are very individual wines from top estates, some famous brands and some made in tiny quantities along with a few new treasures joining the line-up. So, whether gift buying, treating yourself or investing in an exceptional bottle to cellar, this once a year sale presents the opportunity to buy unique wines at exceptional prices, here are a few suggestions to mull over. See the full list of our Fine Wines below (While stocks last, limited quantities available online, customer quotas apply, check your local store too)!  Read more here.

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Clonakilty Distillery Back Open! We're delighted to announce we are opening our Distillery Gift Shop from Saturday 5th December.   Open every Wednesday – Saturday  11:30am – 6pm.

We will also be opening our doors on Tuesday 8th December for the Christmas in Clonakilty Shopping day. More info here *****   Wines Of The World Final Virtual Tasting of the year Our final virtual tasting of 2020 will take place on Friday December 18th. Valued at €95, you can order your case now for only €79.99. You will even receive a little surprise as a thank you for all your support over the year! It is the final few days for orders on our Virtual Tasting Case. More details here