A Quart of Ale± #100. Quite a quartet for the 100th: Whiplash, Dot Brew, Ballykilcavan and Boundary.

 A Quart of Ale± #100

Quite a quartet for the 100th: Whiplash, Dot Brew, Ballykilcavan and Boundary.

Whiplash Smoke Stack Lightnin’ Oaked & Smoked Brown 8.5%, 440 ml can Bradleys

Oaked and Smoked it is with its tanned head over a very close to black body. Aromas are also from the dark side, rich dark dates and raisins come with toast and in a wee cloud of coffee, may even have been a bit of smoky bacon in the background, even though Whiplash say it is not a Rauchbier. Complex, isn’t it?

It doesn’t get any simpler on the delicious palate, just better. Toasty in the main from the Brown and Biscuit malt used and the smoke’s around as well. Add in the light tannin of the oak while the yeast contributes a mild sweet nuttiness to the complexity. And yet, it is superbly balanced. Lipsmacking and totally satisfying to the finalé. Think I may live forever on the dark side.

They say: It’s still cold out there, and we’ve still room for some malty winter-ish warmers in us. Here’s Smoke Stack Lightnin’, an oaked & smoked big brown. After ferment we age this one in a light amount of American Oak. Not going for big vanilla barrel aged here, just a reminder of how beer used live for a week or two before the days of stainless steel.

Geek Bits

Pilsner Malt, Smoked Malt, Brown Malt, Dark Crystal Malt, Biscuit Malt, Flaked Barley, and Columbus hops.

Old English ale yeast

ABV 8.5%

440ml Cans

Artwork by @sophie_devere

Dot Brew When the Going Gets Gose 4.0%, 440ml can Bradleys

Coriander and Salt are among the ingredients here, a clue that this is a gose! The Beer Bible suggests that the flavour of this style of beer “is something like salted yoghurt”.

So, okay, we proceed with caution! Colour is not alarming at all, a light orange but murky. Perhaps that’s coriander in the herby aromas, light floral notes too. And then on the tangy palate, you may detect clove notes and the lemony tartness introduces itself, the coriander and salt duet towards the finish. Yet there’s nothing extreme here in the Dot Brew version; it is all very approachable, quite a pleasurable and refreshing beer indeed.

The can’s list of ingredients: Barley, Oats, Wheat, Hops, Salt, Coriander, Yeast.  The variety of the other ingredients has reduced the effects of the hops leaving us with a bright, zingy and refreshing beer. As they say themselves: “An easy drinking mixed fermentation tart ale built with pilsner malt and pale wheat.”

Gose-type beer is a beer originally made in Germany in the Goslar salt mining region, where the local water contributed the salty element.

Ballykilcavan Export Bambrick’s Brown Ale, 7.5%, Whiskey Chats Birthday Pack

“I’m in farming mode now,” said Ballykilcavan’s David Walsh-Kemmis as he joined a recent Zoom where the subject was whiskey. Whiskey? Yes, indeed. Ballykilcavan has been building strong links with the national spirit over the past decade or so. Their barley is used by Waterford while Irish Distillers have used their oak to make a limited amount of casks (for Dair Ghaelach).

This particular beer was one of the non-whiskey drinks for the Zoom tasting. David explained that the brewery is part of the diversification of the farm: “This is the export version of Bambrick, nice and malty with toffee and caramel, at 7.8%. Very much a malt beer yet not malt driven, a real flavour beer. It’s made with amber and crystal malt from our own barley.”

Deep brown going on black is the colour here, with a tan head. Aromas are chocolate and coffee. It is indeed rich and satisfying on the palate, a broad deep flavour, but quite a balance there too, maybe something mineral from their spring water and the land through which it flows, to help you to both enjoy the chocolate and burnt toffee flavours and enable the refreshing finish.

So what’s an American brown ale? The New York Times says: 

Brown ales and like-minded styles — including straightforward lagers, pilsners and porters — to name a few, are very different sorts of beers (to IPAs). They occupy subtler realms, quenching thirst with pure flavors and perhaps a snappy zestiness in the case of pilsner and a rich depth in the case of porter. They are not flamboyant styles that wow with complexity or make themselves the centers of attention. They simply satisfy. It’s the kind of beer that gets left behind in our I.P.A. culture.

The Beer Bible: Standard American Brown Ales generally weigh in at about 5% ABV and are accented toward malt richness.

Reckon the standard 5.8% Ballykilcavan Bamrick’s more or less fits the bill while this Export has a bonus for you!

Boundary Love is Here Hoppy Table Beer Pale Ale 2.6%, 440ml can Bradleys

On the lookout for a low alcohol beer? This Belfast offering, weighing in at 2.6 abv, could well fit the bill. Known in France as bière de table, table beers—are a low-ABV, malty, Belgian tradition.

Here though the tables are turned and this is a hoppy one. Boundary say: A full on hop assault in the kettle and fermenter ensures this low abv beer packs a punch. 

This is a hazy beer with a white head over a lemon-juice coloured body. The hops used are an American trio of Cascade, Citra and Simcoe and the Australian Vic Secret. Expect pine notes along with exotic fruit such as mango, pineapple and grapefruit and indeed that is what you get.

Superbly flavourful for a such a slight abv and just enough bitter notes to ensure a refreshing and balanced finish. Enjoy one. Or two!

Merlot’s the link in a couple of superb wines from Puglia and Bergerac

Merlot’s the link in a couple of superb wines from Puglia and Bergerac

Amastuola Onda Del Tempo Puglia (IGP) 2015, 14%

€19.50 Lettercollum Kitchen, Clonakilty; Morton’s of Galway; Mary Pawle Wines

Primitivo, Aglianico, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are the grape varieties that give life to Onda Del Tempo (Wave of Time), an organic wine from the warm lands of the south east of Italy (the heel of the boot).

It’s got a dense ruby red colour. Fairly intense too on the nose with red and darker berries in the mix, along with spicy notes. And it is also a little spicy on the palate where it is dry and warming, elegant too. Sixteen months in oak has helped here, tannins are smooth and pleasant. And this complex unusual blend finishes harmoniously, persistent and dry. Very Highly Recommended.

The producers are well pleased with this effort saying it is the “Maximum expression ….. of the garden vineyard.” And that each grape in the blend has “individually each express(ed) their own note”.

Excellent in combination with beef, lamb, pasta, pizza and aged cheeses. Serve at 16-18 degrees.

Puglia has long been noted for its production of olives responsible for close to fifty per cent of the country’s total. Though I should add that a relation, who had some growing there, told me a few years ago that many are just left to rot on the bush. Grapes are the second biggest crop there now, especially those for red wine. 

Terroir Feely Résonance Vin de France Rouge 2017, 13.0%

 €22.00 Ballymaloe Garden Shop at the Cookery School, The Little Green Grocer, Kilkenny, On The Grapevine, Dalkey, Co. Dublin and Mary Pawle Wines

Ruby red in the glass and aromas of black cherry, plum and red berries almost jump out at you. And the palate is packed, deliciously, with flavours of the same fruit, a little hint of spice in the background. Tannins are mid to smooth and, with the fruit and spice staying the distance, there’s a most engaging and lengthy finish. Very Highly Recommended.

Serve at 16-18 °C. This Merlot is an ideal match for lamb and spicy dishes says importer Mary Pawle. Pasta and pizza and dark chocolate, say the winemakers. Personally, I’ve had good experience with Osso Bucco. Generally moderate in both acidity and tannin, Merlot is quite versatile at the table. 

It is also the most widely grown red grape in France, most famously in the Pomerol area of Bordeaux where a bottle of Pétrus could set you back several thousand euro.

Who are the Feelys? In their own words: “When Sean and I (Caro born Caroline Wardle) met in Johannesburg in 1993 we both had a passion for wine. Sean’s grandfather was a winegrower in the Cape of South Africa and I had been sharing a house with a Master of Wine. We wanted to pursue our dream of winefarming so we moved to Cape Town to continue our careers in the heart of the winelands.

Shortly afterwards we had an opportunity to move to Ireland. With Irish roots we jumped at the chance. A year later on our first wine trip to France we were smitten. Eight more years of work and saving and our dream came to fruition.”

The Feelys have one of the best wine websites around. Check up on their wines, yoga, vineyard visits, and accommodation here.  

Minister Simon Coveney joins Belvelly Smoke House to celebrate 40 years of food production!

press release

Frank Hederman and Belvelly Smoke House celebrate 40 years of food production

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney with Frank Hederman (right)

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney joins Frank Hederman and Caroline Workman in Cobh to celebrate the significant milestone

Belvelly Smoke House is celebrating 40 successful years in business this year. It is owned and run by husband and wife team Frank Hederman and Caroline Workman. Highlights from their 40 years in business include featuring on the menu at the State banquet held for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s 80th birthday celebrations and its selection for the Ryder Cup menu when it was held in Dublin in 2006.

Hederman’s private client list includes royalty, Ambassadors, Irish rock bands, international film directors and actors.

Frank Hederman was one of Rick Stein’s food heroes and Hederman’s salmon has been a regular feature on the menu at his famous seafood restaurant in Padstow and on his TV series. Frank’s smoked salmon was also used by Chef Richard Corrigan’s winning first course on BBC’s Great British Menu. Frank has been featured on numerous TV documentaries and travel shows and The New York Times famously said “To say Frank Hederman smokes fish is to say that Steinway makes pianos”.

Belvelly Smoke House, established in 1982 and located near the town of Cobh, is Ireland’s only authentic timber smoke house for Irish salmon. Growing up in a seaside town, Frank Hederman was inspired by the bustling activity of fishermen and the local boats landing with salmon catches. He began smoking salmon in a cupboard–like room and is a self-taught craftsman and businessman. A local and family focussed business, Frank’s late father and mother, his brother and children were all involved over the years. Now, Frank and his wife Caroline run the business. 

The company employs eight people, a number which doubles during the busy Christmas period.  Products from Belvelly Smoke House have appeared on menus such as Rick Stein’s, and on the counters of food halls such as Fortnum and Mason for decades. 

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney joined Frank and Caroline in Cobh to celebrate the success of the business. 

Minister Coveney said: “This is a fantastic achievement for all of the team at Belvelly Smoke House, especially for Frank and Caroline as they celebrate 40 years in business this year. Their products are enjoyed all over the world and they are truly great ambassadors for Irish food production. I wish them all the success for future as they develop and grow their business from Cobh.”

Last week Frank Hederman became the first Irish person to receive the Walter Scheel Medal, the prestigious annual European culinary prize that recognises outstanding contributions to European culinary culture. Previous winners include Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger of Taittinger Champagne and Spanish Chef Ferran Adrià of El Bulli. The award comes as Belvelly Smoke House celebrates 40 successful years in business. The Walter Scheel judges praised Frank’s traditional smoking methods, as well as his ‘four-decade dedication to producing the finest possible quality smoked salmon’, stating that Frank ‘redefined one of the most iconic products of Ireland’s culinary heritage.’ 

Frank Hederman said: “We’re feeling happy and proud to have reached our 40 year milestone. Recognition by the Walter Scheel Medal is good for business and it’s good for company morale. We work hard and we’ve done well, so the team deserve that recognition. The award is also for our local community that support us week in week out when they shop at the English Market and farmers markets in Midleton and Cobh. In so doing they are keeping an important food tradition alive and well.”

As well as smoked salmon, Belvelly Smoke House also produces smoked mackerel, eel, haddock, mussels, butter, spices, nuts and a wide range of handmade pates, fishcakes and Hederman at Home dishes which are produced in the Smoke House kitchen. These products are available locally in their English Market shop and at farmers’ markets. Their salmon products are available to buy online for delivery to North America, mainland Europe and Ireland.

Caroline added: “It’s a really harsh world out there and we feel incredibly lucky to have survived and thrived this long and to have all the support and friendships we enjoy through the business. Most of all it is hugely satisfying knowing that so many people enjoy eating what we enjoy making.”

Ballyvourney's Mills Inn's worth a stop. Best to make it a planned one!

Ballyvourney's Mills Inn's worth a stop. Best to make it a planned one!

Ballyvourney’s Mills Inn was looking splendid in the sun on the last day of March and quite a buzz inside as well with regulars plus a group celebration or two enjoying the food. With travel and dining out hit at various periods of the Covid crisis, The Mills no doubt like many others found the going difficult but the lively buzz there on the 31st March 2022 indicated it is well placed to make a full recovery!

I don’t know how many times I’ve passed this popular stopping off venue for Cork and Kerry travellers. But it has usually been too close to breakfast or just before lunch or there’s been a big dinner on the near horizon.

The lunch-time call though at the end of March was planned. So we parked at the side and entered the large premises where the mid-day sun streamed through the roadside windows, nothing but blue sky outside. And that is where got our table, taking in the artefacts, prints and photos around the various nooks and crannies after we had studied the menu.

And it is quite a large menu, reinforced by a small posse of specials. All tastes are catered for. Let us begin with the Cúrsa Tosaigh (starters). There was Soup and Chowder, Chicken Wings, Black Pudding Croquettes, Salads, a vegetarian Curried Spiced Garden Pea and Red Lentil Fritters, and more, including two specials, a Chicken Liver Paté and Creamy Mushrooms.

We were concentrating on the mains and what a list. Included were the Mills Farm Beef Lasagne, Sirloin and Rib Eye steaks, Mills Farm Burger, a Chicken Curry, Fish and Chips, Panko Crumbed Deep Water Scampi Prawns and specials of course: Roast Rump of Beef, Grilled Fillet of Salmon, a Beef and Vegetable Casserole, and a Supreme of Chicken.

Takes a while to make your mind up here! In the end I went for the Cajun Spiced Chicken Fillet Burger with melted Mozzarella Cheese, baby gem lettuce and beef tomato in a toasted brioche bun with salt and fries and little bowls of guacamole and tomato salsa. It turned out to be an excellent plate, the chicken, the juicy beef tomato, the sauces and the chips all perfect.

Our other choice was the Panko Crumbed Chicken goujons with garlic mayonnaise and tomato salsa, served with house salad and fries. We swapped dishes halfway through and I enjoyed this as well, even if the chicken wasn’t quite at the same quality level as that in the burger.

But the highlight was yet to come. The dessert offerings followed more or less traditional lines with Cheesecake, Chocolate Brownie, and Sticky Toffee Pudding on the list with two specials: Peach and Lemon Posset and their Bread and Butter Pudding. 

As it happened, we went for the most traditional of the lot, the Apple Pie, and we hit the jackpot, probably the best of its kind I’ve come across in years. And huge, as big as one of John Egan’s football boots! Just as well we were sharing this simple but splendid creation. Warm Home-made Apple Pie with whipped cream and crème anglaise (they added a scoop of ice cream) sounds innocent enough but its level of deliciousness was from some heavenly kitchen.

If you are passing here anytime soon and have a little time on your hands, do drop in for this Apple Pie, at least. Better again is to do what I did on this occasion: make the Mills Inn a planned stop, take your time and enjoy the food and the friendly service and perhaps a pint of the local and excellent 9 White Deer beers!

Also on this visit:

Killarney National Park

Bray Head Walk on Valentia Island

Kells Bay Gardens and lunch at Sala Thai

Dinner at The Mad Monk by Quinlans Fish

The Lake Hotel

A stroll in the National Park Killarney. In the vicinity of Muckross House.

A stroll in the National Park Killarney. 

In the vicinity of Muckross House.

* Entrance and parking at Muckross House. 

Also on this visit:

Bray Head Walk on Valentia Island

Kells Bay Gardens and lunch at Sala Thai

Dinner at The Mad Monk by Quinlans Fish

Lunch on the way down at The Mills Inn, Ballyvourney.

The Lake Hotel

Valentia Island's Spectacular Bray Head Tower Walk. One of my favourites!

Valentia Island's Spectacular Bray Head Tower Walk

One of my favourites!

The famous Skellig islands are to your left as you walk up towards the tower.

Whenever I'm in South West Kerry, I invariably head for the Bray Head Tower Walk on Valentia Island. It is not very difficult and you have amazing views, especially of the Skelligs, as you climb, and of Portmagee and its bridge to the island as you come down.

Let us wind back to Portmagee. To start, drive from there over that bridge and then pass the Skellig Experience Centre on your left. Take the first turn left - Bray Head is on the signpost. Two minutes or so later, another crossroads, another sign and left again. 

View from the carpark

About a minute after that (5 minutes total from Portmagee) you will arrive at the car park on the left. Even here, you will get superb views. But better to pay the two euro fee, place the ticket on the dash and head for the hill!

This gate is the only "obstacle" on the path but a set of steps will help you on the way

The path is wide. There are loose stones and sometimes there will be watery patches. But nothing too serious. Just be careful, bring a stick (more of a precaution than a necessity). It is really quite an easy walk.

If you step it out and don't stop too often for photos (like some people!), you should reach the old tower in about 30 minutes. Have a look around there for as long as you wish and then head back. You'll find that the descent goes by quite quickly.

Early stages

Great views of the ocean and nearby cliffs and of course the islands as you go and return. In season you will see quite a few boats below in the water, ferrying passengers out to the Skelligs, some to land, others to circle and return. The boats leave from Portmagee. Read a bit more about Portmagee here.

On your left as you walk up

The Little Skellig

The Tower

Skellig Michael

Islands in the sun

On the way down you see the bridge (into Portmagee on the right).

Also on this visit:

Killarney National Park

Kells Bay Gardens and lunch at Sala Thai

Dinner at The Mad Monk by Quinlans Fish

Lunch on the way down at The Mills Inn, Ballyvourney.

The Lake Hotel

Jameson Crested and Eight Degrees Collaboration

Jameson Crested and

 Eight Degrees Collaboration

Irish Distillers, maker of some of the world’s most enjoyed whiskeys, is building on its long-standing collaboration with Eight Degrees Brewing to create a stunning third edition in this Jameson Crested series.

Jameson Crested Finished in Barleywine Irish Oak Barrels is a limited-edition whiskey born from the latest instalment of the exciting partnership between Irish Distillers and the award-winning, Cork-based brewery, which is renowned for its innovation and experimentation.

For this third iteration, Irish Distillers and Eight Degrees once again joined forces to showcase the very best of Irish talent and local produce, and started by selecting rare Irish oak barrels from Midleton Distillery’s carefully curated inventory. The brewery team at Eight Degrees then selected barleywine, a traditional malt-forward beer, to rest in the barrels for twelve weeks to produce a rich and complex sipping beer infused with whiskey flavours for their Original Gravity series (ABV 12.2%).

Once emptied, the beer-seasoned barrels were then returned to Midleton, filled with Jameson Crested and left to mature for a further three months. The result is an elevated Jameson Crested with a rich roasted malted barley flavour profile with notes of toasted almonds and sweet candy floss. Bottled at 45% ABV, the whiskey perfectly balances generous oak tannins and dried fruits with cereal notes and nutty undertones from the barleywine for a full-bodied and luxurious flavour.

“Our relationship with Eight Degrees Brewing continues to provide a springboard for innovation, adding a new dimension to both our whiskeys and beers,” explains Irish Distillers’ Blender Deirdre O’Carroll.

“As a wood, Irish oak is much more porous than its American counterpart, meaning the barrels have been quick to mature and impart flavours of caramel and dairy fudge, which have worked elegantly in tandem with the nutty, malted flavour of the barleywine for a luscious whiskey which is truly Irish in every sip.”

Derek Neville, Head Cellarman at Eight Degrees Brewing, adds: “It is a rare privilege to work with Irish oak in beer brewing and the buttery creaminess the casks added to our Original Gravity Irish Oak-Aged Barleywine was immediately distinctive. We are thrilled to see the seasoned casks return to their rightful resting place, with our beer imparting a sweet, malted character to this special bottling of the iconic Jameson Crested.”

The celebration of Ireland continues on pack with designs from local artist Coireall Carroll Kent adorning both the Jameson Crested bottle and the Eight Degrees beer cans. Featuring historical patterns and ancient tree roots, the artwork is a vivid celebration of the Irish countryside.

Commenting on the work, Kent says: “I wanted to create a standout design which was distinctly Irish, I spent a lot of the pandemic trekking across the Irish countryside, and many of the roads that I took to are shrouded in trees just like these. The knots are naturally rooted in Celtic culture, with the concentric circles representing both the curves of our landscape and the bubbles in a good drink!”

A limited-edition release of fewer than 10,000 bottles, Jameson Crested Finished in Barleywine Irish Oak Barrels will be available in Jameson’s brand home outlets at Jameson Distillery, Bow Street, Dublin, Midleton Distillery, Cork, as well as in global travel retail and through Jameson’s online shop, priced at €50 (70cl). In Ireland, it will also be available in O’Brien’s Off Licences and other specialist off licences.

press release

Kiely’s of Cork. Maylor Street Chipper With A Difference.

Kiely’s of Cork. Maylor Street Chipper With A Difference.

Ummera Smoked Chicken

Kiely’s Chipper in Maylor Street was long regarded as a leader in the market but the 1940 enterprise faded from the scene in the noughties. 

Now though, in 2022, Kinsale’s Blue Haven have revamped the premises and have also revamped the menu; it is still fish and chips but the new crew have added a few attractive touches of their own. For instance, how many chippers do Ummera Smoked Chicken fritters? How many offer dessert?

But let us start with the basics. They have three versions of their homemade chips; you may have them with a Garlic Aioli, Guacamole, or Parmesan and Truffle Mayonaisse.

Catch of the Day

Move on up the menu a bit and you see Seafood Croquettes with tartare sauce and those Ummera Smoked Chicken Fritters. They don’t mention that both of these also come on a base of fries. Indeed, they are two substantial enough boxes. The croquettes are packed full of fish and the chicken fritters, all six of them, are delicious, especially with that tomato relish.

For another few euro, the choice increases again. And they include Homemade Chips with 56 hour sous vide beef stew and crispy shallot. Also the Homemade Chips with Pulled Chicken Thai Curry, radish, chilies and Sesame seeds.  How about the Chip Butty (Cuthbert’s White Sliced Pan, Seafood croquette, tartare sauce, crunchy slaw and homemade chips)?

Fish croquettes

The €14.50 Catch of the Day (tempura haddock, prawn, calamari, with homemade chips, sesame seed, lemon and Kiely’s Special Sauce) also falls into that category. It is delicious and a meal in itself.

Extra sauce for one euro

One that I enjoyed was the Prawn Scampi  (15.50). It came with homemade chips, crunchy slaw and Togarashi Mayonnaise. A big bunch of well cooked prawns, excellent chips (as was the case all through) and another good sauce, not to mention the crunch of the slaw. Couldn’t eat another bite!

But if you could, they have Churro with deep fried banana, strawberry or chocolate sauce. Are Kiely’s the only chipper that offer dessert?

Scampi and Togarashi sauce

Like most chippers, it is not a sit-down premises, though there are a couple of small tables outside on the street. Kiely’s is well set up for online ordering. Make your choices, click and collect. Our order was close to being ready when we called (we were a little early) and they handed out a chip or two as we waited and soon the lovely chatty crew had us on our way.