Who's Winning? Irish Craft Beers 2014

Who's Winning? Irish Craft Beers 2014

Carlow Brewing company, Trouble Brewing, The Porterhouse, Eight Degrees, Metalman Brewing, Donegal Brewing, Dungarvan Brewing, Blacks of Kinsale, Rascal Brewing and Galway Bay Brewing are just some of the breweries who are leading the way with great flavoursome beers this year. While more and more breweries are opening by the week, the only winners are you and me, the consumers, as the standard of beers emerging has no choice but to soar! It hasn't quite become a sink or swim situation out there just yet, with more and more pubs, hotels and restaurants finally opening their minds to possibilities of stocking craft beers. 

Despite a boom, we are still an infantile industry and market. There are plenty of business still just dipping their toe in the proverbial water, and feeling their way in, while others are fully immerging themselves into it, committing 100% and not stocking any of the mainstream beers from the likes of Diageo, Heineken and Molsen Coors. I would like to give a shout out to some of these pubs and restaurants as I really believe in what they are doing and commend them for going up against the big boys, and taking a risk. 

'57 The Headline' Clanbrasssil St, 'Hartes' Kildare, 'Lock 13' Salins, The Galways Bay group of pubs (7 in total to date). There are plenty of other craft beer pubs out there growing their selection week on week which is also amazing to see.

Some of the stand out Irish craft beers this summer include the following:

Eight Degrees Brewing Company 'Amber Ella' 

-an american style amber ale packed with aussie hops (galaxy & ella)

Easy drinking with great floral hoppy finish

Carlow Brewing Company 'O'Hara's Irish Pale Ale'

-still renowned as one of the top ipas in the country, full bodied hop 

flavours dominate with refreshing citrus finish (cascade & amarillo hops)

Blacks of Kinsale 'Black IPA'

-another hoppy ale, however this time Sam mixed the roasty 

caramel flavours of a stout or porter with the hoppy bitterness of an 

ipa (cascade & citra hops)

Galway Bay Brewery 'Of Foam and Fury' Double IPA

Double IPA with a massive malt backbone to balance out the intense 

hops. Used a variety of hops including galena, chinook, pacific jade, 

and simcoe. Great flavour and very low alcohol taste despite a 

hearty 8.5%abv

Gateways

What was your first craft beer? Do you know? Do you remember? Was it love at first sip or did you have to try a few gateways before you discovered what you like? 

I remember while living Stateside being introduced to 'Blue Moon'. It was a hazel amber colour and served with a slice of orange. The taste was very different to the mainstream lagers that I had previously been accustomed to. It was citrusy and quite refreshing. 

Six years on and I would never dream of ordering a Blue Moon however it served its purpose, and opened my eyes to some of the other beer options available. I like to think of it as a gateway to bigger and better things.

Here is a list of beers that I think would serve this same purpose, introduce your palate to some different flavour profiles without jumping in too deep straight away.

Duvel Single (Belgium)

This Belgian golden ale is a light coloured , light bodied beer that finishes with a great clean bite. At 8%abv it packs a punch but is very refreshing and easy drinking. Duvel is available in bottle format in several pubs around Dublin including Pmacs, O'Neills, Brew Dock and the Bath. It is also widely available in off licenses such as O'Briens and even some larger shops such as Dunnes stock it.

Franziskaner Hefeweizen (Germany)

This traditional style of beer originates from Germany. This wheat based beer has orange, banana and citrus notes with a hint of clove and nutmeg. This beer is another easy drinking refreshing ale that is well worth a try, especially on a warm sunny day. Franziskaner is available sporadically around Dublin bars and pubs. Farringtons in temple bar is a good shout. The beer is also stocked at nearly all good off licenses.

While I mentioned specific beers above there are also certain styles of beer that generally can help broaden your horizons.

Belgian blondes and goldens, Belgian 'witbier' or wheat beers, German hefeweizens, American pale ales.

While there are also some good German lagers and Czech Pilseners I generally think they are not too dissimilar from the mainstream beers and so wouldn't go out of my way to buy one. 

So next time your in your local boozer or out picking up a few bottles, go with something different, you never know where it may lead you.

AllTech International Craft Brews & Food Fair 2014

Good afternoon beer lovers!

Sorry the feed has been a little quiet over the last week or so, but there has been lots going on in the beer scene in Dublin, so lots to update you on. This weekend sees the second annual "Alltech International Craft Brews and Food Fair" take place in the Convention Centre in Dublin city.

(www.alltech.com)

While there are more and more craft beer festivals popping up all over the country from the 'Irish Craft Beer Festival (St. Georges Dock March 2014) to the 'Irish International Craft Beer Festival (RDS September 2014) to the 'Doolin Craft Beer Festival (Doolin August 2014) the fair this week at the convention centre is certain one not to be missed! With 47 breweries present pouring over 150 different beers, plus ciders, whiskeys and amazing Irish foods. On Saturday they are even showing the Irish International Rugby match against Wales on a giant 14ft screen, while Paddy Casey will also be playing some live music to keep everyone happy.

(www.alltech.com)

The festival is open to the public from 5pm Friday evening, and Saturday from noon. However some lucky folks from the trade or those with the inside scoop got to get in yesterday to check it out yesterday (Thursday). I have to say I was very very impressed. The set up has been planned perfectly down to every detail, with each craft beer vendor having their own small bar/section where they can display their offerings, pour some of their delicious brews, and also talk with the punters, telling some of the stories behind the brews, the breweries, the names and lots of other interesting information that really adds to the experience. That is one of the huge benefits in my opinion about the craft beer industry, being able to meet the brewer of your favourite ale face to face, and discuss different elements about the beer, find out what the thought process was, and really get to know him/her on a personal level. Has anyone ever met the owner of Coors/Diago/Heineken? Would you want to? 

I got to try several beers yesterday, many from breweries that have only recently opened for business in Ireland. During September of last year the official count of breweries in Ireland was at 22. As of today there are 35 breweries in operation in Ireland with another 20 in the planning stages and expected to be up and running by the end of the year. What an amazing time to get involved in the craft beer scene in Ireland!

So as I mentioned, I tasted several excellent beers,from O'Haras Pale Ale, to Blacks Kinsale Black IPA, to Black Paw cask ale and many more, but one stood out, and frankly it blew my mind. Rascal's Brewing Co.  were pouring their Ginger Porter. What a sensory explosion. If you like darker beers, and you like ginger, you have got to try this beer! I have tried ginger infused beers before, which have been refreshing, but this was like a wallop of fresh, zesty, refreshing, spicy deliciousness, that finished with an unbelievable smooth roasty flavour. Dark and caramel flavours mixed with the freshest bite from the ginger left me wanting more and more. Congrads Rascal's Brewing co. you have made an exceptional beer, and cant wait to see what you come out with next.

So anyone who is around Dublin this evening or tomorrow do yourself a favour and get down to the convention centre and try some of Ireland (and U.Ks) best craft beers. Entry is 15euro which also grants you 4 drink tickets. Well worth it folks!

If you make it down feel free to send me some feedback on what you thought, and what beers excited you.

Enjoy!

The Good, The Bad, and The Rest of The Bubbly Brews

So we have gone over a brief introduction of what Craft Beer is all about, and how brewers go about taking 4 or 5 mere ingredients and transforming them into a delicious, refreshing, thought provoking beverage!
So what is the story with craft beer in Ireland? What breweries are making the best grog? Which bars and pubs are offering the widest and more interesting selection of beers? and which places are just the total package, good beer, good food, cool staff, and great atmosphere? Lets find out!!

So while there is not a huge array of choices for a good selection of craft beers, there are more and more places opening each month, which is great for us beer drinkers. My first review is going to be of one of my favourite spots that I have found so far in my search for the best hangout spot in Dublin that combines all the above attributes.

The Black Sheep 

61 Capel St, Dublin

The Black Sheep is a beer focused gastropub that is owned by the Galway Bay Brewing Group. There are 3 other pubs around Dublin by the same owners, but in my opinion this is by far the best. The Black Sheep is located towards the north end of Capel St, close to Parnel St. Close walk from Luas red line, Henry St, and the Spire.

Beer
The Black Sheep has a great selection of beers, with 23 rotating beers pouring on draft including two cask ales, and also a wide selection of bottled beers. My favourite thing about the beers at the Black Sheep is the variety of selection. Many places that are carrying craft beers now are solely carrying Irish craft beers, which while some are great, many are still learning....Our neighbours in Europe have been brewing for hundreds of years (Belgium in particular) and have perfected some amazing flavour combinations and different styles that are not available in Ireland. The Black Sheep however offers a good mix of Irish, Belgian and American brews, which tick all the boxes in my opinion, depending on how I am feeling on a particular day. Some days I feel like a dry Irish roasty Stout, but others, I want a citrusy, bitter west coast coast style IPA, and at The Black Sheep I can easily make that choice!

Food
The food selection at The Black Sheep is not crazy different to your average Dublin pub, they cover most of the bases with items such as Chicken Wings, Calamari, Steak Burger, Beef Stew, Fish & Chips, but also have some other interesting items like Quesadillas, Bruscetta, and Thai Green Curry.
The calamari pair nicely with a hoppy IPA, with the citrus notes from the beer meshing with the fresh lemon covered squid. I thought the fish could have been fried for slightly longer, as it was quite soggy but the flavours were tasty. The Steak burger was recommended by one of the waiters, and while it was a tasty enough combination, the meat quality was not great in my opinion. I'm sure they sell a ton of them, and they definitely fill a hole, hunger wise, but there are better burgers in Dublin. Chicken wings were good, spicy but not over the top, crispy on the outside, but nice and moist inside. Overall, I think some of the starters go great with their impressive beers, leaving you wanting more of both, but wouldn't necessarily recommend if you are trying to impress a date, or are seeking something complex from your plate.

Staff
One of the main reasons I will go back to a business, no matter what area of business, is their staff. It doesn't cost anything to say hello, say goodbye, recommend some interesting items for me, and overall appreciate my business. The staff at The Black Sheep tick all the boxes in this regard, they are great. Sitting at the bar especially, like in any pub, you have more opportunity to converse with the staff, ask opinions, recommendations, whats new, whats great, whats not so great etc. The staff here are both knowledgeable and friendly which makes all the difference in my eyes.

Atmosphere
The layout of The Black Sheep is nice, small bar area, but generally quite open and spacious. The place seats around 70-80 people (guess). There is generally some music playing in the background, dimmed lights and candles (evening) and the pleasant rumble of various conversations taking place around the place. They do not have any tvs, so probably not the spot for you if you are craving some premiership football, or Leinster rugby. Overall I would score the place quite high on the atmosphere chart as the place is generally busy, but not intensely crowded to the point that it is hard to get a drink. Good vibe!

Beer Review
The Beer I am going to review was a staff recommendation from my most recent visit to The Black Sheep.

Brewer: The Wild Beer Company, Shepton Mallet, England
Beer: "Madness IPA"
Style: Imperial/Double India Pale Ale (DIPA)
Alcohol by volume (abv) 6.8%
Format: 500ml bottle
Price: €6

<-- cool branding too

The aroma was grassy hoppy, and fruity (apple, lemon, pineapple). On my first tastes I got notes of pine cones, citrus fruits,followed by up front hop bitterness, with background balancing malts. Definitely very refreshing. The alcohol was hidden well by the American hops and good carbonation levels added to the overall brightness of the beer. I really liked it, especially since it was not something I had tried before, or would have seen, as it was hidden away in the back of the fridge. Also so far I have not been wowed by English IPAs so this was a particularly pleasant surprise. Final thoughts, great IPA, would gladly go back and have another, well worth a try people!!
For folks just getting into the craft beer world and not sure which styles they prefer, it has the strength and depth of a great craft beer with lots of exciting flavours, but the citrus notes from the hops make the beer very easy drinking and refreshing. Again, worth a try!

Stay tuned to Craft Beer Scene blog for more reviews on places to check out, beers to try, food to nibble on, and who is brewing the best gargle around! Slainte!

The Brewing Process

Brewing Equipment Explained…

The brewing process is no easy feat, it takes time and a lot of effort. But if you can persist and master this skill, the world is your oyster! Check out the different stages in the process below to get an idea of what a brewers work week/month looks like. 

Mill & Grist Case- the Mill rollers crush the malted grains to prepare them for mashing, while the Grist case acts as room temperature storage (the previous process of turning barley to malt is usually not done in-house, brewers generally buy in malted grain)

Mash Tun- the malted grains are mixed with hot water to enable the enzymes in the grains to break down the starch and produced fermentable sugar, which is needed to make beer. This mixture of malted grains and water is now known as the mash

Lauter Tun- the laughter tun is basically used to separate the sugary liquid (mash) from the malted grains. Hot water is sprinkled over the grains to rinse out any additional sugars (sparging). In smaller breweries one tank may perform the tasks of both the mash tun and lauter tank

Boil Kettle- the boil kettle does as its name suggests, boils the sugary liquid in order to concentrate the liquid and sterilise it before it begins to ferment. Hops are added at this stage, which add flavour and aroma to the final product

Whirlpool- this stage of the process is used to separate the previously added hops, and any other solids from the boiled wort. A spinning action deposits the solids into the centre of the tank so the wort can drain down the sides of the whirlpool. Here again, this stage can sometimes be combined with the boil kettle at smaller breweries

Heat Exchanger- the filtered wort is cooled as it passes through the heat exchanger, so that fermentation is possible. The wort enters at around 82C (180F) and is cooled to about 18C (65F)

Fermenter- the yeast is added or ‘pitched’ at this stage in the brewing process which converts the sugar in the wort to alcohol and carbon dioxide. May different flavours are developed here, depending on the yeast, and the previous ingredients added during earlier stages

Lagering Tank- this step is only used when making lagers as the name suggests! Beer that still contains yeast is cooled here down to about 1C (34F) and left to mature and develop flavour for between 2 and 4 weeks

Brite Tank- the Brite tank contains the final product, delicious beer. The beer can now be filtered, carbonated, and then packaged (kegged or bottled) before making its way into your glass!

(cicerone.org)

So there you have it, the brewing process from start to finish! While professional brewers use most of this large and expensive equipment, you too can make beer at home yourself. All you need is a few ingredients, a few large pots and an eye for detail. Brewing beer is very much a scientific process, and even slight changes in temperatures, or using a non-sterilised container can ruin your beer completely! Check out this Irish website which has great information as well as all the tools you need to start making your own beer. Good luck!

https://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/

Start at the Start, what goes into making a great beer?

Before I go on to discuss various beer styles, different breweries, traditions etc, I thought I would start at the absolute beginning, and briefly describe the brewing process and the ingredients involved. While many of you reading this may already have a good understanding it is always interesting to take a step back and see that craft beer at its basic level comes from just four ingredients. The German purity laws or "Reinheitsgebot" which were initially introduced in 1516, stated that any beer made must only contain four ingredients, BARLEY, WATER, HOPS, & YEAST (the later initially not mentioned as it was undiscovered in 1516!). 

So without getting too deep into the historic reasons behind these laws, we are left with four simple ingredients. 

BARLEY: Barley is a basic cereal grain which is very important in the brewing process. The grain is high in starch content, which after malting (soaking, germinating, drying) enables the grain to produce fermentable sugars and then reacts with the yeast to produce beer. While barley is commonly used, rice, wheat, corn, rye and other substitutes have also been used to produce different outcomes. 

WATER: Water makes up 90% of beer and so is obviously vital to the final product. Water is different all over the world and this plays a huge roll. Certain areas are known for certain styles of beer and this can be a result of the water type. eg. Dublin has hard water, which is good for making stouts.....any famous stout made in Dublin come to mind?

HOPS:Hops have been the primary flavouring ingredient in beer since the Middle Ages, however were also included due to their preservative characteristics. Hops are basically the female flower produced by the Hop plant (Humulus Lupulus). They generally give off a tangy, bitter flavour, however in recent times new varieties of hops have been grown which add distinctive flavours, eg. 'C-Hops' add a more citrusy profile. Hops also add aroma to beer.

YEAST: Yeast is a microorganism that is responsible for fermenting sugar into alcohol. Not only does it convert sugary flavoured water into beer, different yeast strains also add different flavours to the beer. Yeast also gives off carbon dioxide (CO2) which helps carbonate beer.  

While these are the four key ingredients in making beer, the brewing process has evolved with creative brewers adding a variety of other ingredients to impart flavour. Examples include chocolate, coffee, spices, nuts, fruits to name a but a few. The process of aging beer in barrels which previously contained whiskey, bourbon, wine or cognac has also become very popular. 

Just like people now want to know exactly what is in the food they eat and where their foods come from, I think it is equally important to know what is in your beer, and where your beer is coming from. This is one of the major arguments against (some) large corporate breweries, who use cheaper ingredients to remove flavour and aroma, while craft breweries are striving to use quality ingredients, to enhance the beer and add more flavour. 

Stay tuned for a snapshot of the brewing process, and find out how these ingredients are transformed to produce a delicious, frothy brew!

Introduction......a world of craft beer

Why drink craft beer? What IS craft beer? 

Craft Beer is an interesting term, with many many people and organisations trying to define it. The American Brewers Association have described craft beer as "small, traditional and independent". They have categorised the industry by size, history, and ownership. In reality deciding which beers are 'craft' and which are not is decisively more complicated. Some argue that defining the term is simply a marketing exercise, while others believe it is indeed vital to have a definition to protect the smaller breweries from large corporations who have the financial might to brainwash us into thinking any beer can be craft. Check out Brewdogs case for it here Defining Craft Beer  

While there are many arguments, there is still no right and/ or wrong.  We believe that the Irish market does not need to yet worry about such definitions as of yet and instead focus on broadening our palates and trying new beers! For years we were limited to drinking the same low flavoured beers offered by our local. Going to a pub was not really about the beer, more the people and atmosphere. Don't get me wrong that is still one of the best reasons to go to the pub, but can't we have our craft beer and drink it?

With almost 50 craft breweries in existence or in the planning stages, Ireland now has more choice than ever. We also have better distribution channels which are enabling beers from Belgium, Germany and the U.S to be sold nationwide here in Ireland. 

So get out there people and roll the dice, try something new this week. I will be reviewing beers on this blog, including details such as style, taste profiles, availability, price and also which beers are a good gateway to the world of craft beers, to help transition from your Heineken or Carlsberg to something new. I will also be listing some of the better establishments which not only carry good beer selection but also have a good staff on hand to help you enjoy your journey down the craft beer road. 

Stay tuned and spread the word! If there is any other information you would like to learn about or discuss leave a comment below and il do my best to address it.

Cheers