New and Improved 'What's your current favourite Irish Beer?' thread

the beer revolu

As it says:
And please no BUL beers of 'Irish' beers brewed by multinational companies.

Beers of note for me lately are:

Draught: Metalman Windjammer
Cask: Trouble Dark Arts
Bottle: O' Hara's Leann Follain and O'Hara's IPA

There are loads more that I like but these ones stick out for me right now.

Anyone else??

oblivious

The porterhouse TSB is one i find improves with multiple pints

Dark arts on CO2 is nearly unbeatable in keg, Blackrock stout, O'haras and then porterhouse lain in cask

foghlu

Dungarvan's Black Rock Stout stands out for me!

redlead

Draught:
1. Metalman Pale Ale
2. Wrasslers XXX
3. Hop Head
4. O'Hara's Stout
5. Galway Hooker

Cask:
1. Copper Coast
2. Black Rock
3. Helvick Gold

Bottle:
1. Blackrock Stout
2. O'Hara's Red Ale
3. Copper Coast
4. Helvick Gold
5. Leainn Follain

Overall I think that anything that comes out from O'Hara's or Dungarvan is top notch.

ciaran76

In no paticular order these are the Irish beers I always go back to.

Galway Hooker
Metalman Pale Ale
Blackrock Stout
O'Haras Irish Pale ale
O'Haras Irish Red
O'Haras Leann Follaain
Trouble Dark Arts
Porterhouse Hop Head


Another mention should goto Headless Dog which I loved when it was on cask (I think) in L.Mulligans.

redlead

ciaran76 wrote: »

In no paticular order these are the Irish beers I always go back to.

Galway Hooker
Metalman Pale Ale
Blackrock Stout
O'Haras Irish Pale ale
O'Haras Irish Red
O'Haras Leann Follaain
Trouble Dark Arts
Porterhouse Hop Head


Another mention should goto Headless Dog which I loved when it was on cask (I think) in L.Mulligans.

I love Hophead! Why when they say that it is a seasonal summer drink, is it only available in the winter and not the summer? I've been suffering from withdraw symptoms.

ciaran76

redlead wrote: »

I love Hophead! Why when they say that it is a seasonal summer drink, is it only available in the winter and not the summer? I've been suffering from withdraw symptoms.

Plenty of it available in Molloys off licences I have seen and where I got mine a few weeks ago.

redlead

ciaran76 wrote: »

Plenty of it available in Molloys off licences I have seen and where I got mine a few weeks ago.

Ah, I was referring to the Draught. I keep forgetting that you can get the porterhouse stuff bottled too. Do Metalman have any plans to release bottles do you know?

mayto

Some of my favourites are
Belfast Black Stout.. yummm
Breweyed Blonde Ale..a 4.5% pale ale,a very good beer
Galway Hooker..of course
O'Hara's IPA ..lovely hoppy beer

Technocentral

Galway Hooker
Wrasslers XXX
Dark Arts
Hop Head
O'Hara's IPA
Leainn Follain

TheWarrior

At the minute my top 3 are:

O'Hara's IPA
Galway Hooker
Leainn Follain

neilthefunkeone

O'Haras IPA
Dungarvan Helvick Gold
Galway Hooker
College Green Belfast Blonde..(Irish enough??)

Hopefully the festival in September will help populate my list a little further!!

the beer revolu

neilthefunkeone wrote: »

O'Haras IPA
Dungarvan Helvick Gold
Galway Hooker
College Green Belfast Blonde..(Irish enough??)

Hopefully the festival in September will help populate my list a little further!!

Let's not get political.
The reason I'd support Irish beer is not through any sense of patriotism or any sense that Irish is somehow 'better' (which some people, strangely to me, blindly follow) but rather because of a belief in supporting local products and local producers and hence local economies.
Here, I'm considering 'local' as the island of Ireland but I would love to see a time when the majority of pubs stock their local regional brew on tap (or, even better, cask).

oblivious

Nearly forgot Goods stores IPA on cask, could give many America pale ale a good run for their money

slayerking

Its great to see the irish beer scene is really thriving at the mo. And continuing to grow. We really have some cracking beer atm. I couldnt pick just one favourite, in no particular order...

Stand outs for me are:

Galway Hooker (always)
Whitewater's Copperhead + Clothworthy Dobbin
Wrasslers XXXX + Hophead
Metalman Pale Ale + Windjammer
O'Haras IPA
Dungarvan Coffee and Oatmeal Stout
Trouble Dark Arts.

slayerking

oblivious wrote: »

Nearly forgot Goods stores IPA on cask, could give many America pale ale a good run for their money

That was a cracker alright

redlead

the beer revolu wrote: »

Let's not get political.
I would love to see a time when the majority of pubs stock their local regional brew on tap (or, even better, cask).

Dream on, you would think that in Waterford City where there are two craft brewers in the county, they would stock these in the majority of pubs. Last time I tried there was only two pubs with Metalman and none with Dungarvan on cask. It's a disgrace! I went out of my way to ask for both in every pub but began to feel like an eejit after a while. People just don't care.

BeerNut

redlead wrote: »

Do Metalman have any plans to release bottles do you know?

Plans, yes. But it'll be after they have their brewery up and running and that's still not much beyond the planning stages itself.

irish_goat

Find myself picking up a bottle of Clotworthy Dobbin anytime I'm in Derry and will go for Oyster Stout in the Porterhouse more times than the others. In saying that, I'll go for their red ales and Hop Head alot as well. Quite like Wrasslers too but it's just not quite as sessionable so only have it if I'm staying for 1 just.

Messr's Stout is yum too, love how you can smell the pint as it's just sitting on the bar.

redlead

irish_goat wrote: »

love how you can smell the pint as it's just sitting on the bar.

Jaysus, you must have been dieing for that pint.:D

irish_goat

redlead wrote: »

Jaysus, you must have been dieing for that pint.:D

Well normally I'm walking from Busaras to the maynooth bus top beside Trinity after a 4/5 hour slog from Derry(on top of a full weekend of working) so a pint is always appreciated.

Seriously though, I can always get a whiff of the stout when it's sat down on the bar which you don't normally get with other beers.

neilthefunkeone

the beer revolu wrote: »

Let's not get political.
The reason I'd support Irish beer is not through any sense of patriotism or any sense that Irish is somehow 'better' (which some people, strangely to me, blindly follow) but rather because of a belief in supporting local products and local producers and hence local economies.
Here, I'm considering 'local' as the island of Ireland but I would love to see a time when the majority of pubs stock their local regional brew on tap (or, even better, cask).

Was just trying to keep it in the rules of the thread!!! Wasn't sure if it would be considered a UK brewer?? I consider it a local of Ireland!!!!:D

LaBaguette

oblivious wrote: »

The porterhouse TSB is one i find improves with multiple pints

I've never managed go get into the TSB, not for lack of trying. I'm not that much used to that kind of beers, though, how would you guys describe it ? Is there anything similar that I could compare it to ?

On-topic, I'm a complete sucker for Wrasslers. I've yet to try the Dungravan stout, though. Also, the Windjammer on cask at the PH was amazing, I found it even tastier than the Metalman they have on tap.

the beer revolu

redlead wrote: »

Dream on, you would think that in Waterford City where there are two craft brewers in the county, they would stock these in the majority of pubs. Last time I tried there was only two pubs with Metalman and none with Dungarvan on cask. It's a disgrace! I went out of my way to ask for both in every pub but began to feel like an eejit after a while. People just don't care.

Well, yes, every pub selling a local beer on cask is a dream but things have come a long way in the last few years:
Almost every pub in Dungarvan has Dungarvan beers in bottles.
There are a load of Cork pubs selling Fransciscan Well beers on tap.
There's a couple of outlets in Roscommon selling Galway Hooker on tap and rakes of them in Galway.
And none of the above mentioned are specialist beer pubs.
A lot of people do care and they are the ones to focus on.

Dont be at yourself

O'Hara's Red Ale for me at the moment. Still very new to the whole craft beer scene though, so tasting new ones all the time!

Brian CivilEng

Oh it's so difficult to name my favourite Irish beers. But I'll give it a bash.

Cask
1. O'Hara's Leann Follain
2. Dungarvan Black Rock
3. Dungarvan Helvick Gold

Keg
1. O'Hara's IPA
2. Metalman Pale Ale
3. Trouble Dark Arts

Bottle
1. O'Hara's Leann Follain
2. Clotworthy Dobbin
3. Porterhouse Celebration

Seasonal Specials
1. Dungarvan Coffee and Oatmeal
2. Messrs. Maguire Brown Ale
3. Metalman Windjammer

Overall, my current favourite Irish beer has to be O'Hara's Leann Follain, closely followed by Dungarvan Black Rock.

BeerNut

the beer revolu wrote: »

Almost every pub in Dungarvan has Dungarvan beers on tap.

I don't think any Dungarvan pubs have Dungarvan beers on tap. There might be one.

the beer revolu

BeerNut wrote: »

I don't think any Dungarvan pubs have Dungarvan beers on tap. There might be one.

OOps, I meant in bottle! (Fixed that)
I think Quealey's had it on tap for a little while, though.

Krusty_Clown

Keg:
Galway Hooker
O'Haras Stout
Metalman Pale Ale

Bottle:
Galway Hooker
O'Haras Leann Follain

Lots still to try. Haven't tried Wrasslers, or Metalman Windjammer, or a few others mentioned.

Mo14

I haven't tried nearly enough Irish beers yet, but of the ones I have my favourites would be:
Porterhouse Celebration Stout and Brain Blasta
Dungarvan Black Rock
Clotworthy Dobbin
O'Hara's Leann Follain
Metalman Pale Ale (Only got to try a sip of this unfortunately)

Ruben Remus

The Irish microbreweries are producing some excellent stuff at the moment.

The three best Irish beers I've tried this year have been:

* Messrs Maguire Brown Ale
* Metalman Windjammer
* Trouble Brewing Dark Arts

Honourable mentions for Galway Hooker and Eight Degrees Howling Gale Ale (which I had on tap at the Brewers on the Bay festival in Galway - haven't tasted the bottled version as yet).

_blank_

I'm drinking a bottle of Copper Coast Red Ale from Dungarvan at the moment, very nice indeed.

log22

O Haras stout in bottle and lean follin in the bottle aswell

Mervyn Skidmore

foghlu wrote: »

Dungarvan's Black Rock Stout stands out for me!

Weird, I was really disappointed in this beer, way too thin tasting for a stout. O'Hara's in my opinion is the best.

Mervyn Skidmore

Oh and if you get a chance to try Trouble Brewing's Dark Arts don't pass it up. Had a cask version in the Bull and Castle and it was absolutely amazing, especially after about 7 or 8 of them.

armouredbear

Ruben Remus wrote: »

The Irish microbreweries are producing some excellent stuff at the moment.

The three best Irish beers I've tried this year have been:

* Messrs Maguire Brown Ale
* Metalman Windjammer
* Trouble Brewing Dark Arts

Honourable mentions for Galway Hooker and Eight Degrees Howling Gale Ale (which I had on tap at the Brewers on the Bay festival in Galway - haven't tasted the bottled version as yet).

Recently discovered howling gale, I live not far from mitchelstown where it's brewed. Best beer in ages, gives dungarvans blonde a serious run for its money

ciaran76

Having tasted Sunburnt Irish red the last 2 weeks I have to say I would add it to my list of one of my favourites also.