Supporting craft breweries

adocholiday

Basq wrote: »

Customer service and speed of despatch from Craft Central is incredible..

Last Christmas, I put in an order with CraftCentral and they forgot to include 2 cans in the rush of the White Hag Brett IPA. They apologised profusely, refunded me and said that they'd hold them for me and to email on my next order and they'll include them au gratis.

A few months pass and completely forgot about the whole thing and I place an order with them. The delivery arrives next day with 2 additional cans of White Hag's Brett IPA and a handwritten note essentially saying "we never forget!".

They range and offers are superb and am going to keep giving them business based on this tbh.

Can also vouch for their great customer service. I had an order from them a few weeks ago and they mixed it up basically giving me 8 cans I ordered 4 of, and leaving 4 others out of the order altogether. I emailed them and they sent out the 4 cans plus a few other random beers thrown in and they were delivered on a Saturday. Exemplary service and they've won my business exclusively for sure.

irish_goat

+1 for Craft Central.

Only issue I've ever had was 1 beer missing and like everyone else they included 2 of them in my next order.

Pen Rua

Ha - now I feel bad for not going with them...!

Eyeing up going for a growler for the first time from Bierhaus in Cork. They currently have a barrel aged Delirium on tap as well as Rozenlambiek that those I'm connected to on Untappd have all rated exceptionally high.

Macy0161

I've used them all at this stage, except Craft Beers Delivered, and no reason I haven't really. Just haven't what I wanted.

No issues with any of beer cloud, craft central, beer club, craft direct, radical drinks. Beer club is the best range of interesting beers, but is more expensive and the slowest delivery, but then it gets extra marks for being An Post (not that I've had driver related issues with fastway or dpd).

I really try and rotate around them to be honest!

Hurrache

You can't beat Craft Central, their service is excellent, and great if there's any issues with your delivery or beer. Like Basq, I receiver a hand written note and a little gift with an order weeks after a very tiny issue I had which I had forgotten about.

Beanstalk

Any tips on the best company that delivers in Ireland for Belgian/German/Nongenerichazybeers?

There are loads of non hazy beers made here.

BeerNut

Beanstalk wrote: »

Any tips on the best company that delivers in Ireland for Belgian/German/Nongenerichazybeers?

You mean bottled beers? Martins or DrinkStore.

Beanstalk

Just what I'm looking for! Thank you!

Mickeroo

If you like Belgian style beers Mescan brewery are worth looking at, you can order direct from the website. Their red tripel is gorgeous.

Pen Rua

Mickeroo wrote: »

If you like Belgian style beers Mescan brewery are worth looking at, you can order direct from the website. Their red tripel is gorgeous.

Seconded for Mescan. My goodness that Red Trippel is something else.

Unrelated, received my Craft Beers Delivered order (shipped via UPS) - more or less next day (since I ordered late on Wednesday).

Two of the cans are very close to their Best Befores (a Whiplash/Garage collab from June, BB 12 December and a Northern Monk Patrons Project IPA from July, BB 13 November). Part of me would have expected some (small) discount given that the BB is closing in, especially for the Northern Monk.

Packaging solid, not dissimilar to Craft Central. No freebie (tote bag etc - I'm a sucker for those canvass tote bags...!!)

Overall, good - but I wouldn't rush back. Craft Central first.

L1011

That reminds me, ever since my local newsagent started giving me any over BBE bottles I pointed out to them; I've found virtually none whereas when they just binned them they had loads :pac: Actually suspect its just higher turnover in recent months.

There's some of last years Hobgoblin Christmas on the shelves though that I should check.

Ordered some Kildare this weekend and its arrived at home, might save me trekking to O'Briens on the way home.

Redsoxfan

If anyone likes Kinnegar, check out www.nancysbarardara.com. Carry most of the range of cans and do decent deals, e.g. all cans be got 5 for EUR 15 and that applies to Thumper and Crossroads as well as Big Bunny and Scraggy Bay. Free delivery anywhere in Ireland over EUR 90 (so 30 cans of Kinnegar if you like). They also sell Donegal Brewing Bottles as well as Silkie whiskey and Dúlamán gin.

They use An Post. Packaging could be better, and I have given them this feedback.

No connection, but a very satisfied customer.

irish_goat

https://www.kinnegarbrewing.ie/

Kinnegar also doing merch sales on their website now. Suggesting on Twitter that they might offer beer sales in the future as well.

Redsoxfan

irish_goat wrote: »

https://www.kinnegarbrewing.ie/

Kinnegar also doing merch sales on their website now. Suggesting on Twitter that they might offer beer sales in the future as well.

Aye, most of the feedback I have seen has been along the lines of 'Where's the beer'.

As they say themselves, they aren't quick to do anything...

laros

Kinnegar also doing merch sales on their website now.

Post and Packing is €10 for a Tshirt tho... A bit pricey ....

Pen Rua

irish_goat wrote: »

https://www.kinnegarbrewing.ie/

Kinnegar also doing merch sales on their website now. Suggesting on Twitter that they might offer beer sales in the future as well.

I was very confused when I first went on to the site. Would have assumed a brewery launching a webstore would sell beer but...

L1011

They've "sold" that merch on the site, in an "email us what you want and we'll call you back" or similar setup for donkeys years now. However the effort of that put me off, so I may be ordering the metal Rustbucket or Scraggy Bay sign later.

The Taproom is in a hotel on a hotel licence which I'm not sure allows offsales the same way that breweries with pubs like Kildare Brewing and Dead Centre can just fulfil off it.

flended12

Molloys had a bargain basket full of Siren Broken dream breakfast stout tonight. €1 a can with just 2 weeks over sell by date. Picked up a tenners worth along with a lonely can of lineman for €2.50. Would have been wrong to have left the can on his own.

BonnieSituation

flended12 wrote: »

Molloys had a bargain basket full of Siren Broken dream breakfast stout tonight. €1 a can with just 2 weeks over sell by date. Picked up a tenners worth along with a lonely can of lineman for €2.50. Would have been wrong to have left the can on his own.

What Molloys was that?

flended12

BonnieSituation wrote: »

What Molloys was that?

Tallaght village

Black Sheep

Redsoxfan wrote: »

If anyone likes Kinnegar, check out www.nancysbarardara.com. Carry most of the range of cans and do decent deals, e.g. all cans be got 5 for EUR 15 and that applies to Thumper and Crossroads as well as Big Bunny and Scraggy Bay. Free delivery anywhere in Ireland over EUR 90 (so 30 cans of Kinnegar if you like). They also sell Donegal Brewing Bottles as well as Silkie whiskey and Dúlamán gin.

They use An Post. Packaging could be better, and I have given them this feedback.

No connection, but a very satisfied customer.

Can I just say that Nancy's is one of the best country pubs in Ireland, if anyone ever has a chance to get to Donegal when all this Covid nonsense is over. A really nice open fire kind of place, rich in heritage but stocking great new local produce and with a strong seafood menu. The chowder is the business.

Macy0161

Anyone else noticed a reduction in the space the multiples are giving to their craft sections? I do use craft central/ beer club etc but there's a few staples I sneak into the family shop on the 4 for 10 as well as the Rye River, Carlow Brewing, Lough Gill "own brands". Definite reduction in space in my local Tesco(s), Supervalu, Aldi and Lidl, but particularly noticeable in Supervalu and Tesco, with a definite squeeze on in Aldi and Lidl too.

Are the multinationals repeating the pressure/ offers too good to resist they use with pubs on the supermarkets?

Mickeroo

Anyone spotted any good gift selection/sets for irish breweries?

youcancallmeal

Macy0161 wrote: »

Anyone else noticed a reduction in the space the multiples are giving to their craft sections? I do use craft central/ beer club etc but there's a few staples I sneak into the family shop on the 4 for 10 as well as the Rye River, Carlow Brewing, Lough Gill "own brands". Definite reduction in space in my local Tesco(s), Supervalu, Aldi and Lidl, but particularly noticeable in Supervalu and Tesco, with a definite squeeze on in Aldi and Lidl too.

Are the multinationals repeating the pressure/ offers too good to resist they use with pubs on the supermarkets?

Can't say I've noticed this but I rarely shop in Tesco.

My local Supervalu always has an extensive selection and the amount of shelf/fridge space for craft beer has actually increased in the last 6 months. They usually get the latest releases from the likes of Whiplash, OBrother, 8Degrees in as well.

My local Lidl seems to be always the same offerings, their specials are mostly eastern European lagers. Aldi is better in that they have more interesting specials besides their core range (The Lough Gill specials and Ald IPA being good examples)

irish_goat

Mickeroo wrote: »

Anyone spotted any good gift selection/sets for irish breweries?

Porterhouse are due to bring one out in a few weeks. Not spotted any others mentioned yet.

Macy0161

Mickeroo wrote: »

Anyone spotted any good gift selection/sets for irish breweries?

Wicklow Brewery opened their online shop for beer over the weekend - they've presentation boxes on it.

flended12

Macy0161 wrote: »

Anyone else noticed a reduction in the space the multiples are giving to their craft sections? I do use craft central/ beer club etc but there's a few staples I sneak into the family shop on the 4 for 10 as well as the Rye River, Carlow Brewing, Lough Gill "own brands". Definite reduction in space in my local Tesco(s), Supervalu, Aldi and Lidl, but particularly noticeable in Supervalu and Tesco, with a definite squeeze on in Aldi and Lidl too.

Are the multinationals repeating the pressure/ offers too good to resist they use with pubs on the supermarkets?

My local supervalue has zero craft options now. They had for about a year but I reckon I was the only one purchasing. The section as small as it was has been replacement by floor to ceiling gin and gin/mixer cans.

The usual other shops aldi, lidl, tesco etc all have decent choice.

Ivefoundgod

Macy0161 wrote: »

Anyone else noticed a reduction in the space the multiples are giving to their craft sections? I do use craft central/ beer club etc but there's a few staples I sneak into the family shop on the 4 for 10 as well as the Rye River, Carlow Brewing, Lough Gill "own brands". Definite reduction in space in my local Tesco(s), Supervalu, Aldi and Lidl, but particularly noticeable in Supervalu and Tesco, with a definite squeeze on in Aldi and Lidl too.

Are the multinationals repeating the pressure/ offers too good to resist they use with pubs on the supermarkets?

My local Tesco hasn't changed, if anything its expanded their range with Wicklow Wolf and 8 Degrees now available where before it was mainly O' Haras, Trouble Brewing and Rye River with Brewdog cans too. But my local Super Valu has gone downhill rapidly. They used to have a great selection of craft beers but now its fairly bare bones and a good portion of the section is taken up with those White Claw/Seltzer drinks that have become popular recently. Its a pity because its handy for me to get to but selection is so bad now I rarely go there. I don't have a huge amount of choice in off licenses in Carlow so I usually stick to O' Briens who have the best selection or else go online.

Macy0161

Ivefoundgod wrote: »

My local Tesco hasn't changed, if anything its expanded their range with Wicklow Wolf and 8 Degrees now available where before it was mainly O' Haras, Trouble Brewing and Rye River with Brewdog cans too. But my local Super Valu has gone downhill rapidly. They used to have a great selection of craft beers but now its fairly bare bones.

Well Wicklow Wolf hasn't made it to my two local (Wicklow) Tesco's, yet.

It was more space allocated in Tesco rather than range tbh, but because of the reduction more chance of them being empty. Same with Aldi.

Supervalu in Wicklow had decent selection for the size of store, took out the isle for an extra checkout, and have squeezed in the craft section in the corner they had the non/ low alcohol craft in. Basically gone to just Wicklow Brewery and Wicklow Wolf now.

I try to support the off licence (limited opening hours), but mainly buying online. Sometimes it's cheaper to just get the 4 beers, rather than get sucked in to the online shop and suddenly the €50 cart!