What beer are we drinking this week? Episode 3

Black Sheep · 18-04-2022 11:11am

There was an odd period early in the Irish craft beer scene where it seemed like cask was going to become a staple... I remember having pints of Dungarvan Helvic Gold at the Palace bar, and obviously places like Against The Grain. Every now and again there'd be Leann Folainn on cask and it was a must-have.

I think the last place I saw cask was Underdogs before it closed, did consumer habits just put an end to it?

Feels like a factor was also that much of it was being put out room temperature (Which could mean slightly warm) rather than cellar cool.

Effects · 18-04-2022 2:32pm

Coincidentally, the Black Sheep on Capel St. used to have a rotating beer on cask. I went in a few years back when they had a strong stout from Brehon Brewhouse. Can't remember which one it was. Possibly something that was barrel aged.

the beer revolu · 19-04-2022 8:57am

After me saying that I hadn't seen a cask in Cork for years (apart from Spoon's), I was in the Bierhaus last night and the cask pump was out ready for a Wicklow Wolf due this week!

Macy0161 · 19-04-2022 10:40am

As mentioned, Ballykilcavan had their Export Brown on cask at the Craic meet up. My formative drinking years were in the North West of England, so pretty much raised on "hand pulled" pints. Was in England a couple of months ago and even the macro cask (mainly Doom Bar) was very drinkable, both taste and volume!

Regarding the pubs, 5 pubs in our village, 3 now have at least one tap. It's the two "locals" pubs that don't have draft, but do have bottles. The main food/ tourist pub has 3- 2 Wicklow Wolf (elevation and wildfire) and 1 Wicklow Brewery (Helles). Going through a couple of kegs of Elevation a week, and they're only open Wednesday to Sunday, according to the bar manager.

Losty Dublin · 20-04-2022 6:35pm

Been a wee while since I was in here; greetings all.

I recently had a can of Jet Black Heart, which I hadn't tried before. Impressive but in that stout cliche, it's definitely an acquired taste. Also have developed a goo for Whirl Champion 2021, the collab from Whiplash and a pile of others. Serious beer but be warned if yeast and cloud aren't your thing as it's a supping beer. I've a bottle of the new O'Haras/Firestone Walker one sitting in storage; it had better be good 😊

ClashCityRocker · 20-04-2022 8:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118888938#Comment_118888938

Yep Opus One is great

the beer revolu · 20-04-2022 9:34pm

Cask is delayed a week or so.

Effects · 20-04-2022 10:18pm

Had a can of 60 Ships Down last night. Really liked it. Tried to get another this evening, but didn't get to Martins in Fairview in time. Then tried Molloys on Francis St. but they said it sold out really fast.

Settled for Lervig Three Bean Stout, which is similar enough in my mind.

Poorside · 26-04-2022 10:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118931347#Comment_118931347

Went in and ordered Middle lane, what did Vinnie do, poured me a pint of Magic mist, sometimes I wonder does he do it on purpose, got the Middle lane off sinead , cracking pint

adaminho · 26-04-2022 10:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118981499#Comment_118981499

I take a few days off and the place goes to hell 🤣

Sebastian Dangerfield · 15-05-2022 7:18am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118915841#Comment_118915841

I've had two pints of Lagunitas in different places recently and thought the same - that they'd given me Cute Hoor by mistake. It tastes completely different to what it used to

DelmarODonnell · 17-05-2022 10:55am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119065019#Comment_119065019

I'd a pint of Lagunitas in the new PressUp pub, Thomas Rody Mahers a few weeks ago (replaced Larry Murphys). It was awful. I can't believe how bad it has gotten over the years. Chieftain is another one that has gone downhill at a rate of knots.

As an aside, I don't like the Press Up pubs as the beer selection is so poor and limited to Guinness and Heineken products, but they have gone for a proper traditional pub set up. They even had a live balladeer in there, who wasn't afraid of reaching for his repertoire of RA songs! Bizarre

Pen Rua · 18-05-2022 5:04pm

The Wicklow Wolf & Mescan collab was solid, but I would have preferred something other than a witbier. Feels like anyone can do one of those, whereas having Mescan on board could have opened the door to a tripel or something. That said, I know nothing of the production side of these things, so it may not have been feasible.

I picked up a few of the Bullhouse Brewing Company cans that have made it south of the border. Nothing to write home about.

Oddity has a Double Shedland via Whiplash. A dud for me - expected more and it delivered barely anything.

Boundary have a black IPA going at the minute (Black is the Colour). It being one of my top styles, I was already biased but this was an excellent take.

Effects · 19-05-2022 2:55pm

Tried a Dead Centre Triple A American brown ale. Was disappointed, as I'd been given a good review of it. Tasted a bit sharp, and insipid to me.

DelmarODonnell · 20-05-2022 11:51am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119085529#Comment_119085529

Yeah I did not enjoy that at all. It was sour, which was not the intention

Effects · 20-05-2022 12:44pm

Yeah, sour. That's what I mean when I say sharp!

So did they all turn out like this, or just some of it went wrong? I almost poured it away, and I'm usually very reluctant to do that.

A friend dropped over during the week, and brought a White Hag pastry stout for me. Black forest or something. It was god awful, but I drank it so as not to be rude. I don't get how they make some awful stouts, yet also make Black Boar, which is one of my favourites.

Black Sheep · 21-05-2022 12:25pm

To me all the White Hag pastry stouts taste like whatever they are supposed to taste like - so the Black Forest is choc and raspberry alright, when I had it - but I agree “awful” in the sense of being so sweet. Definitely a subjective element to that call though. Maybe the reason we like Black Boar better is you’re just looking at more a conventional taste profile.

I feel the same way about a lot of the lactose IPAs out there that have milky or fruity flavours. No interest, but are they objectively “bad” beers, probably not..?

As far as Chieftain goes, agree, it’s unrecognisable compared to what it was ten years ago or whatever. Is it a gradual slow recipe change based on cost reduction that’s the cause? Wasn’t this what happened with Goose Island?

Sebastian Dangerfield · 23-05-2022 1:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119093356#Comment_119093356

Yes, and Punk IPA! That was such a nice beer, a different world from the generic blandness of today.

ben.schlomo · 23-05-2022 1:24pm

Had the WideStreet Brewing Brett Saison in Bierhaus, Galway last night. Very tasty indeed.

Pen Rua · 23-05-2022 2:40pm

Happened to have a Chieftain on draft over the weekend. So bland! Even early 2021 I checked it in to Untappd with a better rating.

Black Sheep · 23-05-2022 2:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119102028#Comment_119102028

Has Punk definitely changed recipe?

I remember that it seemed incredibly hoppy when I was just getting into craft beer, and nowadays it doesn't have that 'wow' effect on me. I just assumed my palate had evolved, though.

I tend to buy Jaipur when I have a choice between Punk and Jaipur. Maybe I should set up a taste test between them. I assume that Jaipur is still closer to what the recipe originally was meant to be.

L1011 · 23-05-2022 3:42pm

Punk has had one distinct and acknowledged recipe change; but its almost certain that its had another one or more.

Thelonious Monk · 25-05-2022 12:30pm

this looks right up meine strasse. Has anyone had it yet? I'm in the UK, don't actually think it's available in Ireland.

Pen Rua · 25-05-2022 12:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119111581#Comment_119111581

The Diageo press release refers to it being rolled out in Great Britain, with Europe & Asia to follow in the next 18 months.

Pen Rua · 25-05-2022 12:40pm

As it happens, James Hoffman (a very popular coffee YouTuber) did a review of the Guiness cold brew coffee nitro stout. He had to get it from the US as it wasn't in the UK at the time. He doesn't like it (not a beer guy to begin with), but doesn't write it off totally.

https://youtu.be/H9FtlOq_iK0?t=919

Shank Williams · 25-05-2022 6:28pm

is Some of the , recipe change, stuff just palate getting used to stuff

ill never forgot the 1st time I had a Galway bay foam and fury - the dry/biter hoppy flavour like nothing I’ve had since- this was 6-7 years ago

any time I had it more recently tasted a lot blander- did it change or did my palate change?

BeerNut · 25-05-2022 8:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119113608#Comment_119113608

It changed. New head brewer didn't like his predecessor's recipe so changed it pretty drastically.

Black Sheep · 26-05-2022 11:17am

Thanks for confirming that, another one I wondered about!

Macy0161 · 26-05-2022 11:25am

Our palates must develop somewhat too though? notwithstanding any brewery tour I've been on, they say they are always tweaking recipes to improve the beer. I'm definitely not finding sours as sour, compared to when I first had them a few years ago, no idea whether that's me or the beers though!

Hotblack Desiato · 26-05-2022 12:07pm

"Improve", or cut costs?

Have to say it's been a very long time since I've tried a new (to me) craft beer and thought "wow". Whether that's me or the beers, it's hard to say... but it's very disappointing to see the Porterhouse's own beers all now being very bland with lowered ABVs, for instance.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if a lot of places started (if they haven't already) to try to keep costs down with lower quality/quantity of ingredients. There are far too many "me too" completely meh IPAs out there which barely deserve the name.

What beer are we drinking this week? Episode 3

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