Nice beer (some even better than Tuborg)

[Buceph]

A friend has been bringing loads of different beers to our meet ups for the past year or two. I'd always try a few, but it was mainly lagers I was drinking. The other stuff always seemed like it was too much of a chance to spend my meagre few bob on, considering they could turn out rubbish. I'd still get some of the Eastern European lagers though. Then a few weeks ago, I got a job. And I'd go for a shnakey pint or two after work in Freds (Zeppelins), and in fairness to them it's a nice bar, good people, but their pints are rubbish. This spurred me on to spend my hard earned spondoolicks on good beer. So I started going to the craft beer pubs here. And now I'm hooked. I've had some lovely beers over the past month. A couple I didn't like but mostly they've been top notch.

I had this one last night...

Gouden Carolus Christmas beer. Expensive but damn tasty. It's probably the most complex beer I have ever drunk. Every sup was like an explosion on your tastebuds with different flavours going off everywhere. It was as interesting a drink as a very fine wine, if not more so. I wouldn't drink it all night, but I'd have one and savour it.

Anyway, have you lot any particular craft beers you like? (Apart from Heineken and Tuborg)

[McCloud]

Carlsberg special brew.

[Balla Boy]

That's a good place to start. I have a big thing for the US craft brewers at the moment. Brooklyn, Sierra Nevada, Goose Island, Anchor, Anderson Valley, Flying Dog and others do great pale ales, stouts, porters, ambers and the rest.

In Belgium, I'm generally drawn to the blonde beers, Maredsous in particular. Kwak is a great drop, as is Barbar. Chimay, Duvel, Orval, Delerium Tremens, De Koninck.

Big fan of British beers as well. Adnams are doing some very interesting pale ales, with Ghost Ship and Explorer particularly good.

Have a lot of time for the Meantime brewery as well. They've produced an outstanding American Brown Ale that's probably my beer of the year.

[The Word Is Born]

The Franciscan Well did an excellent, but limited edition, stout called Shandon Century Stout which was excellent. 1000 bottles (1L) but all gone now. They've released a winter seasonal beer recently called Bell Ringer. Again 1000 bottles (1L) @ 10 lids a go. It's good but not a patch on the Century Stout.

Dungarvan Brewing Company have also released a seasonal stout Coffee & Oatmeal Stout which I thought was pretty good. A step above their Black Rock Stout.

The 8 Degrees Brewing Company also have a seasonal beer to supplement their already excellent range but I've yet to taste it.

[Grandpasimpson]

The Franciscan Well did an excellent, but limited edition, stout called Shandon Century Stout which was excellent. 1000 bottles (1L) but all gone now. They've released a winter seasonal beer recently called Bell Ringer. Again 1000 bottles (1L) @ 10 lids a go. It's good but not a patch on the Century Stout.

Dungarvan Brewing Company have also released a seasonal stout Coffee & Oatmeal Stout which I thought was pretty good. A step above their Black Rock Stout.

The 8 Degrees Brewing Company also have a seasonal beer to supplement their already excellent range but I've yet to taste it.

I bought a few bottles of the 8 Degrees beer a few weeks ago having read a great write up in the Examiner and with it being brewed only a few hundred yards from home but was very disappointed with it, cant put my finger on it but just felt it was poor. I picked up a few bottles of Curim from the Carlow Brewing Company last week and found it really good, will definately buy more of it.

I think we really should make an effort to support the local breweries over Christmas and beyond, every little bit helps.

[The Word Is Born]

Which 8 Degrees beer?

[Cowboy]

Brooklyn Brew
Fullers London Pride
Sam Adams
Erdinger

All get cowboys seal of approval

http://www.desmondsnextdoor.ie/beers...Fcod4QodRXWF1A

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/491/2128

Those two links will follow Cowboy into his grave, or into his saddlebag as he rides off into the sunset.


The Missus had a curry from the Mogul last Sun night and returned with 2 complimentary Cobras. Christ what a great and affordable all rounder. Chape as cheeps, clean and crisp without being tasteless.

Quite enjoy some of the Kiwi breweries too:

http://www.macs.co.nz/macs-beers.html



BALLA! Have you tried Harpoon Brewery out of Boston? Had it a few nights while I was over there. Fluckin delicious but good gravy its complete rocket fuel. The craftier yank brews are sneaky in their potency.

[The Word Is Born]

Anyone ever tried the Brewdog beasts Tactical Nuclear Penguin, Sink The Bismarck, Tokyo or Bitch Please? Are they just big for the sake of being big?

The Brooklyn and Sierra Nevada beers are excellent.

The strongest beer I've had is the Aventinus Eisbock which weighs in around 12.5% and it's one bad mofo.

[Scenic]

Next time you're in the states, see can you track down Russian River's Pliny the Elder http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/863/7971
This should become your baseline beer, to measure all good beers against. Beautiful fresh citrusy hops, fantastic taste, everything you could look for in a beer.

Possibly only rivalled by its brother, Pliny the Younger http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/863/21690. Extremely limited release, only appears for a few weeks every year, and is greeted by crowds queueing outside pubs (seriously!).

[masterchief]

Anyone ever tried the Brewdog beasts Tactical Nuclear Penguin, Sink The Bismarck, Tokyo or Bitch Please? Are they just big for the sake of being big?

The Brooklyn and Sierra Nevada beers are excellent.

The strongest beer I've had is the Aventinus Eisbock which weighs in around 12.5% and it's one bad mofo.

Tactical nuclear penguin etc, They're just PR beers, in all fairness who's going to really enjoy a 40% alcohol beer?

[masterchief]

Messer Maguires in Dublin do a 7% beer (Bock I think it's called). Tastes great but a bloody awful hangover.

[sewa]

Tuborgs awful stuff

[The Word Is Born]

The Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (10%) and Summer Ale (5%) are generally available over here and well worth checking out. The Summer Ale is very drinkable.

EDIT: The last time I was in O'Briens in Limerick (weekend of the Saints game) they had Brooklyn Local 1 and Local 2 on sale.

[fitzy73]

Had a few pints of Fullers Honey Dew over the weekend. Not a bad sup at all.

I love my Belgian beers as well, though some of the Trappist beers are savage strong.

Still can't get into ales though. I've tried a few and they all taste like cats piss to me.

[The Word Is Born]

The Honey Dew is nice alright. Only ever had it in bottles.

[Cowboy]

Anyone had innis and gunn (I think it's called, available in tescon) burnt sugar overload. Luscious beyond all reason.

[The Word Is Born]

Anyone had innis and gunn (I think it's called, available in tescon) burnt sugar overload. Luscious beyond all reason.

Which one? The whisky cask one or the rum cask? I've had the whisky cask and it is sweet alright. They are releasing an Irish Whiskey in the new year as well.

[Cowboy]

Which one? The whisky cask one or the rum cask? I've had the whisky cask and it is sweet alright. They are releasing an Irish Whiskey in the new year as well.

I'd say it was the whisky cask. Maroon label, flat edges to a clear bottle. Ferociously caramel and toffee notes.

[Buceph]

On the topic of good beers, any of you planning on going to the Bierhalle? It's the restaurant that The Bierhaus guys opened up next door to the Bierhaus. I was there on Sunday night, there were a few teething problems, but the meat and cheese platter was made up of great products, and the mussels were quite literally the best I've had in Ireland, almost as good as the best I've had abroad.

They were also very accommodating when things did go wrong, you know how they the best opportunity a business has of making a customer for life is by fixing a mistake they've made with them, well The Bierhalle did just that with me. I was splitting a five piece meat and cheese platter with another guy. He wasn't too gone on cheese so we asked for four meats and one cheese (and this was for only €2.95.) They brought out four cheeses and two meats. Then when I corrected them he apologised and said they actually were only left with the Parma ham. I didn't mind but the non-cheese eater was missing out, so I asked for some bread and a small bit more parma ham. We were given a big basket of bread and a good bit of parma ham, without a second thought from the waiter.

One guy liked his burger, the other said it wasn't too great. But my mussels were top notch, the onion soup was delish, the platter was lovely, I've heard the desserts are amazing. And it turns out they have 5am Saint on tap. I think I'm going back again tonight with different friends.

Edit: The Menus

[mr chips]

Even better than Tuborg?



Still sticking to my favourites at present - Abbot Ale, Hobgoblin, Theakstons, Belfast Ale, Adnams Broadside & SSB, etc. Plus Old Hooky when I can get it. Got a couple of bottles of "Tins Ale" christmas brew out of Lidl yesterday, so am looking forward to trying them.

PS did we not have a beers thread? Not complaining, just trying to establish whether my recent drink-fuelled campaign to destroy my mind is having any effect yet.

[ferg]

Youngs Kew brew and from the Isle of White , Goddards Fuggle de dum is a lovely drop of beer.

[Huwie]

Can anyone recommend or know any dayycent pubs up in Weshtport, Co. Mayonnaise??
For watching the rugby (would show the Welsh match) and for good beers also?

Thanks in advance.

Huwie

[Cowboy]

General enquiry about shelf life of tinnies, found a few cans at home what went out of date last month, anyone any experience with how long after its best by date a can becomes undrinkable?

I'm presuming they'll last a good while longer than the BB date? (dont wanna spend the weekend in a heap near the loo either though after a few bad pints)

[Piggybui]

I drank out of date Amstel for a few months in college years ago.
Glavins on Washington street were selling it on offer. Not sure how they got away with it but it did the job fine.

Don't come crying to me if it turns your insides out though.

[Cowboy]

I drank out of date Amstel for a few months in college years ago.
Glavins on Washington street were selling it on offer. Not sure how they got away with it but it did the job fine.

Don't come crying to me if it turns your insides out though.

Thats always the fear. Dave in the Royle Family always springs to mind: 'It came out like a chewed up orange'

[Huwie]

You'll taste it if its shi-ite.
If it doesn't taste like it should get rid of it.

[isola ciarrai]

For Irish craft beers, if you live in Limerick, can really recommend the Next Door near Russells Bar, on Fr Russell Road, Raheen.There is an excellent selection, and the owner is massively into and supportive of, Irish craft beers, and also craft beers from everywhere.

Have tried and can really recommend the following:
Clanconnell Brewery, Craigavon, Co Armagh - Weavers Gold Golden Ale and McGraths Irish Red.
Weavers Gold Golden Ale - looks like a lager but is crisp, dry, fresh, and ideal for a Summers day (when we get one) and is really nice with fish, chicken, barbeque. Also recommended by brewers for spicy food, which I have found to be true.
McGraths Irish Red is a much classier and more palatable version of Smithwicks-type red ale. The brewers decribe it correctly as having caramel and toasted notes - great with red meat and game.

Dungarvan Brewing Company:
Their beers are goosd but i can take or leave the oatmeal one. The ones I enjoyed are:
Helvick Gold Blonde Ale - see note on Weavers Gold above - same good idea.
Copper Coast Red Ale - see note on McGraths above - same idea.

8 Degrees Brewing Company:
TBH Granspasimpson, while I did not like their stuff as much as the ones above, I still found them interesting and I imagine I was prejudiced to liking them anyway being described as 'brewed in the Ballyhoura region'.
Enjoyed their Sunburnt Irish Red and Howling Gale Ale but not as much as those above and not at all as much as this one:

Dingle Brewing Co - their delicious and complex Tom Creans Lager - I am almost afraid to try this again after having several pints of it in The Courthouse Bar, Dingle on a Friday night after a difficult drive from Limerick and finally relaxing from work. It was just great and incredibly more-ish and I hope it was not site-specific and due to my love of almost anything from my native sod in The Kingdom. Seems very locally available, in draught form only so far but if you are anywhere in West Kerry, try it.

Finally, among other gorgeous and varied beers that Next Door recommended, myself and Mrs Isola absolutely love a French beer, which comes in a big 1 ltr bottle with a prosecco-type split cork and bar, and which is called 3 Monts. It is self described as a Flanders Golden Ale and is from Brasserie de Saint Sylvestre Cappell, northern France. It is expensive but just wonderful. Next Door did not have and could not get it for Advent and Christmas, and when it came back into stock, I bought a box of six and loved every last drop.

Dungarvan, Clanconnell and 8 Degrees all do stouts, but for me, a Kerryman, my neighbours and football rivals in Cork make the very, very best stout yet - Murphys Cream Stout. Heineken are owed a debt of gratitude for a few things, such as sponsoring the fledgling HEC when it was not apparent that it be what it has become, but most of all for saving Murphys Brewery in Cork.
Some years ago, at a match in Cardiff, met a Welshman who had been a student union officer in Cardiff. He had a memorable trip to Cork, where he became separated from his friends and came back to the hotel 24 hours later, able to utter only the words 'Murphys Cream Stout' in a faint voice. Beats that Guinness rubbish right out the door.
Available in Limerick in excellent nick in Bobby Byrnes and The Windmill (Henry St) and probably more places.

[isola ciarrai]

Even better than Tuborg?

Still sticking to my favourites at present - Abbot Ale, Hobgoblin, Theakstons, Belfast Ale, Adnams Broadside & SSB, etc. Plus Old Hooky when I can get it. Got a couple of bottles of "Tins Ale" christmas brew out of Lidl yesterday, so am looking forward to trying them.

PS did we not have a beers thread? Not complaining, just trying to establish whether my recent drink-fuelled campaign to destroy my mind is having any effect yet.

Great idea - a dedicated beer thread.

[Widebody]

Anyone ever try Trouble Brewing dark something or other? Had a few the other night, might have been cut but tasted savage. Don't usually go for brews but was very tasty I thought.

[B.A.]

The bull and castle have a great selection of beers in Dublin. I tried a belgian one called kwak and it was mighty tasty. At 8% it was very strong so you'd want to watch your intake