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Low alcohol Ale

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  • 28-02-2014 1:51pm
    #1
    Chopper77
    Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭


    Is there such a thing here ?? I drink Smithwicks in pubs and at home but want to try lay off it for a while


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    #2
    BeerNut
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 11,803 Mod ✭✭✭✭BeerNut


    How low are you looking for? The Porterhouse does a bitter that's 3.8% ABV; the FXB pubs in Dublin have a sub-4% house beer. Tesco sometimes carries Lee's Brewer's Dark which is 2.8% ABV.

    My beer blog | The Twitter | My other beer blog



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    #3
    Chopper77
    Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭Chopper77


    BeerNut wrote: »
    How low are you looking for? The Porterhouse does a bitter that's 3.8% ABV; the FXB pubs in Dublin have a sub-4% house beer. Tesco sometimes carries Lee's Brewer's Dark which is 2.8% ABV.

    Anything around 3% or lower. I used to be able to get my hands on Coopers mild ale, which wasn't bad, but not anymore.


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    #4
    Lovely Bloke
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,748 ✭✭✭✭Lovely Bloke


    Chopper77 wrote: »
    Anything around 3% or lower. I used to be able to get my hands on Coopers mild ale, which wasn't bad, but not anymore.

    Would you drink a shandy? What about Guinness mid?


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    #5
    Chopper77
    Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭Chopper77


    Baldy Conscience wrote: »
    Would you drink a shandy? What about Guinness mid?

    Nah I'm only really an ale person


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    #6
    BeerNut
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 11,803 Mod ✭✭✭✭BeerNut


    Chopper77 wrote: »
    Anything around 3% or lower.
    You're out of luck, I'd say. The government halved the excise duty for beers at 2.8% or under a couple of years ago, which means micros would effectively pay a quarter of the full rate, but not a single one of them has picked up on it. Only Diageo makes 2.8% beer in Ireland.

    My beer blog | The Twitter | My other beer blog



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    #7
    brick tamland
    Registered Users Posts: 1,440 ✭✭✭brick tamland


    Dead pony club is 3.8%, not low enough but a nice beer


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    #8
    Chopper77
    Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭Chopper77


    BeerNut wrote: »
    You're out of luck, I'd say. The government halved the excise duty for beers at 2.8% or under a couple of years ago, which means micros would effectively pay a quarter of the full rate, but not a single one of them has picked up on it. Only Diageo makes 2.8% beer in Ireland.

    Cheers. I didn't know that. I guess I was spoiled over in Oz for choice. You could get lost in the size of some of those Dan Murphy's off licences over there


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    #9
    Chopper77
    Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭Chopper77


    brick tamland wrote: »
    Dead pony club is 3.8%, not low enough but a nice beer

    Sure is. Though they get lashed back way too easy :D


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    #10
    Tube
    Registered Users Posts: 327 ✭✭Tube


    Tesco has a few 2.8% English ales, from big names like Fullers (Atom). Some are very good.


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    #11
    Chopper77
    Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭Chopper77


    Tube wrote: »
    Tesco has a few 2.8% English ales, from big names like Fullers (Atom). Some are very good.

    Thanks I'll see what they have in The Tescos near me


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    #12
    rubadub
    Registered Users Posts: 32,379 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    Smithwicks is only 3.8% anyways. Instead of a shandy -before I was suggesting simply watering it down with sparkling water. This sounds odd but many commercial breweries already are fermenting to a high % and diluting down with water afterwards.

    I remember drinking 2% beer abroad and liked the fact it kept you so hydrated. I do have glasses of water between beers the odd time, but would prefer if 2% was in pubs here and priced accordingly.


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    #13
    Tube
    Registered Users Posts: 327 ✭✭Tube


    High gravity brewing involves diluting a very heavy bodied and full flavoured beer to arrive at the desired body and flavour. Diluting Smithwicks will leave it with very little body or flavour.


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    #14
    Ravelleman
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 3,635 CMod ✭✭✭✭Ravelleman


    Diluting the taste of Smithwicks further would cause it to implode on itself.

    You might also consider Thwaites Nutty Black, I've seen in bottles in Dublin upon occasion - possibly in Tesco.


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    #15
    sudzs
    Registered Users Posts: 8,719 ✭✭✭sudzs


    I tried a bottle of Tolly English Ale last week, it's just 2.8%, it has bad reviews online but I liked it! :) I got it in Sainsburys in Newry, £1 a bottle. :D


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    #16
    rubadub
    Registered Users Posts: 32,379 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    Tube wrote: »
    Diluting Smithwicks will leave it with very little body or flavour.
    Ravelleman wrote: »
    Diluting the taste of Smithwicks further would cause it to implode on itself..
    :) yeah, but remember the best selling beers in this country have little taste! I know people who drink the most tasteless beer they can find, one guy was shocked when he heard I would drink a beer with my dinner and enjoyed the taste.


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    #17
    Zymurgist
    Registered Users Posts: 523 ✭✭✭Zymurgist


    Brewdog Dead Pony Club is 3.8% too, and a lot tastier than Smithwicks.


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    #18
    matban
    Registered Users Posts: 75 ✭✭matban


    Adnams Lighthouse is the nicest low alcohol ale (3.4%) I have ever drank

    http://adnams.co.uk/beer/our-beers/adnams-lighthouse/

    You will do well to find this in pubs, McHughs off licences stock it on the northside.


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    #19
    GLaDOS
    Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 23,212 Mod ✭✭✭✭GLaDOS


    Ravelleman wrote: »

    You might also consider Thwaites Nutty Black, I've seen in bottles in Dublin upon occasion - possibly in Tesco.
    I've gotten it in the Comet off license in Santry, seem to have it permanently. Nice beer.

    Cake, and grief counseling, will be available at the conclusion of the test



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    #20
    Bigcheeze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,858 ✭✭✭Bigcheeze


    Zymurgist wrote: »
    Brewdog Dead Pony Club is 3.8% too, and a lot tastier than Smithwicks.

    A similar, better value (500ml bottle) beer is Jarl by fyne ales. Tastes better than Dead Pony IMO. Also 3.8%.


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    #21
    Ravelleman
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 3,635 CMod ✭✭✭✭Ravelleman


    Zymurgist wrote: »
    Brewdog Dead Pony Club is 3.8% too, and a lot tastier than Smithwicks.

    Totally different beer though...


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    #22
    Chopper77
    Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭Chopper77


    matban wrote: »
    Adnams Lighthouse is the nicest low alcohol ale (3.4%) I have ever drank

    http://adnams.co.uk/beer/our-beers/adnams-lighthouse/

    You will do well to find this in pubs, McHughs off licences stock it on the northside.

    I seen another Adnams ale in there called Sole Star. 2.7% as well. Think I'll grab some of those the weekend and a couple of the Lighthouse one's


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    #23
    MonstaMash
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭MonstaMash


    Anchor Small Beer is only 3.3%

    http://www.drinkstore.ie/ANCHOR-SMALL-BEER-650ML-072783000775/


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