Cask Conditioned O'Hara's Red in the Bull and Castle.

guildofevil

The Bull & Castle in Christchurch are introducing cask conditioned ale and you can taste the results this Saturday the 27th of June.

The first cask will be O'Hara's Red, but they hope to get casks of other Irish beers and make this a regular thing. Pop along and show your support by helping us to empty the cask in record time.

slayerking

Thats excellent news.
Hopefully I'll go as fast as the last one. Gona try and make the commute to help empty the bugger!!!
Hope this leads to many more in the future.:)

dereko1969

Given how quickly the last one went do we have an ETA of the cask being opened/cracked? Or should i just mooch around outside on Saturday morning? Are they showing the Lions match?

oblivious

Oh sweet:)

johnnyskeleton

Only one cask, what's that 90~ pints? Won't go very far on a popular pub on a saturday night where the main attraction is the alternative beer selection. What time is it being opened at? As it might only last an hour, it would be good to know when its being opened.

BeerNut

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Only one cask, what's that 90~ pints?

Less.

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Won't go very far on a popular pub on a saturday night where the main attraction is the alternative beer selection.

It'll be downstairs in the restaurant, which might slow things down a bit.

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

What time is it being opened at?

We don't know, but I'll try and find out.
Edit: by 2pm, we're told.

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

As it might only last an hour,

It won't. The last (eagerly awaited and leaky) one served 24 hours and 17 minutes on a busy weekend.

oblivious

Lads are O'Haras but in a hand pump or is it gravity served?

Saruman

Nice, I would love to get in for this. I will see if I can.

BeerNut

oblivious wrote: »

Lads are O'Haras but in a hand pump or is it gravity served?

I'm guessing it's from an engine. Not that it makes a difference, yeh feckin' beardie

oblivious

BeerNut wrote: »

I'm guessing it's from an engine. Not that it makes a difference, yeh feckin' beardie

It does, I feel a civil war brewing:p

BeerNut

oblivious wrote: »

It does

Yeah, you can't fit a sparkler to a gravity tap.

No more stout for Mr Gravity here.

oblivious

BeerNut wrote: »

Yeah, you can't fit a sparkler to a gravity tap.

No more stout for Mr Gravity here.

But the simple pleasure of a sparkler free stout!

Spastafarian

Nice, I'm going to the Bull & Castle tomorrow for pintses anyway. Will it be on the menu or will I have to ask for it?

oblivious

Spastafarian wrote: »

Will it be on the menu or will I have to ask for it?

Its in the down stairs bar I believe and will probably be viable

Saruman

Is there any chance you guys will not drink it all and I can get some on Sunday before I head off to AC/DC or do I need to explain to the wife that I have to go in to Dublin tomorrow and try and explain that its in a Cask and not a bottle?

BeerNut

It's Druid's Brew stout (normally only available at the Franciscan Well EasterFest and Great British Beer Festival). Available from opening time tomorrow. And yummy (I had a sneaky taste).

oblivious

BeerNut wrote: »

It's Druid's Brew stout (normally only available at the Franciscan Well EasterFest and Great British Beer Festival). Available from opening time tomorrow. And yummy (I had a sneaky taste).

Oh man, you never see that this far inside the pale and is it served with a sparkler mmmh?:p

BeerNut

oblivious wrote: »

is it served with a sparkler mmmh?:p

Like you have to ask

It's a dinky little yoke that sprays the beer outwards around the glass: the very zenith of sparkler technology.

Some cask pr0n from this evening:

Phwoar! Get yer glycojacket off!

oblivious

looks great:), cask stout are a rare enough in England let lone Ireland, well done Bull and castle hope cask beer will become a regular feature

BeerNut

And the sparkler was abandoned early yesterday: the head was coming up fine without it and it was just causing spillage.

MediaTank

Is the cask still there, would like to taste it today?

MT

BeerNut

MediaTank wrote: »

Is the cask still there

Dunno. Phone 01 475 1122, or wait until after lunch when I report back.

MediaTank

BeerNut wrote: »

Dunno. Phone 01 475 1122, or wait until after lunch when I report back.

I can wait. Cheers.

BeerNut

It's still there. Gone a bit flat since the weekend, but still the best pint of stout in Dublin by quite a distance.

oblivious

BeerNut wrote: »

It's still there. Gone a bit flat since the weekend, but still the best pint of stout in Dublin by quite a distance.

No breather then?

BeerNut

oblivious wrote: »

No breather then?

No, I don't think so. They had an immersion cooler in it, but switched it off because they reckoned it was pouring too cold. But no breather that I've noticed.

guildofevil

Definitely no breather. You can see the spile sticking out of the top of the cask.

MediaTank

Had 3 delicious pints of it yesterday afternoon, and a nice chat with the barman. Bit warm but very tasty.

MT

BeerNut

The Druid's Brew stout, I take it? Another cask of Red arrived earlier in the week and had to be substituted again. The beer gods are obviously angry with it. However, since we're a nation of tree worshippers, the Druid's is far more appropriate.

MediaTank

BeerNut wrote: »

The Druid's Brew stout, I take it? Another cask of Red arrived earlier in the week and had to be substituted again. The beer gods are obviously angry with it. However, since we're a nation of tree worshippers, the Druid's is far more appropriate.

Yip, Dave the barman said they had to dump two kegs of the Red in the last week.

kenmc

BeerNut wrote: »

a nation of tree worshippers wierdos ,

Some people need to get to the pub a bit more.

Saruman

Anyone ever see "herself" in their beer?

Goibniu

Continuously

Red Sleeping Beauty

I just got two bottles of O'Haras from the offy. I got the wheat beer and the stout.
Just finished the wheat beer there. It's really really nice. I can't help but agree that it tastes "golden" , whatever the feck that means
I'll crack on the stout now in a few mins. It was €3 each which I have to say is expensive in my book but at least it's not Diageo.

How often is this Bull and Castle party ? How much are the pints ?

Red Sleeping Beauty

The Stout's "smokey"

BeerNut

Alan Rouge wrote: »

It was €3 each which I have to say is expensive in my book but at least it's not Diageo.

The supermarkets usually do them for €2.80 or so. Superquinn have an offer at the moment of two for €4.78.

Alan Rouge wrote: »

How often is this Bull and Castle party ?

It's just regular pub stock: noon to closing time every day. While stocks last, of course.

Alan Rouge wrote: »

How much are the pints ?

€4.30, generally. Sometimes a smidge more.

Red Sleeping Beauty

BeerNut wrote: »

The supermarkets usually do them for €2.80 or so. Superquinn have an offer at the moment of two for €4.78.


It's just regular pub stock: noon to closing time every day. While stocks last, of course.

€4.30, generally. Sometimes a smidge more.

Cheers. I must have a look in Superquinns then.
When's the next cask coming in do you know ? Is it just the Red they have ?
€4.30 sounds alright considering most City Centre pubs are breaking the fiver mark for a pint.

Is there any of the wheat beer or stout in the pipeline ?

BeerNut

Currently there's a stout on: Carlow's excellent Druid's Brew. It's been on since Wednesday, so I'd try to get there as soon as possible as it won't last much longer, I'd say.

Not sure if there's anything cued up to follow immediately.

Saruman

I wonder are they in talks with whitewater? Would be nice to have some Clotworthy Dobbin on cask.

BeerNut

Saruman wrote: »

Would be nice to have some Clotworthy Dobbin on cask.

I've never been too impressed with cask Clotworthy -- the cascade finish seems to get lost somewhere. The keg version is mighty tasty though.

Saruman

Interesting... oooh that reminds me. I'm heading to my parents house after work to kill time as my wife is working till 11pm tonight. I left a bottle of Dobbin in their fridge a few weeks back
I would be very surprised if anyone drank it.... I hope not and if they did they better have finished it and enjoyed it.

BeerNut

Quick! Phone ahead and ask someone to take it out now!

Saruman

hmm lets see.. Its a 500 ml bottle so about 2 standard drink sizes? I will get there by about 6 or so, takes two hours for each drink to leave my system so 4 hours. I will be driving at 10:45 so it would be cutting it close.

Are my maths wrong? I might just have to not drink it and keep it for the weekend.
Should be a fun weekend, I am bottling my stout and also I have three beers that the Purity brewing company kindly sent me to sample to try out.

Red Sleeping Beauty

I called in to the Bull& Castle this evening for a drink.

I didn't know where this cask stuff was but I was directed upstairs for beer so I just stayed there. Got a sweet pint of O'Hara's Stout first which was lovely. Then I tried Galway Hooker which I thought was a bit heavy, nice but not what I wanted really. Then back to another O'Hara's for my last.

The bottles of O'Hara's are a good bit more expensive than in a shop but at €4.40 for a pint I was happy. €4.40 for a Guinness would probably be below the average price and I was expecting the O'Hara's to be mega expensive cause specific smaller stuff does be - custom made guitar pedals, foreign/independent films and other hand made foods.

I think I'm converted. Where else in Dublin does O'Hara's ?

BeerNut

Alan Rouge wrote: »

I didn't know where this cask stuff was

You didn't notice the black monster on the bar downstairs?

Alan Rouge wrote: »

but I was directed upstairs for beer so I just stayed there.

They'll generally bring cask stuff up to you, if you ask. I'm surprised no-one mentioned it to you. Did you ask for cask?

Alan Rouge wrote: »

I was expecting the O'Hara's to be mega expensive cause specific smaller stuff does be - custom made guitar pedals, foreign/independent films and other hand made foods.

Draught beer is the exception -- the craft stuff is generally cheaper than the factory-made crap. Fact is, Diageo and Heineken could turn a profit by selling their beer at €1 a pint, but they don't have to so they don't.

Alan Rouge wrote: »

I think I'm converted. Where else in Dublin does O'Hara's ?

Just O'Neill's on Suffolk Street, but it's a bit dear there. For a full list of Irish pubs selling Irish craft beer see here.

Red Sleeping Beauty

BeerNut wrote: »

You didn't notice the black monster on the bar downstairs?


They'll generally bring cask stuff up to you, if you ask. I'm surprised no-one mentioned it to you. Did you ask for cask?

Draught beer is the exception -- the craft stuff is generally cheaper than the factory-made crap. Fact is, Diageo and Heineken could turn a profit by selling their beer at €1 a pint, but they don't have to so they don't.

Just O'Neill's on Suffolk Street, but it's a bit dear there. For a full list of Irish pubs selling Irish craft beer see here.

Thanks again Mr Nut. I did see the big black thing downstairs but only as I was leaving. When I walked in I was greeted by two women who showed me the way to upstairs for the beerhall. I always assumed it was a pub first with food second actually. Anyway, I didn't look at the downstairs bar until I left.

I didn't ask for cask stuff when I didn't see the big black thing (I'd looked at your picture before I went today so I had a look at the bar upstairs for it) and I only saw the posters for cask beer as I was leaving actually.
I'll have a go next time I'm in town though.

Fact is, Diageo and Heineken could turn a profit by selling their beer at €1 a pint, but they don't have to so they don't.

That's pretty shocking stuff considering there's places that charge €5.70 for a Carlsberg. Wow.


Is O'Neills not a bit of a tourist bar and fairly expensive ? I think they changed their set up int he last few years didn't they ? (similar to Thing Mote becoming O'Donoghues.

BeerNut

Alan Rouge wrote: »

I always assumed it was a pub first with food second actually.

Unfortunately not: downstairs basically becomes a restaurant at 5 or 6pm and they turf the drinkers upstairs until about 10. Not a fan of that policy m'self.

Alan Rouge wrote: »

That's pretty shocking stuff considering there's places that charge €5.70 for a Carlsberg.

TV advertising and comedy festival sponsorship aren't cheap. That's where your €5.70 is going.

Alan Rouge wrote: »

Is O'Neills not a bit of a tourist bar and fairly expensive ?

It is pricey, like I say, but the draught beer selection is extensive. And the carvery lunch is the best in the city centre, IMO. It's a general rule that decent beer bars in Dublin -- O'Neill's, The Bull & Castle, The Porterhouses, Messrs Maguire -- are touristy. The connecting factor is that Irish drinkers aren't interested in decent beer, by and large.

Alan Rouge wrote: »

I think they changed their set up int he last few years didn't they ? (similar to Thing Mote becoming O'Donoghues.

Don't think so. The only real change I've noticed in 14 years' sporadic drinking there is the smoking area upstairs.

Red Sleeping Beauty

BeerNut wrote: »

The connecting factor is that Irish drinkers aren't interested in decent beer, by and large.

Ironic surely ? Probably right though. I didn't pay much attention to the crowd cause I was on my tobler.

Don't think so. The only real change I've noticed in 14 years' sporadic drinking there is the smoking area upstairs.

It was just something I'd heard from a friend actually. Maybe it was a misunderstanding. The only one time I was there was a midweek night and it seemed like an aul man's bar actually.

ladhrann

BeerNut wrote: »

It's a general rule that decent beer bars in Dublin -- O'Neill's, The Bull & Castle, The Porterhouses, Messrs Maguire -- are touristy. The connecting factor is that Irish drinkers aren't interested in decent beer, by and large.

Amen. The very sad fact is we have have some of the greatest pubs in the world and some of the worlds' worst beer is sold in them.


As a matter of interest does anyone else get a reaction to drinking the regular muck (apart from drunk..haha)? I find now that after drinking Guinness (etc.) I get terrible sinus inflammation (sneezes, snot etc.) the next day.:mad:
Real ale in a bottle (English or O'Hara's) no problem.....

Is there any word on the current cask le situation in the Bull & Castle??

PLUS in the UK you can get a pint of real ale for £1.30....

Red Sleeping Beauty

ladhrann wrote: »

Amen. The very sad fact is we have have some of the greatest pubs in the world and some of the worlds' worst beer is sold in them.


As a matter of interest does anyone else get a reaction to drinking the regular muck (apart from drunk..haha)? I find now that after drinking Guinness (etc.) I get terrible sinus inflammation (sneezes, snot etc.) the next day.:mad:
Real ale in a bottle (English or O'Hara's) no problem.....

Is there any word on the current cask le situation in the Bull & Castle??

PLUS in the UK you can get a pint of real ale for £1.30....

My body can process Guinness pretty efficently so I don't get any side effects. Only get a hangover if I mix with something other than whiskey.

I was in a Sainsburys and a Morrisons in Glasgow a while ago and they've loads of different ales. Every pub will have something different. I'd assume it's the same in most places in Scotland, England and probably Wales but I don't know much about the latter's drinking other than "Brains"

BeerNut

ladhrann wrote: »

Real ale in a bottle (English or O'Hara's) no problem

I don't think there are any bottle-conditioned O'Hara's beers.

ladhrann wrote: »

Is there any word on the current cask le situation in the Bull & Castle??

They were still doing Druid's Brew yesterday evening.

ladhrann wrote: »

PLUS in the UK you can get a pint of real ale for £1.30....

Indeed. I was in the Whalebone brewpub in Hull last week where bitter was £1.30 and mild £1.60 a pint.