Against the Grain, Wexford St, Dublin

BeerNut

The people behind the Salt House and Oslo Brewpub in Galway have opened a Dublin branch along the lines of the Salt House. They've really brightened it up from its former incarnations as Féile, Carnival etc. Excellent beer selection, including two from their own brewery plus O'Hara's Stout, Galway Hooker, Belfast Blonde, Trouble Ór, and Carlow Curim Gold.


(click for big)

They'll be doing food from next week.

Draco

I passed it yesterday and saw it all done up and was wondering if it was going to be that sort of more. More of this sort of thing please.

DBCyc

Excellent - I will have to pop in there tomorrow before/after the rugby

enda1

Nice one.

The more the merrier.

Technocentral

Thats an odd location there, nothing seems to last long, has been at least 3 or 4 different bars in the last 5 years or so. I think their target drinker (younger, grungier) is well catered for by Anseo and Whelans. Will have a look none the less.

Krusty_Clown

Looks good. Where is it?
also, is that Sierra Nevada Pale Ale on Draught? :eek:

*cough* Wexford Street. Should've gone to specsavers.

BeerNut

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Looks good. Where is it?

Here (formerly Féile)

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

is that Sierra Nevada Pale Ale on Draught? :eek:

Yes. A few places have it now, on and off, including the Bull & Castle and Porterhouses.

thelynchfella

here's hoping it lasts longer than the previous bars there!!

donaghs

Anyone been down there? Some typical Irish drinkers may be a bit confused by the lack of the standard fare. I think Guinness is the only one the "typical" draught beers available? (i.e. no Carlsberg, Heineken, Budweiser, Coors Light, Smithwicks, etc). "It looks like a normal pub, but its not the Porterhouse "

Looking forward to first pint of draught Sierra Nevada Pale Ale myself.

BeerNut

donaghs wrote: »

Anyone been down there?

Yes, I've been in a couple of times.

donaghs wrote: »

Some typical Irish drinkers may be a bit confused by the lack of the standard fare.

I don't see how someone could be confused by a binary situation: either a beer is available or it is not. It's quite straightforward.

donaghs wrote: »

no Carlsberg, Heineken, Budweiser, Coors Light, Smithwicks,

Coors Light and Bulmers are there in bottles (the house draught cider is Aspalls).

donaghs

BeerNut wrote: »

I don't see how someone could be confused by a binary situation: either a beer is available or it is not. It's quite straightforward.

Coors Light and Bulmers are there in bottles (the house draught cider is Aspalls).

I see what you mean, but Irish pubs are so similar in terms of what they offer, and most pub drinkers are so set in their ways. when I've been with a large crowd of people at the Porter House, or visiting pubs in the UK, its interesting how many Irish people react to not being able to get the beer they normally drink.

BeerNut

donaghs wrote: »

most pub drinkers are so set in their ways ... its interesting how many Irish people react to not being able to get the beer they normally drink.

True. And it's great that there are pubs around who are working to break the monotony. However, the reaction is going to be either try a different beer or go somewhere else: nothing terribly confusing about those options, IMO.

iambrazil

I popped in here the other day. I really enjoyed the Bay Lager. Wasn't as impressed with the Bay Ale but I'll definitely try it again. I'm looking forward to trying the food too. Also, it's good to have another Galway Hooker outlet around there

joolsthedog

Looks like it's worth a visit, purely in the name of research of course - thanks for the heads up!! ;0)

Technocentral

Was there for the first time on Friday night (10 pm) for some Sierra Nevada's, it was disappointingly empty and lacking atmosphere, I think a good dj like they have in Anois might help them pick up the numbers. Great choice of beers.

BeerNut

Technocentral wrote: »

I think a good dj like they have in Anois might help them pick up the numbers.

Except my number. I like having a pub in the south city centre where conversation is an option on a weekend evening.

Technocentral

7 pm on a Tuesday or Wednesday wouldn't be so good, but for a bar in a busy spot like that I think music is essential to attract people on a Fri. and Sat. night and that its commercial suicide not to have it, I'm not talking about blaring but at a listen-able level. I think most people (anyone I know at least, friends in their 30s and 40s) like a quiet drink during the week but are up for something a bit more happening on wkend nights and don't want to go into a place thats "dead". The Dice Bar for instance is jammed on wkend nights, they have great djs playing an eclectic mixture of sounds and some good microbrews and are off the beaten track, no reason why ATG shouldn't be too, they have a huge catchment area, but my friends and I found the drink great but the atmosphere lacking in the place. I realize that you cant please everyones but they obviously need to start filling out the place to make it work as a business. I think in future I'll head to it on weekdays for a quite one and stick to Anois and Whelans at the weekend for good sounds and atmos.

ntlbell

mulligans in stoney batter seems to be able to generate a reat atmosphere every seat in the house taken on a fri/sat wit no tv's/dj/loud music

There is tons of pubs people can go to and listen to loud music

but very few where you can have good conversation and a few nice beers

maybe ATG needs to do some better marketing.

irish_goat

What sort of prices are we chatting lads?

Technocentral

ntlbell wrote: »

mulligans in stoney batter seems to be able to generate a reat atmosphere every seat in the house taken on a fri/sat wit no tv's/dj/loud music

There is tons of pubs people can go to and listen to loud music

but very few where you can have good conversation and a few nice beers

maybe ATG needs to do some better marketing.

Mulligans isn't on a street that has loads of music pubs and a street that attracts people who want it unlike Camden/Wexford street, anyway what's wrong with listening to good music and having a few nice beers? You seem to assume that people who like good non mainstream beers don't like good music to and want to sit in total silence on a Saturday night.

ntlbell

Technocentral wrote: »

Mulligans isn't on a street that has loads of music pubs and a street that attracts people who want it unlike Camden/Wexford street, anyway what's wrong with listening to good music and having a few nice beers? You seem to assume that people who like good non mainstream beers don't like good music to and want to sit in total silence on a Saturday night.

It is on a street full of pubs with TV's/bands/etc etc and a 5 min walk into the city.

If camden st/wexford st is full of pubs with loud music etc then surley there's a market for a decent pub without the above?.

BeerNut

Technocentral wrote: »

what's wrong with listening to good music and having a few nice beers?

It's a question of personal taste. I think the music in Against the Grain is great, both in terms of what it is and the volume at which it's played. What I don't get is why, when there are places that suit your taste nearby, you've decided to complain about this one.

Technocentral

BeerNut wrote: »

It's a question of personal taste. I think the music in Against the Grain is great, both in terms of what it is and the volume at which it's played. What I don't get is why, when there are places that suit your taste nearby, you've decided to complain about this one.

Not complaining, if anything I was suggesting ways that they might attract a crowd and not end up like the previous 3 or 4 owners of the place, no point in having a quite little spot that cant pay its bills and has to close down. It is about personal taste and my love of good beer and good music that you can hear is as valid as your and other commentators love of good beer and no music/really low music/silence. Btw I couldn't hear what they were playing on Saturday night to comment on whether it was good or bad.

BeerNut

Technocentral wrote:

if anything I was suggesting ways that they might attract a crowd

to a bunch of strangers on the Internet. If you're not actually going to offer your suggestions to the management of the pub, what's the point?

If you seriously believe that Against The Grain is being mismanaged and would like to help save it then you should talk to the people who run it. Backseat-managing from behind a keyboard isn't constructive and comes across as quite rude.

rubadub

BeerNut wrote: »

I like having a pub in the south city centre where conversation is an option on a weekend evening.

+1, I am usually only in town to see gigs, so I want somewhere quiet beforehand. It was a refreshing change being able to think & speak. I like my music but most of these places around town are as loud as nite clubs, you have to be right up beside somebody to hear them. I thought there was low music in there when I went.

irish_goat wrote: »

What sort of prices are we chatting lads?

Most bottles seemed around €5.50, but most are 500ml. I had my first draught pint of O'Haras, think they were ~€4.40. Had a pint of belfast blonde, not sure how much though, it was nice to get them all in the proper glasses, I could not imagine a barman in there handing you a steaming hot glass like some other pubs would.

I hope it lasts.

Bearpup

I know most of this thread is in relation to the beer served etc, I just wanted to make a comment on their lunches. Was in there today for lunch and also last week and I have to say I was hugely impressed on both occasions... Try their falafal pitta or lamb stew... absolutely delish and very well priced too.

BeerNut

I had the burger on Friday and thought it was one of the best I've ever tasted in Dublin (though, in fairness, the recent gourmet burger revolution has kinda passed me by).

adamski8

went here last night and it was great.
music level was great, just background and you could talk!
The barmen were sound and were constantly asking people did they want a taste of a few beers before they bought.
Had too many different beers myself.
They had that bamberg smoked beer too and a matching glass, unfortunatly they only sell the Bay glasses
Great crowd there as well, all the seats were taken and some people playing the games (jenga, scrabble etc)
free bread sticks which i enjoyed
I didnt see them adverstising food at all guess that might just be during the day.

Only negative was the bathroom, they could have made that nicer.
I'll defo go there anytime I'm around and wont have to go to the B&C again

recyclops

Blue moon on tap which is excellent, enjoying seeing molson coors getting out there and putting more of there beers on tap, they really are pushing there carling alot in dublin ive noticed.

oblivious

recyclops wrote: »

Blue moon on tap which is excellent, enjoying seeing molson coors getting out there and putting more of there beers on tap, they really are pushing there carling alot in dublin ive noticed.

never seen coors light around then?

BeerNut

oblivious wrote: »

never seen coors light around then?

That's Heineken's