Smithwicks Pale Ale in Dunnes

hamsterboy

Hi All
As I live in Galway I'm lucky to have regular access to Galway Hooker but my brother loves the stuff but lives in Enniscorthy.
He wants to give Smithwicks Pale Ale a try (no comparison I know)but he can't find it anywhere.
I did spot bottles yesterday in Dunnes here in Galway.
Does anyone know if it's gonna be stocked in all Dunnes stores or will it be up to the individal stores.

Cheers

HB

Ted Mosby

hamsterboy wrote: »

Hi All
As I live in Galway I'm lucky to have regular access to Galway Hooker but my brother loves the stuff but lives in Enniscorthy.
He wants to give Smithwicks Pale Ale a try (no comparison I know)but he can't find it anywhere.
I did spot bottles yesterday in Dunnes here in Galway.
Does anyone know if it's gonna be stocked in all Dunnes stores or will it be up to the individal stores.

Cheers

HB

I drink Smithwicks in Ireland and enjoy real ales in England like Wadsworth 6X and Greene King's Abbot Ale. My local in Co Kildare has been test running Smithwicks Pale Ale and I tried it one night a couple of months ago.

It really depends on your taste. If an intensely hopped ale with no malt is your thing, then you'll like it. I didn't. The closest equivalent I could think of is the Kentish style of ale which has a high hop content and is quite bitter on the palate if you aren't used to it. Personally, I'd love to see Macardles back on tap or the return of Smithwicks Barley Wine. Yum.

However, do give it a go and see what you think.

BeerNut

Ted Mosby wrote: »

I'd love to see Macardles back on tap

Have you asked in your local? I'm pretty sure it still exists.

hamsterboy

Hey Ted....cheers for the reply but the I was only wondering about the availability of Smithwicks Pale Ale in Dunnes.
Have tried Wadsworth 6X and Greene King's Abbot Ale....very good ales.... pick up a few on my travels to Newry if I spot em.
Do agree with you that SPA is closer to Kentish style... a style I happen to like.
Of course Hooker trumps all

HB

hamsterboy

BeerNut wrote: »

Have you asked in your local? I'm pretty sure it still exists.

Yeah Macardles... the forgotten gem of Irish Ales.
Love the stuff.
Aint seen it on tap in quite a bit though

HB

BeerNut

Mulligan's of Poolbeg Street in Dublin always has it on tap. I'm fairly sure O'Neill's of Suffolk Street does too.

Bigcheeze

Is it any different than Smithwicks? Tried it in a can before and really couldn't taste anything.

Martyn1989

Bigcheeze wrote: »

Is it any different than Smithwicks? Tried it in a can before and really couldn't taste anything.

Ive had it in cans and bottles and always found it to be fairly flavourless.

IrishWhiskeyCha

Where is McArdles made these days? I thought the Brewery closed??

BeerNut

It did. They moved production across to Great Northern, their other Dundalk brewery, in around 2000. Great Northern is due to close next year and they're currently expanding capacity at James's Gate which is where they'll brew it for as long as enough Macardle's drinkers are still alive.

That said, Diageo does move production of all its beers between its facilities depending on where the capacity is.

IrishWhiskeyCha

Thanks Beernut, did not even realise there still was a brewery in Dundalk. Pity it is closing when so many craft Brewers are popping up. Only from the point of view to have a variety of breweries in the country but economics plays the biggest role in the future of such Breweries these days.

Which begs the question, how many "big" brewery operations left in Ireland?

ciaran76

BeerNut wrote: »

It did. They moved production across to Great Northern, their other Dundalk brewery, in around 2000. Great Northern is due to close next year and they're currently expanding capacity at James's Gate which is where they'll brew it for as long as enough Macardle's drinkers are still alive.

That said, Diageo does move production of all its beers between its facilities depending on where the capacity is.

I heard they may keep the Dundalk plant open a little longer but could be just local gossip

BeerNut

IrishWhiskeyCha wrote: »

how many "big" brewery operations left in Ireland?

Two: Diageo and Heineken.

Diageo runs four breweries: Great Northern in Dundalk, St. James's Gate in Dublin, St Francis's Abbey in Kilkenny and Waterford Brewery in Waterford City.

Heineken just has its one brewery in Cork City.

nlgbbbblth

Ted Mosby wrote: »

I drink Smithwicks in Ireland and enjoy real ales in England like Wadsworth 6X and Greene King's Abbot Ale. My local in Co Kildare has been test running Smithwicks Pale Ale and I tried it one night a couple of months ago.

It really depends on your taste. If an intensely hopped ale with no malt is your thing, then you'll like it. I didn't. The closest equivalent I could think of is the Kentish style of ale which has a high hop content and is quite bitter on the palate if you aren't used to it. Personally, I'd love to see Macardles back on tap or the return of Smithwicks Barley Wine. Yum.

However, do give it a go and see what you think.

Where's your local Ted?