Galway Bay Breweries

BaZmO*

the beer revolu wrote: »

You haven't drunk enough dessert wine.
Hugely unfair to compare something as complex and wonderful as a good Tokaji, an Eiswein or a Black Muscat to gimmicky marshmallow or peanut butter beer.
I don't have a sweet tooth but the occasional drop of very good dessert wine is a thing to behold. They can age extremely well too.

I meant that they were to be had at the end of a meal rather than quaffed alone.

drumswan

There are plenty of sweet beers which are very good and well matched with a sweet dessert.

alastair

the beer revolu wrote: »

... gimmicky marshmallow or peanut butter beer.

All derivations of beer ingredients were presumably 'gimmicky' at some point. I wouldn't write off an ingredient just because it's unusual. Peanut butter stout might well be horrible, but I'd like to try it before forming a judgement.

my friend

Tom Ghostwood wrote: »

Ive had a taste from the conditioning tank. It leaves a salty coating on your mouth that doesnt hit for a bit after swallowing. That might change with time & carbonation though. Ive never had a peanut butter stout so am intrigued by it.



Ratebeer scoring is a science. Great interview with the guys behind it & how they process the data & scores in the link below if yer interested in that kinda thing. http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/1053

Notwithstanding the fact is, it's based on a mere 22 opinions

Seaneh

my friend wrote: »

Notwithstanding the fact is, it's based on a mere 22 opinions

I think you'd be hard pressed to find many people who don't agree with it beingvthe best beer in production in Ireland.

alastair

Seaneh wrote: »

I think you'd be hard pressed to find many people who don't agree with it beingvthe best beer in production in Ireland.

I don't like it. But then I'm not fond over over-hopped beers in general.

Porterhouse Celebration Stout - now that I can get behind.

drumswan

my friend wrote: »

Notwithstanding the fact is, it's based on a mere 22 opinions

And? There are 9 beers in the top 20 with fewer ratings, its been explained how the ratings work. It was also voted Beer of the Year by Beoir.

my friend

Seaneh wrote: »

I think you'd be hard pressed to find many people who don't agree with it beingvthe best beer in production in Ireland.

You can't proclaim fact with that which is subjective.

If you enjoy it, drink it. Your hyperbole is amusing though.

Seaneh

my friend wrote: »

You can't proclaim fact with that which is subjective.

If you enjoy it, drink it. Your hyperbole is amusing though.

If enough people proclaim it, it stops being subjective and starts to become fact.

Beoir beer of the year as voted by an overwhelming majority. Almost all the beer fans I've talked to call it the best Irish beer they have had. I'd find it hard to disagree with them.

BaZmO*

Seaneh wrote: »

If enough people proclaim it, it stops being subjective and starts to become fact.

Really? A lot of people believe in Creationism.

quadrifoglio verde

my friend wrote: »

You can't proclaim fact with that which is subjective.

If you enjoy it, drink it. Your hyperbole is amusing though.

Ive yet to meet anyone who enjoys craft beers, who hasn't thought it was feckin amazing, save for the few who are only new to trying different beers and don't really like hoppy beers yet.
That was me this time last year when I thought all the people on here going on about how nice Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was were crazy

It is a cracking good beer.

the beer revolu

Seaneh wrote: »

I think you'd be hard pressed to find many people who don't agree with it beingvthe best beer in production in Ireland.

I like it a lot but I think 8° Full Irish gives it a run for its money and not so many people have tasted that yet.

Seaneh

the beer revolu wrote: »

I like it a lot but I think 8° Full Irish gives it a run for its money and not so many people have tasted that yet.

Can't judge a beer I haven't tasted but general consciousness is still that OFAF is the best beer in production in Ireland abd probably the best beer the island has produced thus far. I'd argue that PH's barrel aged celebration probably gives it a run for it's money in the latter stakes though.

BaZmO*

Seaneh wrote: »

Can't judge a beer I haven't tasted but general consciousness is still that OFAF is the best beer in production in Ireland abd probably the best beer the island has produced thus far. I'd argue that PH's barrel aged celebration probably gives it a run for it's money in the latter stakes though.

I'd say if you took a vote I reckon Guinness would win hands down. Although maybe Heineken would be in with a shout, but that'd probably be discounted because of its lack of "Irishness"

Seaneh

BaZmO* wrote: »

I'd say if you took a vote I reckon Guinness would win hands down. Although maybe Heineken would be in with a shout, but that'd probably be discounted because of its lack of "Irishness"

If you took a vote McDonald's would probably win best burger in Ireland by sheer numbers.

If you take a vote of people who actually give a toss about food McDonald's wouldn't be in the too 20.

Guinness is the McDonald's of beer. Just because a lot of people drink it doesn't mean we should take their opinions seriously. People who know about or care about beer all seem to be of the opinion that OFAF is an exceptional beer.

BaZmO*

Seaneh wrote: »

Just because a lot of people drink it doesn't mean we should take their opinions seriously.

And just because some people declare something to be the case doesn't mean we have to take it as Gospel.

alastair

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

Ive yet to meet anyone who enjoys craft beers, who hasn't thought it was feckin amazing, save for the few who are only new to trying different beers and don't really like hoppy beers yet.

That's more than a tad patronising. It's entirely possible to enjoy craft beers, and even 'hoppy craft beers', and not subscribe to the 'stack those hops high' school of brewing. Not everyone likes the same things. Personally, I suspect that overly hopped beers are just riding a crest of a fashion, and craft brewing will move on to various other considerations in time.

I don't think it's feckin amazing, and I'm not new to tasting beers - of the craft variety or otherwise. I doubt I'll develop a taste for overly-hopped beers, but then, why the expectation that everyone should?

Seaneh

BaZmO* wrote: »

And just because some people declare something to be the case doesn't mean we have to take it as Gospel.

If people with a knowledge of an issue have a general consensus, they are generally right.

Are you actually trying to argue that OFAF isn't the best beer produced in Ireland are you just being a contrarian? Because I strongly suggest it's the latter, seeing as you haven't offered anything as an alternative.

alastair

Seaneh wrote: »

If people with a knowledge of an issue have a general consensus, they are generally right.

Or engaged in groupthink.

Seaneh

alastair wrote: »

That's more than a tad patronising. It's entirely possible to enjoy craft beers, and even 'hoppy craft beers', and not subscribe to the 'stack those hops high' school of brewing. Not everyone likes the same things. Personally, I suspect that overly hopped beers are just riding a crest of a fashion, and craft brewing will move on to various other considerations in time.

I don't think it's feckin amazing, and I'm not new to tasting beers - of the craft variety or otherwise. I doubt I'll develop a taste for overly-hopped beers, but then, why the expectation that everyone should?

Well I don't like "overly hopped" beers either.

I think brewdogs Jackhammer tastes like wax and have no love for sierra Nevada's hoptimum indeed I have often voiced my disdain for Galway Bay's Voyager because I found it horribly over hopped.

I think OFAF is brilliantly balanced, it's massively hopped but it's not massively bitter because it has a huge malt backbone and it used hops that give floral and fruit notes rather than supper bitter tastes.

alastair

Seaneh wrote: »

Well I don't like "overly hopped" beers either.

I think brewdigs Jackhammer tastes like wax and have voice for sierra Nevada's hoptimum indeed I have often voiced my disdain for Galway Bay's Voyager because I found it horribly over hopped.

I think OFAF is brilliantly balanced, it's massively hopped but it's not massively bitter because it has a huge malt backbone and it used hops that give floral and fruit notes rather than supper bitter tastes.

It derives it's flavours (floral and fruit as you say) from hops - it's the hops that are massively to the fore. I never said it was too bitter - It's just over-hopped for my taste. No amount of representations for the greatness of the drink is going to change my mind - I heard the hype before drinking the stuff, and when I did drink it, I simply didn't enjoy it. No biggie, there's a lot of beers that I don't like, but I'm not going to be told I'm 'wrong' in not sharing other's enthusiasm for the beer.

BaZmO*

Seaneh wrote: »

I think OFAF is brilliantly balanced

That's my only problem with it, I actually don't think it's balanced. Personally I think Devils Halfacre is a better beer and generally prefer "hoppier" beers.

Seaneh

alastair wrote: »

It derives it's flavours (floral and fruit as you say) from hops - it's the hops that are massively to the fore. I never said it was too bitter - It's just over-hopped for my taste. No amount of representations for the greatness of the drink is going to change my mind - I heard the hype before drinking the stuff, and when I did drink it, I simply didn't enjoy it. No biggie, there's a lot of beers that I don't like, but I'm not going to be told I'm 'wrong' in not sharing other's enthusiasm for the beer.

Not every beer is for every pallet. I like beer but I have yet to try a lambic that I actually liked, I tend to hate wheat based beers and I despise pale lagers and find English bitters insanely boring. I'd never say they aren't good beers, I just don't like them.

Seaneh

BaZmO* wrote: »

That's my only problem with it, I actually don't think it's balanced. Personally I think Devils Halfacre is a better beer and generally prefer "hoppier" beers.

So thats a beer which is no longer in production and I find extremely confused as to whatvit actually is or is trying so be, and I also find extremely unbalanced in that it's sickly sweet.

alastair

Seaneh wrote: »

Not every beer is for every pallet. I like beer but I have yet to try a lambic that I actually liked, I tend to hate wheat based beers and I despise pale lagers and find English bitters insanely boring. I'd never say they aren't good beers, I just don't like them.

I'm not saying OFAF is a bad beer. I'm just disputing this 'it's the best Irish craft beer - end of' business. It's all subjective (and the role that fashion/fads play in what's promoted shouldn't be ignored).

BaZmO*

Seaneh wrote: »

So thats a beer which is no longer in production

So that's the criteria of it now, that it has to be in production as we chat?

BaZmO*

alastair wrote: »

I'm not saying OFAF is a bad beer. I'm just disputing this 'it's the best Irish craft beer - end of' business. It's all subjective (and the role that fashion/fads play in what's promoted shouldn't be ignored).

In a nutshell!

Seaneh

alastair wrote: »

I'm not saying OFAF is a bad beer. I'm just disputing this 'it's the best Irish craft beer - end of' business. It's all subjective (and the role that fashion/fads play in what's promoted shouldn't be ignored).

I didn't say it was end of story. I've also said I think PH's Kilbegin aged Celebration gives it a rub for it's money as " teh bestest Evah" and my preference could swing either way depending on the day or my mood (I'm bibeerual).

Any Irish brewery could release a beer st any time that surpasses it but right not the vast majority or beer geeks/snobs/lovers/hipsters/**** in Ireland, myself included, seem to rate OFAF as being the kitties titties, so I find it hard to find a few voices of descent on a message board as anything other than that.


Who knows, maybe I'll try Eight Degrees new ipa and jizz my pants.

BaZmO*

Seaneh wrote: »

Who knows, maybe I'll try Eight Degrees new ipa and jizz my pants.

Nah, I reckon it'll be the next Galway Bay beer.

my friend

The actual vested interests of GBB are possibly disavowing their fanboy, it's getting quite surreal in here!