Is Franciscan Well really Irish

HolyBarley

Heard today that all the Franciscan Well stuff is being brewed and bottled in England in the Sharps brewery.

Was a bit pissed off as I was in House and it clearly called out that it is brewed in Cork.


Anyone know if it's true ?

BeerNut

Rebel Red, Friar Weiss, Shandon Stout and possibly the new Chieftan IPA too are brewed in both Sharp's and Franciscan Well in Cork.

Never believe what menus say about where beer comes from

Son0vagun

Who cares, it tastes nice!

HolyBarley

BeerNut wrote: »

Rebel Red, Friar Weiss, Shandon Stout and possibly the new Chieftan IPA too are brewed in both Sharp's and Franciscan Well in Cork.

Never believe what menus say about where beer comes from

It's a Shane they can't be upfront about it !

I've been to their brewery in Cork. Surely very little could be brewed there and they seem to have taps everywhere and bottles in all the offies

BeerNut

Son0vagun wrote: »

Who cares, it tastes nice!

Horse burgers for all!

HolyBarley wrote: »

It's a Shane they can't be upfront about it !

They are if you ask them. They just do the bare minimum to keep their labels legal. Basically, if a label on any "Irish" beer says "Brewed in the EU", the brewer is ashamed of how the beer was made.

Insect Overlord

BeerNut wrote: »

Horse burgers for all!

That's not a fair comparison at all...

BeerNut

An File wrote: »

That's not a fair comparison at all...

Either provenance and traceability are a basic right for the consumer, or not, no?

Bogsnorkler

Nobody has mentioned that this is out of necessity rather than cutting corners. They got into bed with Molson Coors and until the new brewery is build they had to find additional capacity to serve the markets they were entering on the back of it.

I love the success the brewery has seen over the last 15 years, I still love their beers and want them to succeed within the Coors brand. But if it were me, I'd be very unhappy with having to sell my beer into brand new markets without being guarnteed that 1. the quality is there and 2. my brand doesn't suffer due to it.

Based on all that's written here over the last 18 months, the brand has suffered big time at a time with a lot of new entrants are making gains in the craft market. With the trendish and brand sensitive customers who drink craft beer, this whole thing could kill FW everywhere outside of Cork.

Tube

I think FW is in a state of flux ATM, and will eventually settle down again in Cork.

BeerNut wrote: »

Either provenance and traceability are a basic right for the consumer, or not, no?

Are they ready for a lot of "Irish" stuff being made of 100% imported ingredients?

oblivious

Tube wrote: »

Are they ready for a lot of "Irish" stuff being made of 100% imported ingredients?

90 odd percent of the beer will be made from local water, even if imported hops and specialist malts are been used, It still the largest component

RasTa

For me it's where the beer is made, Irish economy etc hence I'll usually only buy Irish beer.

Cheaper then the American stuff too.

BaZmO*

RasTa wrote: »

For me it's where the beer is made, Irish economy etc hence I'll usually only buy Irish beer.

So Heineken, Budweiser and the like?

RasTa

BaZmO* wrote: »

So Heineken, Budweiser and the like?

What? They made in Ireland?

BeerNut

RasTa wrote: »

What? They made in Ireland?

All the Budweiser is made at St James's Gate, likewise Carlsberg. Draught Heineken is brewed in Cork though the bottles and cans are brewed in the Netherlands to the Irish strength.

RasTa

Well that's good to hear, shame it tastes like piss.

the beer revolu

One thing I'd like to say is that post takeover, the Easterfest was bigger and better than ever supporting Irish craft breweries.
It was most certainly not just looking after their own brand!

Technocentral

Galway Bay's stuff is brewed in Alaska.

Seaneh

Technocentral wrote: »

Galway Bay's stuff is brewed in Alaska.

I heard Hawaii, and the bottles are coming from Singapore.

Tube

the beer revolu wrote: »

One thing I'd like to say is that post takeover, the Easterfest was bigger and better than ever supporting Irish craft breweries.
It was most certainly not just looking after their own brand!

MC bought the brewing business, not the pub.

HolyBarley

Coors Light kegs made in cork, bottles and cans made in Burton on Trent. Fosters made in Cork on kegs and cans in UK. Molson Canadian made in Burton on Trent. Innis and Gun made in Tennants Well Park, miller made in Grolsch brewery holland and Peroni brewery Italy.

Nothing us what it seems!!

oblivious

HolyBarley wrote: »

Coors Light kegs made in cork, bottles and cans made in Burton on Trent. Fosters made in Cork on kegs and cans in UK. Molson Canadian made in Burton on Trent. Innis and Gun made in Tennants Well Park, miller made in Grolsch brewery holland and Peroni brewery Italy.

Nothing us what it seems!!

And the pride of Manchester is brewed in Wales

But Dungavan brewery beer is brewed in Dungarvan so there is hope

Seaneh

And Galway Hooker is FINALLY being brewed in Galway now.

Jaggy

Bottling sometimes comes into it as well. I've heard of some micro breweries here that make all the beer/ale/cider etc here and then ship it over to the UK for bottling. Some, if not all bottling companies here have a quota as to how many litres you bottle in a month. For smaller start ups that aren't selling in these quantities it doesn't make sense to sit on tonnes of stock just to have it bottled here.

the beer revolu

Tube wrote: »

MC bought the brewing business, not the pub.

Either way, there was a big investment put into the infrastructure of the festival. I suspect this wouldn't have happened pre takeover.

Seaneh

the beer revolu wrote: »

Either way, there was a big investment put into the infrastructure of the festival. I suspect this wouldn't have happened pre takeover.

I'd say it was Shane had a few million yoyos burning a hole in his pocket and decided to go all out to be honest.

BeerNut

the beer revolu wrote: »

there was a big investment put into the infrastructure of the festival. I suspect this wouldn't have happened pre takeover.

The Carling-branded tech van parked outside and the hastily anonymised Carling taps were the clue, eh? I'd say the shock troops were summoned from Maynooth. Worked really well too, I thought.

Herb Powell

Big fan of the Well tbh, though that could have something to do with being able to drink in the brewpub in Cork for years.

They make, imo, great beers, and my opinion of them has not suffered during the takeover. I think it's mostly trend-hopping shhite tbh that has earned them such opposition. They've "gone mainstream, man". They're still making good stuff, just go for a pint in Cork and see for yourself.

VIVE LA WELL

Ravelleman

Herb Powell wrote: »

They make, imo, great beers, and my opinion of them has not suffered during the takeover. I think it's mostly trend-hopping shhite tbh that has earned them such opposition. They've "gone mainstream, man". They're still making good stuff, just go for a pint in Cork and see for yourself.

Dunno, Shandon Stout, for example, definitely changed. I don't think I'm the only one to say that either.

ted1

Jaggy wrote: »

Bottling sometimes comes into it as well. I've heard of some micro breweries here that make all the beer/ale/cider etc here and then ship it over to the UK for bottling. Some, if not all bottling companies here have a quota as to how many litres you bottle in a month. For smaller start ups that aren't selling in these quantities it doesn't make sense to sit on tonnes of stock just to have it bottled here.

Bulmers bottle O haras

BeerNut

ted1 wrote: »

Bulmers bottle O haras

Only the 33s, AFAIK, which are rarely sold here. Last I heard the half litre bottles are filled in the UK.

Lucena

Most foreign beers are brewed as locally as possible to where they are sold, as it doesn't make a lot of sense to make a product that is 95% water half way round the world from where it's being drank when it can be made on site i.e. there's no point shipping water around the world.

Hence Foster's not coming from Australia, Budweiser not coming from America etc. It only works for craft beers where people are willing to pay a premium for something that is perceived (rightly or not) as unique.

oblivious

Lucena wrote: »

It only works for craft beers where people are willing to pay a premium for something that is perceived (rightly or not) as unique.

The price of kegs are generally comparative AFAIA, the premium is usual added on the bar end

Seaneh

oblivious wrote: »

The price of kegs are generally comparative AFAIA

They're really not all that comparable, most craft kegs are not 90 litre kegs but cost not a lot less than macro 90 litre kegs.

oblivious

Seaneh wrote: »

They're really not all that comparable, most craft kegs are not 90 litre kegs but cost not a lot less than macro 90 litre kegs.

If its Keykeg, I would not put then in the same bracket

Seaneh

oblivious wrote: »

If its Keykeg, I would not put then in the same bracket

Not keykegs, just smaller kegs. Almost all the Irish micro's use half kegs, most of the american breweries, even those who don't use keykegs, use smaller barrels.

irish_goat

Seaneh wrote: »

They're really not all that comparable, most craft kegs are not 90 litre kegs but cost not a lot less than macro 90 litre kegs.

Standard keg size in Ireland is 50 litres. Prices for macro and micro are generally similar enough for 4.3% beer.

Seaneh

irish_goat wrote: »

Standard keg size in Ireland is 50 litres. Prices for macro and micro are generally similar enough for 4.3% beer.

Not mny of the craft beers are 4.3% though.

I meant 90 pint (I know 50 litres isn't exactly 90 pints), most craft breweries don't use full size kegs.

Losty Dublin

BeerNut wrote: »

Only the 33s, AFAIK, which are rarely sold here. Last I heard the half litre bottles are filled in the UK.

O'hara's have been busy installing a bottling line; it should be ready to go any day now if it isn't ready already.

Seaneh

Losty Dublin wrote: »

O'hara's have been busy installing a bottling line; it should be ready to go any day now if it isn't ready already.

Stunned it took them this long.

irish_goat

Seaneh wrote: »

Not mny of the craft beers are 4.3% though.

I meant 90 pint (I know 50 litres isn't exactly 90 pints), most craft breweries don't use full size kegs.

Ah right, most do though.

Metalman, GH, PH, Carlow, 8 Degrees, Sweetmans, Trouble, Bo Bristle, Carraig, Mountain Man, White Gypsy. They all use 50 litre kegs, a few of them will sometimes roll out 30 litre ones but the vast majority are 50 litre.

Was comparing 4.3% as it is the average for macro beers, obv the price then goes up with increasing ABV.

Tube

oblivious wrote: »

The price of kegs are generally comparative AFAIA, the premium is usual added on the bar end

Publicans are being encouraged to charge a premium for craft, which is self defeating as it lumps craft in one end of the market, competing against itself. Craft should compete across the complete market, and in some places it does. My local (the owner doesn't listen to the encouragement!) has craft from €3.90 a pint up to whatever you want to pay.

Rhys Essien

OP,I saw a Franciscan Well sign being put up on a hugh warehouse next to the river down towards the Marina.Will this be a new brewery or will it be used for storage?.We'll soon find out.

Seaneh

Rhys Essien wrote: »

OP,I saw a Franciscan Well sign being put up on a hugh warehouse next to the river down towards the Marina.Will this be a new brewery or will it be used for storage?.We'll soon find out.

That's the new brewery.

Lucena

Tube wrote: »

Publicans are being encouraged to charge a premium for craft, which is self defeating as it lumps craft in one end of the market, competing against itself. Craft should compete across the complete market, and in some places it does. My local (the owner doesn't listen to the encouragement!) has craft from €3.90 a pint up to whatever you want to pay.

On a short-term basis, charging extra for craft beer is probably the right idea, as most people that are into beer will be willing to pay the extra to have something nicer. Maybe this is 5% of the number of beer drinkers.

However from the point of view of increasing the market for craft beer, it’s a bad idea as it creates a barrier to anyone who hasn’t already decided that they want craft beer and don’t necessarily want to pay extra for something they don’t know about.

The situation in England is a lot better as they have a lot of local breweries producing real ale, and these beers are often cheaper than the macrolagers. Thus lots more people drink real ale, have done for years, and without necessarily having to identify with either the craft scene or the real ale scene.

Herb Powell

Lucena wrote: »

On a short-term basis, charging extra for craft beer is probably the right idea, as most people that are into beer will be willing to pay the extra to have something nicer. Maybe this is 5% of the number of beer drinkers.

However from the point of view of increasing the market for craft beer, it’s a bad idea as it creates a barrier to anyone who hasn’t already decided that they want craft beer and don’t necessarily want to pay extra for something they don’t know about.

The situation in England is a lot better as they have a lot of local breweries producing real ale, and these beers are often cheaper than the macrolagers. Thus lots more people drink real ale, have done for years, and without necessarily having to identify with either the craft scene or the real ale scene.

Maybe this is just me, but in my experience it's the same in Ireland, that craft beer is usually no more expensive than the other beers and is often a bit cheaper. With the exception of sweet, sweet Beamish.

Seaneh

In dublin anyway, a pint of Irish micro brewed beer is usually less expensive (4.70-5.20ish for a pint) than a pint of lager. Maybe a little more expensive than a pint of guinness, but not much more.

Tube

That's a broad statement, almost as broad as the range of prices for beer! Budget lager (Tuborg) can be had for €3.80 whereas quasi premium like Peroni can be €6+ a pint.

Similarly craft can be had from €3.80/€4 to €6+, often for the same beer, but just in a different pub.

Seaneh

Hence why I said "usually".