Craft beer recommendations?

BetterThanThou

I'd like to get into drinking craft beer, I haven't had much experience with craft beers at all, I've had a few different types, but that's it. Mainly, I'm looking for pale and red ales, but ones that tend to be on the sweeter side with less of an overly bitter taste. I disliked Punk IPA due to the overly bitter taste, but did like the taste once I got used to the bitterness. The Trooper(the Iron Maiden branded beer, not even sure if it's a craft beer or not) was fantastic in my opinion, I'd be looking for something similar enough to that, not overly bitter, not overly sweet, it seems to hit a nice spot in the middle. I'm also interested in trying some milk stouts, not sure if there's any available in Ireland, I've heard good things about Left Hand Milk Stout, is that available in Ireland? Totally open to any suggestions no matter what the type of beer, in general, I like a bit of bitterness and a bit of sweetness in the same beer, which sounds crazy, but I'm sure a bunch of craft beer drinkers understand exactly what I mean.

finatron

There is something for everyone in beer I started off drinking German beer as I was looking for something new . The regular offerings in Ireland where getting beyond boring .
A lot of the new small brewers in Ireland are a pretty similar they bring out a pale and red ale and maybe and stout and then an IPA.
8 degrees is a good place to start they do the regular pale and red but also do some more out there stuff with IPAs and stouts.

BeerNut

I'm a fan of the Drink Everything approach. I don't think there's a way to predict which beers you'll like and which beers you won't, and I'm definitely not in favour of writing off entire swathes of the beer world because of disliking a particular example. Beer is cheap: if you don't like a particular one, it usually didn't cost much to find that out.

As a starting point, this list is as good as any. Not all are available everywhere but it should be possible to get a lot of them wherever you are.

listermint

Above advice is very good.

Id also give Founders All Day IPA as bash, its quite reasonable to the unseasoned pallet.

Also if you are near Blackbird , Cassidys or P Macs, definitely give 'VietNow' a bash its from Trouble Brewing but they only brew it for the aforementioned bars. That stuff will make anyones night quality draught.

Ronan|Raven

listermint wrote: »

Above advice is very good.

Id also give Founders All Day IPA as bash, its quite reasonable to the unseasoned pallet.

Also if you are near Blackbird , Cassidys or P Macs, definitely give 'VietNow' a bash its from Trouble Brewing but they only brew it for the aforementioned bars. That stuff will make anyones night quality draught.

+100 on the Vietnow. A beautiful pint.

BetterThanThou

Great replies, thank you. I'm just curious, I figure a good place to start might be a craft beer festival, does anyone know if there's any craft beer festivals set to take place in the Dublin area in the near future?

St. Lupulin

listermint wrote: »

Id also give Founders All Day IPA as bash.

This. Beer doesn't get much better.

Get the Metalman and Blacks of Kinsale cans when they come out next week, also.

BeerNut

BetterThanThou wrote: »

does anyone know if there's any craft beer festivals set to take place in the Dublin area in the near future?

Alltech Brews & Food is the last weekend in February at the Convention Centre. There'll be one at the RDS over St Patrick's weekend too.

lk67

I'd also recommend talking to a friendly, knowledgeable barperson in any of the craft beer bars. If you explain your basic preferences they should guide you in the right direction. Many will also give you a taste of a beer before purchasing. Tasting trays of 3 to 5 beers are also available in many bars.

As was mentioned by TBN already, try everything. Everyone has different tastes and preferences so don't take anyone else's word as to whether a beer is 'good or bad', try it for yourself.

Most importantly, enjoy it and don't take it too seriously! Well, maybe a little bit...

Good luck!

Kev_2012

The term "Craft Beer" drives me nuts. Blue moon and Paulaner etc. are marketed as craft beers. They aren't they are mass produced, but it's just god damn beer at the end of the day! I actually seen Molson Canadian marketed as craft beer in Limerick one day :O

But yeah my recommendation is Fischer's Helle. It's savage stuff. If you like pilsners, this is some savage stuff altogether. You can get it in The Roundy in Cork City. It's unreal!

BMJD

Try everything you can get your hands on. Keep an open mind, you might think that you don't like stout, for example, but then you'll come across something amazing and your perceptions will change.

If you find that you don't like some, try them again in 6/12 months time, you'll be amazed how your preferences and tastes develop!

poitinstill

how about ... go to your local aldi....get one each of the o'sheas range stout / pale ale / golden ale/ red ale pick up a wheat beer while your in there think aldi do schoffer hoffer. for under a tenner you have the main cylos covered drink one every night so you remember the flavours. then go to local offie that has a nice range and talk to them if they are good they will guide you a bit further

stevenmu

For sweetness, Fuller's Honey Dew is pretty good.

I'm a huge fan of Brewdogs 5am Saint. It's not as bitter as the Punk IPA, sweeter and fruitier. In fact amber pale ales in general are good in that regard.

One tip I'd give is that as you get more in to drinking craft beers your tastes will probably change, so don't be afraid to go back and try stuff that you might not have enjoyed previously.