Beer for large party at home - suggestions needed..

nosietoes

Hey,

I'm getting married at home this summer so I get to choose which beers to serve. I want to serve a beer and a stout... we thought of going the O'Hara's lager route so as not to offend anyone's taste buds but we realised that 95% of our friends drink a range of craft beers, and most of the older folks drink stout anyway so its opened up our choices. Plus I want to make sure that I can enjoy a pint at my own wedding!

I'm thinking Sunburnt Red and Knockmealdown Porter... Thought about Metalman but they don't sell direct to people, and I don't want to go through a company that will charge extra for travelling to Limerick and setting up the kegs when I can just rent the taps separately (we have barmen to help us set up).

So any suggestions?

RasTa

So you're looking for kegs?

Ronan|Raven

Maybe contact the likes of vanguard. http://vanguardbeer.ie/

nosietoes

yes, I'm doing kegs. I know I can buy direct from 8degrees, and I haven't emailed anyone else yet. I was looking for beer suggestions rather than how to get the beer. I'll figure that one out!

irish_goat

If you can get direct from 8 Degrees you'd be hard pushed to do much better than Sunburnt and Knockmealdown. Both are good tasty ales without being too alcoholic or too hoppy or anything like that.

nosietoes

Thanks Irish_Goat!

It's a big decision cos you want people to be happy, as well as yourself! I think even my uncles would be okay with knockmealdown but wanted to hear other people's thoughts.

rubadub

nosietoes wrote: »

most of the older folks drink stout

But will they drink stouts other than guinness, I know many people who won't, bizarre as it seems to me.

So I know if you counted all the guinness drinkers I know I expect 80%+ would be wanting the lager instead, even if the lager was unknown to them. People are f*cking weirdos when it comes to stout, don't ignore that!

irish_goat

rubadub wrote: »

But will they drink stouts other than guinness, I know many people who won't, bizarre as it seems to me.

So I know if you counted all the guinness drinkers I know I expect 80%+ would be wanting the lager instead, even if the lager was unknown to them. People are f*cking weirdos when it comes to stout, don't ignore that!

Few pints in and they'll be grand.

the beer revolu

I wonder would Howling Gale have greater appeal.
It could be passed off as lager to the non craft beer drinkers who might turn their noses up at something that is obviously "ale". Most craft beer drinkers will happily drink Howling Gale .

nosietoes

Hmm I had thought of Howling Gale but was wondering if the sunburnt wasn't smoother and less hoppy despite the challenging colour There are very few beer drinkers who would be weird about craft... Maybe a couple of younger cousins, but free beer is free beer.

The Guinness only drinkers I guess can stay on wine because I won't budge on that one. Really want to support Irish owned companies as much as possible... So it'd be a choice for me between O'hara's or 8 degrees on the stout probably... Tho plain porter by porterhouse is probably the closest to Guinness but I don't know what they're like about selling to public.

rubadub

irish_goat wrote: »

Few pints in and they'll be grand.

haha, or have a second tap to the same keg with a fake guinness sign, I could picture lads "I tried the other fancy stuff, rotten, I'll stick to my guinness, it's pouring lovely"

NewCorkLad

How much are 8 degrees charging for a keg?

nosietoes

My quote was from last year but it was around 110 including vat for 30litre key keg I think.

Losty Dublin

nosietoes wrote: »

My quote was from last year but it was around 110 including vat for 30litre key keg I think.

I'd try Vangaurd as well. They carry 8 Degrees beers, Trouble Brewing, the easy to drink Galway Hooker and it's sister stout along with plenty of mid range ales, ciders and ample golden ales and lagers. Chances are they might sort you out for beer taps, gas and beer glasses as well; essentials for a set up like this.

minidazzler

When you say you have a barman to set up your keg system.... How good are we talking here.... Most bartenders can change a keg, but properly setting up gas etc.... You're not guaranteed.

Where are you actually getting the keg system too? Are you sure you'll have the appropriate tapping heads?

The knockmealdown is a great choice though...

nosietoes

Thanks Losty Dublin. I'll see what their prices are like. The marquee rental guy does the glasses anyway but I do need to rent taps and gas from some company so may as well see what their prices are like. I was just worried that they would be like the brewcrew and cost extra to deliver outside of the Dublin area.

Oddly, I have always rather disliked Galway Hooker... it always has a weird slightly old sock flavour to me for at least the first half pint though their new IPA is quite nice but way too alcoholic.

We do want to try get our hands on some Stonewell cider as well if possible.

Edit: just checked them out and unfortunately they won't be able to help us out on the cider front. Tempted is pretty much undrinkable and Scott's isn't great.

nosietoes

Minidazzler: Well, the bar people we have working that night might only be okay at changing kegs but one of our guests is a manager at a craft beer bar with a good few years experience who has offered his help and my brother in law grew up in pub. We've done heineken and guinness independently before at my brother's wedding with no issues.

Also, have asked my local bar owner at the Headline who stocks all the Irish craft beer brands and there is still only two different kinds of heads for kegs... the same that the major brands use.

anncoates

Why don't i ever get invited to weddings like this?

SBWife

anncoates wrote: »

Why don't i ever get invited to weddings like this?

You'd probably just end up bitching that it's black tie, down the country and that there's no parking for guests at the venue and you're expected to walk from the church.