What beer are we drinking this week? Episode 3

BeerNut

Grand Cru has had Spencer occasionally as well.

Found a Froots and the Maytals in the bottom of a box. Out of date but tastes alright.

BonnieSituation

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Couple of West Kerry stouts calling my name this evening. Maybe sooner rather than later.

dominatinMC wrote: »

Carraig Dhubh? A lovely porter

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

It’s amazing stuff. Different to so many out there.

the beer revolu wrote: »

It's what I imagine stout tasted like a hundred years ago.
I've no idea what stout tasted like then but it just feels really proper old school.

Haven't had that stout in a long time.

I haven't had any of their stuff, but as a stout to end my beer exile next Sunday, well, it sounds perfect.

Any other of their range recommended?

The Riasc Black if you can find one, and I’m a big fan of the blue rose pale.

BonnieSituation

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

The Riasc Black if you can find one, and I’m a big fan of the blue rose pale.

This is gonna be one of those times where I end up buying the whole range, isn't it?

:D:D

BonnieSituation

BonnieSituation wrote: »

This is gonna be one of those times where I end up buying the whole range, isn't it?

:D:D

Quite possibly!

Macy0161

Knocked off a few of the stronger stouts from the box over the weekend...

• Lough Gill - Chuckee Larmz (Imperial Marshmallow Lucky Charm Milk Stout). Sweet, but not overwhelming so (for sweet toothed me anyway). Perfect as the dessert that it was!
• Rye River - Baltic Breakfast Porter. This one wasn't as sweet as I was expecting but really lovely depth of flavours. Yet to be disappointed by their small batch stuff.
• Kinnegar Brewers at Pay 12 - Hazelnut Vanilla Imperial Stout. Another really nice stout - very drinkable.
• Lough Gill x Wicklow Wolf - Ocean of Storms Imperial Pastry Stout. 2nd of my two - a bit better pacing before it this time, and I think this was my favourite.

I know sweet stouts aren't everyone's bag, but I really enjoyed this line up. My main conclusion is that while I really love Imperials/ Extra/ high abv stouts, you can keep the barrel aging for me. Pointy Shoes is the only barrel aged one I've really loved this winter.

Pen Rua

Whiplash's Let.It.End "futuristic stout" was on my menu this weekend. Brewed with maple syrup & French toast. A totally bizzare beer that, unsurprisingly, tasted like liquid French toast. Please don't let this become a trend, but it was a good one off.

dominatinMC

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

The Riasc Black if you can find one, and I’m a big fan of the blue rose pale.

Both are top quality. I'm a big fan of their Beal Ban too. Although I'm finding it hard to get any of their range in Limerick. Does anyone know of someplace that stocks them?

dominatinMC

dominatinMC wrote: »

Both are top quality. I'm a big fan of their Beal Ban too. Although I'm finding it hard to get any of their range in Limerick. Does anyone know of someplace that stocks them?

Normally get them delivered by craftbeersdelivered or thebeerclub but I don’t think the latter will do bottles any more. Not sure about the former.

Pen Rua

dominatinMC wrote: »

Both are top quality. I'm a big fan of their Beal Ban too. Although I'm finding it hard to get any of their range in Limerick. Does anyone know of someplace that stocks them?

Bradley's in Cork has them now and then - am sure he would be able to sort you out if you gave him a buzz.

E: Martin's stocks some. https://martinsofflicence.ie/collections/irish-beers?_=pf&pf_t_brewery=West-Kerry-Brewery-Beoir-Chorca-Dhuibhne

Poorside

dominatinMC wrote: »

Both are top quality. I'm a big fan of their Beal Ban too. Although I'm finding it hard to get any of their range in Limerick. Does anyone know of someplace that stocks them?

Saw some in the off licence near Punches about 2 weeks ago

Beanstalk

If you were organising a beer tasting, with a combination of light beers and Belgians and stouts, where would you put a saison Dupont and a Geuze boon in the lineup. I'm thinking the geuze would be lost if it wasn't first or second, as it's not overly sour...

BeerNut

Beanstalk wrote: »

where would you put a saison Dupont and a Geuze boon in the lineup. I'm thinking the geuze would be lost if it wasn't first or second, as it's not overly sour...

Both can go as break points when moving to one genre to another. They're bold enough to hold their own regardless of what you've already had, but clean enough that they won't clog the palate for what comes next.

senordingdong

Macy0161 wrote: »

Knocked off a few of the stronger stouts from the box over the weekend...

• Lough Gill - Chuckee Larmz (Imperial Marshmallow Lucky Charm Milk Stout). Sweet, but not overwhelming so (for sweet toothed me anyway). Perfect as the dessert that it was!
• Rye River - Baltic Breakfast Porter. This one wasn't as sweet as I was expecting but really lovely depth of flavours. Yet to be disappointed by their small batch stuff.
• Kinnegar Brewers at Pay 12 - Hazelnut Vanilla Imperial Stout. Another really nice stout - very drinkable.
• Lough Gill x Wicklow Wolf - Ocean of Storms Imperial Pastry Stout. 2nd of my two - a bit better pacing before it this time, and I think this was my favourite.

I know sweet stouts aren't everyone's bag, but I really enjoyed this line up. My main conclusion is that while I really love Imperials/ Extra/ high abv stouts, you can keep the barrel aging for me. Pointy Shoes is the only barrel aged one I've really loved this winter.

I had a northern Monk stars and stripes last night. Peanutbutter and jelly porter.
It was exactly what it advertised, lots of nuts and raspberry puree in the mix. It was fine as an after dinner drink but one was enough.

I think the problem with the sweet stouts is that they are largely experimental so they can be hit and miss. Especially when synthetic flavourings are used.
I find that huge sweetness only works when there's a high abv to cut through the sweetness. And the barrel aged stouts usually stick to the classic stout tastes of chocolate/toffee/coffee etc. so they are fairly safe. But the sweet!/pastry stouts aren't aged and usually only have regular abv so it doesn't work too well.

A good example of this was 'mallow mafia' by brewdog and amundsen. Small serving, intense marshmallow sweetness on top of deep chocolate, but a very high abv to cut through. Left you sipping it for ages.
Then look at white hags dark druids, lots of sweetness but the thin body and light abv made it feel sickly.

Macy0161

senordingdong wrote: »

I find that huge sweetness only works when there's a high abv to cut through the sweetness. And the barrel aged stouts usually stick to the classic stout tastes of chocolate/toffee/coffee etc. so they are fairly safe. But the sweet!/pastry stouts aren't aged and usually only have regular abv so it doesn't work too well.

Most of the barrel aged stouts are high abv though too?

senordingdong

Macy0161 wrote: »

Most of the barrel aged stouts are high abv though too?

Yeah the two usually go hand in hand. I'm just spit balling on why the sweet stouts are so divisive, especially when other popular stouts have some sweetness to them.

Effects

Pen Rua wrote: »

Whiplash's Let.It.End "futuristic stout" was on my menu this weekend. Brewed with maple syrup & French toast. A totally bizzare beer that, unsurprisingly, tasted like liquid French toast. Please don't let this become a trend, but it was a good one off.

That was a really good beer. Perfectly balanced. I bought four when they came out, just wish I had more of them.

Macy0161

Effects wrote: »

That was a really good beer. Perfectly balanced. I bought four when they came out, just wish I had more of them.

Yes, I really loved it. I got it direct from Whiplash, and they were only letting you order two.

Effects

Macy0161 wrote: »

Yes, I really loved it. I got it direct from Whiplash, and they were only letting you order two.

I got two direct, and two more from Molloys.
Also grabbed four of the barrel aged stouts from the fridge, and got a shock when I got to the roll and found out they were €15 each!

BonnieSituation

BonnieSituation wrote: »

This is gonna be one of those times where I end up buying the whole range, isn't it?

:D:D

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Quite possibly!

Found myself near Martin's earlier.

No Carraig Dhubh but they had some Night Porter and KBS.

So that'll do.

How did you get the cans to float?

BonnieSituation

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

How did you get the cans to float?

You can do anything after a month on the dry.

Twee.

I had the Sacho over the weekend and wasn't mad on it, be interested to hear what others think. I was hoping for more of a raspberry hit.

BonnieSituation

Twee. wrote: »

I had the Sacho over the weekend and wasn't mad on it, be interested to hear what others think. I was hoping for more of a raspberry hit.

That's good to hear.

I love Omnipollo's stuff, so it will be interesting to see how this goes. Roll on Sunday.

youcancallmeal

BonnieSituation wrote: »

Found myself near Martin's earlier.

No Carraig Dhubh but they had some Night Porter and KBS.

Watch out opening the Otterbank bottle, I lost a third of it fizzing all over the counter when I opened mine. What I did get to drink was lovely

BonnieSituation

youcancallmeal wrote: »

Watch out opening the Otterbank bottle, I lost a third of it fizzing all over the counter when I opened mine. What I did get to drink was lovely

Ah yes, that was the beer that people had the problem with on here!

Really looking forward to it.

Pen Rua

youcancallmeal wrote: »

Watch out opening the Otterbank bottle, I lost a third of it fizzing all over the counter when I opened mine. What I did get to drink was lovely

Lucky! I lost a half of it. Spent an age wrestling with the blooming wax cap only for it to pour out everywhere.

Poorside

Northern Monk, Eternal Sunshine, really juicy and tastes a lot like Sunshine and showers just a bit less of an orange flavour to it, would be a lovely drink sitting out in the sun.
Have a Side eyes from Mikkeler up next, and some Double bunny for tomorrow.

BaZmO*

Poorside wrote: »

Northern Monk, Eternal Sunshine, really juicy and tastes a lot like Sunshine and showers just a bit less of an orange flavour to it, would be a lovely drink sitting out in the sun.
Have a Side eyes from Mikkeler up next, and some Double bunny for tomorrow.

Ordered a box last Friday from Craft Central. Delivery came the next day! Very impressed.

Double Bunny was one of the beers. Forgot how good it was.

I’m having a new love affair with Irish beers at the moment. Especially the more established breweries. You kinda forget how good a lot of their core range is, along with their regular seasonals.