Supporting craft breweries

flended12

Aldi lough gill? I'll go with consensus that they are brewing direct for Aldi.

They definitely feature periodically in Lidl with their core lines.

Some deal if they are brewing for one and selling direct in the other. I remember when I first got in to craft beers and someone mentioned the split between lough gill and white hag (jaysis I hope I'm accurate) that lough gill wouldn't be found wanting.

More luck to them and WH.

BeerNut

Don't recall ever seeing Lough Gill beer in Lidl. Lately there's been a Grand Cru arrangement bringing White Hag and Porterhouse, plus BRÚ. If there was Lough Gill beer it's not recent.

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119427674#Comment_119427674

The Wit was very good imo. The bitter was also perfectly decent. Best beers I've had from Aldi or Lidl for many a moon.

flended12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119430415#Comment_119430415

Agreed, it would have been just before covid as far as I can remember

Macy0161

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119431519#Comment_119431519

Didn't get the wit, but enjoyed the ESB. I do tend to buy the Rye River ones in Lidl more than the Aldi Lough Gill. But both show the bs about decent beer being expensive!

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119431902#Comment_119431902

A lot of craft beers are too expensive ,dude.There are some exceptions.

This bs about “decent beer” is all like what these conspiracy theory cretins pump out.

Let’s not go down that road, please.

Beauty is in the ‘eye’ of the beholder.

youcancallmeal

My boxtravaganza arrived today, pretty happy with the selection despite the price. Would've liked more sours but apparently Garden and BRLO deliveries didnt arrive on time, I suspect they would've been sours. Hope to actually get to Sligo next year

matt806

These still available? Have mates coming and they didn’t buy tickets. Thanks 👍🏽

matt806

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119411168#Comment_119411168

would love these if still available please?

LollipopJimmy

Somebody here PM'd and bought them. Sorry dude.

dakar

Might be a bit late but I came across someone here at hagstravaganza who has one going spare.

EDIT: And gone…

Citizen Six

Any reports on how Hagstravaganza went?

Basq

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119444322#Comment_119444322

Was good, though busier than I remember for sure.

Position of the bar and production area has flipped.. so bar on left of building.. as production/taproom seems to have taken up majority of space which didn't help as seemed like a much smaller space for increased numbers. Though always quite quick to get served at bar maybe a 30 minute window about 7 where everyone seemed to queue.

Didn't think much of live in marquee either.. liked being able to hear music inside the area with bar etc.. but not feasible with space.

Borzoi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119446463#Comment_119446463

we hit the same issue around 7, which was a pain as we were on the train back to Dublin, so had to miss a round. tobe fair otherwise it eas a 5min wait.

marquee was too loud but got seats in the food stand area so happy out.

beer variety was great 60 inthe main bar, another 8 at the "aged" and a further specific White Hag bar which seem slowest (but we didnt use)

cracking day for it

would go again

LollipopJimmy

That's two years on the trot I had tickets and couldn't go

iambrazil

I'm going to have a bit of time in Dublin for the first time in years on Saturday and was wondering if anyone could recommend their must visit pubs with a decent beer selection or must try beers knocking around at the moment?

For old times sake I would also like a pint of Hooker IPA in nice surroundings if anyone could recommend somewhere that has that on regularly. I used to enjoy drinking it in the Palace on Fleet Street so somewhere like that would be ideal.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119448272#Comment_119448272

Cassidy's is just round the corner from the Palace if you wanted to get both in. P. Mac's and Peters pub on Stephen St. are worth a look too.

BeerNut

The variety of beer in Dublin pubs has really taken a knock recently with the loss of UnderDog and then both Galway Bay and Porterhouse concentrating on their own ranges. The Black Sheep is probably the best of them, and their online beer list is usually accurate.

The Palace doesn't have Hooker any more though I think The Long Hall does, as well as a session IPA badged for them.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119448423#Comment_119448423

There has definitely been a big drop off in English breweries in Ireland post Brexit too. We only have so many here and really need a healthy dose of UK beer to keep things fresh.

Even over in England on my last few trips I noticed a lot of the old craft beer pubs now mostly seem tied to the big bought out craft labels.

Tinter Box

Yeah best way of trying anything new/ interesting is from off license or delivery. Craft beer scene in Dublin currently involves going to a small number of pubs with the same beers on. Hopefully will change. The bleeding horse is a nice option with a few decent beers on tap and salubrious surroundings.

Pen Rua

Galway Hooker has been sold to Connacht Hospitality Group, who runs several bars and hotels in Galway.

https://www.businesspost.ie/news/galway-hooker-brewery-sold-to-connacht-hospitality-group/

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119470951#Comment_119470951

Very much being pushed across the various Connacht Group pub's socials over the last few months.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119470951#Comment_119470951

Hopefully they improve the pubs

Sling12

Have spoken about this before around Craft Central but is it me or are their prices just taking the biscuit???? Now I know prices are going up on everything yada yada yada.....but surely they must be seeing a drop off on their sales as items can still be gotten cheaper on other online Irish retailers.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119480633#Comment_119480633

Trying to fleece the customer…..not a good sales team strategy.

Pen Rua

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119480633#Comment_119480633

They are consistently tens-of-cents more expensive than Bradley's in Cork (don't really buy beer elsewhere now so no other comparison). Similar comments were made in the midst of lockdowns when Craft Central was my to go and my gateway access point for craft beer.

I paid €5.50 for Whiplash's Heart of Chambers, whilst Craft Central is 25c dearer at €5.75, for example.

Between that and a €5.50 delivery charge, you're losing a can or two out of the same money you'd spend locally.

Red Silurian

Torc Brewing website is down. I noticed that their stock was limited recently, perhaps some new beers are coming on stream for the Xmas rush

BeerNut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119481600#Comment_119481600

Surely you can understand why a recent start-up based in Dublin would apply a bigger mark-up than an inherited family business in Cork? If a product is cheaper elsewhere, buy it elsewhere. Heart of Chambers is €5.40 from Yards & Crafts.

Hotblack Desiato

A new low with the latest White Hag Clann box. The single 330 guest beer from Croatia was nice. Two Atlantean 440s, I like. Two 440 Magic Mist are OK. Rest of the dozen was filled with bland low ABV core range crap 330s - Little Fawn is overpriced at 2.50 a can in the local offy but I'm paying well over €3 each for this. If I never see a can of 4% taste-lacking Phantom again it'll be too soon. A (surprisingly taste-free compared to previous batches, and super-low ABV) Puca and two decent, but overpriced, Ninth Waves made up the box.

Not even a crappy bad stout they couldn't flog 🤣 ffs even last month's underwhelming selection was leavened by an excellent Black Boar.

I feel like a right mug. Support craft beer - I gladly will but they're not supporting me, they're ripping the piss to be honest.

I certainly will not be renewing and this exploitation of their most loyal customers puts me right off buying even the beers I like from them.

Biscuit80

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119492038#Comment_119492038

Unfortunately I have to agree with all of this - a very disappointing month from them. Particularly when the box is almost 3 weeks late and in the email explaining the delay, we were told that "...the extra wait will be worth it, promise!"

It definitely doesn't feel worth it to me!