Island's edge opinions

rob316

I would be solely a Beamish drinker so I like a strong bodied bitter stout. Saw this in the shop this evening so said I'd try it.

Gotta say it's some achievement making something so flavourless and watery. I downed the first and thought that was light and refreshing but I was bored of it half way through the 2nd. It's a nice creamy head sure probably more than the main 3 stouts, but the body is like water. It's blended with tea to take out the bitterness and make it refreshing but it really lacks that taste of "more" off it.

I couldn't see it appealing to any stout drinker but I'd imagine that's not their target market given they already have Beamish and Murphy's.

Definitely one for the rock shore, seltzer, gin drinking generation.

endacl

Brewed by Heineken. It sounds like a beer for people who aren't really into beer. Like some kind of training drink? So, yeah. One for the Rock Shore demographic.

"Made in Cork, Island's Edge is aimed at people who don't drink stout..."

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/drink/heineken-s-new-stout-its-head-is-creamier-than-guinness-s-but-does-it-taste-as-good-1.4615899

listermint

I love stouts . Major fan of O Haras Nitro , Long hand and Leann Forlain . Love portors too. And like a Guinness when out.

Have tried this in draught and also yesterday in can since there was a glass free offer in SuperValu.

Frankly it's a good stout. Nice creamy feel to it. Much more flavoursome than Guinness and if it was between this and an overly bitter Beamish id take this. They've done a good job on it. Great all rounder.

It honestly reminds me of how Guinness used to taste before they flattened the taste out of it

Cloudio9

not much flavour in it, nothing offensive about it. I just can’t see what market there is for it. I expect it to be gone by this time next year.

Sadly Heineken seem determined to kill off Murphy’s. Almost impossible to find in Dublin now and musgraves have dropped it entirely. The cans are now brewed in Scotland and heard Brexit causing issues with stock.

Effects

Murphy's is brewed in Scotland?

Weepsie

A beer or stout that has on it's can "unexpectedly refreshing" is on to a loser immediately.

Murphy's or Beamish if on tap will get my preference, and then guinness, unless O'Hara's something else is available. Wicklow Wolf and O'Hara's Leann Folainn would be my preferred ones.

Cloudio9

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117883705#Comment_117883705

The cans are. Draught still brewed in Cork.

One_More_Mile

Tried it the weekend. Its a nothing stout, neither memorable nor offensive. Cant see it taking off really

Effects

Might see if I can get a taster of it in the pub tonight!

L1011

Not my review:

https://www.lisagrimm.com/2021/09/13/strange-times-in-stout-land/

But I'd agree that Guinness 0.0 tastes more like a "real" stout and Islands Edge tastes more like a NA stout. Bland and, erm, thin if that's the right term to use.

bennyl10

Have had 2 pints of it now

absolute swill. Genuinely wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy.

rockshore has competition for the worst thing on tap

listermint

Genuinely surprised at the responses here. Three friends have tried it now seperately all reasonable reviews. At different times of trying it.

Beechwoodspark

Found it very watery almost like as if I tipped a bottle of ballygowan into a half drunk pint of Guinness

Knightofcydonia

It's thin, not much mouthfeel and I find it a little sweet. Not sweet like a milk stout but certainly sweeter than Guinness. Having said that it's drinkable, I got a 4 pack and that'll do.

Id have Guinness ahead of it for sure but there's plenty of other stouts I'd have ahead of Guinness too!

Butson

The TV ad alone is enough to turn me off it.

Drivel.

rob316

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117892002#Comment_117892002

Accurate and the color is more like a glass of coke than a proper stout. The only plus was it was probably the creamiest widget can I've gotten.

Have Heineken just given up on Murphys? Surely remarketing Murphys would of been better than this dishwater?

Wouldn't imagine Diageo are worried about it anyway, even the name is forgettable.

Lynk

Bit concerned to see, but I can't find cans of Murphys anywhere in West Cork ever since this got launched.

Their press release stated they wish to gain 10% of the stout market, given its made by Heineken who own both Murphys and Beamish, you'd wonder are they trying to faze them out in favour of promoting only one stout?

As for the product itself, its bland, like watered down Guinness. It doesn't have the beautiful coffee tone of the Murphys, or the bitter taste of a Beamish. Hope it doesn't take off because if it did, I can see those two brands being discontinued.

rob316

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117901299#Comment_117901299

I don't think they'd ever discontinue Beamish, it's got about 40% of the stout market in cork and 8% nationally.

Don't even want to contemplate that to be honest. A world without beamish 😟

kheb

Tried a few cans. It’s definitely too bland compared to Guinness. However, they are clearly aiming it at people who don’t l8ke Guinness which is not me.

rob316

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117901330#Comment_117901330

They said it's aimed at people who don't drink stout but a bit of a contradiction if they are looking to take a bit out of the stout market. As I said I couldn't see any stout drinker switching to this.

kheb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117901341#Comment_117901341

Agreed, no stout drinker will switch. I will try it on draught for interests sake.

Lynk

I'm from West Cork so it's Murphys country here, I never took to Beamish, but I respect the people who do. Both are great stouts. Ominous signs though, particularly for Murphys, I can't find a can of it anywhere here.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117884769#Comment_117884769

Brewed or canned?

Splitting the brewing on what is increasingly a niche product in their lineup cannot be sensible from a cost perspective. But the two big boys in the market here have insufficient (or no, really, for Diageo) packaging capacity so tankering for canning is quite normal.

Cloudio9

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117901392#Comment_117901392

Actually don’t know, guess that makes more sense. Murphy’s used to (30 years ago) have decent (20%) market share in the UK. No idea what it has now.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117901556#Comment_117901556

Its possible it is brewed there, Heineken do some odd things.

BeerNut

They do the same for Heineken lager: draught brewed in Cork, small-pack brewed to Irish strength in the Netherlands and shipped over. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they did the same for Murphy's in Edinburgh: most of the cans going to the UK and US with whatever little they need for Ireland being sent across. The non-sensible bit is that Lady's Well is still operational at all, but there are likely reasons for that beyond the simple logistics.

sxt

Alot of comments here's saying it tastes bland. If that's the case they may have a mass market winner

To have mass market appeal, it is vital to make the most bland and inoffensive product you can make,hence mass appeal. Think of all the bland mass market staples like heiniken, budweiser, Guinness etc

If it is has a big marketing machine behind it and it meets the requirements of being , bland, tasteless/inoffensive, and easy to drink, it is very hard to see it not being a huge success...

L1011

Heineken, Budweiser and Guinness have more distinctive tastes than Islands Edge. Most of the people calling it bland are comparing it to Guinness!

Poorside

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117904477#Comment_117904477

Guinness is bland if its too cold, to lump it in with those 2 piss beers is disgrace, they need to be near freezing to drink, Guinness at about 6/7 degrees is a different beast

bokale

Nitro guinness is blander than Heineken

irish_goat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117906687#Comment_117906687

Guinness is never served that warm in a pub.