What beer are we drinking this week? Episode 3

Hotblack Desiato · 06-06-2025 01:23PM

The Extra or Original or XX or whatever they're calling it this week is nice, but usually vastly overpriced in the supermarkets. My local off-licence commits the sin of putting all stout into a very cold fridge so I don't buy stout there. But same price as supermarket for it, IIRC.

Yes, usually in a 568 (used to be a 4-pack of 500 bottles but don't think there is any more)

West Indies porter is one of my favourites, more expensive but 6%.

Yeah Right · 06-06-2025 02:03PM

Local offo ran out of blue moon recently, I was getting a pick n mix of random beers to try and some young lad told me to try this stuff. Had never heard of it, was familiar with Estrella and Daura and a couple of others, but hadn't even heard of it. The bottle was designed for some Michelin star chef who didn't like seeing beer bottles on the table in his restaurant, apparently…..

Anyway, it's the nicest new beer I've tried in ages. To call it a Spanish Blue Moon would be both accurate yet underselling it. Very light and refreshing, kinda citrusy. Goes well with a slice of orange in the glass, á lá blue moon. Worth a try if Belgian style beers are your thing.

nice bit of green · 06-06-2025 05:11PM

Have never been into new beers but recently tried Rascals in the back garden sunshine and have been very pleasantly surprised. Happy Days Pale Ale & Side Kick IPA being my faves.

Any recommendations for anything similar much appreciated.

BeerNut · 06-06-2025 05:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123521108#Comment_123521108

Little Fawn, Scraggy Bay and Ambush: the holy trinity of Irish pale ales.

Black Sheep · 08-06-2025 06:42PM

Probably best served cold, as suggested, and in volume. Uninteresting as a lager, but if you read the blurb, they're up front about what this is. Malty, uncomplex easy drinking beer. As palatable as a McDonalds burger, it just slides down the gullet leaving little trace. Fresh though!

Slightly more interesting, but in the same ballpark.

Both succeed at what they're meant to be for, I guess? Perhaps the cloudless being the maximally optimised of the two to easy backyard quaffing.

patrickc · 13-06-2025 08:27PM

I'm currently supping an O' Haras Hop Adventure Strata. delicious

cunnifferous · 13-06-2025 08:36PM

Having a batch brew from Wicklow Wolf. It's their latest Brennan's Bread fueled brew. A pale ale @4%. Fairly unremarkable but a solid well balanced beer none the less. Decent body for the ABV. Nice summer quencher. Comes with a voucher for Brennan's bread too 😂

FlicFlak · 18-06-2025 09:18AM

Just read in the Roscommon Herald that Black Donkey are ceasing operations. Got too expensive for them.

I will genuinely miss their beers, drink alot of them, Sargent Jimmy one on the best saisons ive had!

County Roscommon brewery set to close after over a decade in business - News - Roscommon Herald

Insect Overlord · 18-06-2025 09:52AM

That's a shame. They made some fabulous beers.

erbr00 · 27-06-2025 04:32PM

Managed to get across the border last week so have some English ales to get through. London Pride, Newcastle Brown, etc.

ablelocks · 27-06-2025 07:41PM

not sure if it's been mentioned, but the Aldi Grande spanish lager is surpringly lovely!

flended12 · 27-06-2025 10:06PM

Tis more of a black lager hybrid than a stout, but it's drinkable. Very drinkable.

toffeeshel · 27-06-2025 10:27PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123585833#Comment_123585833

had it in Portugal last year and agree. Very drinkable

Black Sheep · 30-06-2025 12:33PM

Had a few cans of Trouble Brewing Dark Arts over the weekend.

I wonder have they changed the recipe, or has my palate just changed overtime? I remember this being a cracking beer on tap, years ago.

This poured very thin and definitely on the cusp of being like a red ale almost. Always on the more chocolately side, I found it overly sweet now.

By way of comparison, I had a few cans of O'Hara's Nitro, and they were exceptional. I think the "at home" stout to beat, at this stage.

Dundalk's Nitro stout offering isn't bad as well. I tried their Nitro export stout, however, and that didn't work… I don't know whether it was just an issue with that specific can't nitrogenation, however.

numbskull20 · 19-07-2025 11:14AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123518736#Comment_123518736

Tesco and Dunnes in Sligo have been sold out of Foreign Extra for about 6 months now. Still no sign of it.

Does anyone know a good place up north to buy some? The Asda web site sells it but I've looked in the Enniskillen Asda a few times and they don't have it.

the beer revolu · 20-07-2025 08:36PM

Park Pictures West Coast IPA. Bit pricy at €7.80 for a 7% 330ml. But so nicely made and balanced. Nothing wild but it's the most I've enjoyed a beer in a while. Kinda hard to describe why it's so good. Like a an IPA from a decade ago. Bierhaus, Cork.

the beer revolu · 20-07-2025 08:46PM

Also this weekend Rodanbach evolutions pale sour. Very nice. You'd need to be a cider fan, though. If you gave it to me blind as a barrel aged cider, I'd completely accept it and love it. Definitely different to lambics I'm familiar with. (Around €18, 75cl bottle, Bradley's, Cork)

Rodanbach Grand Cru was the first sour beer I ever tastedl (around 2006 and a very confusing experience) so this was very interesting to me.

Insect Overlord · 05-08-2025 10:28PM

Barrel-aged Narwhal. Can. American pint sized. 11.8%, if I remember correctly. Stunningly good.

andekwarhola · 22-08-2025 06:42PM

Figured that people in here would know.

I notice Founders KBS availability in the main craft spots in Dublin is seriously dwindling away, especially the original.

Managed to snag the last 2 standard ones in Mace SCR yesterday. Redmonds had a few of the Espresso and Vanilla versions the other day, that was it.

I think Grand Cru do Founders here going by previous reading?

Anybody know if this is a temporary thing?

magicbastarder · 22-08-2025 06:44PM

my wife's new favourite beer is vocation's 'spring zing' - a rhubarb sour. our local spar just got it in.

BeerNut · 22-08-2025 07:18PM

A lot of Ireland's former Founders drinkers (me included) won't buy the beer because the company has a bad reputation for ingrained corporate racism. I'm always a little surprised to see it promoted at all.

andekwarhola · 22-08-2025 07:51PM

Thanks. I had no idea about that. I'd best savour these 2 so! Plenty more stouts in the sea.

Citizen Six · 26-08-2025 08:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123745859#Comment_123745859

Thanks for the reminder. I'd totally forgotten why I stopped drinking it in the first place. 😂

ClashCityRocker · 01-09-2025 08:51AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123745745#Comment_123745745

Underdog had CBS on tap last week - i was in there last wednesday and was in two minds about trying it but choice didnt need to be made in the end as they ran out

EthelMercaptan · 17-09-2025 04:05PM

Trying Aldi's Zuki Rice Lager and Lotus India Pale Lager for the first time and both tasted surprisingly good. Interested to hear other opinions. With Aldi Grande also in their stable, it seems they're leaving Lidl well behind.

Illusory · 17-09-2025 04:46PM

I became allergic to beer about 20 years ago. My throat swells up when I drink it. Tried various things, but anything beer based is a no go for me. I say it’s proof there’s a God and he’s got a wicked sense of humor. Now it’s just whiskey, tequila, and wine for me.

cunnifferous · 17-09-2025 05:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123825326#Comment_123825326

Zuki is decent but nothing special

Lotus is not an IPL but is passable as a straight lager

Grande is the worst but in fairness it's a clone of a Madri, a crap beer in itself.

Their best lager imo is the Czech pilsner Strana. Very nice.

ablelocks · 17-09-2025 08:06PM

saw a new stout in Aldi today - anyone try it? Mulligans it's called…

Pen Rua · 18-09-2025 07:33PM

Rheinbacher is always my to-go cheap fridge filler out of Aldi. I did try their Stella knock off (both the "standard" and the blonde) and they are both acceptable. I've had most all of the main lager knock offs they do, and they're fine but never go back for them.

I missed the launch of that Mulligan stout. Google tells me its their version of Guiness. Must pick up next time, so!

Hodors Appletart · 19-09-2025 09:08AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123826152#Comment_123826152

I'm very wary of this, it appeared all of a sudden, and no real indications as to where it's sourced.

I wonder why they are being so secretive? Is it rebadged Forged, that a certain rapist couldn't get rid of normally?

What beer are we drinking this week? Episode 3

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