Supporting craft breweries

BeerNut · 13-10-2025 12:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123901747#Comment_123901747

Way more generic. Two Guinness taps, Heineken and Moretti.

irish_goat · 13-10-2025 02:14PM

Normally do make it to either Underdog or Fidelity, with the latter being just slightly out of the way as we will be heading to Lansdowne Road.

Will try to call to Harty's for sure.

Pen Rua · 13-10-2025 07:05PM

What’s up with O Brother? I don’t remember the last time I saw their beer in Bradley’s in Cork, and there wasn’t any in the Matsons location I was at recently. I know they’ve relocated the brewery, but the taproom seems to be well up and running. Are they distributing elsewhere and just bypassing Cork?

BeerNut · 13-10-2025 07:16PM

They seem to have massively scaled back their one-off beer releases, in case that's what you're noticing. Their core range is in Tesco.

Macy0161 · 14-10-2025 06:34AM

They've 2 out recently, but admitted it was really time and capacity with the move and big orders when I was on a tour.

Still a small enough operation, despite the move. Good setting and seemed to be busy enough.

Pen Rua · 14-10-2025 09:22AM

Ah - makes sense. Yes, it was the one offs that I’ve noticed disappear. Might just have to find a reason to spin to the new taproom…

DelmarODonnell · 14-10-2025 03:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123903967#Comment_123903967

I live close to the taproom and its in a lovely location with a farm and walks. Taproom and green space in front of it is super for an afternoon out. They are doing a ticketed Oktoberfest this weekend, with special brews and I think a German brewer over too. One off specials have been few and far between alright, think so much of the focus is on Tesco and other deals they have had with Aldi and Supervalu.

rje66 · 14-10-2025 07:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123901688#Comment_123901688

Im in area on fri evening. Don't have time to visit both.......soooo which is best bet?. Just 2 pints as im meeting overseas visitors who aren't drinkers

Ta

breezy1985 · 14-10-2025 07:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123905738#Comment_123905738

Fidelity I would say is the much nicer pub in terms of the venue.

L1011 · 14-10-2025 08:06PM

Fidelty is Exceptionally hipster, Underdog isn't and is often quieter too; so Underdog is my preferred option.

Hodors Appletart · 15-10-2025 07:04AM

I'd also say Underdog for a better selection from different breweries, Fidelity is all Whiplash plus a few guests.

BeerNut · 15-10-2025 09:47AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123905738#Comment_123905738

UnderDog has a live menu here, so you can check what's pouring before you decide. Fidelity has a list here, but it's not always accurate.

TaurenDruid · 15-10-2025 11:54AM

Friday, Underdog should be ok. It's had a habit lately of randomly not opening earlier in the week, and only posting about it on instagram, maybe.

Hodors Appletart · 15-10-2025 01:52PM

They don't open Mondays at all, and can end up closing early some days if the custom isn't there. I went in for a pint one Tuesday a while ago and found the place shuttered, texted Paddy to see what was going on - he'd opened up at 4 and nobody came in for a drink by about 8.15 so he closed up and went home. What can he do, it must be absolutely soul destroying for that to happen. There are only 2 staff members too, Paddy the owner and one other, so they can't both work every day, makes sense to take Mondays off. It also makes sense to sit in an empty pub for 4 hours, not sell a single glass of beer, and make a decision to shut up shop for the rest of the evening. How much beer would be realistically sell in the remaining 3 hours or so? I'd have felt so bad if I'd arrived and he kept the place open for me.

He's done a few things to try to boost custom, but it's a difficult market with a product that is very difficult to sell very cheaply. Some of the prices he's shown me some distributers are looking for, for beer from Irish breweries have been completely eye watering, not to mention the cost of getting beer in from the UK or wider afield.

I've enjoyed the quiz he has going on the second Tuesday of the month, although I got a new job and I've only been to a couple or 3, and not the most recent two so I don't know if the interest is still there. I also hugely enjoyed the Drum n Bass day he had on for the BH Sunday in August, place was busy with non-regulars, so I think he might look to do more of that - there aren't many bank holiday Sundays though, and the next one has the Marathon on.

hynesie08 · 15-10-2025 01:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123907702#Comment_123907702

They've stopped opening Tuesdays except on the quiz nights for now, as you say with just 2 staff it's the only way to give people days off.

Passenger · 15-10-2025 02:03PM

Has to be the location. IIRC Paddy was fairly enthusiastic about the move to the bigger premises. It was always ticking away when downstairs on Dame Street. Maybe another move is on the cards.

breezy1985 · 15-10-2025 02:11PM

Closing at random times is a really terrible idea especially for a place you have to actively go to. People are gonna stop taking the chance or if they show uo at a pub shuttered at 9pm will start to send damaging rumours about the place being closed.

Lots of taprooms do Wed or Thurs to Sunday and people don't mind but I have never heard of a sucessful place that might close before 9 on a whim.

rje66 · 15-10-2025 08:17PM

Ill hit Underdog as I like the look of the list. May get Fidelity on way home. Cheers all

TaurenDruid · 17-10-2025 09:38AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123907702#Comment_123907702

Oh, I understand the issues, and it's a lot tougher for them, no doubt, since Anto finished up. Can't be easy to find a decent bar person only wanting effectively part time hours, either.

That said, I was a Tuesday regular. It was never hopping, but there were a few tables of regulars. And we'd all arrive in around 6ish. Arrived one evening to find it closed (post intro of the pub quiz), apparently there was an instagram post? That happened a couple more times, so we ended up in the Black Sheep, or there was the other time I walked passed the Beer Temple to Underdog to meet my regular crew only to find it closed again - checked and I'd missed a WhatsApp from them to say it was unexpectedly closed and they'd gone to the Beer Temple…

Then it was to be closed on Tuesdays for September except the quiz nights, but that turned into October, too. We're just assuming it's not going to be open of a Tuesday anymore. There's probably a song for The Scratch in there! But I shouldn't have to follow a pub's to find out whether it's open that evening or not!

All craft beer pubs have the cost issue. In fairness to Underdog, once their tap list isn't 90% DIPAs and Imperial stouts, there are usually a few decent pints had to be had at a reasonable price. One of the forced moves to the Black Sheep, I stupidly ordered a Vault City radler without properly looking at the menu and found I'd paid around €7 for a 330ml glass - Underdog had been selling the same beer for around the same price - but you were getting pints!

polaris68 · 24-10-2025 02:26PM

Octoberfest this weekend in the FranWell in Cork has a decent selection.

polaris68 · 24-10-2025 02:28PM

Back cover

breezy1985 · 24-10-2025 04:01PM

Changing Times Pale is now being sold in Flannerys Shannon St. Limerick. Apparently the publican is a relative of someone involved probably the Chawkes.

adaminho · 24-10-2025 08:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123934026#Comment_123934026

Paul is a cousin of Willie Ahern from the Palace bar.

feylya · 27-10-2025 01:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123912412#Comment_123912412

Rumour is that time has been called, and November 9th is the last day for them

Blisterman · 28-10-2025 01:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123941610#Comment_123941610

Where did you hear that?

hynesie08 · 28-10-2025 01:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123943670#Comment_123943670

Probably from Paddy, like the rest of us.

Hodors Appletart · 28-10-2025 03:24PM

yeah, he told me too.

Black Sheep · 28-10-2025 05:02PM

That's a real shame. Great beers, great concept, Paddy is awesome… But yeah, when I read about the lack of punters, makes sense I'm afraid.

TaurenDruid · 28-10-2025 09:58PM

Ah, that is a real shame. I really enjoyed having a pub with 20-odd decent taps of real craft beer, and Paddy is indeed awesome.

But like… consistency. And communication. Our regular Tuesday night pints was cancelled this week because we're all wrecked and two of us had to call to another friend who'd had some bad news. Before we cancelled, I'd suggested Brewdock cos it's usually quiet on a Tuesday, and we knew it'd be open. But my friends drove passed Underdog, and it was back open… 🤷‍♂

hynesie08 · 28-10-2025 10:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123944840#Comment_123944840

They were open Tuesday the 14th for the quiz, but not this week or last week.

Supporting craft breweries

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