Supporting craft breweries

awec · 10-03-2026 04:05PM

Bit of a rant incoming, but I have to admit I am getting more and more fed up with the craft beer scene. Too many brands seem to be trying too hard to create a point of difference that we're getting some absolute muck produced now.

I used to always order the craft beer selections that some places do, where you'd get 12 randomly selected cans. I had to stop doing it because too often the can was either:

Stupidly high alcohol percentage. This seems to be getting worse. I don't want to have to drink my beer as if it's a glass of wine.
Has got some fruit, chocolate or coffee, or a combination of these in it
Is some poxy sour nonsense.

Are there any producers out there just producing good old beer? In particular I'd love to try some ales, not the modern trendy IPA sort with lemon or whatever in it.

breezy1985 · 10-03-2026 04:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124301392#Comment_124301392

Treaty have a very nice brown ale at the minute. They also have a sour that's not too "poxy".

I don't drink pale or IPA so I love when a brewery does any other kind of ale like brown, red, farmhouse etc.

I love strong Belgian beer but like yourself I am well beyond bored with the craft imperials and barrel aged stuff that is everywhere now and often at silly prices.

Macy0161 · 10-03-2026 04:14PM

I hadn't really noticed selections changing, albeit I'm buying a lot less in the off trade (one of the locals has 3 ww taps now). I was always a bit cynical about those random mixes as to whether they were just the stuff that wasn't selling!

L1011 · 10-03-2026 04:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124301392#Comment_124301392

Rye River core range, Kinnegar core range don't have ay of those three. Include the supermarket brands for Rye River and you have basically all the traditional styles, well made and normal

awec · 10-03-2026 04:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124301493#Comment_124301493

Yea I do pick up Rye River stuff in Lidl and it's good.

Is there an Irish made beer that'd be close in taste to Sierra Nevada?

L1011 · 10-03-2026 04:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124301500#Comment_124301500

I would quite literally need to buy a can to check my memory of the taste, but Rye River's Big Bangin is close enough I think. It is however quite strong…

Local shop sells both, I may do a taste test this evening if I remember.

JayRoc · 10-03-2026 05:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124301392#Comment_124301392

Some of us love the poxy sour nonsense :)

wassie · 10-03-2026 05:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124301392#Comment_124301392

Agree with you on all of this, especially on the high %.

I want to enjoy a couple of pints without falling off the chair.

awec · 10-03-2026 06:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124301575#Comment_124301575

Yea Big Banging is 7.1%, while Sierra Nevada is only 5%.

That 2.1% makes a big difference!

Sierra Nevada is delicious but it's expensive for what it is, hoping to find an Irish brand that's similar since it should theoretically be cheaper.

BeerNut · 10-03-2026 06:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124301500#Comment_124301500

Galway Hooker Irish Pale Ale was originally closely based on Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, though lighter in alcohol, but I think it's got quite a bit paler lately. I thought Western Herd's Spanish Point Pale Ale was pretty close, though I don't know how available that is. Wicklow Wolf's Mammoth might be easier got: it's a little stronger at 6.2% ABV but aiming for a similar punchy, piney effect.

awec · 10-03-2026 06:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124301632#Comment_124301632

I like enjoying a few beers when watching the football mid week.

Those 7/8+% beers, let's just say I can definitely feel the difference the next morning when the alarm clock goes off.

awec · 10-03-2026 06:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124301801#Comment_124301801

Thanks!

I don't think I've ever seen Galway Hooker in an off license around me but maybe I just haven't been looking. Will have to keep an eye out.

Might test the water with the Mammoth too even though it's a bit higher than what I'd prefer.

wassie · 10-03-2026 06:20PM

Tesco used to stock Galway Hooker in my local but I havent seen it of late. Still on the website though.

L1011 · 10-03-2026 06:23PM

Most Musgrave outlets have it. Was actually a push recently with a buy X bottles, get a free glass (a pint-to-line glass at that) in some outlets, so they are putting a bit of effort in to off-sales; and there's also been a push of their Galway Girl IPA in to pubs. So the brand isn't being abandoned even though its now contract-brewed.

BeerNut · 10-03-2026 06:27PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124301818#Comment_124301818

Ah, I was thinking of the bottled Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, which is 5.6%. The 5% canned and draught one is altogether less punchy. I think Rye River's Pale Ales are your best bets here: the Crafty Brewing one as mentioned, and Upstream which is a very similar recipe. Both are clear, well-hopped and 4.5%.

awec · 10-03-2026 06:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124301863#Comment_124301863

Today I learned that the Sierra Nevada cans and bottles are different…

I always just bought the 4 pack of cans in Lidl. I will have to keep an eye out for the bottles!!

On Upstream, am I right in thinking that this used to be marketed under a different name in Lidl? It was still a purple label on the bottle but it was called like Aunt Betty's IPA or something??

L1011 · 10-03-2026 06:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124301878#Comment_124301878

All the core Rye River range used to be McGargles [someones name], yeah. Woeful branding, and that's presumably why its gone.

awec · 10-03-2026 06:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124301889#Comment_124301889

Yea I've had the Upstream stuff loads of times before then. It's quite nice. I would say it's a bit fruitier than Sierra Nevada.

BeerNut · 10-03-2026 06:50PM

Upstream was "Cousin Rosie" in the McGargle days. From recent pictures, it does again look like they've made it paler than it used to be.

squonk · 10-03-2026 08:51PM

I hear you @awec and come around to the taste of some they are very much a kind of summertime thing for me. I did a lot of is just way too high. I’d be get fed up of the across the board myself. Sometimes you just want to have one or two beers in an evening and get on with things whereas the high percentage ones you’re having to mind them and you the following day.

would definitely agree with people here suggesting Kinnegar. I noticed I have migrated to them over the past while for largely the same reasons that you outlined. It’s just straightforward decent beer without crazy percentages and have a good red ale and a good lager. Western Herd are also great. They will deliver if you are draft their website. They’re my neck of the not sure what their distribution is like outside of the western counties. Again they cover all the basics, good style, good red ale, decent lager and a nice ale. Special their backbeat weissbier.

The scene seems to have gotten a bit too cool for school over the past while. I would readily points to my demographic in the over 50s category meaning that I’m less interested higher ABV and probably a more casual and fixed type kind of drinker. It does just bit harder to find good options in that category.

L1011 · 10-03-2026 08:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124301958#Comment_124301958

I would definitely say the flavour profile is not the same as it was before. I now buy it more!

When first introduced, the original McGargles pale was nearly red in colour and nearly like what a brewery would sell as a red. But it was contract brewed in the UK and may have had a different "family member" name than Rosie even.

BeerNut · 10-03-2026 09:06PM

Yes, that was "Knock Knock Ned", which is still sold as their Retro IPA. I've never liked it.

breezy1985 · 10-03-2026 09:07PM

With the exception of all the imperial stouts I find things have calmed down. It certainly seems less daft that the DIPA, TIPA, QIPA arms race a while back or tropical IPAs that had the consistency of a slushie.

Fourpure doing a pine needle ale with actual pine needles still in the keg rotting away was when it got peak stupid for me.

jopper · 10-03-2026 09:09PM

I have tried many a craft beer and European beers and I keep finding myself going back to Kinnegar for being a solid beer that always satisfies. They previously had a brown ale as part of their temporary range and my god what I would do to taste it again, mammys milk nectar!

TaurenDruid · 10-03-2026 09:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124301632#Comment_124301632

Likewise. I may have ranted at Paddy in Underdog more than once that I wanted to have several beers of an evening, not sip at two, but most of his taps were imperial stouts or DIPAs (or sours, and I can only have one of those of an evening!)

BeerNut · 10-03-2026 09:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124302555#Comment_124302555

If you haven't had Grafter's Nightshift brown ale from Dunnes, it's along similar lines.

BeerNut · 10-03-2026 09:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124302635#Comment_124302635

There was always a session-strength beer at UnderDog, usually several. I don't think you can be someone who wants to enjoy lots and lots of different beers, and also be someone with strong preferences about strength and style.

irish_goat · 10-03-2026 09:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124302555#Comment_124302555

They've brewed a brown ale twice now and I was a big fan of both. I'm slightly biased as the barebones of the original was actually my recipe, although Rick did go through it with a red pen too.

It's usually autumn time when they make it so you'll be waiting a few months if it is gonna appear again. I'll ask them about it next time I see them.

ben.schlomo · 10-03-2026 09:59PM

I see O Brother have announced a collab with Velo coffee for a coffee brown ale, available now in Aldi they say for a limited time.

awec · 10-03-2026 10:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124302555#Comment_124302555

I ordered 12 cans from Kinnegar there tonight.

4 x DL Lager, 4 X Limeburner (their Kolsh-style pale ale) and 4 x Red Ale.

Supporting craft breweries

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