C&H Alcohol Discussion

Warning: long, snobby post ahead!

I drink very little these days that isn't considered "craft".

The journey began with Bulmers, Kopparberg and Guinness. I couldn't stand other beers at all. Bud, Heineken, Carlsberg, Bavaria, I hated them all. Still do!

Then a few years ago I had dinner with a fellow C&H Boardsie, her sister and new brother-in-law, and they introduced me to Cobra beer. I enjoyed that one.

That opened the door to trying new things. Asahi, Hoegaarden and Blue Moon came next. They're all quite enjoyable, but not special.

Leffe was my first experience of a certain style of Belgian beer. That led to Duvel, then the Trappist stuff such as Westmalle, La Trappe, Trappistes Rochefort and Chimay. These are the strong ones that Pigwidgeon warns about :P (6.5 - 11.3% ABV.). Delerium Tremens, Kwak and Straffe Hendrik are works of art too. The trick is to get one or two bottles and a decent glass and to enjoy them slowly.

The Irish craft scene is exploding too. Galway Hooker, despite the humorous name, is a great one to start with. It's quite affordable now too. Same with the O'Hara's range (same brewery, Carlow Brewing Co.). 8 Degrees, The Franciscan Well and Stone Well (all Cork), Beoir Chorca Dhuibhne (Kerry), The Porterhouse (Dublin), Trouble Brewing (Kildare) and Whitewater Brewing Company up North are all fantastic. They can be hard to get in different parts of the country though.

€10 spent on the likes of the above tends to be a far more enjoyable drinking experience than cheap beers/spirits & mixers. It's a trial and error process, and tastes vary, but it's well worth experimenting with the smaller brands. I still enjoy the odd cider, and Murphy's and Beamish are just as good as Guinness too.