Brooklyn Lager - By Brooklyn Brewery

In anticipation of my upcoming trip to the States for my summer jollies i've taken the opportunity to try more american beers. As we will be visiting the Brooklyn Brewery for their Brewery Tour which is $8 and includes sampling their four perennial products; Brooklyn Lager, Brooklyn Brown, Brooklyn Pale Ale, and Brooklyn Pilsner. Plus you get to keep the glass pictured below

When you consider the price of admission, that is unbelievable value. You also have the choice to buy beer tokens after the tour for $5 for one or 5 drinks for $20.

There is a very good description on the Brooklyn Brewery Website Here

Anyway, on to the beer. Brooklyn Lager. We all know lager, don't we, that homogenous mass produced stuff, that goes down well on a sunny day with a barbeque. Like fosters, stella, budweiser? You'd think that, but no. The flavour on this bad boy is like getting a slap on the face. My mind was expecting something totally different, it was a most pleasant surprise. At 5.2% it may be a bit heavy for a session beer, but it definitely was very nice, i'd imagine that it would be great with a nice spicy curry. The strong flavour profile may be too much for some. But I enjoyed it immensely.

As they say above, this truly is an original. I was amazed. Only recently finding the craft beer scene there are so many great products being made by our american cousins, that I don't actually know why I was surprised. And what's more its a very reasonably priced beer considering it flies across the atlantic. I paid €5.25 in the Brew Dock recently for this.

So onto the scoring. I think I may have found a new favourite for the incoming summer season, though we will see - there are many many beers to try. 

So as before my scoring is based on two factors, giving a total score out of ten. Firstly for the product itself, and secondly the availability.

Given i'd very low expectations of this product, why I can't really put my finger on, I am happy to say those expectations were foolish and I can't wait to sample more of this brewery's products. So the product itself scores 4/5

Availability, As expected this is available in most good craft pubs like against the grain, brew dock, Porterhouse etc, and most good independent off licenses. In the sense that if you wanted one, you wouldn't have too far to go for it, O'Briens stock it, and i'm pretty sure i've seen it in Tesco too. So another 4/5 there.

So Brooklyn Lager scores 8/10

The 1st Review: 8 Degrees Brewing - Knockmeal Down Porter

So, my first review.
In a country where its conditioned into you from a young age, that Guinness is the bee's knees of stouts. Backed by a huge marketing budget, massive manufacturing facilities at the world famous St James' Gate, and owned by Diageo one of the worlds largest alcohol companies, how are brewers like 8 Degrees meant to compete. Simple. The taste and quality of their product.

By concentrating on the taste and quality of the product above all else, we are treated to a great porter from an indigenous brewer based in the Ballyhoura Region in Cork.

What 8 Degrees say about it.

"Like tackling the Knockmealdowns in a blizzard, this beer is not for wimps. Our evolution of the traditional Irish stout, it resembles a Victorian-era Irish porter and provides complex dark malt characteristics with distinctive espresso flavours.

Without the weight of a stout, the porter is well rounded with mellow English hops." taken from eightdegrees.ie

So what do I think?

I like it a lot, you definitely get those coffee flavours, but it is not overbearing. For those so used to Guinness the carbonation is different, but this allows the flavours to come to the fore. With this craft approach you are benefiting from the expertise of the brewers, who have trialled and tweaked their recipe to produce a very solid porter. 

So how do I score this, well i'm going to score it on a couple of things, 

1, the flavour and general impressions of the product scored out of five
2, the availability of the product scored out of five

I must say i am very impressed with the quality of the product, and give it 4/5
and availability ever increasing due to distribution through the countries independent off licences, some of the major grocery stores like tesco, and an increasing networks of publican's taking it on board, i'm going to give another 4/5 so overall the Knockmealdown Porter by 8 Degrees Brewing scores 8 out of 10

And so it begins.

So, another blog.
Another blog about beer.
Ah but this isn't just any blog, it is my blog, and more so its about my experiences trying different beers. 
My aim is to sample and rate beers, and to importantly enjoy the surge in craft beer, both domestic and international that is now available, and becoming more so it seems with each passing day.
We Irish have always been found of a drink from time to time. 
Cheers