Category: #Brewsweplate

#Brewsweplate, 2014, Beavertown, Brewdog, Bru Brewery, Carry Out Off Licence, Craft Beer Growlers, Drinkstore, Golden Pints, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Norseman, podcast, Probus Wines, Smyth's Bar, The Winehouse

Golden Pints 2014 – The Podcast Edition

by irishbeersnobLeave a Comment on Golden Pints 2014 – The Podcast Edition



This year, rather than the traditional written scribe of Golden Pints, we decided to do it as a podcast. 


It’s up on Itunes now, the feed link is http://redpn.jellycast.com/podcast/feed/56 for those on Android or don’t use Itunes, and the direct link to the MP3 for download is here

 
We broadly followed the same format as the Golden Pints, and ramble on a bit too.

So here are some of the areas we cover.
  • Best Irish Beer 2014 – Keg / Bottle
  • Best International / UK Beer 2014 – Keg / Bottle
  • Best Beer in Can / Bottle
  • Best Cask
  • Best Pub
  • Best Beer Experience
  • Best Off licence

Having listened back to the podcast, i’ve decided to summarise here (Janice’s in Italics)

My Best Irish Beer 2014 – 8 Degrees Full Irish – a full on hop forward pale ale – deliciously drinkable. Honourable mentions to Bo Bristle Imp Red and their Double IPA
Bo Bristle Imperial Red – big malty hoppy beer that we were privileged to have at Snobfest in Navan

Best Uk / International Beer: Brewdog – Black Eyed King Imp what a great dark beer, barrel aged version of Cocoa Psycho essentially – as mad as it sounds, and tastes amazing. Honourable mentions to Gamma Ray and Black Betty by Beavertown, and Magic Rock – Cannon Ball
Beavertown Gamma Ray – on Draught and Can one of my absolute favourites

Best Can – Gamma Ray – Beavertown – honourable mention for Oskar Blues G’Knight
Same as Wayne – Gamma Ray

Best Cask – Brú Autumn Ale was fantastic, as well as their core beers. Honourable mentions to Stone Barrel with their fantastic Day Trippin’ American Pale
Brú Autumn Ale – really enjoyed this at the ICBCF

Best Pub – This year, for me Farringtons  The Norseman, have stepped it up a gear – not only do they have a huge range of craft with macro to keep everyone happy they do nice food and have a massive whiskey selection – the new website really sends them over the top. Honourable mentions – Brewdock (aka my 2nd Home) Smyth’s on the Square Navan, The Oarsman Carrick on Shannon, and PJ Kavanagh’s Portlaoise. 
Smyth’s on The Square Navan – Huge Range of Craft in Bottles, and Arthur is such a great host

Best Beer Experiences, you’ll just have to listen to the podcast 🙂
Ditto

Best Off Licence: Drinkstore, both for Offline and Online dealings – Superb. Honourable mentions to Smyth’s Navan, The Winehouse Trim, and Probus Wines which gave me one of the best experiences of 2014.
Carryout in Tyrellstown because they’ve a great range of craft, but the added bonus of the growler station – meaning we can enjoy some great draught only beers at home

Please share yours with us. Merry Christmas to all our readers/listeners, hope your 2014 was as good, and that 2015 is a great year

#Brewsweplate, 2014, Aidan Sweeney, Brown Paper Bag Project, Eric Heilig, Food, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Junos, Premier Beers

#Brewsweplate – Beer & Food 5 Course Meal – Featuring Brown Paper Bag Project

by irishbeersnobLeave a Comment on #Brewsweplate – Beer & Food 5 Course Meal – Featuring Brown Paper Bag Project

You may have seen a lot of retweeting by me in recent weeks shouting out about the recent #Brewsweplate event. This was the second such event ran by Eric Heilig and Floriane Loup where each course is cooked to match the beers. My post about the last event is here

The beers this time were supplied by the Brown Paper Bag Project, a nomadic brewer that has spawned from one of the finest gastro pubs in the country, L Mulligan Grocer in Stoneybatter. Their brewer Brian was there to describe each beer with each course.

The ante was upped this time, both in terms of price and matched beers. 5 vs 4 on the last outing. The venue was meant to be the wonderful Powerscourt Centre, but there was a last minute change to Juno’s cafe on Parkgate St Dublin 8. The price, €65. A dining room with an open kitchen, and the place full to the rafters we were in for a treat.

The Menu
The Amuse Bouche

First up was the amuse bouche, mackerel with butter milk and caviar. A tasty little morsel. 

The Duck Course

Here we have a Duck Faggot with Kale, Pomegranate Seeds, Potato and onion seed, matched to the Big Red beer. Faggots are a traditional English dish cooked usually with low cost cuts, here we had moist succulent duck that was excellently seasoned.  

The Goat Cheese Course

Next up we had the lovely St Tola Goat’s Cheese course, with pear and sourdough. Matched to the excitingly refreshing Gose.  I’m a bit of a cheese phobe, slowly coming around to it, and this was my first time eating this cheese. It was lovely and creamy with a bit of sharpness that was complimented excellently by the beer.

The Beef Course

Now the piece de la resistance, FX Buckley dry aged beef, flat iron steak if i recall correctly, and slow braised beef cheek with dillisk, barley, root textures, and a smoked oyster foam. Our matching beer was the Pleasant Porter. The steak portion was perfectly cooked, vibrant pink, and the cheek, literally just melted in your mouth. The oyster foam added a savoury note that was amplified by the pleasant porter. A knock dish, and one I would order if it were available anywhere.

Not One, but two deserts!

The final courses were deserts, both matched to different beers. On the left we have a Passionfruit puree with white chocolate, topped with coriander and sea salt. Matched to the Trinity a belgian beer the coriander matched perfectly and salt gave a lovely lip curling tartness to the desert. On the right we have Tonca, Cocoa, Alexander’s seeds, blackberry and lemon. Firstly, i’ve no idea what tonca is, or who alexander is, but this was a mighty tasty desert. Fresh berries and crunch from the pink wafer worked beautifully. However this was the only course where I personally felt the matching beer was a miss. 

All in all, we had a great night, yet again. Sat at a table with great people, looked after all night and thoroughly enjoyable meal. Eric & Floriane, what a night, I can’t wait to see what you come up with next, and you know i’ll be there. 

Brown Paper Bag beers are now available nationwide in all good off licences, and bars. They are distributed by Premier Beers and if you can find the Gose, get that. Also the Big Red is lovely. I must buy some more to do testing of my own.





#Brewsweplate, 2014, Boyne Valley Food Series, Bru Brewery, Facebook, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Meath

Upcoming Events & Changes

by irishbeersnobLeave a Comment on Upcoming Events & Changes

Good morning everyone. 
Not really a blog post of much of a subject but there are a few things I wanted to share with you.

First, i’ve set up a facebook page for the blog – which I hope to be more interactive with people who don’t really use twitter. So if you can please like and share the page. So just search under Irish Beer Snob. Here’s the link too www.facebook.com/irishbeersnob

Now for some upcoming events, i’m going to be going to but also to raise awareness for as they are some great events. 

Saturday 3rd of May sees the second pop up from the #Brewsweplate team, Eric & Floriane. My write up on the previous event is here. This event is paired with Brown Paper Bag Project in the Powerscourt Centre in Dublin 2. The event starts at 8pm and is €65 for a five course meal with each course matched to a specific beer. Tickets are available through this link on Eventbrite come along and eat great food, and drink great beers.

Saturday 10th of May sees the Boyne Valley Food Series arrive at Bru Brewery in Trim, County Meath for a night of food and beer. There will be local food producers in the brewery who will have used Bru’s beers in their foods. Tickets are €20, if you are interested in going contact the brewery via their email, info@brubrewery.ie it promises to be a great evening.

And that is that for me.

Hopefully i’ll see you at some of these events, come over and say Hi!

#Brewsweplate, 2014, Cassidys, Craftbeer, Eric Heilig, Irish, White Gypsy

#Brewsweplate – A beer & food odyssey with Eric Heilig & Floriane Loup

by irishbeersnobLeave a Comment on #Brewsweplate – A beer & food odyssey with Eric Heilig & Floriane Loup

On Sunday 23rd March, in Cassidy’s of Westmoreland St, myself and a select number of people were treated to the first #Brewsweplate event. The brains behind this foodie and beery special are Eric Heilig and Floriane Loup. 

The setting in Cassidy’s upstairs area was entirely fitting with Eric’s philosophy. Fittingly captured in the mission statement.

“The white table clothes and silver service are things of the past. We cut it down to the very essential. Great Irish Produce, amazing Craft Beer and an unforgettable night that just asks for more”

The brewer of the night was White Gypsy, and we were fortunate to have their latest recruit Declan Nixon there to talk us through each the matched beers to each course. Floriane announced each course as they came along.

As an aperitif we were served a delicious Hendricks Gin & Tonic, with cucumber and freshly foraged seaweed. Served in those industrial sized tins were various breads, the standouts for me personally was the treacle and porter brown bread, and the rye flatbreads. Served with a sensation wild garlic butter, and also a tomato butter.

The Amuse-Bouche

Our amuse-bouche was shredded pork with a wild garlic aoili – interestingly the pork was raw and was almost cerviché like in the way it was prepared. With a nice crunchy piece of pork to go with this to add a textural element. The flavour was intense and deliciously tasty. 

1st course – Scallop with Blonde

The first course that came out then was matched with White Gypsy Blonde. A typical German style Weiss beer with those familiar banana and clove smells were matched with Scallop, with roasted banana, coriander, lime and dried Goji berries. The scallop was perfectly cooked and matched beautifully with the components and the beer. 

Hen’s Egg, Brioche, Chicken Heart – with Belgian Brown Ale

Next up, matched with White Gypsy’s Belgian Brown Ale, was Hen’s egg with Leek, Jerusalem Artichoke, pear, brioche and chicken heart. This dish had a lovely earthy feel, very agricultural, reminded me of time on my grandfathers small holding when I was a kid. Matched perfectly with the beer, taking on the beers characteristics and matched on the plate.

The Pork – mmm pork! 

The piece de la resistance for me was the next dish, the perfectly cooked Pork, which I thought was cooked sous vide, however Eric confirmed after it was lightly seared and very slowly cooked at low temps to achieve what can only be described as the most silky smooth piece of pork i’ve ever eaten. This dish had amazing small squares of crackling, celeriac puree, pink grapefruit, almonds and grapes. The matching beer was my favourite White Gypsy beer, the american pale ale. 

The dessert

Last but not least, was the most sumptuous dessert. A rich dark chocolate ganache with with duck yolk ice cream, with sea salt, sweet potato cream, and rye. The matching beer was White Gypsy’s Doppelbock, which had a great complimentary sweet flavour.

All in all this was a fantastic experience, the creativity involved in matching with each beer, and the hospitality was second to none. I love a meal that is nicely spaced out and this was just that. Plenty of time between courses to speak to our table mates and it was a great table if I do say so myself. 

The synergy between the food and beer was exceptional. Eric and Floriane have set the benchmark now, and I for one can not wait to see what they come up with next.