Category: Cork

2014, Beoir, Black IPA, Blacks of Kinsale, Brewday, Cork, Day out, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Indiegogo, Kinsale, Sharers

Beoir Brewday – Blacks of Kinsale #Beoirbrew

by irishbeersnobLeave a Comment on Beoir Brewday – Blacks of Kinsale #Beoirbrew


As a lot of you will know there are more and more breweries opening up in Ireland these days, but some are taking different approaches. Sam from Blacks of Kinsale who last year served up his delicious Kinsale Pale Ale through a Randal at the Irish Craft Beer & Cider Festival in the RDS, needed to get his own kit, so he went about it via Crowdfunding. He chose indiegogo to raise the coin for his Kit. 

Those familiar with Kickstarter et al will know the way it works, but basically in exchange for a donation you got a perk, ranging from having your name on the wall, to being able to brew beer. The members of Beoir decided to follow the National Home Brew Club who raised enough to name a fermenter. Initially there was 20 of us donating €50 each in return for the opportunity to brew beer on Sam’s pilot line. The 20 places were snapped up, so another 20 places were made available when Sam said we could brew a 1200L batch. Each person who donated would received 10L of the beer, and Sam would get to sell the rest of the batch. I’m sure there will be a launch party of it when its kegged too!

Rather than me waffle on about the process Brian one of the members in attendance has put a great video together.

https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/YoenLOU7fkI&source=uds


Needless to say it was a long day, I drove down on the morning picking up Andrew and we got there around 1030. (We missed the heavy lifting!) The mash was well under way at this time. We are brewing a Double IPA so the recipe sheet made for very interesting reading and is probably going to come in round the 9% ABV mark. 

Andrew and I looked after the BBQ making up Burgers and Sausages for the hungry troops. I must say the Kinsale Pale Ale as fresh as it was, literally recently kegged was sensational. Along with the Black IPA. However Steve brought a good few sharers down for us to taste, and there were some crackers in there. Double Bastard by Stone was a cracker. Andrew also as part of his perk got three Specials that he was only to kind to share with the group.

The “Ink” Black IPA was unbelievably smooth and easy to drink, totally deceptive given its ABV

After all the high jinks and everything cleaned down we retired to the tasting room where the sharing continued and the banter for the evening. We soon left the brewery under cover of darkness to sample the KPA in its natural environment.

Thank you so much to Sam and Maudeline for their hospitality, it was a fantastic day and can’t wait to taste the finished article.

We returned to Dublin on the Sunday a little shook but had an immense time. The members of Beoir are currently voting on the name and tagline and expect to hear more about this in the coming weeks.

The wall of fame of all people who donated via Indiegogo


2014, Bison Bar, Bru Brewery, Cask, Cork, Franciscan Well, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Mountain Man Brewing, N17, Sarah Roarty, White Gypsy

Franciscan Well – Cask & Winter Ale Festival 2014

by irishbeersnobLeave a Comment on Franciscan Well – Cask & Winter Ale Festival 2014

It may just have been St Valentines day, but Janice and I didn’t celebrate this infamous holiday in the traditional manner, oh no, you know at this stage that’s not my style.

The day itself we went on a little pub crawl of the Galway Bay Pubs in Dublin, taking in the new bar Alfie Byrnes which is situated in the basement of the Conrad Hotel. Against the Grain on Wexford St. We then had a fantastic dinner in Bison, a 51oz Cowboy Steak (A Ribeye with the bone in) along with 5 sumptuous sides and a cocktail each for €50.


Cowboy Steak from Bison

  Of course we ended the night with Alan and the crew in Brewdock.

Alas, I digress, on the Saturday we went down to Cork, to visit the 3rd Annual Franciscan Well Cask & Winter Ale Festival 

For those who don’t know Franciscan Well is a Cork based brew pub and brewery who are massive supporters of Irish Craft Beer. Cask is really a niche within a niche of craft beer consumption in Ireland but it offers such a different way to enjoy some of your favourite breweries. There was also some of the newer brewers present on Keg, such as Otterbank with their amazing Farami, Rascals with their award winning Ginger Porter, and N17 with their Rye Ale.

Bru Brewery had 3 of their products on that day, I didn’t see the Dubh, maybe it ran out on the first night, as i’d had a sneak of it previously and its such a great stout on cask. I was really impressed with the Rí which is their west coast IPA. Very bright in colour, a nice malt base that allowed the hops to do their thing with the piney citrus aroma followed by a smooth bitterness. Daire mate you can be truly happy with that as the feedback from everyone I spoke to was great. 

Bru Rí on the Cask Bar

2013 Dublin Cup winner Twisted Hop by Hilden was also here on cask, a lovely straw colour with a white head and great smooth flavour. Trent and Amber both by White Gypsy were both also really good.


Another real standout for me was Hop Magnet by Blacks of Kinsale, fresh off the back of their success at Alltech, they’d brought a fantastic Double IPA to the party. Not long ago Ireland was a wasteland in this style now we have 3 of these. At 8% this is not to be treated lightly, but it like Of Foam and Fury is eminently drinkable despite its ABV. The aroma was nice and you got a great citrus, clementine taste on the tongue as well. Sam already has two great permanent fixtures, be great to see this become the third.

As an aside to the beer, and the proper stone oven cooked pizza provided by Pompeii pizza. There was also a meet the brewer series. I only attented the talks by the utterly inspirational Sarah Roarty who outlined her journey from Industrial Chemist to Brewer, and what her motivations and aims are. Thankfully I didn’t make Sarah cry this time! A truly great story and keep an eye out for N17 Brewing coming to a pub / off license near you. 

I also attended Phil from the Mountain Man who held a great informative Q&A session. One thing is for sure I can’t wait to see your set up at the RDS this year and my offer to man the bar is still there (Better start growing the beard now, or at least get a decent fake one) We also got a sneak peak of the next Mountain Man beer, Crazy Horse, the 100 IBU is delish.

All in all a great day was had, we got the train back to Dublin that evening. I’m already looking forward to this next year where i’m sure it will as great as it was this weekend. Coming up shortly is the Irish Craft Beer Fest in CHQ in March and potentially a return to Franciscan Well for their Easter Fest.