Beers and Bikes over the Border

Last summer I embarked on a wee tour around Ireland with some fellow biker friends.  We do a tour every year and on previous occasions have visited the Isle of Skye, Inverness, the Lake District, Wales and Cornwall. However we’ve never done Ireland and I’m ashamed to say that I had never been as far south on this island as counties Kerry or Cork.  Time to put that right we thought.  And at the end of a great day’s riding why not try and source a half decent beer?  Now of course we all know that whether north or south of the border, availability of good brews is not widespread and most pubs offer the usual bland multi-national dross whether in Coleraine or Clonakilty. 

So here’s a little non-comprehensive review of what we managed to find on our way.  While travelling through County Waterford we opted not to venture to Dungarvan Brewing Company as dark clouds were looming overhead and I knew of a great pub near our accommodation in Cork.  We arrived late afternoon, changed out of our leathers and eagerly made our way to the Franciscan Well Pub and Brewery.  As it was a Wednesday evening, the bar was quiet and our eyes lit up as we stepped into the place.  Behind the bar are 3 tanks each holding 300gl and the beer menu, yes beer menu, has 7 pump brews made in-house as well as an extensive list of bottled ales.  Blondes, reds, lagers, wheat beers, stouts, ciders and pale ales are all available.  Heaven!

My first taster of the evening was Friar Weisse, a delicious 4.7% ABV German-style unfiltered wheat beer with citrus notes on the palate and a powerful aroma of banana and clove.  Interesting mix.  The ladies in the group loved it and although I’m not usually a big fan of fruit-based beers, I agreed with them.  The banana was very subtle and not dominant in the taste. I could imagine a lot of folk sitting at a barbecue in searing heat supping a few thirst-quenching Friar Weisse.

My favourite of the night though was the 5% ABV Purgatory Pale Ale.  Using Cascade hops from the USA it has a floral flavour, which leads to a deep bitter orange taste.  Not unlike one of my local favourites Pig Island from Ards Brewing Co.  A great night’s craic was had in Cork’s Franciscan Well Brewpub.  The beers are amazing, the staff are friendly and to top it all off they allow you to order in pizza so what’s not to like?

Another place of note is in Lisdoonvarna, County Clare.  Originally established in 1865, The Roadside Tavern do the most a-maz-ing food (order the bacon and cabbage or maybe the lamb and stout stew to see what I mean – it wasn’t Munster’s Best GastroPub in 2012 for no reason) but what really made me smile was they also have their own microbrewery onsite. 

Set up in 2011 The Burren Brewery have 3 ales – Burren Gold, Red and Stout.  Each is tasty in its own right but for me the best of the trio was Burren Red – slighty sweet with a spicy smokiness it stands head and shoulders above anything else of that category that you can buy in any bar in the area.  If you’re in County Clare, pop in for lunch and enjoy a good yarn with locals and visitors alike.

The final place our group stopped into that had a varying array of beers was Galway city’s Bierhaus.  With hundreds of Irish and worldwide beers to choose from you're sure to find something to suit your taste.  I was in a bit of a porter/stout mood that night so started off with a porter from Co. Kildare brewery Trouble Brewing.  The unfiltered Dark Arts uses a good mix of black and chocolate malts and cleared the cobwebs away after a day of the odd torrential rainstorm and twisty Co.Clare roads.  

That was followed by a smooth and welcoming bottle of the 5% ABV Knockmealdown Porter from Eight Degrees Brewing.  A deep roasted coffee malt flavour exudes from this porter and although I’m not a fan of 33cl bottles (I prefer a pint) I felt it tasted better that the Dark Arts. 

As I said at the beginning it’s not a comprehensive guide but a little taster of what can be found in a few counties down south.  Maybe if you come across a good pub post your comments below.  Next year we're off to Scotland. Oh, in total I covered 1200 miles riding the Irish coastline on my beloved Honda CBR and raised £1,600 for a children's charity in the process.  

I’ll drink to that, sláinte!

Beer Place Names Part 3

So I said before that it started with Inishmacsaint.

Previously I told the story of how I developed a bit of a fascination with Inishmacsaint beer from Fermanagh.  I initially became engrossed with finding out about the name and history of Inishmacsaint island - and this developed into thinking about travelling there to have a photo taken with the beer bottle in front of the Inishmacsaint sign and cross.  I detailed how I visited other areas closer to my home in Carrickfergus to have photos with beers such as Hilden Halt at the Hilden railway stop, Titanic beer at Titanic Visitor Centre and the Ards Brewing Ballyblack stout on Ballyblack Road near Newtownards.  You get the idea.

Well as Lieutenant George exclaimed on Blackadder Goes Forth “Cover me in eggs and flour and bake me for 40 minutes!” – I only managed to get to Inishmacsaint island folks!  Calm yourself, I know you’re all aghast yet slightly intrigued.  Or maybe not, but I’ll tell you my story of white shorts, mud, high-heels and piggy-backs anyway.  Ah, interested now?

Eight miles from Enniskillen, Inishmacsaint island sits in Lower Lough Erne and can be reached by travelling just past Lough Erne Golf Resort.  Once off the road, access to the island is by foot via a bridge.  The last time I had intent to pass this way, I made sure a bottle of this hazy delight was firmly secured in the back of the car and so my wife and I headed off on a gloriously sunny day to County Fermanagh.

After a couple of hours driving we pulled up in a car park beside the island and started to make the 2 minute walk to the bridge when – BANG!  In front of us were the largest puddles you’ve ever seen.  Did I mention there was a monsoon the previous day?  Did I mention I was donning white shorts? Did I mention Gillian was wearing heels?  Ah, right.

Nevertheless, let’s do this.  There’s a grassy bank to the side and she can jump on my back.  Forget the fact there are two men digging in the car park who are bound to wet themselves laughing at us.  

Well what a sight we must have been, like some sort of piggy-backing half-wits just let out of the asylum, we intrepidly made our way through muddy puddles (for parents who are subjected to Peppa Pig there’s an obvious joke in there) to reach the bridge, only to be met with similar nastiness on the other side.  Argh!  Whose idea was it to wear white shorts and trainers and not bring wellies? 

Anyway, we eventually reached the elusive 6^th century Inishmacsaint monastic ruin and were slightly in awe of the 12^th century high cross, thinking of the history of the island and what life must have been like all those hundreds of years ago.  Thinking over, we scrambled to a decent photo spot with bottle in hand.  Can you imagine if we had reached the island after all that kerfuffle only to realise that we’d left the bottle in the car?  ‘Murder on Inishmacsaint’ sounds like a great novel title doesn’t it?

Feeling accomplished, relieved and reflective we headed back down the hill towards the bridge (again with Gillian on my back – remember the heels?) and guess what – the huge muddy puddles hadn’t gone away.  “Drat” I said, or maybe something a bit stronger.  And so the return journey was much the same as the outward journey – namely Gillian on my back, me getting bogged down in, er, a bog and both of us laughing hysterically at the whole thing.  

Alas the white/brown trainers didn’t make it much further. Once we got back to the car they were binned and we both still felt like kids giggling uncontrollably.  Memories are made of those days!

Next time you’re passing down Fermanagh way (or if you’re already there), take a wee trip along the main Enniskillen to Belleek road and near the Lough Erne Golf Resort take the small side road marked ‘Camagh Bay Jetty and Slipway’ – strangely there’s no indication for Inishmacsaint from the main road.  Ideally go just after a rainstorm (ahem) and indulge yourself in the calm and tranquillity of the island – let’s hope there are no guffawing idiots nearby.  And have a pint of Fermanagh beer later that evening. 

Cheers!

Beer Place Names Part 2

So I said before that it started with Inishmacsaint.

Previously I told the story of how I developed a bit of a fascination with Inishmacsaint beer from Fermanagh.  I initially became engrossed with finding out about the name and history of Inishmacsaint island - and this developed into thinking about travelling there to have a photo taken with the beer bottle in front of the Inishmacsaint sign.  This quickly developed to other places in Northern Ireland that were closer to me (in Carrickfergus). Whitewater’s Belfast Lager and Clotworthy Dobbin (Antrim), Hilden’s Halt and Cathedral beer and Ards Brewing Co’s Ballyblack were all done and dusted with relative ease.  

However some others such as Ards Pig Island was another matter altogether.  The brewery is extremely small and production has been scaled down even more as the owner is in the process of building a bigger brewhouse. So imagine my surprise when I ventured into one of my favourite bars, Bittles in Belfast, and there in all its piggy glory were rows of Pig Island! Well you could have knocked me down with an “oink”.  Tasty too, a wonderfully refreshing pale ale with a background hint of orange marmalade.  If you ever have the good fortune to see Pig Island beer, give it a try.

With the bottle secured for future photographic fame all I had to do now was find the island - easier said than done. Sure it might be common knowledge to you if you live near Greyabbey on the Ards peninsula, but I’m a County Antrim man and (in a John Wayne accent) “I ain’t from around these parts boy”.

Tinterweb’s a wonderful thing though, a lot of time spent looking at OS references and Google maps led me to where I had to go and the snap was duly taken (complete with Monty Python-esque finger). Charles at the brewery got to hear of my little mission and also informed me of another of his occasional brews made with cardamom called Cardy Man. Quite a good play on the name I thought. And guess what, Cardy Road is in Greyabbey. Get in there, that’s another photo in the can – or should that be in the bottle.

Other pics in this article include Hilden Scullions at Scullion’s Road in Mallusk as well their Titanic beer outside the Titanic Visitor Centre.  The only problem with that taking that photo was the waiting and waiting…and more waiting for tourists to disappear so no-one would be in the shot!  I think I had a 5 second window to take the photo before another American appeared, waxing the usual lyrical about how their great aunt Sadie came from Cork.

So quite a wee collection of Northern Ireland beer place names are being built up –

ARDS BREWING: Pig Island / Ballyblack / Cardy Man;

HILDEN: Halt / Scullions / Titanic / Cathedral;

Whitewater: Clotworthy Dobbin / Belfast Lager;

COLLEGE GREEN: Belfast Blonde;

CLANCONNEL: Weaver’s Gold

Oh yeah, and I still haven’t been to Inishmacsaint!

Beer Place Names Part 1

It all started with Inishmacsaint. 

I’ve been a fan of the Fermanagh beer for a while now and wanted to know more about the Lough Erne island here in Northern Ireland which bears its name, the cross and 6^th century monastic remains.  Also, as I live over two hours drive away I had no idea of exactly where it was.  Praise the Lord for the internet.  After much searching I found its exact location.  I became intrigued by the island and thought it would be a great idea to take a photo of the beer bottle in front of the church sign on the island. 

Then in a second I began planning similar photos for other Northern Ireland locally produced bottles of beer. Thoughts like Ards Ballyblack stout on the Ballyblack Rd Newtownards,  the malty mild Hilden Halt at Hilden railway halt near Lisburn, the citrusy Cathedral Quarter beer at St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast etc…

A bit nerdy and sad, yeah, but what the heck.  It would be a bit of fun to do.  What was even better, my new wife and fellow ale drinker Gillian said she would come with me on my placename quest, so surely it couldn’t have been that pathetic an idea?

So the adventure was on.  First two to be done were Belfast Lager at a “Welcome to Belfast” sign (there’s a similar sign on the M2 motorway outside the city but maybe that wasn’t the best place to stop for a photo!) and College Green Belfast Blonde at College Green, Belfast (technically yes, College Green is the brewery name rather than the beer but this is my quest, right?)

Others followed in a matter of days like Ards Ballyblack, Whitewater’s award winning deep fruity Clotworthy Dobbin at Antrim’s Clotworthy Arts Centre; the fresh Clanconnel Weaver’s Gold at Weaver’s Court; and a quartet of Hilden after indulging myself and taking a trip to the Hilden brewery. Hilden Halt; Scullions at Scullions Rd, Mallusk; Cathedral Quarter at St Anne’s Cathedral Belfast and Titanic beer outside the Titanic Visitor Centre.

After talking to Charles from Ards Brewing at the Belfast Beer Festival, I’m hopeful that he’ll produce another batch of the hoppy Pig Island pale ale soon - I've just to find out where it is!  According to him, it’s one of the smallest islands in Strangford Lough and the name reflects the size of his business.  It’s quite small.  So my fun continues… Anyone got a boat?

Oh yeah, I still haven’t been to Inishmacsaint!

Wales, Beer and Bikes

I love motorbikes. 

I love the feel of donning my leathers, pulling on my lid (that’s a helmet to the unconverted), and riding to wherever I feel at that moment in time. But what I love most is riding out with friends on a week long tour.   And at the end of each day when we check into our accommodation nothing beats relaxing in the local pub, chatting about the ride, having a laugh and supping some locally brewed ale.

Every year our group of friends (we call ourselves the Riders of the Lost? Ark) head off into the great unknown and to make it even more worthwhile I try to raise a bit of sponsorship along the way for a worthwhile charity.  The summer of 2012 saw the Riders of the Lost? Ark venture across the Irish Sea to Wales.

Should you ever feel the desire to board the ferry from Dublin to Holyhead, what awaits you on the other side is a world of wonderful mountain roads, breathtaking Snowdonia scenery, the most accommodating hospitality and of course, some great beers.

And if you’re in North Wales as we initally were, then there’s no better place for cask ale than the Golden Fleece Inn, Tremadog.  They have the most enticing cave bar which used to be the cellar until it was transformed into a welcoming alcove for the public to enjoy their favourite brew.  When we were there last summer I was very pleased to see Purple Moose brewery’s multi-award winning Dark Side of the Moose on tap.  Available at last year’s Belfast Beer and Cider Festival, it’s a delicious dark ale with a deep fruity bitterness that hits the right spot after a day’s riding along stunning mountain roads.

Also of note in the bar were two of Conwy brewery’s offerings; Welsh Pride - a copper coloured malty bitter with a suggestion of orangey spice as well as the 2012 Speciality Beer of Wales winner Honey Fayre – a light summery golden ale with a pleasantly not overpowering honey aftertaste.

And to top it all off when we had our fill of ale and delicious food from the kitchen, we all retired to one of their 5 plush, luxurious bedrooms.  This biking lark’s great craic eh?

Since our visit there last summer I’ve been told The Golden Fleece Inn has bought Tremadog’s Royal Madoc Hotel across the road. So I expect their ale repertoire to increase as time passes.

Leaving the village and riding down the coastline on a gloriously sunny day (with the odd mechanical glitch along the way) we were glad to finally arrive at our next destination.

Sixty miles south of the Golden Fleece, just west of Aberystwyth, we paid a visit to what is claimed to be the UK’s smallest commercial brewery.  

Bragdy Gwynant Brewery beside The Tynllidiart Arms, Capel Bangor used to be an outside toilet! (Insert your own loo-based pun here please.)   Known to the locals as The Tyn, this charming pub is over 300 years old and reputedly home to a local ghost. And before you ask, no they don't serve York Brewery's Centurion's Ghost Ale.  However they do have four local ales including its own brew - Cwrw Gwynant - a 4.5% amber bitter with a slightly sweet taste that certainly goes down well on a summer's day.  The Tyn is most definitely worth a visit - even just for the quirkiness of the tiny brewery beside the pub's front door.

Right that's it for now.  I'll let you know soon how the Riders of the Lost? Ark got on for the 2013 tour - a 1,200 mile charity trek of the Irish coastline from County Antrim through Dublin, Cork, Galway, Donegal and back home.  We'll be visiting some brewpubs along the way and of course sampling the best ales this island has to offer. 

Sláinte.