Portrush - Land of Barry's, Chips & Beer Festivals

Make no mistake, I love Portrush.  It's where the family would take day trips when I was a child and it's where I now take my family for the same - driving the dodgem cars and sliding down the helter skelter at Barry's amusements, eating a 10% meat (probably) sausage supper in a chippy and generally enjoying life.  Life got even better last weekend when the town's co-op brewery Lacada hosted the 1st Portrush Beer and Food Festival in the impressive town hall. As well as the host, north coast local breweries Northbound, Glens of Antrim and O'Connor were present alongside Farmageddon, Knockout, Co. Donegal's Kinnegar, 8 Degrees from Co. Cork and Yellowbelly from Co. Wexford.  Add to that Bushmills and Long Meadow cider.

First was an interesting new brew released for the festival.  Lacada already have a sour, Eldersauer, but Sauer Beans has the addition of coffee beans in collaboration with Portrush's harbour cafe, Babushka.  Putting it gently - beardy hipsters look away now - I'm not the greatest fan of sours, but Sauer Beans (4.2% ABV) ticked some of the boxes that most sours don't tick for me.  It wasn't overpowering and there was a gentle belly tickle of coffee.  Mrs W really liked it and I must confess I sort of liked it too - it was interesting mix of light gooseberry and coffee bean (is there another Irish coffee sour on the market?)

It was great to see three well respected southern breweries represented and fair play to the organisers for securing them.  Kinnegar from Rathmullan in Co Donegal already have a very visible presence in Northern Ireland but less so Yellow Belly from Wexford.  The brewery lies beneath Simon Lambert & Sons pub and they brought a seriously impressive range of nine beers with them - from fruity sours and pale ales to imperial IPAs.

My choice of Yellow Belly's was the cask Imperial IPA Queen Lizzie (8.3% ABV) - a single dry hopped English ale. Some hints of citrus fruit at the start following on with a welcoming dryness. Congrats to Yellow Belly for their branding - every one of their pumpclips is, literally, a work of art.

It was also great to see County Cork's 8 Degrees at the festival.  Co-brewer Scott is from New Zealand and I wonder how much influence one of Lacada's founders, Kris of Kiwi's BrewBar in Portrush, had in their appearance?  Anyway, on tap when I was there on the Friday were the Amarillo IPA, Kolsch style Going Out Out, DIPA Supernova, which I'd tried at the recent Irish Beer Festival in Dublin, and the always tasty Full Irish - brewed using 100% Irish malt.

A tip of the hat to Michael O'Connor of O'Connor Craft Beer near Greysteel for the Game of Thrones inspired A Beer Has No Name.  He confessed that after brewing the amber he still didn't have a name shortly before the festival started.  However his GoT loving brother came up with the title, much to Michael's confusion as he doesn't watch the show.

Again congratulations to all involved with the creation and smooth running of the 1st Portrush Beer and Food Festival.  I've only mentioned a small snippet of what was available so if you fancy seeing more I'm sure the organisers are already planning 2017's festival ... aren't they?

It's great to see another reason for heading to the Port - man cannot live by chips and roller coasters alone.

Another Weekend, Another Festival

Another festival?  Boom, as Klopp would say.  Following last weekend's ABV festival in Belfast, this time it was the turn of the Irish Craft Beer Festival at the RDS in Dublin.  Hotel and train tickets booked, Mrs W and I were there on the Friday. It's a fantastic opportunity to see so many brewers in one place who have to listen to all kinds of gubbins from punters like me - the gubbins intensifies the more the night draws on.

Anyway, some top quality beers were had.  (Unlike the awful plastic pint glasses we were handed. Organisers, ditch them. They sucked.)  I'd compiled a list (you need a list) of brews that I thought the cocktail and red wine drinker would like and one for me too.  First up, Metalman's 5.3% ABV Raspberry Chilli Sour on cask.  "Fruity, light and refreshing with a nice kick" was her verdict.  That'll do nicely.

 

You know when most of your list comprises of beers at or over 7% ABV?  Yeah...  7% Lublin to Dublin first from O'Haras (collaboration brew with Polish brewery Pinta).  I'd heard plenty in the past but never experienced for myself.  Matter rectified - oh yeah - Choccy McChocface.

Next, down to see the Wicklow Wolf guys.  New 3.8% ABV session IPA Easy Lover was certainly easy going and a tasty sessionable beer for those who wanted a bit less of an alcoholic punch.

I love a good milk stout and hadn't had anything from Trouble in a while so was quite keen to get my chops around their 5.8% ABV vanilla and choc collaboration brew with Danish outfit Coisbo.  Another smooth chocolate milk stout that smelled stronger than it tasted.

Back up the hall for a sit down and then a welcoming yarn with the Carrig boys who I'd seen a couple of months back when I visited the brewery.  A swift half of their faintly peachy IPA Grand Soft Day.

Of course a photo opportunity arises when I'm sharing the Mrs' plum and ginger cider from MacIvors.

 

Next, a good blether with newish Co Dublin brewery, Hope Beer, and a try at their 6.6% ABV Handsome Jack IPA.  A decent double hopped IPA with a tasty citrus bite at the end.

O Brother next, and the return of the much anticipated dark IPA Bonita.  Their DIPA Brutus was my beer of last year's festival and I was eager to see if the 7% ABV lady matched up to the 9% brute.  Hints of fig and chocolate made for a tasty keg beer though I'd love to have compared it with the cask offering that was pouring the following day.

Finally it was over to torture, sorry chat to, Scott at Eight Degrees who poured me a quality new double IPA, Supernova.  Maybe it was because it was the end of the night, I don't know, but this DIPA seemed to be smoother than a lot of other doubles, yet managed to retain the massive hopkick. I'll have to grab some of it when it's released in bottles in a fortnight.

Didn't manage to complete my list, I missed out on cask offerings of N17's Chilli Porter and O'Hara's barrel aged Leann Folláin stout among many others so only one thing for it, I'll have to stay two nights next year!  Roll on 2017!

Sláinte.

I Would Ride 500 Miles But I Won't Ride 500 More

They said I was mad.  Well that's not really true, though Mrs W did look at me weirdly in the dark when I proposed the idea at 1am one February night.  That idea being motorbiking to all of Northern Ireland's physical micro/nano brewery sites in a short designated period (later to be decided at 36 hours).  I love my craft beers and I love riding my bike but the two don't like each other for obvious reasons.  However this was an acceptable way of combining them both.

So once I got the idea in my head, that was that.  Lots and lots of emails/texts/DMs later, 24 breweries were contacted (there are other contract breweries in NI but they couldn't be visited for obvious reasons) and a route planned - all for a specific charitable cause which can be found here.

August 15th arrived and I set off at 8.10am on a gorgeously warm and sunny Monday.  I had 36 hours to bike 500 miles and visit 24 breweries.  Let's do this!

ROUTE 500:
Carrickfergus, Mid Antrim, Ballycastle, Portrush, Derry City, Greysteel, Plumbridge, Donaghmore,
Enniskillen, Derrygonnelly, Armagh, Newry, Kilkeel, Ballygowan, Greyabbey, Belfast, Hilden, Derriaghy.

1. Hillstown, Ahoghill - MONDAY 8.55am

2. Barrahooley, Martinstown 9.30am

3. Glens of Antrim Brewery, Murlough Bay 10.30am

4. Lacada, Portrush 11.15am

5. Dopey Dick, Derry 12.30pm

6. Walled City, Derry 1.00pm

7. Northbound, Campsie 1.30pm

8. O'Connor Craft Beer, Greysteel 2.15pm

9. Pokertree, Carrickmore 4.15pm

10. Red Hand Brewery/The Brewer's House, Donaghmore 4.45pm

11. Inishmacsaint, Derrygonnelly TUESDAY 10am

12. Sheelin, Bellanaleck 10.30am

13. Station Works, Newry 12.30pm

14. Mourne Mountains Brewery, Warrenpoint 1.10pm

15. Whitewater, Kilkeel 2.00pm

16. Farmageddon, Ballygowan 4.30pm

17. Ards Brewing, Greyabbey 5.15pm

18. Bullhouse, Newtownards 6.00pm

19. Hercules, Belfast 6.30pm

20. Boundary, Belfast 6.50pm

21. Knockout, Belfast 7.00pm

22. Brewbot, Belfast 7.20pm

23. Hilden 7.45pm

24. Black Mountain Brewery/Speckled Hen Pub, Derriaghy 7.55pm

MISSION COMPLETE IN 35 HRS 45 MINS!

So many thanks to mention...
- First of all, to Darren at Pokertree who helped me pick the bike up when I dropped it in his drive!!! :-(
- To every single brewer who answered their email/texts/messages, gave up their time to meet me on the run, encouraged me and donated money or stock to be balloted for charity.  Anyone wanna win some beer?
- To Kim at Fastway Couriers NI who enthusiastically gave her support and pledged to transport the donated stock after the run.
- To the Westville Hotel in Enniskillen for discounting the family rooms on the Monday night. (Mrs W and the kids drove to Fermanagh to meet me at the halfway point)
- To everyone on social media who liked, shared and retweeted my progress over the 36 hours.
- To the higher entity who provided the massive orange ball in the cloudless sky for the entire two days.  The dry roads made for a wonderful and memorable ride around Northern Ireland.
- And finally to everyone who donated to the charitable cause, again details here.  Over £1,100 raised.  I'm genuinely humbled by your generosity and kind words.

Thank you,
Roy

Carrig Brewing Co

Last month I had the great fortune to be able to take a weekend away with Mrs W to Drumshanbo in Lounty Leitrim.  And lo and behold there's only a brewery in the town - ahem.  Opportunity grasped, we headed along to Carrig Brewing for an impromptu visit.

Oisin and head brewer Daniel made us feel very welcome, telling us all about their brews and letting us get stuck into some of their wares.  

First up is Whiskey Coalface, a 6.5% ABV variation on their original Coalface Black IPA that's been aged in The Shed Distillery whiskey casks (also from Drumshanbo)...

An enticing dark colour with mild whiskey notes on the nose, the whiskey comes through wonderfully more smoothly upon tasting.  This black IPA isn't overbearing or sharp, just enough to make you long for open fires and snow on the ground outside.  Or maybe that's just me?

Next a very secretive red ale that Daniel said was like a rum and coke and, y'know, he wasn't wrong. This was probably my favourite of all the brews I tried from the brewery - I was going to describe it, but a less-sweet rum n' coke is probably right.  It's a pilot brew for an American importer and that's all I can say because they wouldn't tell me any more.  I really hope this makes it onto our shelves soon.

Finally on to Iron Mountain Stout.  At 4.5% ABV it's a sessionable dry stout with a delicate roasted coffee aroma and taste.  Maybe I detected a touch of vanilla in there too or maybe that was the beer w.nker element kicking in.  Regardless, it's a solid stout that will appeal to many.

Cheers to Sinead, Oisin and Daniel for their fantastic hospitality and enthusiasm.  Good luck with the new FVs too and see you at Dublin's Irish Beer Festival in September.

Battle of the Cloudwater DIPA

Manchester based Cloudwater's much-hyped DIPAs (Double IPA) have become a bit of a thing over the past six months or so.  I don't know if they deliberately under-produce or have their marketing machine cranked up to 11 but fair play, they sell out in minutes.

I didn't get to try the original DIPA but to date their best for me has been the superb v2, consumed 9 days after bottling and as fruity as a RuPaul/Boy George duet while manfighting with mangoes and passion fruit. Um Bongo on speed, bliss.

v3 was something similar, a beery grapefruit and orange pith combo but just... not... quite v2.

But that was then and this is now.  Time for v4 and v5.

v4 first.  Label says dry hopped during fermentation.  Slightly fruity aroma, slight fizz, doesn't seem 9% abv, thinner than other DIPAs, not as fruity as hoped and certainly not the fruit bomb of v2. Hmmm, lets see what v5 brings.

Much cloudier.  Label says dry hopped after fermentation.  Again a little touch of fizz and well hidden alcohol, though this has more of the gummy mouthfeel of a DIPA.  Still not as fruity as v2.

In my opinion v5 edges v4 but where they really comes to life is with a blending of the two.  I'll be honest and say I was reluctant to do this at first.  Why should the customer blend the two, isn't that Cloudwater's role, to decide how the beer is made?

Three blends were created, 75% v4, 50/50 and 75% v5.  In my opinion a half n half mix was the perfect combo: dank passion fruit, mango fizz, sublime, everything that I recall about v2.
The 75% v5 came in a close 2nd (not as fruity) with the 75% v4 a distant 3rd. (too thin)
It seems strange that both versions were below CW's high bar but a mix of the two created some sort of Utopia.

So is the v4 and v5 a genuine test of which is better or a clever Cloudwater marketing ploy to make you buy 2 beers?  You decide.

Or maybe just opt for their other DIPA Three's Company, which is a belter. Confused yet?