Does the future of Northern Irish beer now pour from a can? Thankfully the snobbery once associated with cans of beer is fast disappearing as many Irish, British and of course American breweries have been pumping out some top quality brews for quite a while – just think of Whiplash, Yellowbelly, Cloudwater, Beavertown, Magic Rock,…… Continue reading Cans, Contracts and Modern Reds
Two of Ireland’s better microbreweries recently came together for a collaboration brew. County Sligo’s The White Hag and County Donegal’s Kinnegar teamed up to produce The Hare and The Hag, a 6.5% ABV ‘Irish Coffee Nitro Stout’. A nitro stout should have a creamy and smooth texture when poured upside down from the bottle – few…… Continue reading From Wonderful to Woeful to Wooden Cask
Some new releases recently so let’s get wired in. From Portrush’s co-operative brewery Lacada, branded as a North Coast IPA and recently pouring from cask at CAMRA’s Belfast Beer Festival, Devil’s Washtub. 5.2% ABV and actually a black IPA (perhaps this should be on the branding so not to scare anyone who’s expecting a golden…… Continue reading Ulster Newbies – from Mourne to Muff
I would imagine that Northern Ireland’s beer scene has never experienced the like of it before. Five years ago we had 5 micro/nanobreweries. At the start of 2015 we had the impressive total of 15 breweries selling beer. Now at the end of the year that stands at 26. Eleven have appeared in the past…… Continue reading 2015’s New Brewers
With the possibility of seven new Northern Ireland breweries entering the market soon, this new year could be a cracker for those of us who like our local beer. The first official new arrival of 2015 is Knock Out Brewing. Based on an East Belfast industrial estate, head brewer Joseph McMullan is quietly reserved, yet…… Continue reading First New NI Brewery of 2015
Quare Swally 