Ireland Beers

[Sweet Willie]

Will be in Ireland next week, of course am looking forward to Guiness.

Are there others to try?

[Blondie]

No beer. Stout.

Try Murphy's and Beamish, especially when you're down in Kinsale. They're both made in Cork.

[Mayhaw Man]

You also should try and seek out Caffery's. A bitter made in Belfast, but available in the Dublin in many places. It is a very smooth, almost malty sweet , bitter. Very enjoyable.

You also might try to get to the Porterhouse while you are in Dublin. A great place and even better beers. Have a couple of "brainblasta" and relax. I highly reccomend their porter. A really fine brew.

The Porterhouse

Edited November 21, 2003 by Mayhaw Man (log)

[Verjuice]

While I was there, and when I could work up the nerve to order it, I'd ask for a glass with some blackcurrant syrup and a bottle of Bulmers cider. Candy, basically, but whatever. It's delicious. I think they call it a "snakebite" in Scotland. I like Smithwick as well, though it's not exactly exotic.

[Blondie]

You also should try and seek out Caffery's. A bitter made in Belfast, but available in the Dublin in many places. It is a very smooth, almost malty sweet , bitter. Very enjoyable.

You also might try to get to the Porterhouse while you are in Dublin. A great place and even better beers. Have a couple of "brainblasta" and relax. I highly reccomend their porter. A really fine brew.

The Porterhouse

Yes, the Porterhouse is great recommendation for Dublin. The Oyster Stout was my favorite. Do they still have a two-pint limit on An Brainblasta?

[beans]

Yes, Beamish and Murphy's are a given. I might taste test the Harp to research the subtle differences between there and what arrives in the States, just for the sake of doing it or for fun. I've had another newish stout called O'Hara's from Carlow Brewing Company. Also maybe worth a try....?

[Mayhaw Man]

The Porterhouse

Yes, the Porterhouse is great recommendation for Dublin. The Oyster Stout was my favorite. Do they still have a two-pint limit on An Brainblasta?

Yes, and it is often very crowded, but worth the crush.

There is a barman there who is absolutely hysterical (his name will come to me as soon as I push send ). An older Dubliner who is full of stories of bars and drinking in Old Dublin/Temple Bar. He knows eveybody and is full of great reccomendations for places to eat (even though I suspect that he has never left the Porterhouse). He is pretty easy to spot as he looks about as much like a living leprachaun as anyone you are likely to meet in Dublin. And tey still have the two pint limit, but given the strength of that deadly brew, it's not such a bad idea.

And yes, I like the oyster stout as well, but I honestly think that the Porter is one of the finest commercially vended versions of the style that I have ever had.

[StephenT]

While I was there, and when I could work up the nerve to order it, I'd ask for a glass with some blackcurrant syrup and a bottle of Bulmers cider. Candy, basically, but whatever. It's delicious. I think they call it a "snakebite" in Scotland. I like Smithwick as well, though it's not exactly exotic.

"Snakebite" is usually lager and cider in roughly equal quantities. Add some blackcurrant and you get "snakebite and black". Just cider and blackcurrant is probably called "cider and black".

[malarkey]

You also should try and seek out Caffery's.

damn! hey, how was the trip, beans?? I was going to second the recommend for Caffrey's, but I suspect you are back already. I really liked it when I was there, but we were also in County Monaghan, a stones throw from Belfast.

Edited December 6, 2003 by malarkey (log)

[Sweet Willie]

We did not get to the Porterhouse in Dublin. I never did see Caffery's bitter which I was really looking forward to as I'm a bitter lover. (no puns please).

A highlight was Kinsale Stout which we had in Kinsale (who would have guessed?!?!)

After getting in one morning at 4:30am at which point I just could not drink anymore stout, the next day was a cider all day day, Great stuff and never filling like the stouts.

[Alberto]

Slightly OT maybe...

Does anybody else out there think that "regular" Kilkenny and Harp are far better than their "strong" relatives? (Not the case for Guinness with their two "export" ABVs though...)

In particular I find Kilkenny Strong pretty unpleasant.

Alberto