AGAINST THE GRAIN

Great food, even better brews, staff who know their bocks from their weissbiers and quirky touches like board games, quiz nights and a Holy Grail fridge, where you’ll never know what you’ll find.
Those are some of the reasons Against The Grain inspires religious devotion among regulars who, spoiled as they are, wouldn’t dream of drinking anywhere else.
“The thing we’ve tried to do from the outset is have fun,” reflects general manager Andy Byrne. “We’re passionate about our beer but never snobby. If somebody comes in who’s new to the craft game, we’ll ask what they usually drink and recommend something similar but tastier.”
Part of the Galway Bay Brewery empire – fellow members include Brew Dock, The Dark Horse and The Black Sheep in Dublin, and The Oslo, The Cottage, The Scholars Rest and The Salthouse in the City of the Tribes – Against The Grain is about to go boldly where few Irish bars have gone before.
“We’ve taken on another brewer, whose job is solely to come up with small-batch beers and seasonals,” Andy enthuses. “He might do 250-litres of an abbey-style Belgian 10% one week and a Double IPA the next. This guy is going to go completely off the charts, which will compliment what our head brewer, Chris, is doing.”
The full Galway Bay Brewery range of beers – Stormy Port, Bay Ale, Full Sail and Buried At Sea – can be found in the dedicated No Crap On Tap bar, which has just opened upstairs at Against The Grain.
“We thought, ‘Ah, to hell with subtlety, let’s get straight to the point!’” Andy laughs. “It’s tongue in cheek and people love it.”
Byrne believes that Irish breweries are becomingly increasingly innovative.
“Eight Degrees did a Southern Hemisphere vs. Northern Hemisphere thing recently where they brewed two beers using hops from each part of the world, and let people choose what the best one was. That kind of stuff is brilliant.”
If the choice of 70 all-year round beers and a similar number of rotating tipples is just too agonising, the ATG beer-bat lets you try three generous glugs of any of the beers they have on tap for just €6.25.
“I think we’ve moved into the next phase of the craft beer revolution where drinkers and breweries alike are becoming more and more adventurous,” Byrne concludes. “It’s a tide that won’t be turned back.”
www.galwaybarbrewery.com/againstthegrain

DUNGARVAN BREWING COMPANY

Founded in April 2010, after years spent researching the market and refining their produce, the Dungarvan Brewing Company is the brainchild of brothers-in-law Cormac O’Dwyer and Tom Dalton and their respective wives Jen and Claire.
One of the big success stories in the Irish craft beer scene, Maris Otter malt, full-leaf hop cones and the limestone-rich water of West Waterford are all key ingredients in their beers. As they’re brewed in small batches, there are sometimes slight variations in taste, adding extra excitement to each brew.
Their bottle-conditioned Black Rock Irish Stout, Copper Coast Irish Red Ale and Helvick Gold Irish Blonde Ale have found favour with everyone from Bryan Ferry to Michelin Star-man Kevin Thornton. Their fan club also includes the folk at Keogh’s, whose hand-made Roast Beef and Irish Stout Potato Crisps combine the smooth flavour of Black Rock with the delicious natural taste of a traditional Sunday dinner
Dungarvan Brewing Company have made a name for themselves with their seasonal offerings, which include the Coffee And Oatmeal Stout winter warmer, spring’s Mahon Falls Rye Pale Ale and the Comeragh Challenger, which is an ideal companion for the summer time.
Along with numerous Irish outlets, the DBC’s multipe Blas na hEireann award-winning beers can be found in Italy, France, Luxembourg and Germany with further market expansion planned in the future.
www.dungarvanbrewingcompany.com

FRANCISCAN WELL

Built on the site of an old monastery which dates back to the year 1219, Franciscan Well in Cork City first opened their doors back in 1998 and over the last 15 years the ever inventive, always evolving spot has been gaining plenty of fans at home and abroad. Combining modern technology with traditional techniques, their passion, creativity and dedication to their craft will be apparent from your first sip of their 100% natural brews: it's easy to see why they were awarded a gold medal for their remarkable Jameson Stout (in the Speciality category) and a bronze for their I.P.A. (in the Ales category) at the esteemed International Beer Challenge Awards recently.
“We’re delighted to have won the acclaim of the International Beer Challenge,” enthuses founder and chief mad scientist of the Franciscan Well Brewery, Shane Long. “Brewing is my true passion and to win two of these highly-respected awards acknowledges the hard work and the process of trial and error that goes into turning raw materials into a great beer.”
If you’re keen to sample their award-winning brews but can’t make it down to their pub in Cork don’t fret, some of their wares are offered via-the Craft Collection and can be bought from pubs and off licenses around Ireland.
www.franciscanwellbrewery.com

JJ HARLOW'S

A veritable bastion of good music and great brews, JJ Harlow's in Roscommon town is a real old school pub that has it all. Fans of Irish craft beers are in for a treat as the hostelry now offers the likes of Galway Hooker, Bo Bristle, White Gypsy and Metalman Windjammer on draught and of course they have plenty of other bottled tipples to choose from too. As well as boasting a beer menu that’ll make most aficionados of homegrown produce feel like they've died and gone to Valhalla, JJ Harlow's serve homemade pies made by Castlemine Farm with great value pie ‘n’ pint deals available.
Music fans are well catered for too and lovers of blues, trad and more will adore their weekly gigs. Among those coming up in September are Hickory Wind (1); Dave & Ben from Jukebox Gypsy (7); David Hope (8); Skas Good Gravy (14); Ciaran O & Conor Harkin (15); Strangebrew (21); The Greasy Coat Stringband (22); The Calvinists (28) and Felix Sonnyboy (29).
www.facebook.com/jjharlowsthesquare

KENTUCKY BOURBON BARREL ALE

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale was launched onto the Irish market just before Christmas and has proved to be an instant hit with beer lovers. Aged for up to six weeks in freshly-decanted bourbon barrels from some of Kentucky’s finest distilleries, the subtle yet familiar flavours of vanilla and oak are imparted to this special ale as it rests in the charred barrels. The end result is a unique award-winning sipping beer with the distinctive nose of a well-crafted bourbon.
Made by Alltech’s Lexington Brewing and Distilling Co., fans will also be keen to learn that they can get a taste of their brand new Kentucky I.P.A. and Kentucky Kolsch at this year's Irish Craft Beer Festival in the RDS, Dublin alongside their Kentucky Bourbon Barrelflagship. If you can't make this festival, never fear as you can now purchase Alltech ales at selected O'Brien's off-licences around the country.
The company have announced the return of their International Craft Brewing and Distilling Convention for February 2014 as well. After the success of last month's event which took place in the Convention Centre, Dublin, Alltech have once again begun building bars and booking speakers – and Hot Press is counting down the days until it arrives.
www.kentuckyale.com

THE MAGPIE INN

Set up three-years ago by Rachel Clancy, who’d previously been the driving force at Brasserie 66, The Magpie Inn has established itself as a Dalkey favourite with a superb range of craft beers – Metalman, Galway Hooker, Sierra Nevada, Dungarvan Brewing Company, Schneider Weisse and Fischer’s are among their big-sellers – both in bottles and on cask.
They’re big into their artisan ciders too, with Old Rosie Scrumpy, Orpens, MacIvors and Wyldewood Organic all going down a storm during the recent heatwave.
Also home to many a live session – Shay Healy, Paddy Sherlock and Richie Buckley have all done their musical things there recently – The Magpie Inn is a Mecca for seafood lovers with whole chargrilled lobster, crab claws, oysters, sea bream, sea trout, rainbow trout, red mullet, organic Irish salmon and calimari on the menu when we dropped in recently. For the carnivores among you, 32-day aged fillets and rib-eye steak are also specialities of the house.
“We get a lovely mix of regulars and visitors, many of them Americans who know about Dalkey as a result of Michelle Obama having lunch in the village recently with Bono,” Rachel enthuses. “As someone who’s worked in the restaurant trade, I want the food to be as memorable as the craft beers that accompany it. Everything is fresh, locally sourced and prepared in-house.”
The Magpie Inn also takes its wine seriously, with 30 reds and 30 whites, many of them available by the glass.
www.magpieinn.ie

MOUNTAIN MAN BREWING

Founded in 2012, West Cork's Mountain Man Brewing unleash their second beer out into the wild at the Irish Craft Beer and Cider Festival at the RDS. Their Hairy Goat India Pale Ale will be available on draught as well as by the bottle at the Mountain Man Cabin over the course of the four-day festival and the launch of this new kid on the block (get it? Kids? Goats? Never mind...) coincides with the release of bottles of Hairy Goat in off-licences, pubs and restaurants nationwide.
This English-style I.P.A. follows the quirky labelling already featured on bottles of Mountain Man beer launched earlier this summer and promises as much unrestrained madness as the Mountain Man crew can squeeze in.
“We wanted the Hairy Goat label to be as mischievous and enjoyable, if not better, than the Green Bullet label and I think we’ve achieved that,” proffers Mountain Man Brewing founder Phil Cullen. “Hairy Goat I.P.A. has been crafted for the connoisseur of full-flavoured hoppy beers with an ABV of 4.5%. We’d also like to point out that no goats were hurt or injured in the brewing of this beer.”
www.mountainmanbrewing.com

McSORLEY’S

Located in the heart of Ranelagh Village, Dublin 6, McSorley's is a fixture in the area's social scene. Boasting a great range of Irish craft beers (which include O'Hara's Pale Ale, Galway Hooker, Tom Crean’s and more), the pub is an eternally popular old school boozer that's got bags of character. Wednesday’s Craft On Draft allows you to sample a superb range of beers for just €4 a pint and they’ve got 12 HD TV screens showing all the latest sport. McSorley’s also serves some tasty and wallet-friendly pub grub – their midweek Burger, Fries and Any Beer Or Wine deal is a steal at a mere tenner – and they host quiz nights, gigs and more, on a week to week basis.
www.facebook.com/mcsorleysofranelagh

O’HARA’S (Carlow Brewing Company)

Launched in 1996, the Carlow Brewing Company never rests on its laurels, offering beer drinkers plenty of options thanks to their ever-expanding O'Hara's line. Driven by a passion for variety and naturally flavoursome beers, founder of the company Seamus O'Hara tells us about his new additions to the family.
“The complexities of flavours and the intricacy of the brewing process make it possible to craft a variety of different beers, all unique and interesting in their own right,” he considers. “We’ve already launched a number of new O’Hara’s beers this year in bottle and on draught, with exciting new releases still to come.”
So let’s take a look at them. Launched in June 2013 O’Hara’s Helles Craft Lager, available on draught, is brewed for maximum flavour and hopped several times to create a unique blend of textures and aromas. O’Hara’s Helles is higher in bitterness than mainstream lagers and delivers a unique bite with a clean, balanced finish.
The second edition in the O’Hara’s Barrel Aged Series, O’Hara’s Barrel Aged Leann Folláin is available in 75cl bottles in select pubs and independent off-licences. This limited-edition, luxurious full-bodied stout was matured for 90 days in Irish whiskey barrels. During this time the dark chocolate flavours and well-balanced bitterness of the stout combine with the essence of whiskey residing in the oak barrels. The finish is a sophisticated stout, rich and dark with the mild warmth of a smooth Irish whiskey.
O’Hara’s Double I.P.A. – available in draught in pubs around the country – will be launched in 500ml bottles from early October. Weighing in at 7.5% ABV, this generously hopped Double I.P.A. has an aroma that brings an intense and lasting array of fruit and floral notes. In addition, O’Hara’s will be unveiling two new beers in keg and cask at this year’s Irish Craft Beer and Cider Festival.
In other news, O’Hara’s opened the doors to their new Brewery Corner bar on Parliament Street in Kilkenny in April. The only pub in the country to have all Irish craft beer on tap, it’s pouring the full O’Hara’s beer range, plus guest Irish craft beers and ciders. The focus is on locally produced beer and cider from independent Irish producers, giving people an alternative to mass produced fare.
The pub also offers an extensive selection of bottled beer from around the world including rare gems from Belgium, Germany and the USA. There’s live music from local artists as well as regular spots by cutting edge music producers and DJs. Watch out for their event nights such as Mellow Mondays and Soul Supper.
www.carlowbrewing.com

THE TOWNHOUSE BAR

An absolute staple in the Galway social scene, the Townhouse Bar is an establishment that Hot Press readers already know and love, as well as a future favoured haunt for visitors and newcomers to the city. Along with fantastic live music – The Vincent(s) on September 7 are among the upcoming ‘must sees’ – the hostelry also does a sterling job on the beer front: they've got a mouth-watering menu of brews from all over the world to sate your thirsts.
Blue Moon, Brooklyn Lager, Delirium, Kwak, Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, Goose Island, Leffe, Brew Dog and Nogne lead the international charge, with Metalman, Trouble Brewing, 8 Degrees, Dungarvan Brewing Company, McGrath’s and The Porterhouse all flying the flag for Ireland.
As you’ll see on page 75, they’re evangelical about their brews – the Plato quote says it all! – with the €10 taster trays a brilliant way to sample half-pints of four different beers. The Townhouse’s pub grub is also top notch and their wings, ribs, mussels, jumbo sausages, calamari, beer battered onion rings, wild leaf salads and more won't wilt your wallet.
The Townhouse Bar is a must visit if you are in the western capital...
www.townhousebar.ie

J.W. SWEETMAN
Located in a magnificent building on Dublin’s Burgh Quay that dates back to 1756, J.W. Sweetman is Ireland’s only independent craft beer bar and microwbrewery.
Chief Brewer Rob Hopkins, who cut his teeth at one of New York’s most popular micros, has pushed the boundaries in terms of flavours, taste and experimentation to produce five exclusive beers – Porter, Irish Red Ale, Weiss, Pale Ale and Kolsch – that are available on tap. You can witness the alchemy first-hand, courtesy of one of their guided microbrewery cellar tours and classes.
Customers can enjoy a range of craft beer-infused cocktails, with the Sourman’s, Bitterman’s, Fruity Sweetman’s, Redman’s and Portman’s all on the ‘recommended’ list.
J.W. Sweetman also tickles tastebuds with its specially created Bar Bites and Knife & Fork food pairing menus, and stocks an exciting range of bottled craft beers from around the world.
Not sure what to buy the artisan beer nut in your life? J.W. Sweetman has custom made ‘Growlers’ available for €25, which can store up to four pints of your favourite tipple.
To celebrate this year’s Irish Craft Beer & Cider Festival, they’ve teamed up with the Carlow Brewing Company to produce a very special collaborative beer that will be available both in the RDS and back at Burgh Quay, Dublin 2 base. Enjoy!
www.jwsweetman.com

TELLING WHISKEY CO. - Reviving the Independent Spirit Of Ireland!

To celebrate the launch of Teeling Whiskey’s 21-year old Single Malt Vintage Reserve, we’re offering a lucky Hot Press reader the chance to win one of these exclusive limited-edition bottles. See hotpress.com for details.
The Teeling Whiskey Co. was founded by Jack Teeling in 2012 and aims to be Ireland’s leading independent producer, driving category choice and innovation through a selection of unique handcrafted small batch Irish whiskeys. The Teeling portfolio of brands includes a Premium Poitin bottling released in December 2012 and Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey, which consists of rum-aged Irish whiskey released in February 2013.
The Teeling family are more recently synonymous with Cooley Distillery, which when established in 1987 was the first Irish whiskey distillery set up in Ireland in over 100 years. However the family’s whiskey heritage dates back to distilling in Dublin in 1782 and Walter Teeling who set up a distillery in the Liberties. Jack and his Sales & Marketing Director brother, Stephen, continue the Teeling entrepreneurial spirit and while initially starting out as an independent bottler aim to get back into the distilling game to ensure a constant supply of Irish whiskey.
www.teelingwhiskey.com
www.facebook.com/teelingwhiskeycompany