Hot Flavours: Food and Drink Tips for the Fortnight

Having bid a fond ‘adieu’ to the RDS, the Irish Craft Beer Festival is pitching up on May 17 and 18 in the spectacular setting of the Dun Laoghaire Old Ferry Terminal.

There’s a pronounced rock ‘n’ roll flavour to the proceedings with Noel and Liam’s big bro Paul Gallagher and Oasis tribute band Live Forever making the Friday a Madchestertasic affair and Cronin and Bobby & The Blunts kicking out the Saturday jams.

It’s a cosmopolitan affair with Brewdog; London’s finest Anspach & Hobday; American duo Firestone Walker and Founders; Somerset’s Wild Beer Co. and Nortada from Portugal among the international guests.

Participating Irish breweries and cidermakers are – deep breath! – 12 Acres, Ballykilcavan, Blacks of Kinsale, Boyne, Hope, Killarney, Larkins, Lough Gill, O’Hara’s, Porterhouse, Priory, Rascals, Reel Deel, Rye River, The White Stag, Trouble, Wicklow Wolf, Wicklow, Craigies Irish Cider, Falling Apple, Long Meadow Cider and Toby’s Cider.
Add in local spiritual delights from Chinnery, Dingle Distillery and the aforementioned Blacks and top quality eats from the likes of Say Fish, Jane Russell Sausages and Meat Mafia and their bustling burrito tent, and it’s going to be one seriously tasty weekend.
irishcraftbeerfestival.ie/info-may.

Meanwhile, the Eatyard Wine & Cheese Festival is expanding and moving to the leafy environs of Dublin’s Iveagh Gardens from August 8-11. Among the first to sign up are Corleggy, the Cavan-based makers of the finest goats cheese we’ve ever tasted. the-eatyard.com/wine-cheese-festival.

Having wowed us for the past couple of years with their packaged lavosh flatbreads – the za-atar ones are especially tasty - Nicola Crowley and Dvir Nusery are opening a Mezze Middle Eastern café and deli on Main Street in Tramore. Expect Israeli and Palestinian treats galore.

“Smoking (meat) is good for you!” proclaim the good folk from Bison and The Workman’s Club who are bringing the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Fest to the southside of the Liffey from May 24-26. The first hundred people through the door each day will get free Bulleit cocktails and accompanying nibbles, which sounds like a good deal to us. Add in pop-up beer stalls on the rooftop, live music from the likes of Prison Love and a variety of masterclasses, and it’s a must-attend. bisonbar.ie/bbq-festival-dublin.

Galway’s hip and extremely happening Tigh Nora Gin Bar turns microdistiller with the launch of its own Nora Irish Dry Gin, which like them is named after Nora Barnacle, the celebrated poet who married James Joyce. Pot stilled using a range of botanicals including juniper, peach, rose petal and bitter orange peel, it’s exclusive to Tigh Nora and the adjoining Front Door Pub, although you’ll soon be able to take home a gift set that includes a bespoke goblet glass.

TIPPLE OF THE FORTNIGHT

We were a trifle underwhelmed by this Belfast brewing cooperative when it launched in 2014 but, boy, have they gotten good!

Their latest limited edition is a Bavarian-style pilsner, which finds them experimenting with a new lager yeast.
The result is an enticing blend of wheat, biscuit – McVitie’s have to get with the project and make a digestive beer – and banana flavours.

The 4AD-style wraparound label will endear them to hipster types who treat their beards and beers with equal seriousness.