O'Hara's Hop Adventure Series: Sorachi Ace

Hi everyone, it’s been a long time since my last post and I apologise for the large gap in time.

Things have been really busy, however we are now back. Some exciting progress is being made in relation to the new launch of the GenuineBeerBlog.com , which will hopefully be up and running in the next few months.

 

Now I mentioned we were back and back with a great new beer to the market.

O’Hara’s have launched a new beer that focuses on a single hop variety. They have called this the Hop Adventures Series, with the hop of choice this time around being the ‘Sorachi Ace’ from Japan. This hop variety originates from Hokkaido, Japan making it very unique in comparison to other hops that are used more mainstream in most western beer varieties.

The amount of speciality malts used in this beer were reduced in an effort for the hop aroma and flavour to take centre stage and be at the forefront of this beer. This light golden beer has a strong lemongrass aroma, giving it that citrus feel. There is also a subtle coconut aroma that develops over time.

The flavour of this beer is something very unique, with every mouthful of this beer a new, intriguing flavour develops, being built upon every time you take a gulp. There are strong zesty notes of lemongrass, which take centre stage until the subtle coconut comes in, along with some herbal notes, such as coriander.

This is a really light beer, that you can take your time drinking as its really is something different and special. There are good levels of bitterness without being overpowering and has a nice dry finish.

I was really surprised at the flavour of this beer as it was so different to the other varieties of beer that O’Hara’s have on offer. I am a big fan of other O’Hara’s beers, however this one really is in a different category all together, in relation to its flavour profile. The light, crisp nature of this beer makes it perfect for the hot summer months, to be enjoyed out in the sun with a BBQ, perfect with chicken or salmon dishes.

On the whole I was really impressed with this new Hop Adventure Series, and an adventure you really will get. I look forward to the next in the series, if this one is anything to go by, we are in for a real treat.

The O’Hara’s Hop Adventure Series ‘Sorachi Ace’ comes in at 5% ABV and is currently available in select bars, independent off-licences and retailers now and has an RRP of €2.99 per bottle.

I encourage you all to go out there and try something different

 

 

*Gifted Item

  

Continue Reading...

An Absolut Success !!!

Wednesday 30th of October at the Mabos Art Space in Hanover Quay, Dublin, saw the launch of Absolut Originality.  Absoult Originality is an exhibition combining four different disciplines into one exceptional piece. The idea behind this was to use this creativity from four different discipline areas and combine them to create a stunning, new design for a limited edition bottle of Absolut Vodka. The four discipline areas and their designers are as follows:


Fashion: Danielle Romeril
Light Project: Brian Kenny
Film: Jamie Delaney
Illustration: Chrissie Abbott

The combination of all of these guys imaginations brought one truly fantastic exhibition, the new bottle takes inspiration from the dress designed by Danielle Romeril (Left). There was also a fantastic video section to the exhibition which brought together the work of Brian Kenny, Jamie Delaney & Chrissie Abbott. This was a fantastic video that showcased the dress designed by Danielle but also had this great free flowing feel to it. The video really captured the uniqueness of the dress itself and in turn the new design for the Absolut Limited Edition Bottle.

Another great piece at the event was a new interactive exhibition that allowed the user to design their own dress based on the original from Danielle, but give it their own unique twist. This piece allowed people to alter and create a new design with just the movement of their hand. This allowed people to be as artistic as they felt they could be and gave a huge selection of fantastic original art pieces.









This was a fantastic event to be invited to and I have to thank Absolut for the chance to be involved and attend the launch of this fantastic exhibition, it was a great night enjoyed by everyone in attendance. There was a great buzz in the room, with live music being played and people having a chat about the different elements of Absolut Originality.


The new limited edition bottle is on sale in selected retailers and there are only a limited number of them, so if you want one you need to get out there quick and buy one, they are really great looking bottles.

Why not check out the Absolut Originality Website below for a bit more information, as well as some fantastic Absolut Vodka Recipes to try out on all of your friends and family.

http://www.absolut.com/ie/Originality/

Shane

The Genuine Beer Blog

@GenuineBeerBlog, Facebook & Google+ 

Continue Reading...

Places You Must Visit - Feature Post : Bull & Castle

Hey everyone.
Today's post is the start of a new collection of posts that will be a regular feature of The Genuine Beer Blog; looking at great pubs, bars & restaurants that serve high quality beer and great food, throughout Ireland. Today's post kick starting this new feature is a fantastic Pub/Restaurant set in the heart of Dublin; today we are looking at the Bull & Castle in Dublin's Christchurch, Dublin 8.

Bull & Castle

5-7 Lord Edward Street,

Christchurch,

Dublin 8

http://bull-and-castle.fxbuckley.ie

The Bull & Castle is a fantastic pub that stocks a huge variety of craft beers from not only Ireland, but all over the world; it also has a reputation for absolutely outstanding food. This outstanding food all comes down to the history of F.X Buckley; one of the longest running butchers in Dublin. Francis Xavier Buckley opened his first butchers back in 1930 on Dublin's Moore street, which has since become a well known cornerstone in Dublin. This prestigious butchers provides the best quality meat to all of their steakhouses around Dublin, which can be experienced in the Bull & Castle. This great meat comes down to the hanging process that is used and also to the knowledge and great breeds of cattle that are used to produce their top quality meat. The knowledge of their meat is also evident when it comes to the cooking process; where you will be given the chance to have your steak prepared however you like it, from blue to well done; not to mention a huge selection of steaks available.

This therefore sets you up for a great meal that can only be accompanied with fantastic beer; this is something that the Bull & Castle has heaps of.
The Bull and Castle prides itself in offering its customers a huge variety of beer and other alcoholic beverages from all over Ireland and the rest of the world. The Bull and Castle provide a huge selection of craft beers; gently persuading its customers to try something different from the main stream beer that is out there. If you have an open mind about beer and are up for trying some fantastic craft beer then you really should give the Bull and Castle your attention. There is a vast menu of beer to choose from which people may find overwhelming and not really know where to start. This is not a problem as the great staff at the Bull and Castle will help you to find a beer that will suit your taste, asking which style of beer you like and what flavours your enjoy; matching a beer to that taste. You are also able to get a tasting tray, where you can try either 4 beers (small tray), or 8 beers (ultimate tray). This gives you the opportunity to try a huge selection of different craft beers from all over, its a fantastic opportunity. The Bull and Castle has beers ranging from Ireland to America, from Scotland to Germany and from England to Belgium, you will definitely find a beer that you will enjoy that you may not have tried before.

If beer isn't your thing, not to worry as they also offer a fantastic range of Wines, Ciders and Spirits; something for everyone; there is also a cocktail menu to help get your evening started.

I really cannot highlight enough what a fantastic establishment the Bull and Castle is; it really will not leave you disappointed in the slightest. I would highly recommend giving the Bull and Castle a try, if not for the great selection of alcoholic beverages available; but for the fantastic steak house menu or even the finger licking good bar menu upstairs.

Overall I would give the Bull and Castle a rating of

for fantastic food and a huge, amazing selection of Craft Beer; a real must visit Pub.

If you are a pub/restaurant interested in The Genuine Beer Blog doing a feature post on you; or if you have any suggestions of must try places, please drop me an email at shaneraiseurglass@gmail.com.

Shane

Continue Reading...

Kinsale Brings a Brand New Craft Brewery to Town :D

Hey everyone, today's post is a really exciting review of a brand new Craft Brewery from Kinsale, Co. Cork, Ireland. Hope you all Enjoy :D

The Blacks Kinsale Craft Brewery
From Humble beginnings comes a fantastic new brewing company down in Kinsale Co. Cork. Like most of us avid beer drinkers and brewers there is always a dream to produce and supply the public with your own beer, for the Blacks Kinsale Craft Brewery this is no longer a dream. This new brewing company started off with a little brewing time in another fantastic brewers headquarters down in Cork,  the Eight Degrees brewery. This gave the guys a chance to start making their first beer, their Pale Ale, which allowed them to get their new beer out to the public as quick as possible. This brewing time acted as a great learning tool for the guys and allowed them to really harness in and perfect that first beer that would be presented to the public. 

As with us all there was deliberation as to whether to start off with a safe Pale Ale or to really push the boundries and make a beer that they love and one that they would want to drink, so this is what they did. They put aside all the boring, plain, pale ales that are out there and really started to work on a recipe that would wow all of its drinkers. This Pale Ale has a great balance of Citra and Cascade hops bringing a whole new dimension to the beer. Several batches of this beer where made in order to really bring a brand new, quality Pale Ale to the public and boy have they made an impression. 

This is what the guys over at the Blacks Kinsale Craft Brewery had to say about their Pale Ale:
"This beer is mostly about the hops but there is some nice biscuit like character in there as well. Being based in Kinsale we also wanted to make a beer that could be paired well with food, and give local restaurants a gourmet beer option for their menu's. The beer works really well with seafood as well as going great with spicy food and anything from the BBQ.  I think the profile and bitterness level is spot on for a Pale Ale but we look forward to bringing in more bittering and hops in our IPA series." 

I was lucky enough to give this Pale Ale a try and I can't tell you how blown away I was with it, it is absolutely fantastic. Here is a full beer review really giving you all an idea of the true character of the Blacks Kinsale Craft Brewery's Pale Ale.

Beer Name:
Pale Ale

Brewery:
Blacks Kinsale Craft Brewery

Alcoholic Percentage:

5.0% Vol

Measure:

330ml

Taste:

Strong Hops, Smooth, Slight Sweetness, Bitter After Taste

Colour:

Deep Orange

Odour:

Strong Hops, Slight Citrus, Slight Tropical fruits

General Thoughts:

The Blacks Kinsale Craft Brewery Pale Ale is a great, full bodied Pale Ale, which packs a real hops punch, which I love. There is a bitterness that comes from the two hop varieties used in the beer, Citra and Cascade, this gives the beer a real moreish quality, making you want to keep going back for more and more. The Blacks Kinsale Craft Brewery Pale Ale is a real easy drinking beer, smooth and full of well rounded flavours, ranging from slight tropical fruit notes, to citrus notes, all the way through to the mouth watering grapefruit flavours. There is a slight bitter after taste which helps keep the drinker interested. There is little to medium carbonation in this beer, making it nice and refreshing, perfect for those summer nights and days, drinking in the sun while cracking out the BBQ. This beer really blew me away, for a breweries first attempts at a mass produced craft beer, this just knocks you for six. I was absolutely amazed by it and really cannot wait to get out to the shops and get myself a crate of this fantastic beer. If a brewing company can make a beer like this on their first attempt then I am really excited about what the future has in store for the Blacks Kinsale Craft Brewery and what other new beers will be coming our way in the future. I know one thing, I cannot wait to get my hands on them. All in all a fantastic start to the Blacks Kinsale Craft Brewery's beers, not only making a great beer, but one that is truly different and memorable.

Some Important Information:
The official launch of the Blacks Kinsale Craft Brewery Pale Ale is Friday 28^th June in The folk house in Kinsale. Many local pubs and restaurants are stocking the beer so far and they hope to have it in most places by the end of June.

They will also be rolling out the Pale Ale to other Cork Venues and Dublin Venues in the next couple of months, more on this will be available in the coming weeks.

Shane

Continue Reading...

Stout: The Origins and Beyond !!!

Hey Everyone, it's Saturday and I thought I would do a post similar to last week but looking at a different style of beer. So I will give a little bit of history behind a beer style and then give a comparison between two beers in that style.

So the beer style that I have decided to look at today is:

Stout

There are many different varieties of stout out there, ranging from a Dry stout to a Milk stout, From an Imperial Stout to a Chocolate stout, to name just a few. There is a lot of debate in the beer world as to where stout or more the term stout comes from. So on that note lets take a look at the history of this beer style and where it all began.

A Brief History:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CHrKKDU9290/
TR8RvX6sO_I/AAAAAAAAHrE/FJgz_
ZkMgFw/s1600/Whitbread_London_Stout.jpg

In the early 1720's London, United Kingdom was well on its way making lots of beer, its most popular at the time was it Porter, a beer that was extremely popular with the people working the ports of London. This beer was a dark brown in colour and was enjoyed by so many due to its high alcohol content. The beer was so popular that large volumes of it were being shipped over to Ireland, in time Ireland started to brew their own porters. The iconic colour of the porter comes from the roasted malt or barley that is used in the brewing process, giving it a rich dark, black colour. The use of the word "stout" is something that causes a lot of debate with the beer community. The original meaning of the word "Stout" was "proud" or "brave", this was further developed over time to mean "Strong", it is this version of the meaning that applies to the beer. Porters ranged in strength and it was this range that was so appealing to all, not to mention it was able to last a lot longer without going off and the longer it was left the stronger it would get. The stronger versions of porter started to get the name "Stout Porter", however some breweries decided to remove the porter name completely and just use the "stout" name. One example of this is Guinness, Ireland, they were making ales for many years, but it is their porter that is just known as "stout".

http://www.guinness.com/en-ie/img/promo-alt.jpg

There are many different versions of stouts as mentioned above, these ranging from Milk stouts to Chocolate stouts, Dry stouts to Coffee stouts, Oatmeal stouts to Imperial stouts. Each style of stout has its own flavours and characteristics, all of which you should get out and try. There is also oyster stout. It was very common for pubs and bars to serve oysters with stout at the time, however some breweries did take to using oysters in the brewing process, this would give a distinct flavour to the beer. This isn't the case with all oyster stouts though, some breweries just use the name oyster as they feel that their stout would work well with oysters. This just shows the diversity of the Stout.

Comparison:

Celebration Stout, The Porterhouse

This is a really nice beer, smooth, bitter, roasted malt flavours. This is a strong beer coming in at 7% ABV, however very well balanced with just a slight alcohol edge to it. Rich and indulgent, a beer to enjoy as the name states, for a celebration. 




Black Chocolate Stout, Brooklyn Brewing Company

This is an exceptional beer, rich, smooth and with deep, full flavours. There is a real flavour of chocolate to this beer, with a really smooth texture to it. This beer is very strong at 10% ABV, however the balance to this beer is extraordinary, it is so well balanced you would never feel it was that strong. This is a beer that should be enjoyed slowly, with its warming, moreish quality.


(For the full beer reviews, just click on the names above)

My Thoughts:
Stouts offer such diversity to its drinkers, which means that if your not a huge fan of a dry stout, why not try something slightly sweeter, like a Milk Stout or a Chocolate Stout, or if you like a really strong, deep flavoured stout, why not try an Imperial Stout. I feel that due to its diversity it is a beer style that can appeal to such a wide audience of beer drinkers, making it a beer style that is popular with many.

I think that people should get out there and try as many different stouts and porters as they can, as there are so many different varieties and you will end up finding your favourite. I would highly recommend the Black Chocolate stout by the Brooklyn Brewing Company above, this beer isn't available all year round, so you should stock up when it is available as it is just to die for.

I would love to hear from you all and you feelings on Stouts Tell us what your favourite style of stout is and feel free to suggest some stouts that are out there that you feel deserve a review on the blog. Leave you comments in the comments box below.

Hope you all enjoy the post, and most of all try the diverse stouts out there and enjoy your weekends and beers !!!

Shane

Continue Reading...

Sunburnt Irish Red - Happy Australia Day !!!

Hey Everyone, Happy Australia Day, I didn't have a chance to go and grab a great Australian Beer for today (to which there are a few), however today's beer review is a great beer and one that you can enjoy all the same on Australia Day, Hope you Enjoy !!!

Beer Name:
Sunburnt Irish Red

Brewery:
Eight Degrees

Brewed and Bottled:
Eight Degrees Brewing
Company LTD,
Dublin Road,
Mitchelstown,
Ireland

Alcoholic Percentage:

5.0% Vol

Measure:

330ml

Taste:

Strong Hops, Slight Citrus, Refreshing, Deep, Full Flavoured

Colour:

Light Brown, Slight Cloudiness, Red Tint

Odour:

Slight Hops, Slight Citrus

General Thoughts:

Sunburnt Irish Red is a great tasting beer, with its deep, full flavour. There is a strong hops flavour to this beer, with a slight hint of citrus coming from the hops varieties that have been used in the beer. This slight citrus note gives this beer a great, refreshing feel and flavour which makes it a pleasure to drink. This beer really packs a punch in flavour, more so than I was expecting from an Irish Red beer, the flavours are deep and well rounded, not overly bitter or overly sweet, but delivers a perfectly balanced, well rounded beer. Sunburnt Irish Red also has a moreish quality to it making you want another as soon as you have finished the one in your hand. This to me is a great quality in a beer, this beer has little carbonation, which means that you don't get overly bloated on it and can enjoy one after another. This is a great, well balanced, full flavoured beer, that can be enjoyed at any time of the year, be it in the cold winter months when your looking for something deep and full of flavour, or the summer months when your looking for something refreshing in the hot sun. I was really impressed with this beer and would highly recommend giving it a try. Another great tasting beer from the Eight Degrees Brewery. 

Price:

€1.99 (Based on Average)

Shane

Continue Reading...

Tom Crean's Fresh Irish Lager !!!

Hey Everyone, So tonight's beer review is from the lovely Dingle in Co.Kerry, I really hope you all enjoy as Dingle holds a place in my heart :) !!!

Beer Name:
Tom Crean's Fresh Irish Lager

Brewery:

Dingle Brewing Company

Brewed and Bottled:
Dingle Brewing Company,
Dingle,
Co. Kerry,
Ireland






Alcoholic Percentage:

4.2% Vol

Measure:

330ml

Taste:

Slight Bitterness, Crisp, Refreshing, Smooth

Colour:

Amber / Golden

Odour:

Very Slight Hops

General Thoughts:

Tom Crean's Fresh Irish Lager is a really light, refreshing beer, with an all round crispness to it. This beer is very clean on the palette and leaves you with a nice refreshed feeling. This is a very enjoyable lager and it holds a place in my heart coming from the Dingle brewing company, from such a lovely part of the world. This beer doesn't pack a huge punch in flavour, however it is everything that you would expect from a lager and is full of flavour for a lager. Tom Crean's Fresh Irish Lager has a very subtle flavour and is not overly strong in alcohol taste. This is a respectable beer coming in at 4.2% ABV, which doesn't let you down in flavour or an overall experience. This is a mellow beer, with little carbonation. On the whole this beer is a very enjoyable beer,that provides a fresh, crisp taste, that makes you want to keep drinking it. This beer provides so much more than other main stream lagers would provide, this beer stands above other lagers and this is another reason why I would pick this beer over main stream lagers. On the whole this is a great, refreshing beer, that I would recommend to everyone.

Price:

€2.50 - €3.50 (Based on Average Price)

Shane

Continue Reading...

Lets Create A Beer Blog Community !!!

Hey everyone, so its 2013 and today I have taken inspiration from my girlfriends blog post, I thought it would be a great idea to try and get you all involved a little more in the blog, but more importantly to introduce a way for you all to share your blogs and get a community going. So in order to do this all you need to do is follow the instructions below, its very simple:

1) Click on the Button ("Add Your Link")
2) Add in your Blogs Details
3) Then Click on OK

Once you have filled in the details required, it will add your blog onto the post, allowing other people to come along and click on your blog and check it out. You can also become a follower of the Genuine Beer Blog by clicking the Button on the right hand sidebar.

It would be really good if we could get as many Beer Bloggers or any bloggers that would like to be apart of this on here adding their blogs and then if we get a good showing I will integrate these onto the blog permanently. I think this would be a great way to get a community going, but also to keep up to date with each others blogs.

Please feel free to get involved and leave any feedback or comments in the comments box below,

Happy New Year Everyone !!!

Shane

Continue Reading...

Barefoot Bohemian !!!

Hey Everyone, so today is the first post of 2013, This will be the first of many this year and hope that the genuine beer blog continues to provide all of the readers with an interesting, interactive blog, with a view to continue to blossom over 2013. Thanks again to all of the readers of the Genuine Beer Blog :) !!!

Beer Name:
Barefoot Bohemian 

Brewery:

Eight Degrees Brewery

Brewed and Bottled:
Eight Degrees Brewing
Company LTD,
Dublin Road,
Mitchelstown,
Ireland




Alcoholic Percentage:

4.0% Vol

Measure:

330ml

Taste:

Light, Refreshing, Hops, Slight Bitterness, Sweetness

Colour:

Light Orange / Amber, Slight Cloudiness

Odour:

Very Slight Hops, Slight Sweetness

General Thoughts:

Barefoot Bohemian is a very interesting beer, with is really light characteristics. This is a really refreshing, smooth beer that is really delicate in flavour. There is little carbonation to this beer, but an overall well balanced flavour. There is a slight bitterness to this beer from the hops, however not very strong compared to more hop heavy beers, there is also a slight sweetness to this beer, which really helps to balance out the beer and also to balance that bitterness from the hops, creating a nice flavour, delicate beer. Barefoot Bohemian also has a citrus quality to it, there is a underlying flavour of lemon which I find makes the beer really refreshing. This is a beer that you could keep going back to for more and more as it is so light and refreshing. This beer was really different to what I was expecting, I wasn't expecting this beer to really stand out in any way, however I should have known better coming from the Eight Degrees Brewery. On the whole this is a really nice beer, light in flavour, with a real refreshing, citrus feel to it. I would definitely recommend this beer. Another great beer from the Eight Degrees Brewery. 

Price:

€2.00 - €3.00 (Based on Average Price)

Shane

Continue Reading...