Irish Red

Hey Everyone, It's Friday YAY!!!! so to kick off the weekend here is another great Irish Beer review, Hope you all enjoy : ) !!!

Beer Name:
Irish Red

Brewery:

O'Hara's

Brewed and Bottled:
Carlow Brewing Company,
Bagenalstown, 
Co. Carlow, 
Ireland






Alcoholic Percentage:

4.3% Vol

Measure:

500ml

Taste:

Bitter, Hops, Caramel, Bitter After Taste, Full Flavoured

Colour:

Dark Brown, Red Shade

Odour:

Caramel

General Thoughts:

Irish Red is another great beer from the O'Hara's brewery based in Co. Carlow, Ireland. This is a great, full flavoured beer with a strong hop taste. This beer also has a slight sweetness and a slight hint of caramel. This beer also leaves a bitter after taste with a quality that makes you crave the next mouthful. Irish Red will not disappoint in the flavour department, it is a deep full flavoured beer, nice and smooth texture. This beer also has that warming quality that is so important in a deep full flavoured beer, this is also a nice quality in the cold winter months. I would highly recommend this beer, it is one of the best Red Beers that I have had and the O'Hara's brewery never lets me down. O'Hara's have done another great job on a another great beer.

Price:

€1.79 (Based on Average Price)

Shane

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Mocha Porter

Hey Guys and Girls, today's beer review is a cracking beer, prefect for the Winter months, Hope you all Enjoy !!!

Beer Name:
Mocha Porter

Brewery:

Rogue

Brewed and Bottled:
Oregon Brewing Company
Newport
Oregon 97365
USA






Alcoholic Percentage:

5.3% Vol

Measure:

355ml

Taste:

Coffee, Chocolate, Bitter, Smooth, Slight Bitter After Taste

Colour:

Dark Brown / Black

Odour:

Slight Coffee, Slight Malt

General Thoughts:

Mocha Porter is a brilliant beer, deep, full flavours. This is has a rich, roasted malt flavour to it. There is also a slight caramel taste, which helps to balance the deep bitterness of the beer. At first you get a slight taste of coffee which then develops into a full chocolate coffee mix. This then develops on the tongue to leave a great, full deep after taste. Mocha Porter is also a very refreshing beer, that has a moreish quality to it that makes you just want to keep going back for more and more. This beer also has a warming quality to it which is perfect for the Winter months that are upon us. This beer is not overpowering in alcoholic taste at all and is well balanced. On the whole Mocha Porter from the Rogue beer collection is a fantastic beer, with real deep flavours. I would highly recommend this beer as a great winter warmer. 

Price:

€3 - €4 (Average Price, Probus Wines & Spirits 23/11/12)

Shane

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Copper Coast

Hey Everyone, There is a new special Xmas feature on the way so keep your eyes peeled for that, Updates to follow. So back to today's post. Today I have gone for an Irish brewery, hope you enjoy : ) !!!

Beer Name:
Copper Coast

Brewery:

Dungarvan Brewing Company

Brewed and Bottled:
Dungarvan Brewing Company,
Dungarvan,
Co. Waterford.
Ireland







Alcoholic Percentage:

4.3% Vol

Measure:

500ml

Taste:

Malt, Bitter, Smooth, Refreshing, Bitter After Taste, Slight Fruitiness, Slight Yeast. 

Colour:

Red Hint, Light Brown, Slight Cloudiness

Odour:

Strong Malt

General Thoughts:

Copper Coast is a great, pleasant, nice refreshing beer, that is smooth in taste. This beer has a strong malt taste to it, with a slight fruity taste that develops the more time the beer has to air. Copper Coast is a bottle conditioned beer, this is why you end up with a cloudy colouring to the beer and a slight sediment at the bottom of the bottle and glass when you pour. This also means the beer will develop more in the bottle, which as previously stated increases the more time the beer has to air. This is a moreish beer that makes you just want to keep going back for more. The overall flavour of the beer is quite mellow and subtle, however it coats the mouth well and leaves a slight bitter after taste that makes you want more and more of this beer. Copper Coast is a really nice, refreshing beer that I would recommend highly. It is a good red beer and can compete well with other red beers that are out there. This is another great example of a small Irish Brewery making a great beer that can be enjoyed by all. 

Price:

€2 - €4 (Average Price, Probus Wines & Spirits 23/11/12)

Shane

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Rebel Red

Hey Guys and Girls, hope your all doing well and enjoying the blog. Today I have gone for an Irish Brewery. Hope you all enjoy :) !!!

Beer Name:
Rebel Red

Brewery:

Franciscan Well Brewery

Brewed and Bottled:
Franciscan Well Brewery
Cork City,
Cork,
Ireland

Alcoholic Percentage:

4.3% Vol

Measure:

500ml

Taste:

Slight Bitter, Slight Hops, Smooth, Refreshing, Crisp

Colour:

Red Hint, Light Brown

Odour:

Slight Malt, Slight Hops

General Thoughts:

Rebel Red is a nice crisp beer, smooth in texture. This beer starts of with a slight sweetness and then goes into a little bitterness, characteristically of the hops in the beer. This is also a nice refreshing beer. Rebel Red is a mellow tasting beer, with subtle flavours, rather than a full flavoured beer that really packs a punch. The overall flavour of this beer is great but not as full flavoured as other Red beers that I have tried in the past. I am as I have said before, someone that looks for a beer with rich, deep, full flavours that make you want to dive back into them, unfortunately this doesn't do that for me. However I do want to make it clear this is a nice beer, its not a bad beer at all, in fact it would be perfect for someone that isn't a huge fan of Hops. On the whole I think that Rebel Red is a nice, mellow, subtle flavoured beer, that you will find refreshing and crisp.  

Price:

€3 - €4 (Average Price, Probus Wines & Spirits 23/11/12)

Shane

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Mac's Hop Rocker Pilsener

Hey Everyone, hope your all enjoying the latest reviews that have been on offer, a varied selection. Also please don't forget to check out this weeks Friday Favourite here. Well on to today's review, hope you all enjoy :)

Beer Name:
Mac's Hop Rocker Pilsener

Brewery:

Mac's

Brewed and Bottled:
111 Carlton Gore Road
Newmarket,
Auckland,
New Zealand

Alcoholic Percentage:

5.0% Vol

Measure:

330ml

Taste:

Hops, Clean, Refreshing, Slight Citrus, Smooth, Slight Bitter After Taste

Colour:

Pale Orange / Yellow

Odour:

Slight Hops

General Thoughts:

Mac's Hop Rocker Pilsener is a very nice, refreshing beer, really pleasing taste. The first thing you get is this slight citrus notes from the hops that are used in this beer giving it its classic Pilsener taste. This is also a very smooth beer, not overly carbonated, but the most memorable thing about this beer is just how refreshing it is. It leaves you mouth with a feeling of all around refreshment which is a great characteristic in a beer. This is a really enjoyable, mellow beer that you would love to have sat there in the sun, sipping away. You would also have no problem going back for one after the next. I was hoping for this beer to pack a little more punch in terms of Hops. I do prefer a Pilsener to have that light, mellow feel but also to pack a punch with deep hops bitterness and flavour. On that note this beer is a little disappointing, however on the whole I was very happy to sit and drink this beer and would recommend this as a good starting point for someone that isn't used to the big powerful hoppy beers. All in all a great, light, mellow refreshing beer. 

Price:

€3.50 (Probus Wines & Spirits 23/11/12)

Shane

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Anchor Steam Beer

Hey Everyone, so today the beer that I am reviewing is a beer all the way from California, Hope you all enjoy !!! 

Beer Name:
Anchor Steam Beer

Brewery:

Anchor Brewing Company

Brewed and Bottled:
Anchor Brewing Company
San Francisco
California,
USA

Alcoholic Percentage:

4.8% Vol

Measure:

355ml

Taste:

Light, Smooth, Slight Sweetness, Slight Bitter After Taste, Refreshing

Colour:

Amber, Dark Orange

Odour:

Slight Hops

General Thoughts:

Anchor Steam Beer is a light, refreshing beer, which has a larger like quality to it. It is a very smooth beer, with little carbonation, just enough to give it that light larger feel. The first taste you get from this beer is a slight sweetness, which is then followed by a slight bitterness on the side of your tongue. This is very mellow and not overpowering in the slightest. The only thing for me is that this beer doesn't really stand out from the crowd. It is a nice beer, however it doesn't have any outstanding flavour that makes it memorable, which is a shame. On the whole a nice refreshing beer that would be enjoyable on a hot summers day, however if your looking for something that packs a real punch this isn't going to be for you. 

Price:

€2.00 - €4.00 (based on an average price)

Shane

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Yellow Snow IPA

Hey Everyone, so its Friday which is GREAT NEWS!!! This can mean only one thing, good beer and reviews to go with them. So tonight's beer review is on a beer from the USA. Hope you all enjoy : ) !!!

Beer Name:
Yellow Snow IPA

Brewery:

Rogue

Brewed and Bottled:
Oregon Brewing Company
Newport
Oregon 97365
USA

Alcoholic Percentage:

5.8% Vol

Measure:

355ml

Taste:

Bitter, Smooth, Citrus, Refreshing, Really Bitter After Taste, Metallic Quality

Colour:

Slightly Cloudy, Light Orange / Yellow

Odour:

Slight Hops, Slight Citrus

General Thoughts:

Yellow Snow IPA is a really interesting beer. This beer starts off with a slightly sweet taste with a hint of citrus, which then moves quickly to a bitter taste that fills your mouth and gets the taste buds on the side of your tongue going. Finally this beer ends with a metallic after taste. This is a refreshing beer, smooth in texture with very little carbonation. There is one thing about this beer that I don't enjoy and that is the Metallic after taste. I am very keen on beers that are bitter on the after taste as it leaves you wanting more, however this beer leaves a kind of metal taste that to me is unpleasant. Apart from this negative I think this is a nice flavoured beer, with a refreshing pleasant start, which ends on the metallic notes. In terms of IPA's it isn't one of my favourites, but on the whole a nice beer.

Price:

€2.00 - €4.00 (based on an average price) Bought in Probus Off Licence on the 23/11/12.

Shane

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Southwold Bitter

Hey Guys and Girls, apologies for no post yesterday I was at the Keane concert, where I did go on to have a couple of pints of Hop Head from the Porterhouse, you can see my previous review here. Hope you enjoy :) !!!

Beer Name:
Southwold Bitter

Brewery:

Adnams

Brewed and Bottled:
Adnams,
Southwold,
Suffolk,
United Kingdom

Alcoholic Percentage:

4.1% Vol

Measure:

500ml

Taste:

Slight Bitterness, Metallic after taste, Smooth, Refreshing and Mild

Colour:

Medium Brown

Odour:

Slight Metallic

General Thoughts:

Southwold Bitter is a nice mellow beer, that is refreshing and smooth. It has a slight bitterness on the after taste which is pleasant. This beer does have a slight metallic after taste which isn't a quality that I look for in a good beer. I like a nice bitterness rather than a metallic after taste. This beer isn't huge in flavour, which unfortunately means that it doesn't stand out from the crowd which is disappointing. On the plus side this beer is smooth and refreshing and would be a good beer if your looking for something smooth and mellow. This wouldn't unfortunately be for someone that likes a strong flavoured beer, with a more complex taste, however it would appeal to some. On the whole its not a bad beer and would still recommend it as a nice refreshing, smooth beer. 

Price:

€2.00 (based on an average price)

Shane

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KnockMealDown Porter

Hey everyone, Today I have decided to look at a nice small Irish brewery, Eight Degrees. Don't forget still need you all to leave your nominations for your favourite beer blogs here. The more suggestions we get in the better. Enjoy the Review :) !!!

Beer Name:
KnockMealDown Porter

Brewery:

Eight Degrees

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

Alcoholic Percentage:

5.0% Vol

Measure:

330ml

Taste:

Dry, Bitter, Coffee, Refreshing, Slight Cocoa, Smooth

Colour:

Very Dark, Black

Odour:

Slight Chocolate, Cocoa

General Thoughts:

KnockMealDown Porter is a great tasting, smooth beer. This beer is really rich and full of flavour. This deep beer has a resounding roasted coffee note, with a slight chocolate taste. This beer is not overly bitter, a very moreish beer. I think this is a great attribute in a beer as it makes you want to keep drinking it and makes it memorable. This is a great thing when your looking for a beer to go back to time and time again. This beer has a real coffee taste which is delicious. This is a very pleasurable beer, one that I would return to again. On the whole I would highly recommend this beer as its a great tasting, moreish beer, perfect for those cold winter nights that are approaching. This is another great example of a brilliant Irish brewery making a top quality product. You can tell a lot of passion goes into these beers and it really pays off. Well done to the Eight Degrees brewery :) 

Price:

€1.99 (based on an average price)

Shane

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Goose Island IPA

Hey everyone, So here is today's beer review. Today I'm looking at a beer all the way from the USA. Don't forget to leave your nominations for your favourite beer blogs here. The more suggestions we get in the better. OK so here's today's review. Enjoy : ) !!!

Beer Name:
Goose Island IPA

Brewery:

Goose Island

Brewed and Bottled:
Goose Island Beer Company
Chicago, 
Illinois,
USA 

Alcoholic Percentage:

5.9% Vol

Measure:

355ml

Taste:

Strong Hops, Really Refreshing, Citrus, Bitter, Smooth

Colour:

Amber, Light Orange

Odour:

Strong Hops

General Thoughts:

Goose Island IPA is a great, deep, full flavoured beer. Goose Island IPA is a really refreshing beer considering its strength of 5.9% ABV. This beer really doesn't taste overly alcoholic which is great, it also has a moreish quality to it, making you just want to go back and drink more of it. It is also a surprisingly light beer, not heavy in the slightest, which is another reason it is an easy drinker. Goose Island IPA has a bitter after taste and a slight taste of citrus. This is a nicely hopped beer, which gives this beer its full bodied flavour and character. I would recommend this beer to anyone that loves well hopped beers. This was a real treat to drink and I would certainly buy it again in the future. I look forward to seeing what other beers the Goose Island Brewery has to offer.

Price:

€2.80 (based on an average price)

Shane

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Tribute

Hey everyone, so Friday Favourites has now arrived and I want you all to get involved, this weeks is my beer of the week, however next weeks needs all your involvement so check it out above and nominate here. OK so today's review is going back to the lovely brewery of St. Austell.

Beer Name:
Tribute

Brewery:

St. Austell

Brewed and Bottled:
63 Trevarthian Road,
St. Austell
Cornwall,
PL25 4BY
United Kingdom

Alcoholic Percentage:

4.2% Vol

Measure:

500ml

Taste:

Bitter, Hops, Full Flavoured, Mild and Smooth

Colour:

Light Brown, Amber

Odour:

Slight Hops, Slight Citrus

General Thoughts:

Tribute is another great beer from the St. Austell Brewery. This is a very pleasant, easy drinking beer that you could drink all day long. Tribute is a full bodied beer, that is deep and full of flavour. This beer is lighter than previous beers that I have reviewed from the St. Austell brewery, it is also very smooth. This is a hoppy beer, however not over powering in anyway. On the whole a very nice, mellow, pleasant drinking beer, that would be enjoyed be many. I would highly recommend this beer as well as other St. Austell beers. St. Austell's is one of my favourite breweries and cannot praise them highly enough. Tribute is a great beer and worth every penny. This beer doesn't let the side down at all. Fantastic beer.

Price:

€2.99 (based on an average price)

Shane

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