Point-to-point

A raft of beers from DOT today, a brewer that likes to keep its trading partners on-side.

The single solo-run in the bunch is Face-Time, proposing a truce between the kettle-sour and mixed-fermentation sides of the beer world, being a dry-hopped blend of both. Though only 3.3% ABV it packs a lot of complexity in there, beginning with a strong waft of orange cordial in the aroma. The sweet citrus is more nuanced in the flavour, a tangy kick of clementine and mandarin pith. Its sour side contributes to the overall picture instead of pushing its way to the front. The same goes for the barrel ageing: white Muscat casks were employed, and I can see how they've brought the sweet juicy quality of that wine without out any booze, wood or vanilla. Though the way in which it has been constructed is fascinating, this is a beer to sit back from and enjoy the whole picture. The world of "wild" beer can put too much emphasis on the process, valued by a subset of obsessives which I'll admit to being at least adjacent to; here though, the process serves a purpose and the purpose is something delightfully tasty and refreshing.

Joël's Gold Blend is a summer counterpart to the winter coffee stout DOT makes for Blackrock Cellar. It's a pale ale brewed with white tea and aged in light-toast French white wine barrels. The tea isn't a tokenistic gimmick, it really adds character, making this a super-refreshing summer drinker. The aroma is tangy like a jug of cool fruit punch and that gets elaborated in the flavour, with a base of iced tea given a generous squeeze of fresh lemon. There's the faintest trace of oak and grape in the finish, adding a robustness to what might otherwise be a little weak and watery. At all of 4.6% ABV it's perhaps not quite as quaffable as the previous beer but it is supremely refreshing and ideally suited to summer. You have to go to Blackrock Cellar to buy it, but on a sunny day it's worth the trip.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, DOT has another special on the go for Martin's Off Licence in Fairview. Medley is an altogether bigger beast at 6.3% ABV, though self-described as an easy drinking IPA with Galaxy, Amarillo, Centennial and Citra hops. It smells fresh and peachy, with a slight tartness, though no souring or barrel-ageing is mentioned. Sure enough, it's all fruit all the way on tasting. Galaxy's satsuma juiciness gets a squeeze of lemon and grapefruit from the Citra. Though bitter, it's not piney or resinous; while the sweetness has nothing to do with the vanilla of your modern hazy jobs. And there's a total lack of heat, given the strength. This is its own thing, stylistically, and fun for all that. Galaxy has fallen out of fashion somewhat but this a reminder of how perennially worthwhile a hop it is.

The final collaborative commission for now is with DOT's symbiotic distillery, Teeling's. Phoenix Rising commemorates the fifth anniversary of Teeling's, which has also been going "since 1782", according to the can. It's a pale ale, again of modest strength at 4.1% ABV and aged in an ex-sherry pot-still whiskey barrel. A hazy yellow-orange colour, it gave me lots of clumpy bits in the bottom of the can and, latterly, the bottom of my glass. There's a pleasant white-wine aroma but the flavour is definitely whiskey, and the warm boozy honey of pot-still in particular. There's a mineral dryness balancing this, and a little juicy stonefruit. For a pale ale there isn't much hop action, but you definitely get your money's worth from the whiskey cask. This is another one to take time over: there's a lot of body and an intense taste that verges on cloying at times. I suspect it's designed more for the whiskey connoisseurs than us beer people, but if it acts as a gateway that's all to the good.

What's missing from this sequence, of course, is the beer DOT made for Bradley's of Cork. That's just a bit beyond my reach. Still, there's plenty more DOT action to come -- look out for their 4th birthday beers here soon.