All the fancy stuff

You might be thinking of getting a few posh beers for the upcoming Christmas break. Here's some of what the high end looks like in Ireland 2020.

A collaboration starts us off: Brú and DOT got together to create Legna Dearg, a Bretted rye ale aged in Amarone and American oak barrels. On a day I was feeling flush, a 375ml bottle set me back €14. It's a muddy red-brown in the glass and there's bags of barnyard in the aroma, as well as the classy balsamic vinegar effect you get in Flanders red. So far, so Belgian. There must have been a fair amount of wine left in the barrel when the beer went in because there's a serious grape ale characteristic from the start: downright juicy. All the funk follows, offering a pleasant contrast to the fruit, and there's a lambic-like waxy bitterness in the finish. A smack of sweet red grape kisses you goodbye. Where I'd ding this is the weight: it's 8.2% ABV and thick with it, so it lacks that clean briskness of Flanders red. Still, this is very enjoyable sipping, and the effort that went in to creating it pays off. I'd say it needs some further ageing to clean it up properly.

The Porterhouse has been calling its various imperial stouts "Celebration" since 2006. They've abandoned the convention this year in favour of Around the Clock. The name alludes to how this 12%-er was brewed for 24 hours before ageing 180 days in ex- sherry and bourbon whiskey barrels from Porterhouse's sister distillery, Dingle. It smells very spirituous, though not of whiskey -- something richer; rum, perhaps. There's a bite of bitter liquorice too. Richness follows into the flavour, and I can't shake that rummy sensation, now with added raisin, chocolate, black cherry and vanilla. I went into this expecting something hot and serious but it's a fun dessert, though a very classy one at that. Strictly no silliness or syrups. Of course stout is what the Porterhouse excels at. Those chops have been very much earned over almost a quarter of a century with the same guy at the helm, but this is some of their best work, and at under the €6 mark is genuinely good value.

We conclude with this year's large-format bottle from Rye River, a bourbon barrel quadrupel of 13% ABV and €20 called The Herd. I confess I expected this to be several headaches lined up in a glass, but while it meets the description perfectly, it's smooth and balanced without a trace of harshness. There's the luscious warming raisin of an Oloroso sherry plus honey and fruitcake notes like a pot-stilled whiskey. And yes, the alcohol is that pronounced, but it's also integrated into the flavour, not an add-on as it can sometimes seem with strong and barrel-aged beers. Although it's sweet, there's a herbal, aniseed bitterness which emerges as it warms and helps balance things. At various stages, easing my way through the bottle, I also got dark chocolate, cherry jam and coconut. I should mention the beautiful clear ruby colour too, like a glass of fine port. This is a pure class act and perfect winter sipping, not just for the beer world's extremophiles.

There's rarely a shortage of fancy spendy beers on the shelves in Ireland, though finding a local one can be tough. All three of these are worthy of a place among the best of international.