Soft scoops

Tuesday last saw the eagerly-awaited soft opening of The Christchurch, the newest addition to the specialist beer side of Dublin's licensed trade, such as it is. The premises on High Street was Galway Bay's The Beer Market in a previous incarnation, then became the more tourist-orientated Christchurch Inn, though despite its location on the well-trodden path between the city centre and the Guinness Storehouse, doesn't seem to have become the moneyspinner that more central pubs have turned into. Now it's back in the craft game, this time under the aegis of prolific Dublin microbrewery Third Barrel. Not everything they serve is from Third Barrel, but everything new to me on day one was.

"Two More Weeks!" was a running joke about the prospective opening date, so was a fitting name for an IPA launched on the day, albeit without a printed tap badge. It professes to be in the west coast style, but wears the designation lightly. Both the hop bitterness and malt weight are less than full-on, despite the full 6% ABV. It is properly clear, however: a bright golden shade, and the hops are oily and resinous, delivering a clean herbal dankness first, before some sparks of lime and grapefruit peel. The strength becomes a little more apparent as it warms, but it's best enjoyed when cool and refreshing. Dangerously sessionable, as they say in all the best beer bars.

Reflecting the location of the pub, we also got Liberties Dublin lager. Both Guinness and Five Lamps have used their association with the neighbourhood to call beers after it, but I don't think either is currently in production, so Third Barrel can claim it now. It's 4.5% ABV, and its main job that summer evening was providing refreshment, which it did, impressively. The brewery does good lager in general, and this one was flawlessly crisp and clean, though they don't seem to have claimed any particular style for it. I would lean towards Italian pilsner, because after the initial cracker bite, there arises a floral hop note, suggesting lavender, jasmine and honeysuckle to me. As a house lager, this didn't really need to have much by way of complexity, but they've put plenty in anyway. Maybe it could get a little sickly after several pints, but I'll need to research that further.

Presumably because the red tram line runs further up the street, and continues out past the brewery in suburban Bluebell, there's a red ale called Red Line. This was on nitro which didn't do it any justice, I thought, though I'm sure there will be Kilkenny-pilled drinkers who appreciate its gloopy, gunky texture. That might not be so bad if it were as bland as Kilkenny, but there's lots going on in the flavour. It's another very floral one, this time concentrated into perfume. That contrasts with a harsh tannic dry side: stewed tea, building to an almost leathery acidity. The seasoning of peppery spice, wherever it came from, was the only lightening note, and greatly helps the drinkability. So it's fun, of a sort, but highly unorthodox. I'm not sure what the three people who still drink red ale will think of it, but I'm sure they'll tell us in due course.

Finally, Hopsicle Haus of Fionn 20.0, the latest in a series of hazy pale ales brewed at Third Barrel for Cork pubs Fionnbarra and The Bierhaus, marking two decades in business for the latter -- congratulations, Dave! It's a party animal at 6.26% ABV and hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, Citra and Mosaic. That ought to induce fireworks but I found it a little on the plain side, emphasising haze's unfortunate vanilla tendency. There's a minor bite of lime and some more engaging resinous bitterness in the aroma, and it's at least clean and appropriately soft-textured. It's unexciting, however; just another glass of lightly sweet cloudiness that fails to give its hops a suitable platform. West coast is the way, boys. I thought everyone in the trade knew that by now.

It will be nice getting more draught offerings onto these pages, and it would be nicer if The Christchurch became as destinational for the beer-loving crowd as UnderDog was. Anyway, don't take my word for it, pop along. Opening hours will be Wednesday to Sunday from 3pm, for the next, oh, two weeks at least.