Summoned to the flag

Several years ago I was browsing through the trademarks directory of the Irish Patents Office and noticed that the Dingle Brewing Company, of Tom Crean's Lager fame, had trademarked "1916 Centenary Beer" back in 2010. "That's a good idea," I thought, "thinking ahead." Almost six years later, however, Dingle Brewing has yet to produce a second beer but three other breweries have leapt on the marketing opportunity so thoughtfully provided by the lads in the GPO almost a century ago.

Brehon Brewhouse's barrel-aged special has only just been released, but you can get an impression of it in this video from the brewery. The first to actually come my way was Children of the Revolution, an IPA by Wicklow Wolf. With appropriate reverence, they've assembled an elite hop line-up, gallant allies including Amarillo, Simcoe and Columbus, all packed into a dark gold beer of 5.7% ABV. The aroma suggests that maybe they've overdone the balance a little with this: there's a lot of biscuit coming through with the zesty citrus. The first sip brings a kind of oily grapefruit essence, easing itself over the palate, aided by quite a weighty texture. From this rise piney fumes and a little bit of sweeter citrus fruit flesh, before it lapses back to a long tangily bitter finish. It's a bit of a workout to drink but I found its assertiveness quite refreshing. You deal with this beer on its own terms, and I respect that.

Before starting in on the second beer I have to say thanks to Arthurstown Brewing Company: I was having trouble locating a bottle of their Proclamation Porter and they met my request for a list of stockists with a freebie bottle. Much appreciated. I'd been especially looking forward to it because their stout was the highlight of the range they previewed late last year. I was hoping this would have something in common with that unctuous beauty. It certainly seems dense when held up to the light: barely a trace of any colour other than black. The aroma is a blend of flowers and chocolate -- think Fry's Turkish Delight -- but on tasting all is changed, changed utterly. There's a raw, old fashioned hop bitterness right at the front, reminding me a little of another patriot-inspired dark beer, Wrassler's XXXX. You get a flash of milk chocolate in the middle, but then it's back to bitterness in the finish: both the hop kind and black roast kind as well. And the texture? Surprisingly light, actually. It's probably for the best as well, good that the acid bitterness scrubs the palate and leaves quickly instead of hanging around. In fact I'm a little surprised that the ABV is as high as 5%: what it does could probably be achieved lower down the scale. All in all, a nicely complex beer and one that does take its callback to early 20th century Irish brewing seriously.

Though quite different from each other, both do have a bold, possibly even rebellious, streak to them. Brewing the marketing gimmick into the liquid is an impressive feat.

Next year's beers

Chef Kevin Dundon and Head Brewer Kieran Bird

At the beginning of November I wrote of being charmed by the King's Bay beers from Arthurstown Brewing Company. The brewery's official launch happened a few weeks later with sequential events in Wexford and Dublin hosted by the brewery's co-owner and frontman Kevin Dundon.

I learned that the King's Bay brand was created specifically for SuperValu and represents a slightly toned-down version of the Arthurstown recipes, intended for mass appeal. This was my first time tasting the beers as the brewer intended, alongside a preview of two that are still in development. The event took place in Tap House in Ranelagh, there were canapés, there was an a cappella choir, and there was also:

Dunbrody Red Ale is yet another standard Irish red. It's clear but still manages to look a little dirty and tastes of caramel in the middle, then finishes sharply dry. It's decent, though to be brutally honest I think I preferred the King's Bay Red to it -- they're both the same strength at 4.7% ABV. One for Irish red fans only, I think.

Also at the same strength is Dunbrody Pale Ale and this has a lot more to say for itself. Though the texture is a little thin and watery there's a lovely big hit of hop resins right in your face from the first sip. Not much else, mind, but that doesn't matter: there's just enough of a malt base to counteract any possible harshness and I have no objection to a one-dimensional hoppy beer as long as it tastes good. This does.

Still under starters orders and not yet on general release is Dunbrody IPA. I think the disparaging comments about this from the Arthurstown men were a little unfair. It's maybe a little lighter of body and more attenuated than many like their IPAs to be, but I thought this worked in its favour. It opens with a refreshing lemony spritz which shades a little towards bath-bomb after a few seconds. But the hops keep on rolling, providing a dank buzz which leaves a lingering resinous quality. The ABV is a satisfactory 5.5% and I don't for a second miss the toffee or thickness that it might be tempting to add to the recipe. Maybe a little more malt to bounce the hops off, but please don't ruin the good points, guys.

In my piece about King's Bay, I suggested that the range could do with a strong and dark dessert beer. Dunbrody Stout isn't quite that, but is perhaps the next best thing. While only 5.4% ABV, it's very full-bodied and smoothly textured. The flavours are all luxuriously dark and sweet ones: treacle, molasses and a tang of high-quality high-cocoa dark chocolate. Perhaps the thing I like most about it is how different it is to other Irish stouts. Leann Folláin may be all things to all drinkers, but even it doesn't have the same dessertishness as this. And pleasingly it still works by the pint. Paired with a warm chocolate pudding and some quality vanilla ice cream: mwah!

This preview suggests they know what they're doing beerwise at Dunbrody House, even if they are sticking to safe and accessible styles to begin with. I look forward to seeing what else 2016 brings from them.