Beer!

#1

Am an avowed Heino drinker when pubbing - usually only Friday - but like a drink or two watching Match of the Day maybe after a Chinese. I like a Tiger with the food. Am also partial to a Peroni (green label) and really liked the red label when on hols in Italy. Have a lot of time for Tyskie (at E1.65 a bottle) and like Zwyiec too - there is a dedicated pub in Brussels and draft is good. In Spain a litre (or even 1.1l) of Cruzcampo is always good value as is San Miguel and even Estrelle - all drinkable too. Mahou not bad either but not prominent near where I have the villa,

I see these four for a tenner offers on craft beers in Tesco but am not a fan. They always taste funny and not ha ha funny … Tried the Boyne beer there recently (left behind at a house party) and it was only ok mainly because I would drink beer from a sore leg.

Any decent beers out there? WIthout that non-craft I made this piss at home type thing going on?

#2

Try Lidl Weiss (wheat) beer Perlenbacher, if you like a heavy beer…

#3

I second the palanbacher - has to be in the fridge all day though. I find it crisp. Don’t like craft beer / IPAs as they are like a lucky dip. I’ll leave the craft beers to the hipsters. If I’m out in a pub which is rare I’ll drink coors light or Heineken.

#4

Not much of a beer drinker but when i drink lager i like it bland and cold, so the mass produced ones are fine with me (except bud). The craft beers tend to be too hoppy or flowery but you do get an occasional one which is nice for a bottle/pint or two. Prefer the stout in the pub. There are some good ‘craft’ ciders which aren’t too damn sweet but they are prohibitively expensive to drink on a regular basis.

#5

A pint of plain is your only man.

#6

You lost me once you said Heino…

#7

What I find refreshing here (aside from the beer :beer:) is the acknowledgement that “craft beer” is, more often than not, total pish…
I don’t want to drink “a hoppy blend of earthworm and grapefruit…”.

Even the name irritates me, craft anything kinda bugs me. It’s only “craft” because you haven’t made it big yet. Why has it not made it yet, see point one above…if it makes it big, it then ceases to be “craft”…The whole thing is a marketing con.

#8

It is, but it is great to see lots of local breweries popping up all over the place rather then just multi-national bland beers which have huge marketing budgets etc. viva la choice!

#9

Guinness in the winter, cider in the summer, wine in the gaff.

Next…

#10

Gosh! Ok … roight.

#11

That’s a fair point and I agree with the sentiment 100%…

The problem I have is that the beer does not live up to the billing. Unlike when you buy some “craft” foods, where you pay a premium and the food is clearly superior.

Cheese is a great example. A strong cheddar bought at a farmers market, compared to a flavourless, mass-produced bit of rubber you buy in Tesco…no contest. Good Craft.

A beer that is actually a challenge to drink, when you just want a few suds after a hard week, just isn’t worth paying a premium for. As mentioned above, there are some cheap eastern european beers on the market, that are more than up to the task.

I really think a lot the craft beer phenomenon is more about image than the product (style over substance). I cant stand the level of pretension that goes with it…and I’m a fan of the finer things, dont mind paying for them, but it has to be worth the spondulicks.

#12

there was a great wheat beer brewed by a smithfield brewing company back in the 90’s when i worked on the quays, lovely stuff.

there was an odd shopping centre called o connors in nenagh, he sold the extra strength tyskie for €1.80 a bottle, knock out stuff. during my fat elvis period its have that and a double chinese of a friday night and moloneys (a knock off version of bailys from spar) which was delicious as well on a saturday night.

if you like alternatives to bailys, there is a thing called white swan which is the biz.

I only drink on holidays, after winning all irelands and Christmas now, and the hangovers are brutal if i have too much.

#13

Bishop’s Finger Ale, used to available in Lidl or Aldi, can be good for supping while watching the Telly.
I can remember it being reviewed on Sean Moncrief’s radio show on Newstalk a few years back… someone said there “was a lovely arome off Bishop’s Finger” - cue lots of slightly inebriated giggling.

#14

I’m a Heino drinker. So obviously I’m no expert on beer/crafts. BUT, Galway Hooker is lovely on draft…

Also, I was out for dinner at Clontarf Baths over the weekend and I had a pint of Hop House (they’d no Heino). And it was very nice too.

#15

What did you think?

Bit overpriced for what it is?

Bit disappointed there’s no brunch menu

#16

Not if you own it… isn’t that right, @Roman?

#17

It’s the second time I was there. The first time was on the weekend it opened. And there was a brunch menu - it was Saturday afternoon and I had a fry-up. It was a bit chaotic but a bit of a buzz because I’d got a table and the whole of 'Torf wanted to go but couldn’t! :slight_smile:

However, last Saturday, it was a regular night and I could judge the place properly and sample the dinner menu.

Yes - it’s VERY expensive. It was just Mrs Roman and I. We had 1 pint, a vodka and tonic, 2 starters and 2 mains. The bill came to 115 Euro (inc tip) !!! So it’s not the type of place to duck into just because you don’t fancy cooking tonight or you’re bored with takeout.

However the ambiance is good - especially with the sun setting over the city. It has really nice views. Great smoking area too and if you don’t smoke, it’s nice to stroll around the pool.

Of interest to Ressers, they do a Dublin Coddle Pizza! I sampled that the first time I was there. A pizza with potato on it… oh god, it was awful. But it is what it is.

The food on the dinner menu, was good, not great. You’d definitely be disappointed if you paid that in the city centre. But in The Baths, there’s defintiely a vibe of paying for your surroundings rather than just the food.

The decor, service and staff are all excellent. And there’s also a buzzy lively atmosphere.

Parish, I’d definitely check again about the brunch menu - I’m sure they’re still doing it on Sat and Sun afternoons. They definitely don’t do lunch.

PS - the brunch menu wasn’t cheap either. “Eye-watering” is the term that springs to mind.

#18

I was at a free 4th July gig in 2017 and the Hop House 13 was flowing. Wasn’t overly impressed with it … but possibly because I made a pig of myself (see RIP thread) and couldn’t drink it fast enough … before it ran out …

#19

Naaah, it’s an acronym for what you say when waking up after a night drinking it - Can’t Remember A F_cking Thing.

#20

Cheers

I’ve been in it once and agree it was more of a M’eh about it after it for the price paid. We usually like going for Brunch early enough and find House in Howth the best tbh and price is reasonable

I much prefer Kinara tbh with better service and better food and views are great if you’re in the window upstairs.