Mine Head
Dungarvan Brewing Company

 

500ml bottle, an apparent attempt at producing a west-coast American style APA. The label speaks of 'Mine Head' being a rising headland to the west of Dungarvan, facing the Atlantic Ocean - wouldn't that be clear across the south of Ireland, then?

This beer pours a hazy, medium bronzed amber hue, with one finger of puffy, loosely foamy, and rather bubbly dirty white head, which leaves some hanging coral atoll lace around the glass as it gently falls away.

It smells of bready, grainy pale malt, a biscuity cracker dryness, musty orange rind and pine needle bitters, earthy, and slightly tacky yeast, further indistinct orchard fruit notes, and a mild leafy, floral hoppiness. The taste is grainy, crackery pale malt, a small hard water flintiness, a still muddled citrus pith and pine forest floor acridity, receding gamey yeast, and a growing leafy, weedy, and floral hop bitterness.

The carbonation is adequate in its supportive and moderately frothy natures, the body a decent middleweight, and generally smooth, maybe a small twinge of hoppy interference detectable. It finishes off-dry, the biscuity pale malt holding tough, while the Yankee hops deal with their own little version of Lost in Translation.

A tasty and overall engaging pale ale, the meeting of worlds mostly working things out, but not exactly blowing up in that good way, right? Anyways, worthy of giving a go, but maybe just not whilst walking up (or more so, down) the lighthouse hill of titular note.