Online Tasting: Irish Beers are Smiling

Sullivan’s Irish Gold

I never know what to make of Sullivan’s. They feel like a blend of a craft brewing company and a bigger brewing company. The age of the company speaks to that duality. The marketing claims they date back to 1702, but this current incarnation (resurrection) really started in 2016 - a century after the original brewing company shut down. It’s currently owned by the Smithwick family. On the other side, the Smithwick’s brands are currently owned by Diageo (Guinness owners) rather than the family. Should we look at the current Sullivan’s beers as a reclaiming of brewing heritage or an opportunistic marketing of an idea of heritage? It’ll take someone smarter than me to navigate those waters. All I can do is ask the questions.

The actual beers (I’ve only had the gold and the red so far - but I’ll have the black this weekend) also speak to this duality for me. Don’t expect their red to drink like a Smithwick’s, or a 7% super-hoppy American version. For me the Sullivan’s beers exist in a sort of middle ground. At times their gold feels like something our shores are in desperate need of - a euro pale ale with personality… and at other times it feels like it’s too heavy-handed (in terms of body, hopping, and flavor intensity). This time around, it feels like it’s not leaning in either direction too much. The color is amber rather than gold and the branding feels misleading. For me, this beer is only “gold” relative to their “red” in their portfolio. The beer is fruity - orange marmalade and apricot, and has a planty hop bitterness. It’s definitely not the most drinkable pale ale, but at least the flavors make it feel like an actual import.

 

Thanks @SLeffler27 for starting this thread.

I brought this Guinness Foreign Extra Stout back from a recent trip to Hong Kong. It is distributed by Carlsberg HK LLC. The 6.8% abv is lower than the 7.5% we get in the US. It looks just as beautiful with some black tea going on. Lighter body and weight with a slight hint of hop bitterness. Quite delicious overall.



Cheers!

 

Wachusett Quinn's Amber Ale, 4.8% - Cheers and Sláinte!



-Look: Very pretty clear deep amber with a clumpy tan head.
-Smell: Toasty malts, slight rye, mild grassy hops.
-Taste: Delicious mild toasty malts and a hint of grassy hops.
-Feel: Smooth and balanced, thin to medium, slippery.
-Overall: A good amber ale - very tasty and drinkable!

 

What country is this a product of according to the can?

 

I'll be happy to join the early St. Patty's Day fun. Leaning into the Red Irish Ale category with an import strength Smithwick's. Good looking beer in the glass. Head retention was better than expected. Well balanced between malt and hops. Spicy/herbal hops are in order. Cheers all!

 

Don’t know this thread was up, so reposting from WBAYDN. And the pints have been refilled! Slainte!

 

I find this to drink very similar to a lighter bock type beer. Really enjoyed it.

 

An exceptionally well-balanced beer, which explains why some drinkers who strongly favor either malty or hoppy/aromatic beers may find it unsatisfying. Me, it's right up my alley. I'd probably really like domestic version.

 

My first post for this online tasting...

Lone Pint, a brewery in Magnolia, TX which is north of me by about an hour. They are famous for their Yellow Rose IPA, but this is a new offering for them...

Clover Chaser, Irish Dry Stout, 4.3% ABV.



Pours a dark black, nearly opaque but with some reddish highlights round the edges. A dense tan head rises with good retention and rings of lace left behind.
A simple aroma of roasted malts and baked bread. Simple but spot on and enjoyable.
Taste wise, again, a roasted malt flavor, with coffee bitter chocolate and baked bread. The coffee becomes almost espresso like, with a lingering roasted bitterness.
A medium body, with crisp carbonation. This finishes dry and becomes ultra smooth after it breaths a little. Really easy to drink. All day with this one.

A spot on example of the style. This is very similar to Saint Arnold's Irish Hello, and both have a wonderful, less is more approach. Which makes this very moreish. Glad to have another quality example of the style local to me.

Overall score is 4.07 which is an A- for me.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/30380/731895/?ba=champ103#lists

I'll be back with more later on today. I have Sullivan's Gold as well as some Extra and Foreign Extra Stout...

 

Agree with the less is more comment. Sometimes just a straight up stout is all you need.

 

A local Mass beer for me, Berkshire Brewing - Ireland Forever Ale, an Irish style red ale with 5.5% abv.

Pours deep amber ruby red with an off-white foam head. Smells like toasted nuts, biscuit, caramel, light chocolate, red cherry, dried fruit, and floral earthy herbal hops. Tastes follows with nutty toasted melanoidin notes, dark brown bread crust, biscuit, caramel, toffee, amber honey, hint of chocolate, dried fruit, red cherry, mild spice, and floral earthy herbal grassy hops. Feels medium bodied, creamy, crisp and smooth with moderate carbonation, finishing pretty dry. Overall a rather nice local Irish style red ale. Cheers all!

 

It's interesting how many places Guinness licenses the brewing of Foreign Extra Stout. I was just in Saint Lucia a few weeks ago for vacation, and the bottles of FES (and Guinness Smooth) there were brewed on the island by Heineken Saint Lucia (who are the owners of the local Piton brand).

When I was in Belize a few years back, the FES there was brewed locally by Belize Brewing Company (the brewers of Belikin).

 

I keep looking for Irish pale ale as a new style in our database! What is it? Is it just a euro pale ale, but from Ireland?

 

Edmund's Oast Brewing Company The Innkeeper
Irish-Style Dry Stout

I'm two pints into my exploration of this new to me Irish-Style Dry Stout from Edmund's Oast Brewing. Very crisp and delicious. I'll be drinking this all weekend.

 

I'm joining you @Reef with The Innkeeper as well and agree this is a very nice brew! Mild roasted malts emit a nice touch of chocolate but in the end is hopped to balance with a dry finish. Well done EOBC!
Cheers!
Tom