musings – Page 3

All others are Pale by comparison to this Pale Ale

My love of BrewDog is not a secret. However, it has been quite some time since I bought a beer from their core range, which I find myself buying less of due to my preference for alternatives from other breweries here in Ireland, which I’ve covered recently. However, one aspect I’ve not talked about is my growing love for Pale Ales again. No, it’s not because I don’t want something hoppy or aggressive in its bitter profile. No, it has nothing to do with wanting a lower ABV beer. It’s just we’ve a great selection of Pale Ales now available regularily in Ireland. And yet, one Pale Ale still rules them all for me. BrewDog Dead Pony Club.

The craftbeer elitist & sexism b.s. has to stop.

Craft beers ultimate end-game is to show there is a beer for everyone out there. And GOOD beer can be in the reach of everyone to enjoy. THAT is the purpose of craftbeer’s being. And when it gets hijacked by jerks on the Internet who run newcomers out of communities, I take issue. In fact, all of us should.

The more foreign beers, the more Irish I go

Those who’ve followed my musings on craft beer in Ireland over the last few years know how damning I’ve been about Irish craft beer producers & their enslavement to ‘the trinity’ (Stout/Pale Ale/Red Ale), & that their beers have been just way too safe. How long ago that seems amidst a plethora of kettle sours, super aggressive hoppy IPA’s, & fruity beers. And without sounding like a flip-flop; I’m super SUPER happy.

2017 Irish Craft Beer Prediction-esque nonsense.

We’re four days into 2017, & my crystal ball has recovered from its hangover to spew forth its predictions for the coming year in the Irish craft beer scene. If any or even one of these turn out to be right, make sure to grab two of each animal & beer, & head for the hills.

Golden Pint Awards 2016

It’s that time of the bastardin’ year again when after many IPA’s, stouts, Imperial beers, sours & every special-batch-infused-with-something comes about & beer writers/bloggers/podcasters/video makers hand out their favorite imaginary award for ‘Best of the year’ in a flurry of aplomb, praise & thankfulness. And, HopAddiktion.com will be no different; hop torpedo’d on top of that bandwagon, riding it til the wheels fall off.

Murk En Vogue

Right now, ‘murky beers’ (or should I say completely unfiltered beers) seem to be the in thing, with CloudWater’s Double IPA’s (pictured) leading the charge. But is this even ‘new’? Is ‘haze’ just a phase? And what does it bring to the table?

Doin’ Tha Tap Dance ….

Finally. The single biggest clustermuck in law around Irish craft breweries & cideries looks like it’s being addressed. For a number of years, I have constantly bitched about the dumb-as-clownshoes anomoly that Irish Craft Brewers & Cider producers were being hamstrung in their contribution to tourism & local economy growth participation by not being able…

Doing the can-can at the bar? No thanks!

Right now is a great time to be a craft beer consumer in Ireland. Our choice is getting better, the beers being produced here are significantly better not only in quality, but in bravery of flavour, and craft beer is in cans. But, cans at craft beer bars?

10 @brewdog #beers I’d love to see re-released #ReBrewDog

There’s something about the beer that comes from BrewDog in Elon, Aberdeenshire I can’t put my finger on. I’ve been a fan of their beers for a very long time now, and even hold shares in the brewery via their Equity for Punks programme (if you fancy using my referral code & joining the revolution here’s my referral code, R514640). They’ve released so many special one-off beers.

So, what’s this Stone Brewing? @StoneBerlin

Stone Brewing’s beers are now officially in Ireland. And it’s ultra awesome. This year, Stone Brewing Berlin opened, & fresh beers brewed in Berlin have found their way to mass European distribution, with Four Corners handling things for Ireland. When I’ve been in off-licenses and had people ask me to recommend a beer amidst general beer chit-chat, I’ve pointed them to Stone & been asked “So who are Stone?”