I’d some of them over Christmas. Lovely.
Found a can from Xmas hidden at the back.of the fridge. As sour a sour beer I’ve ever had. From some.scottish brewery. Smashing
Helluva way to deal with a final notice
1 Like
Those cunts hardly stretch over the border too?
2 Likes
These barleywines are the job. Seems like beer aged in old whiskey casks? Somehow this aging kicks the abv to north of 11% which takes it from beer to ‘barley wine’?
Great tack for sipping over the course of a night. You’d barely manage a full slug of it at a time let alone smash multiple pints of it but the taste is smashing so sip away at it.
2 Likes
I had a 12% one a couple of years ago… You’d have a warm glow after one
You’d only be good for the one, 2 max. First taste wouldn’t exactly have you craving more but the aftertaste is unreal.
One I had last night was like a port. Thick consistency and all. But grand to just sip over the course of an hour or two which sounds strange for a ‘beer’.
I can’t remember the brand i had but was exactly like that.
My local off licence is a small, decrepit looking place but hes some man for the knowledge of beers. Has all these weird yokes but hes barely given me a bad steer in years going down.
Lovely sip these things.
1 Like
I’ve never had a barley wine. Must try one
worth a punt. dont be put off by the first few sips. Thought it was rank to start!
Any you’d recommend - are they in most off licences
Dungarvan Gallows Hill was grand. Had it in Ardkeen.
1 Like
Have never seen nor heard of them except for this lad down the road!! Wouldnt know what to recommend tbh. Was only him steering me. That one in the photo above is lovely and the one I posted week or so. back was smashing altogether in a can from Wicklow Wolf.
Godspeed.
1 Like
A GREAT BREW, RIP
MICHAEL DUFFY,
MICHAEL DUFFY,
Madam, - For the greatest part of the 1900s, up until 2001, Smithwick’s Barley Wine was brewed and sold on this island. It was always a niche market beer, but had a fairly constant market up until the last few years. With the drop in sales, and the decision to close the Macardles Brewery in Dundalk, Guinness Group Ireland Ltd. decided to cease brewing the beer.
I have been a fan of Smithwick’s Barley Wine for the past 15 years, and can vouch for the fact that it was the best quality ale available here in Ireland, with a malty flavour and high gravity (5.5 per cent alc.), both unique to beers available here. Unbelievably, over the past 20 years, at least, no effort was ever made by the owners of the brand to advertise it in any shape or form. As a result, even in the small number of pubs where it was available, customers would say to me “what’s that you’re drinking? what does it taste like? / what’s it made from?”.
Given the amazing interest in this country now from the younger generation in continental bottled beers, it strikes me as madness that the most interesting beer brewed here has been taken off the market. I was advised by a colleague of mine recently to try out the famous Belgian beer, Chimay Blue Label, because “it was the best beer” he drank on his travels in Belgium. I tried it out (no problem, given its availability in several off-licences in Dublin). I can honestly say, hand on heart, that in a tasting competition, Smithwicks Barley Wine would beat it hands down. The mind boggles as to why SBW could not be repackaged and aimed at the younger generation with the publicity needed to back it up. Maybe one of our microbreweries might take up the challenge.
All this country can do for the moment, is say farewell to one of our greatest beers ever - Smithwicks Barley Wine, RIP. - Yours, etc.,
MICHAEL DUFFY, James’s Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12.
3 Likes
Preach Mikey, preach
RED ALERT RED ALERT
Lidl must be trying to clear off Christmas stock or something. Kinnegar Scraggy. 1.95, Big Bunny 2.08
Galway bay X 4 small cans 6.99
White Hag session X 4 small cans 6.50.
Back up the truck
4 Likes
What a bargain. I’ve the gallon near drank.
