18 April, 2015

Flying Dog The Dead Rise & SuperTramp,

I don't know about you guys but, longer days and summer beers couldn't have got here soon enough.

I was getting a little tired of Porters, Stouts, Christmas spiced ales and microwavable soups, the first sign of day light after 5.30pm and I was digging out the sun lounger and last years parasol, I'm testament to this as, as I write this I don shorts whilst straddling a plug-in radiator my granny lent me...

In my book, there are 2 seasons, Winter and Summer, the latter being a quarter of the length of the first but, 10 fold more fun, you get to drink alcohol at lunch without being high-browed, it's perfectly acceptable to have a gin and tonic at 12pm and summer seasonal beers become both as consumable and available as Italian sparkling water.

So, the first of the season...
The Flying Dog Brewery.
I have a serious soft spot for this brewery, apart from their beers being great, Ralph Steadman's artwork is worth the bottle price alone.

The dead Rise Summer Ale. A 5.6% Spiced summer ale. Lovely carbonation, fresh hoppy flavours and some jalapeno residue on the finish. Floral and crisp, a touch of sweetness, an all round grass-cuttin' beer.
Golden ale, thin white head, nose of tropical fruit and fresh hop...
Drink me cold with a hot barbecue of lobster and crab, decent company and dogs.

SuperTramp, Tart Cherry Ale.  A 5.7% Dry cherry flavoured ale. It pours with a fleck of red and a thin white head. The nose is fresh cherries and malt. The palate drinks like a geuze lambic with a fine dry cherry flavour, tart...? Most definitely but a little residual sugar on the finish.
Drink me cold with a lamb kebab, some hot coals and an Alpine fleece.



I didn't get action photographs, I was a little distracted and also, by the time I thought of it, the alfresco dining had numbed my fingers.

Get down here and avail of the new season beers, to celebrate, I'm selling them at 4 bottles for €10.00, a steal and if you collect the 5 tokens, there's a distinct possibility (not a promise) of sunshine.
(T&C's apply)

Kindest,
Ruth.







No comments: