#91: Lagerland

Two Irish lagers to report today, from Dublin and Dingle respectively. 

First off, it's the newly-bottled Crean's Irish Lager from the Dingle Brewing Company. I picked this up about an hour after it arrived in Bradley's, seeing as it's something I've never tried before. Until now, it's been available on draught in pubs around Dingle and I imagine dotted around the country in places. It pours a nice clear and fizzy gold, perhaps a shade darker than a pilsener style lager, with a little foam on top. I have to say there's very little on the aroma, with wet grain and mild sweetness being the only things I can get out of the glass. Unfortunately, the same has to be said for the taste. There's very little flavour and quite a lot of carbonation - one of those kinds of beers. I was desperately hoping to enjoy this lager from a place I'm so very fond of, but I fear Crean's has a bit too much in common with the South Pole itself; it's cold, harsh and empty, even if it is a nice idea.

It's a virtual stop in the capital then for a taste of the Porterhouse's Hersbrucker Pilsner, the only standard-release bottled beer of theirs I've yet to try. It pours like Crean's - a darker shade of gold - but supports a nicer head for longer. The aroma gives plenty of nice soft hoppy notes, with light roasted malts providing a nice grainy, barley backbone. It's tastes good too, with a fresh, slightly floral character from the hops once again providing a light bitterness over the malt sweetness you'd expect from a pils. It's refreshing, easy-going and quite tasty. Good stuff.

 Of the two, I was going to say that Hersbrucker was the most likely to appear on the blog again (or at least in my belly). However, I reckon I'll gives Crean's one more chance in it's native draught form.