Here, we move onto yet more new Irish beer, albeit limited editions. They are from the Franciscan Well, and I have to say a big thanks to Shane for these bottles.
First up is the IPA. The 7.5% ABV suggests we could be heading into Double IPA territory, and with Citra leading the charge for the hops, I can't wait to get tucked in. Straight away I get a whack of pine resin and pungent, fruity citrus peel that brings Torpedo to mind, while the whole thing is skewed by a nice honey sweet undertone. Equally impressive is the effect on the palate, with loads of bitter fruit and similar notes of citrus (particularly lemon and grapefruit) and piney hop character with, once again, plenty of balance on the malt side with a vaguely sweet, caramel malt background.
Make no mistake, this is truly hop driven, and very effectively done.
The other beer is a Coffee Porter, complete with coffee from Cork Coffee Roasters. Once again, the aroma tells you all you need to know, with the coffee here having the same impact on this beer as the Citra had on the last beer; it's incredibly potent. As it warms up, it becomes more pleasantly balanced by the smoky, chocolatey malt character, while on the palate the experience is altogether more mellow. This produces the effect of a sweet, nutty brown ale with a gentle hop bitterness and a dash of dark fruits. As I've said, it only gets better as it goes on.
These are two great beers, and definitely worth trying out if you get the chance. Both are tasty and drinkable, with the porter being a close second to the brilliant IPA.
I'll certainly be trying these again.
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