Shit Irish Breweries

[Donnacha]

P.s. on a side note, where the f**k has this Clonmel lager started appearing from? Is this another of these Heverlee-esque cons?

brewed by C&C Group (i.e. Bulmers/Magners) ...

[Qs]

That's spot on Baz. The price to quality ratio on most Irish beer is way off. Why are my local beers more expensive and pack less punch than American imports.i love a hoppy beer and I'm fed up of getting stale American IPAs but it's still better than anything I can get locally and the Irish beer has the cheek to be more expensive.

Since we've gotten more variety it seems all the breweries have decided Irish craft beer should be really expensive. When there were just a few it was a lot cheaper. Now they see a market it feels like they're gouging us.

[Bazza]

P.s. on a side note, where the f**k has this Clonmel lager started appearing from? Is this another of these Heverlee-esque cons?

brewed by C&C Group (i.e. Bulmers/Magners) ...

Didn't even bother googling that one. Thanks 

Had to laugh (well, cry, given the result), was in one of those kind of bars yesterday evening watching that red pile of shite get pummelled by Jaba the Hut's Cockneys, and my mates were all over this Heverlee, like it was a Ferrero roche in a glass. Didn't have the desire or energy to explain to them how much was wrong. I stood and supped my half decent Guinness and wondered why Lucas was still on our books.

-Barry

[Bazza]

Since we've gotten more variety it seems all the breweries have decided Irish craft beer should be really expensive. When there were just a few it was a lot cheaper. Now they see a market it feels like they're gouging us.

Exactly, Qs. Seems we're not in the minority of feeling shafted by the very folk we think we're helping.

-Barry

[Qs]

Since we've gotten more variety it seems all the breweries have decided Irish craft beer should be really expensive. When there were just a few it was a lot cheaper. Now they see a market it feels like they're gouging us.

In a lot of cases where it used to be cheap and is now expensive it's because the publican has upped their margin "because it's craft and people will pay more", or in some cases the brewery has started using a distributor now who is also taking a cut.

I generally find it ok on tap, at least in my local. Its the off licences where the price difference is really galling to me.

It could be the distributor alright, but thats a business issue the Irish brewers need to sort out. If you are letting a middleman do your distribution its less work for you so it should be coming out of your own end.

And I don't want to be complaining about Irish beer, there are some excellent Irish breweries but I wonder if some of the new breweries will last. I think we all want the industry to thrive here. I suppose its inevitable in any market that you'll have the poor and mediocre in with the great and good. I do agree with the OP on the bloggers, etc There seems to be too little genuine criticism of the breweries.

[delzep]

Could it be that bloggers are afraid of any free samples that they might get drying up if they are seen to be critical I wonder...

[DEMPSEY]

You might have it correct Delzep. When the bloggers had there day with Diageo none of them asked the hard questions. As they were told of how the beers have such great ingredients as per listed on the back of the bottles,the question ,"so what went wrong"was not asked.  . When they decide to launch a beer like SPA and they say we have Amarillo hops, question "where are they or did ye forget to put them in" . Another question was "who makes the decision on what actual beer recipe is used, head brewer or the bean counter who only drinks diluted popsicles".

[irish_goat]

You might have it correct Delzep. When the bloggers had there day with Diageo none of them asked the hard questions. As they were told of how the beers have such great ingredients as per listed on the back of the bottles,the question ,"so what went wrong"was not asked.  . When they decide to launch a beer like SPA and they say we have Amarillo hops, question "where are they or did ye forget to put them in" . Another question was "who makes the decision on what actual beer recipe is used, head brewer or the bean counter who only drinks diluted popsicles".

"the bean counter who only drinks diluted popsicles"

I think that answers all your questions.

I quite enjoy the Beer Nut's blog, he's not afraid to be negative about Irish beers either.

[DEMPSEY]

Would you eat at a restaurant that the chef himself would not eat at. Would you buy beer from a brewery that the brewers themselves and their board would not drink.

[irish_goat]

Would you eat at a restaurant that the chef himself would not eat at. Would you buy beer from a brewery that the brewers themselves and their board would not drink.

I don't. 

I was chatting to the original inventor of Smithwick's Pale Ale and I questioned why he was drinking a Metalman but then makes such a poor pale ale himself. He dejectedly said that originally he had won the Diageo internal "home brew" comp with a really punchy Amarillo pale ale but that it came back completely different after the suits had given it the once over. In saying that, a lot of the older Diageo brewers are seriously deluded about how good their beers are.

[mr hoppy]

Point being. We're finally getting what we want in the pubs, but the cost/quality helps us reafirm ourselves as homebrewers.

Amen to that.

Ended up buying Budvar or Lidl beer as often as not on holidays (in west Cork) because of the ridiculous price of Irish stuff.

[mr hoppy]

In fairness to Diageo I wouldn't put Amarillo in a mass market brew either. One source of supply and the memory of the hop shortage would put me off.

[Bubbles]

I was chatting to the original inventor of Smithwick's Pale Ale and I questioned why he was drinking a Metalman but then makes such a poor pale ale himself. He dejectedly said that originally he had won the Diageo internal "home brew" comp with a really punchy Amarillo pale ale but that it came back completely different after the suits had given it the once over. In saying that, a lot of the older Diageo brewers are seriously deluded about how good their beers are.

Jesus, that's staggering. "We love your beer but we're going to completely change the recipe." That guy needs to find a new job.

While I do think some of the newer craft breweries are occasionally producing beers that don't live up to the gushing commentary on social media, a bigger issue is the price craft beer is still selling at.

Digressing slightly, I recently paid the Duke in Dublin 6.80 for a bottle of stale O'Hara's Pale Ale! Selection is piss-poor there, it was either pay that or drink one of the bland macros.

Contrast that with the perfectly conditioned cask London Pride I was drinking in the Three Tun Tavern at the weekend. On special at €1.99 a pint. I can't wait to see what the pub trade will look like in Ireland when Wetherspoons hit full stride.

[Tom]

Contrast that with the perfectly conditioned cask London Pride I was drinking in the Three Tun Tavern at the weekend. On special at €1.99 a pint. I can't wait to see what the pub trade will look like in Ireland when Wetherspoons hit full stride.

Bet it was in good nick, too.

[molc]

Wetherspoons is interesting alright. Those are great prices for decent quality brews.

I do find the prices in the Galway Bay pubs a little hard to stomach. I'm happy I'm able to buy an interesting brew, but knowing the cost of making the product, it does feel like they're trying to fleece me.