National Homebrew Club Ireland

Spotted in a Tesco Metro in Galway, €1.96 each and there's an 'Irish Stout' and an 'Irish Red Ale'. 

Thread on it here. http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,8252.0.html

Fist time in My life  two beers goes straight into the sink after taste it  . I will not buy this beers even for 59 cents, but this is only my opinion .

Quote from: Shamek.pl on November 21, 2014, 12:46:15 PM
Fist time in My life  two beers goes straight into the sink after taste it  . I will not buy this beers even for 59 cents, but this is only my opinion .

agree totally, I'm amazed at how bad they are. Surely there was some kind of market research done.

Quote from: irish_goat on November 20, 2014, 03:45:08 PM
Thread on it here. http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,8252.0.html

Sorry bud.  Who makes the own-label beers in Ireland I wonder?  Anyone out there know?

I know this thread is over a year old, but I was just so blown over by how tasteless the Solas Red Ale is (I'm drinking it right now), I had to find out if others thought the same as me. I don't buy a lot of beer as I brew my own to the styles that I enjoy, but every now and again I pick up a few bottles of beers that I haven't tried before to give myself some inspiration. I won't be buying this one again.

I have a couple of bottles of the stout also. I'm crossing my fingers that it's slightly less awful.

I actually don't understand how it's possible to brew a beer this tasteless. It's not even as though it's a "safe" beer like some of the newer ales (such as Smithwick's Pale Ale). It's just horrible.

Quote from: DrSardonicus on February 20, 2016, 07:59:43 PM
I know this thread is over a year old, but I was just so blown over by how tasteless the Solas Red Ale is (I'm drinking it right now), I had to find out if others thought the same as me. I don't buy a lot of beer as I brew my own to the styles that I enjoy, but every now and again I pick up a few bottles of beers that I haven't tried before to give myself some inspiration. I won't be buying this one again.

I have a couple of bottles of the stout also. I'm crossing my fingers that it's slightly less awful.

I actually don't understand how it's possible to brew a beer this tasteless. It's not even as though it's a "safe" beer like some of the newer ales (such as Smithwick's Pale Ale). It's just horrible.

The stout was pretty poor too if memory serves

I recently revisited Crafty Brewing Company line of beers sold through Lidl,they were as tasteless as they were before.I had also previously tried Mc Gargles which i believe i got in Lidl also but i know Dunnes sells them too,they were marginally better but still awful.I saw someone ressurected this thread about Solas Beers and i decided to google them.Would you believe all three are made by Rye River Brewery who also make Mc Colgans beers(though i have never seen those). :(

Edit: Please note these are only my opinions based on my palette and the beers i have tried from these ranges. ;D

Quote from: DrSardonicus on February 20, 2016, 07:59:43 PM
I know this thread is over a year old, but I was just so blown over by how tasteless the Solas Red Ale is (I'm drinking it right now), I had to find out if others thought the same as me. I don't buy a lot of beer as I brew my own to the styles that I enjoy, but every now and again I pick up a few bottles of beers that I haven't tried before to give myself some inspiration. I won't be buying this one again.

I have a couple of bottles of the stout also. I'm crossing my fingers that it's slightly less awful.

Tis mortal bad alright.  Might be better off baking with it.

Quote from: Greg2013 on February 20, 2016, 09:00:43 PM
I recently revisited Crafty Brewing Company line of beers sold through Lidl,they were as tasteless as they were before.I had also previously tried Mc Gargles which i believe i got in Lidl also but i know Dunnes sells them too,they were marginally better but still awful.I saw someone ressurected this thread about Solas Beers and i decided to google them.Would you believe all three are made by Rye River Brewery who also make Mc Colgans beers(though i have never seen those). :(

Edit: Please note these are only my opinions based on my palette and the beers i have tried from these ranges. ;D

I thought the crafty stout was good, mind you it was 2014 last time I tried it, I think they make the Grafters range that's in Dunnes and I didn't like them at all but I've been drinking the McGargles Francis Big bangin IPA recently and I thought that it was lovely, I'd recommend it!

Quote from: Keg on February 20, 2016, 11:59:43 PM

Quote from: Greg2013 on February 20, 2016, 09:00:43 PM
I recently revisited Crafty Brewing Company line of beers sold through Lidl,they were as tasteless as they were before.I had also previously tried Mc Gargles which i believe i got in Lidl also but i know Dunnes sells them too,they were marginally better but still awful.I saw someone ressurected this thread about Solas Beers and i decided to google them.Would you believe all three are made by Rye River Brewery who also make Mc Colgans beers(though i have never seen those). :(

Edit: Please note these are only my opinions based on my palette and the beers i have tried from these ranges. ;D

I thought the crafty stout was good, mind you it was 2014 last time I tried it, I think they make the Grafters range that's in Dunnes and I didn't like them at all but I've been drinking the McGargles Francis Big bangin IPA recently and I thought that it was lovely, I'd recommend it!

I don't remember trying that one so i will revisit it if i can get it locally. ;D

Yes they also do Grafters Range for Dunnes,i could have sworn Dunnes sold Mc Gargles also but maybe it is only Lidl ? I have to be honest though and say that for me after having tried three of their "pseudo" range i find them all very similar in mediocrity at best. ;D

Is there an actual "Rye River" line of beers and if so has anybody had them ? ;D

Quote from: Keg on February 20, 2016, 11:59:43 PM


I thought the crafty stout was good, mind you it was 2014 last time I tried it, I think they make the Grafters range that's in Dunnes and I didn't like them at all but I've been drinking the McGargles Francis Big bangin IPA recently and I thought that it was lovely, I'd recommend it!

I'll revisit them in that case. Might be worth doing a h2h on the own brand stouts/red ales/pale ales, some weekend.

Afaik.there is no Rye River make, McGargles is their flagship brand. Lidl used to sell McGargles but I've only seen the Crafty range there recently.

From what I've read Rye River have moved over to using only floor malted barley which is a first I've seen mentioned in terms of Irish brewers. So they've certainly invested in ingredients as Warminster/Simpsons malt ain't cheap far as I can tell. 

If they're making those kinds of innovations though why haven't we seen outstanding product on the shelves?

Quote from: cruiscinlan on February 21, 2016, 11:39:02 PM

Quote from: Keg on February 20, 2016, 11:59:43 PM


I thought the crafty stout was good, mind you it was 2014 last time I tried it, I think they make the Grafters range that's in Dunnes and I didn't like them at all but I've been drinking the McGargles Francis Big bangin IPA recently and I thought that it was lovely, I'd recommend it!

If they're making those kinds of innovations though why haven't we seen outstanding product on the shelves?

Exactly my point,also why do they have so many fecking different brands,and i don't believe on any of the brands it says who actually brews the beer which i always thought was a bit suss. However i digress,Rye river if McGargles is yere flagship brand ye have a long way to go lads. I applaud ye for investing in better raw materials,now its time to invest in better recipes and give us more than one decent beer to drink. ;D

Again these are just my opinions based on several beers i have had coming out of Rye River,have yet to be impressed by them. ;D