Doheny & Nesbitt-O'Hara's Irish Pale Ale

Doheny and Nesbitt was the perfect place to enjoy a pint this evening. It has the classic pub decor with dark wood and mirrored snugs, making it perfect for casual conversation. Additionally, Becky and I got a chance to chat with the barman. He was incredibly nice, and although he was hard to understand, he made us feel very welcome, asking us where we were from, what we were studying, etc. He even gave us postcards of the place, a nice memento to remember the night. The main thing I noticed about this pub is that it was better lit than most others. Usually, they are fairly dark with dim lighting, but this place was very well lit on the interior, which I personally enjoyed a lot. I will definitely be coming back here.

As for the beer, this one was very similar to IPAs back home. It poured slightly hazy and was colored just a bit darker than straw and lighter than gold. It had a half-finger head that lasted quite a while. The nose is of bready malts and tropical fruits. Surprisingly, the flavor was pretty different from the aroma. There was no tropical fruit and the strong hop flavor was much more like your classic American hops: grassy, herbal, and somewhat piney. There was a distinct honey taste coming from the beer as well. It has a lingering bitter finish that ends very dry, inviting you back for another sip. The bitterness of the beer is what stood out most to me. While not particularly bitter by American standards, it was far bitter than any of the other beers I have had in Ireland. Most of the pale ales and IPAs I've had here were not distinctly bitter, but this one was different. Overall, a very enjoyable pint, especially if you enjoy them on the dry side. A nice classic hop flavor with a good bitterness rounds out this beer.

The Ginger Man-Franciscan Well Writer's (Rebel) Red

The Ginger Man is a pub not too far from me. Tonight, being a Saturday, it was quite busy, and it was almost hard to find a place to sit. It was fairly loud, mostly with conversation though. The demographic was an interesting mix of young and old, but probably leaning towards the 50+ age group.

As for the beer, it poured a deep amber, copper, with a very limited head, although that could be on account of the pour. It leaves a limited lacing, but isn't very retentive. It smells malty and yeasty with a hint of licorice or chocolate. At times, especially later into the pint, I got a distinct buttery smell coming from the beer. As for the taste, it isn't very complex. It is somewhat sweet with dark caramel, burnt sugar flavors dominating the profile. It is medium bodied, has a longer finish, and is not a dry beer. Overall, it was underwhelmingly average. I was hoping for more from Franciscan Well after I really enjoyed their Chieftain IPA.

In other travelings, this weekend has been a busy one. Friday morning Becky and I took a bus down to Waterford. There, we had lunch at a nice valued little cafe that had tasty sandwiches and salads. After that, we went to the world renowned Waterford Crystal factory. The hourlong tour showed us every stage of the process, from blowing to cutting and was very cool to see. We also got to walk around the showroom, but felt inclined to walk very carefully so as not to knock over the $40,000 piece right next to us. Nothing was even behind glass, and you could touch anything you want.

Also in Waterford, we stopped at Reginald's Tower, which has served as a military outpost, guarding the town since Viking Days. Today it is a museum of Viking Waterford and the history of the town. It wasn't a particularly large museum, and we were through it in about a half an hour. Until the bus arrived later, we walked around the pedestrian mall area and enjoyed a crepe.

Today, we went on a UCD sponsored trip to Wicklow and Kilkenny. Our first stop was Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains. It was absolutely gorgeous, and we did not have nearly enough time there to walk some of their extensive trails. Becky and I definitely plan to go back. We then went down to Kilkenny. Here we walked the castle grounds, pedestrian shopping area, and took a look at some of Kilkenny's many churches. Smithwicks, the beer I first reviewed was originally brewed here as well. Overall, these past two days were packed full of Irish adventures, and it will be nice to take a day off tomorrow for some school work.

Home-Brewdog Punk IPA

Sometimes it is better to enjoy a beer at home, and that is just what I did yesterday. Luckily there is a very nice bottle shop down the street, so I may start going there once a week to bring you a more premium craft beer, and they really do have an excellent selection from around the world.

Brewdog is based out of the UK, and this is their flagship offering. The beer pours a deep gold with  a rocky, white head, that dissipated somewhat quickly into a thin layer atop the beer. The nose is mostly of mango and pineapple. Overall, somewhat sweeter smelling. The taste follows along those lines. Tropical fruit flavors enter slowly, but stay in the mouth until the finish, creating a softer, longer lasting hop flavor. There is limited bitterness in the finish, and it is not particularly dry. This IPA is very approachable, so it would be a great introduction to hoppier styles. The new world hops come through well, but are not too aggressive and won't know your socks off, making this a very enjoyable beer for some of the more casual times.

These past two days have primarily been at class, and I have just recently finished my last class for the week. Yesterday I had marketing and my Irish history class, and today was my ethics course. I'm taking a light semester so that I have more opportunities to travel. I don't think any of them will be too challenging, but one thing I have noticed already is the Irish system relies a bit more heavily on group projects and final exams. The final is usually 60-80% of the grade with the rest usually being filled with a group project. Another interesting point is there is no assigned homework, and generally most of your work during the week might be studying, reading, or working on the group projects.

Cheers!

Abbey Tavern-Beamish Stout

Today marks my first beer outside of Dublin, and I enjoyed this one with a dinner of fish and chips at the Abbey Tavern in Howth, a fishing villiage 30 minutes from Dublin. Becky and I came to this place after our seaside hike, which I'll share more about shortly. The tavern itself was absolutely incredible. Soft lighting, classic big band jazz music, and a real turf fire made our meal the best way to relax after our long day. Anyone visiting Howth and looking for a spectacular meal in a cozy locale should pay this place a visit.

As for the beer, it was served on nitrogen and was opaque black, as you would expect with a stout. The aroma was yeasty and bready with a hint of coffee. Upon sipping the first thing I noticed was the foam. It was incredibly thick, but quite fluffy and even left me with a bit of a mustache. The best way to describe it would be comparing it to a coffee mousse. After the foam you get an upfront astringency or bitterness. It is somewhat harsh, but not undesirable. It seemed similar to a hop flavor, but was more likely some of the burnt smoky flavors from the roasted malts. After that upfront burst, it mellows considerably into a light coffee finish with no bitterness. Compared to Guinness, I liked this more. The flavor had a little more depth and changed throughout while I find Guinness' flavor to be a bit more uniform. Many have called this beer "poor man's Guinness", but if I had to choose between the two, I would rather have this. One thing to note, is that this beer is owned by Heineken, so like Guinness it is not really a craft beer. I will try to include more true craft beers in future posts, but unfortunately, many of the pubs I've been to thus far have had a limited selection.

These past few days have been packed full of travel. On Friday, my whole apartment took a guided tour to Galway. Our first stop was in the town of Cong. Here we got to walk the grounds of Ashford Castle, an Anglo-Norman structure that has since been renovated into a five star resort. Additionally in the town, there was a 12th century abbey, and some picturesque views.

After Cong, we drove through Connemara National Park. We stopped every few minutes to take pictures and absorbed in the whole scenery, which impressed us at every turn with its lakes, mountains, and lots of sheep.

Our final stop on the tour was in Galway where we had a few hours to walk around. The city itself was much like a college town and only had one major shopping street where everyone seemed to congregate. Even though this was the ultimate destination of the tour, I preferred the first two stops more. In light of that, Galway was a very pretty place, and is worth a visit if in the area.

On Saturday, Becky and I went back to Trinity College, this time to see the Book of Kells, a 9th century illuminated manuscript. No photography was allowed, but the book was impressive, and the rooms preceding it were very informative into how illuminated manuscripts were made and the historical context to the Book of Kells. Upstairs from that, is the Long Library where old books tower to the ceilings and busts of ancient philosophers and famous Irishmen line your walk. Here too is the "Harp of Brian Boru". This harp is the one depicted on the Euro coin for Ireland as well as Guinness' logo.

Sunday we went to the National Gallery of Art, which was surprisingly small, and some of it was being renovated, leaving us with a short visit. In light of this, we saw a Monet, Picasso, and Van Gogh. Furthermore there were paintings by the Dubliner Jack Butler Yeats. This museum was free to the public, which is always nice.

Yesterday was the first day of classes, and I had my first as well, Management Accounting. Shouldn't be too difficult, and I was able to start learning the campus a little better. That night we went to a club called Dicey's Gardens, and what awaited us is hard to describe. People were packed in everywhere, and we later learned this was the busiest night of the year. For me, it was a little too hectic and loud, but others definitely seemed to be enjoying themselves.

And finally, today was Howth. This fishing village is just a 30 minute train ride from Dublin, and upon arrival we were amazed how much the town looked like your stereotypical fishing village. In the harbor were hundreds of sailboats. While sailing may have been nice, our visit was for hiking. Howth has 4 different trails that ascend the rocky coastline offering absolutely spectacular views. My only warning is to dress warmly, the wind blows hard on the coast, which made it quite chilly. In light of that, this may have been my favorite day in Ireland yet.

Reilly's-Guinness

I suppose I couldn't go too long before getting my hands on some of the black stuff, and I couldn't think of a better place to do so than Reilly's. This small corner pub had live music every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday starting at 9. Last night it was a lone guitarist singing a mix of Irish Folk Songs, Simon and Garfunkel, and even some acoustic twists on more modern pop songs. The place had an amazing atmosphere, and although it wasn't that busy it was perfect for me. I enjoyed every minute and plan to make a trip back there soon.

As for the beer, it had the proper nitrogen cascade, as you can see in the photo, and ended up brimming perfectly with its creamy head. The smell is of coffee and roasted grain. The taste begins with a mouthful of foam, and compared to the states this is where the biggest difference lies. In Ireland, the head is denser, but also fluffier, creating a rich barrier between you and the beer. Once you get past the foam the beer has the typical flavor profile of a smooth roast with a drying finish, inviting you back for more. Although this beer doesn't have the most unique flavors like some beers today it still will be a great choice for a night like this.

The past few days have beer busy for me. On both Tuesday and Thursday we went to UCD where we got our student IDs, had student orientation, worked out, and explored the campus a little bit. The place is huge and unfortunately the business school and the gym are on opposite sides of the campus.

On Wednesday, we went to a couple museums. First was the Natural History Museum. Although the building is small, every inch is packed with animals. The first floor features fish, birds, and animals from Ireland, and the second floor are specimens from all over the world. Best part is, it was free.

Next, we went to the Archaeology and History Museum, and on our way there, we passed a protest outside the Taoiseach's (Prime Minister) office. This museum was pretty big and had pieces from ancient Ireland, all the way through Medieval times. Some of the coolest pieces were the goldwork from thousands of years ago. Overall, these two national museums led to a full day, which left me pretty tired by the end.

On Friday, we are headed to Galway, which should give me some great pictures and stories to tell in my next post.
Cheers!

Oil Can Harry's-Franciscan Well Chieftan

Sorry about this everybody, but I forgot to take the picture before enjoying some of this Irish Pale Ale. I had it at Oil Can Harry's, which on a Monday night was very quiet. It was a very warm and cozy place with half of the pub looking fairly traditional, and the other half being a library/reading room with comfy chairs to relax with your pint. This seemed like the perfect place to go and do homework after a long day.

As for the beer, it poured a medium-amber/red with an off-white, cream colored, 1 finger head. the aroma was lots of grapefruit with a hint of sweet bread. Given the color, I was a little worried that it would be too sweet and distract from the hops, but the taste was excellent. It mostly tasted like sweet citrus upfront, and finished fairly dry with a nice light body. The use of caramel malts here did not mess with the flavor I look for in my hoppy beers, which pleasantly surprised me. This beer was very smooth, and had no harsh bitterness, making this a very approachable beer, and at 5.5% it wasn't too intense either for a casual evening with my roommates. Overall, an introductory hoppy beer for people that will leave you satisfied and tastebuds still intact.

Today was also a big day for exploring Dublin. In the morning I took a walk around Merrion Square, which in the cool mist was pretty and relaxing. Everything was green with some nice walking paths surrounded by statues and busts of famous Dubliners, including Oscar Wilde who lived right across the street.

After lunch Becky and I planned to explore Trinity College, but that trip turned into so much more. The college was absolutely beautiful, and the architecture was hard to match anywhere. We both wished we could have studied here because of the sheer beauty of the buildings. We decided not to visit the Book of Kells on this trip because you can get a discount with a student ID, which we are only picking up later in the week form University College-Dublin (UCD). After Trinity we were walking along, our eyes guiding us to our next destination. We stopped in an Irish music store briefly and got our first encounter with their folk music. I can't wait to visit a pub and get my first taste of it live.

After there, we wandered through the Temple Bar area and found the Ha'Penny Bridge, which took us across the Liffey. We wandered further until reaching the Jervis Shopping Center, a massive pedestrian mall with mostly department stores, and we visited a store called Penneys. It had some of the cheapest prices I'd ever seen. Becky got a pair of boots for 19 euros! After this we walked home fully exhausted.

Toners-Smithwick Red Ale

I had this Irish Red Ale at Toners Pub on Baggot Street in Dublin. This pub features dark wood, mirrors, and and wooden dividers between some tables and sections of chairs to give it a cozy, relaxed feeling. It was quiet and you could easily hear the conversations of others, although we did come here on a Sunday night. The barman was friendly and happily answered some of my questions.

As for the beer, it pours a coppery-reddish color with a creamy white head, but fairly thin, only about a half finger head. The aroma is of a light sugary sweetness with some bready malts mixed in. The flavor is fairly simple, bready malt with some sweetness on the palate. Somewhat light in body, leaving the mouth slightly dry, but with some sweetness on the lips. Hops were very restrained with only a hint of some grassy flavor toward the finish. Overall, an easy drinking beer for a casual night out.

As for the rest of my travels, these first few days have been all about getting settled. Day one was spent getting groceries, toiletries, and learning how to turn on the internet. Becky and I were very tired, but forced ourselves to stay awake to avoid jetlag lasting too long.

Day two was much more pleasant. Most stores seem to open later on Sundays in Ireland, only around lunch time. This allowed us to have a quiet morning before heading off to the St. Stephens Shopping Centre a little before lunch. On our way to the mall we walked a bit through St. Stevens Green. This park was absolutely beautiful. It combined ponds, bridges, birds, greenspaces, and sculptures very well, having something for everyone. There were also a variety of historical plaques informing Becky and I about the Easter Rising of 1916 and ensuing violence. This place was absolutely gorgeous, and while I don't have any pictures of it today, we will be back to spend some more time there. Upon arrival at the mall, the most obvious thing is the ginormous glass clock hanging from the ceiling. There was a good mix of stores, pretty similar to your normal American mall, just with different names. After that, we had lunch at a cafe with a fitting ambiance, noisy with an inviting atmosphere, and it had some tasty sandwiches. After lunch we wandered down Grafton Street, a pedestrian street filled with shops. Overall, these first two days have been a whirlwind of getting the necessities, but soon I believe we will be able to settle down and enjoy the city.

Cheers!

35,000 Ft.

Well today marks the beginning of my journey, departure, so I figured I'd write a little intro for the blog and myself.

My name is Henry, and during the course of this blog, I will be studying abroad in Dublin, Ireland. While there I plan to try lots of Irish craft beers as well as local beers wherever else I travel. Additionally, my girlfriend Becky will be with me in Dublin, practically taking all the same classes, so it will be exciting to experience this all with her too.

Each post will begin with a beer review describing how it tastes and what the pub is like. After that I will go into what I've been doing recently, cool places I've been, upcoming travel plans, etc. Hopefully, I will be able to include pictures of my travels too. At this point the plan is to do a new review/post 2-3 times a week, but time will tell what the right amount is.

It's really strange that I am leaving today. I've been planning for this trip for over a year now, but until recently, all the build up hasn't seemed quite real. Only now, as I've prepared to depart has it hit me that I will really be living in Dublin for the next 4 months.

I hope you enjoy reading about my travels and the beers I imbibe, and hopefully it inspires you to travel and experience fantastic beer. Its going to be quite an adventure.

Cheers!