The first bar we went to was the Beerhouse. It offers an inviting atmosphere and offers some great beer and pizza deals. This is the kind of place you want to go to really enjoy a well crafted pint, but still have a fun casual atmosphere.
The beer is 8° Mandarina Bavaria, a single hop IPA featuring this relatively new German hop of the same name. This orangish gold beer has a nice 1 finger head. The flavor is grassy, pineappley, and little bit like sweet oranges, maybe even mandarin oranges where this hop gets its namesake. Additionally, this beer had a slightly buttery aroma, but it was not out of place with the beer. The flavor is not quite as sweet as the aroma, leaning more towards a slight grapefruitiness while still keeping that sweeter mandarin orange quality. This beer was absolutely delicious, and packed in a lot of flavor, which just goes to show that if you showcase a great ingredient properly, you can come out with an incredible beer that tastes much more complex than the recipe. A perfect start to the great evening.
The next stop on the list was the Porterhouse, on of the older brewpubs in Dublin today, which just recently celebrated its 20th birthday last year. It has a great atmosphere, with bottles from around the world lining glass display cases throughout the restaurant. Additionally, they have a variety of their own beers, guest taps, and even a beer engine with some tempting cask ale.
The beer we got there was their standard Plain Porter. While I have reviewed this beer before at home, it has a completely different experience and flavor profile on draught. The aroma has much more fruitiness like raisins or dark berries mixed in with the coffee. Being poured on nitro adds an additional dimension, making the beer creamier and rounding out the flavors much more effectively. The flavor is also a bit fruitier like berries or raisins again to add some complexity to the coffee and burnt grain flavors I previously found. It has a nice dry finish, making this an excellent example of a Dry Irish Stout. Definitely worth getting on draught at this amazing brewpub that really cares about its beers.
Our third stop on the list was the Bull & Castle, a fancy steakhouse, with an impressive draught lineup. As soon as you walk in it has a much fancier vibe. There are candles on many of the tables, it is dimly lit, and the dress code for the bartenders indicates to you that this is a fine steakhouse.
This beer was Rollover Session IPA by Whiplash. It has a very tropical smell with loads of mango and is a crazy hazy juicy beer. However, when you do drink it, it has a much maltier flavor than you might expect. Of course, I still wouldn't describe it as malty because the flavor is still loaded with tropical pineapple hop flavors. The finish on this beer is crisp and somewhat dry, making it very enjoyable and the best beer of the night. Absolutely delicious with loads of flavor jammed into a small package.
The final beer of the evening was enjoyed at the Beer Market, a beer bar owned by the Galway Bay brewery. Including an impressive selection of their own beers available nowhere else. They also have many others from all over the world, giving everyone an opportunity to find a beer they will enjoy.
Galway Bay's Touching the Scald is a brown porter that does indeed pour a very chestnut brown color, much lighter in color than most porters. There is loads of coffee in the aroma, but also a slight nuttiness. The flavor has those coffee flavors, but also brings in a lot of roasted burnt grain flavors. It is slightly astringent, but not to the point where it becomes unpleasant. It didn't have a huge body, which made it a nice beer to end the night with. It was full of complex flavor, but still quite drinkable.
I hope you enjoyed hearing about all these different beer bars around Dublin, and if you are visiting here definitely give them a try. While whenever you think of Ireland, you think of Guinness, there is a lot more out there. Ireland has a growing craft beer scene full of interesting styles and tastes for everyone. I'd encourage everyone to step outside the typical Irish option and try something from one of the cool local breweries.
Slainte!
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