Fermanagh

Date: 10/07/2020

Breweries in Focus: Fermanagh Beer Company, Sheelin

Guest Judge: Dan Fitz- A true Fermanghite. Well versed in marble arch caves and rain.

Guest Tune: I’m Not Awake Yet- Rory Gallagher. Keeping with the Irish vibe, Dan has nominated Ballyshannon’s answer to Jimi Hendrix to kick off the Brewed Awakening Spotify playlist.

Beers in Focus

NAME	STYLE	BREWED	STOCKIST
Little Dog	IPA	Inish Mac Saint	Bin 34
Pure Foundered	Belgian Style Blonde	Inish Mac Saint	Bin 34
Blonde	Blonde	Inish Mac Saint	Provided by Guest

Brewed Awakening 1

The choice to start the Brewed Awakening journey with Fermanagh was not a random one, nor was it bred from sheer convenience. Initially, things were set to kick off amidst a camping trip in the fields of Fermanagh upon the summer solstice; suitably significant. Due to a little disruption, we ended up kicking off in the temporary Brewed Awakening tasting hub (known locally as the empty space behind my Ma and Da’s shed).

Anyway- beginning our journey with a county that boasts only two independent breweries on its land was a practical happenstance. A kind of boozy teething process for the whole project. No preliminary rounds, not too much research required but nonetheless, absolutely no drop in quality. Fermanagh may well be a force to be reckoned with.

Inish Mac Saint at a Glance

Fermanagh Beer Company are the artists formerly known as Inish Mac Saint. Their previous title was adopted from the monastery by which they brew near the shores of Loch Erne. Their bottle artwork (pictured above) still uses their former title, and the brewery claims to uphold the brewing methods crated by the monks 900 years ago.

I wanna know, have you ever sipped the rain?

Inish Mac Saint embrace their local heritage by brewing their beer with one specific local ingredient; Good ol’ Fermanagh rain. If you’ve ever felt the forecast of Fermanagh you’ll know, there’s a shitload of beer to be made.

Sheelin at a Glance

Sheelin Brewery is the lovechild of Doctor and Brewer George Cathcart. A doctorate in biomolecular science and a love for craft beer combined to create a highly reputed blonde ale. I can’t help but imagine some sort of Doctor Octopus figure with the thirst of Paddy Losty. Imagine how many pints you could hold with eight big mechanical flailing arms? Eight, I suppose. Ten if you’re counting human hands.

MOVING SWIFTLY ON, Sheelin were unfortunately not producing at this time but I am much looking forward to getting my tentacles on a bottle as soon as it becomes available. (Note: I spoke briefly to George who is a gentleman, no maniacal supervillain tendencies whatsoever. I can’t disprove the rumours about the eight mechanical arms, however).

Booze Reviews

Pure Foundered

Style: Belgian Style Blonde

Score: 6/10

This Belgian Style Blonde has a very subtle fruitiness in aroma that failed to translate to taste. In reality, this beer had was salty in both taste and mouthfeel, almost acidic. This is not a beer to be rushed.

Fermanagh Blonde

Style: Blonde

Score: 9/10

This is more like it. Very sweet, honey tones. More amber in colour than the Belgian counterpart. Aromatic and a nice lasting head. Remarkably smooth; anticipate the liquid equivalent of galaxy caramel

Little Dog

Style: IPA

Score: 9/10

Proper unfiltered, unpasteurised, unrefined IPA. Part of the trade-off with unpasteurised beer is that some are better than others, and you run the risk of getting a bottle that’s already gone off if you’re not careful. I would honestly claim that I’ve had better bottles of Little Dog in the past but in many ways, I love that.

A Focus on quality over shelf-life. The epitome of local passion burning brighter than the need for methods of mass production. Hoppy, quite sweet and a wonderful accompaniment for an audacious heap of nachos.

The County’s Bounty: Fermanagh Blonde

This is such a close call. My predisposition towards IPA’s and all things pale and hoppy only speaks volumes about the Fermanagh Blonde.

At one stage, Little Dog IPA was one of my favourite beers on the Island of Ireland. Yet, on this fateful night it was the blond that really stood out. Crushable, aromatic, full of flavour, and most importantly; a fitting addition to a great night’s craic.

Thanks for reading. If you’ve any thoughts on beers past, future or present please let me know your craic in the comment section below.

Sometimes you need a rude awakening, in order to drink in peace.

Slán Abhaile,

Eamon