Galway Bay Brewery the arrival....

So finally beer-heads north of the Border get a chance to purchase Galway Bay Brewery’s offerings right on our doorstep. Twitter nearly had a fit as it followed the first shipment from Galway to the bottle shop shelves and quite rightly so! This is a great thing, not only because it is a wider variety of Irish produced beer on our shelves, but in my opinion their Of Foam and Fury is currently the best core-range beer produced in Ireland.

So it is with a celebratory tone I have decided to do my first review post on these three beauties from Galway Bay: the aforementioned Of Foam and Fury, their recent pilot beer Desperate Mile and last but not least the legendary 200 Fathoms.

Desperate Mile

Let's start with a 5.4% hoppy sour beer from their pilot series.

Pours bright golden with a puffy white head that doesn't stick around. The aroma of this is that lovely funk that comes off sours, mixed with a bit of grapefruit. The taste really wakes up the mouth with a mix of sherbet, more grapefruit and lime. That initial mouth puckering sour gives way to a long dry finish that makes you want to take another mouthful. A cracking beer that I hope becomes a staple, it is definitely a summer beer and one you could drink all day long.

Of Foam and Fury

Up next is their Imperial/Double IPA, clocking in at 8.5% ABV.

Definite caramel colour in the glass with a slightly off-white head, it gives the appearance that it is packed with flavour and unsurprisingly it is. Big tropical fruit smell, think oranges and pineapples, and sweets (yes like sticking your nose in a 10p mix... which probably don't exist anymore). That nose follows through into the taste with lots of orange and pineapple which is followed by a big whack of piney bitterness. All of that is balanced by a strong caramel malt backbone. Altogether this is an awesome beer that fills all the senses and belies the 8.5% ABV. It is even better on draught but be warned, you may have walked into the bar, but you will stagger out.

200 Fathoms

Finally is a beer of legend 200 Fathoms. An annual limited release Imperial Stout, weighing in at 10% ABV and this year aged in Teeling Whiskey Small Batch Rum barrels.

This just oozes out of the bottle completely pitch black with a brown head. You don't even have to stick your head in the glass to catch the aromas of booze, coffee and chocolate. But once you do, you pick up more subtle vanilla and molasses notes. Completely lost for words on the first mouthful! Thoroughly coats the mouth in an oily boozy hug. Lots of that coffee, chocolate, vanilla and molasses from the nose but with the addition of dark fruit and a more pronounced whiskey flavour. This is completely up my street, totally my type of beer and stands shoulder to shoulder with the big named imperial stouts I have tried. As awesome as this is, a bit of aging will mellow out that big booziness that you smell, taste and feel. Glad I have another 3 bottles because this will just get better and better. This is currently like gold dust but if you are looking, McHuges Off License may still have some - but be quick!

To have these all in one sitting was a great way to start my weekend and to say I had a good night would be an understatement. So welcome to Northern Ireland Galway Bay Brewery, can't wait for more of your pilot series to arrive up here but for now I will be content with more Of Foam and Fury!

My name is Bruce.