Wherein the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man are visited.
And much beer consumed.
Took a direct flight (Tuesday, July 2, 2019) from Hartford
to Dublin on Aer Lingus.
The major highway has lanes that are narrower than we are
used to and sitting on the other side of the car - just a tiny bit
disconcerting.
Day 1 (Wednesday, July 3, 2019) - Lough Tay, Waterford
Left Dublin and headed straight for Lough Tay along very
narrow roads up in the hills. In the early morning light it was a spectacular
scene. Very quiet with no one else around.
Went to Waterford and were able to check in early at the
Fitzwilton and clean up and lay down.
Went to Waterford Crystal. On the way we passed old city
walls and a replica of a Viking ship..
At Waterford Crystal we took a factory tour. It was very
interesting.
For instance, Waterford Crystal wasn’t made for almost 100 years,
and it is now owned by the same company who owns Royal Dalton and Wedgwood.
It
takes at least 8 years to learn one facet of the trade so a person will only do
that one process for his/her career.
We were exhausted so we headed back to the hotel after
stopping to get the first beer.
The Reg in Waterford; waited until after 3 PM local time for
this
Brewery | Brand | Type
| % | Score
Metalman |
Calypso | Ale, IPA, English | 5.6 | 7.0
Beer #11,039
Sadly the Metalman taphouse was closed. But managed to quaff a couple of beers in the nicely-appointed bar at the hotel.
Fitzwilton
Brewery |
Brand | Type
| % | Score
Heineken
Ireland | Cute Hoor |Ale,
Pale, American| 5.0 | 7.0
Smithwicks
Guinness|Smithwick's Irish Red|Ale, Irish, Red
| 4.5 | 6.8
Day 2 (Thursday , July 4, 2019) - Tipperary, Limerick and
Ennis
“Advice is received that the Congress resolved upon
independence the 4th of July; and, it is said, have declared war against Great
Britain in form."
— London Chronicle
We headed off in the morning and our first stop was to see
Grannagh Castle ruins.
Then to Tipperary, where we ate at nice little pub.
O’Neill’s Pub Tipperary
Brewery | Brand |
Type | % |
Score
Fosters | Lager |
Lager, German Pale, Dortmunder |4.6| 6.0
Next on to Kilduff Castle, another ruins.
It was a small
castle and apparently people rented rooms at the castle back in the day.
It was onto Limerick where we stopped at St. John’s
cathedral, which has the tallest spire in Ireland. The inside of the church was
beautiful with lots of stained glass.
We headed over towards King’s Island to see St. Mary’s
Cathedral which is located nearby. We walked on the grounds a little and took
pictures, of course.
In Ennis we had a hotel right next to the Friary - Queens
Hotel. It was at least partially ruins.
After walking around a bit settled on a drink at Brogans in
Ennis, then stayed for dinner. Chatted with some local folks as well as some
folks form the states.
Brewery | Brand | Type | % |Score
Independent
Brewing | Brogans Micky|Ale, Pale,
Session| 4.2 | 7.2
Franciscan
Well | Chieftain
| Ale, Pale, Irish | 5.5 | 7.7
Hop House
/ Heineken| 13 Lager | Lager, Light
| | 7.3
But little did we know what we were in for... Night club in
our hotel. You have sign a waiver that you know there’s a night club here.
Little did we know that the night club was in a covered patio right below our
window. There was no AC and the only way to cool down the room was to open the
window, which didn’t stay open on its own. The Techno dance music started and
was VERY LOUD! Even after closing the window and drapes. The info in the room
said that it was open until 1:00 but no the music went until 1:35 and the
people dissipating took until 2:00 am at least and they weren’t quite. Needless
to say we were a little cranky in the morning and we told the staff in the
morning what was wrong. The only good thing about the room was some spectacular
sunset pictures with the friary in the foreground.
Day 3 (Friday, July 5, 2019) - Moher, Lisdoonvarna, Galway
As we left Ennis we stopped to take pictures of the water
wheel.
Our sights were set for Dough Castle and the Cliffs of
Moher. We did run into a lot of traffic because of the Irish Open being played
in the vicinity of those two attractions.
The Cliff is Moher were accessible and busy. Unfortunately,
it was pretty foggy but we did get some pictures.
The height of the cliffs is
quite impressive and the wildlife it contains is more than one realized.
We continued on our way to the Roadside Tavern and Burren
Brewery. It was right on the edge of the road. Got to meet the brewmaster Peter
and of course enjoyed the beer. The food was good too.
Lisdoonvarna (Roadside Tavern & Burren Brewery)
Brewery| Brand
| Type |%|Score
Burren | Hopless
Pale Ale | Ale, Ancient | | 9.0
Burren | Gold
Lager | Lager,
Golden | | 7.5
Burren | Red
Ale | Ale, Red
| | 7.8
Burren | Burren
Black |Ale, Stout, Dry (Irish)| | 7.8
Next was a stop for Hazel Mountain Chocolate - a factory
that processes from bean to bar. We couldn’t actually go into the factory but
we could taste chocolate made from beans from different parts of the
world.
We had a snack there and the most
delicious chocolate tea.
Our final destination for the day was Galway. Loved the feel
of the town, it just felt inviting.
We got there and checked into the hotel just in time to make
it to our AirBNB experience at Micil Distillery. We learned a lot of history
about the making of spirits in Ireland which had been poutin for a long time,
which isn’t traditionally made with potatoes as many think, but with grains.
We
tried two types of poutin and one was made into a mule with lime and ginger
beer. We also sampled a gin that they distill. We bought some to take home.
We went from the distillery to the Oslo Bar (the home for
Galway BayBrewing) for dinner (the distillery is house in the building the bar
is in.)
The food was great and I enjoyed the beer and chatted up the manager
Alan, traded beers, and he gave us some suggestions for sightseeing when in
Dublin.
Oslo brewery and Micil distillery
Brewery | Brand |
Type | % | Score
Galway Bay
| Double Super Fizz | Ale,
IPA, Double | 9.0 | 8.5
Whiplash | Body
Riddle Pale Ale | Ale, Pale, American| 4.5 | 8.0
Galway Bay
| Full Sail dry hopped IPA | Ale, IPA
| 5.8 | 8.2
Also suggested Ashford Castle where I almost died.
Day 4 (Saturday , July 6, 2019) - Cong, Sligo, Donegal
We left Galway and went to Cong (as was suggested to us the
night before) to see Ashford Castle, which is a hotel (€600+/night complete
with a helipad for guests to use for arrival.) if you are not a guest of the
hotel you can only view some of the grounds.
Unfortunately it was raining when we got there so we only
looked at 2 of the gardens. The walkways and steps were slippery and I slipped
on the steps going into the sunken garden: going very carefully and still went
down. Luckily I only broke my coccyx which still hurts more than two months
later.
We proceeded to Sligo to see the Famine Memorial.
We happened to be going by the church where WB Yeats is
buried, so we stopped. It is a beautiful small church in Drumcliff at the base
of Benbulben Mountains.
We arrived at Donegal and set off to explore the town. There
was a town central area that had a shamrock design.
Reel Inn Donegal
Brewery | Brand |
Type |%|Score
Rockshore
Guinness|Rockshore Irish Lager|Lager, American Light| | 5.5
Scotsman’s Bar Donegal Irish Republic
Brewery | Brand | Type | % |Score
Kinnegar |
Scraggy Bay | Ale, IPA, English |5.3| 7.8
Kinnegar | Rustbucket | Ale, IPA, Rye | | 9.5
Olde Castle Donegal
Brewery | Brand
| Type | % |
Score
Galway
Hooker|Red Hugh Brew Pale Ale|Ale, Pale, English|4.4| 7.0
Donegal | Donegal
Stout | Ale,
Stout, Irish|5.1| 7.6
Abby Hotel Bar, Donegal Ireland
Brewery | Brand
| Type | % |Score
Carlsburg |
Unfiltered Lager | Lager, Pilsner |4.2| 5.8
Day 5 (Sunday , July 7, 2019)
Drove to Londonderry, and had time for some great walking
tours. We stopped at Dopey Dicks brewing for lunch.
Even got a bottle opener
souvenir!
Brewery | Brand | Type | % |Score
Dopey Dick
| Session IPA | Ale, IPA, Session |4.5| 9.0
Dopey Dick
| Red Ale | Ale,
Red |5.2| 7.8
Then across the Peace Bridge. We stopped in at Walled City
Brewery.
Brewery | Brand | Type
| % |Score
Walled
City| Kicks
Derry Lager | Lager, European |4.1| 6.8
Walled
City| Boom Derry Pale Ale | Ale,
Pale |4.1| 7.5
Walled
City| Punt Purse Magnum Red Ale | Ale,
Red |5.1| 7.8
Walled City| Passionista | Lager,
Fruit |4.1| 9.0
Walled
City| Ruffalo Raspberry Ruffle Stout| Ale, Stout, Fruit |5.2| 8.5
Walled
City|Derry Milk chocolate milk stout|Ale, Stout, Milk, Sweet|4.2|10.1*
Walled
City| Beerexit | Ale,
Sour, Fruit |2.5| 7.7
Boghopper | Hairy
Bollocks / Pure Bull | Ale,
Pale, American |5 | 7.5
*Yes, folks, the Derry Milk chocolate milk stout was that
good.
After a few beers across the river to see the Peace Flame.
Note its Derry* or Londonderry*
*depending which religion you want to punch you in the face
Went to dinner at a real posh place the Shipquay restaurant
Brewery | Brand
| Type | % |Score
Brú
brewery | Pale Ale | Ale,
Pale |4.5| 7.8
Northbound | 08 Kölsch style | Kölsch Style | | 7.5
I ventured out alone to the Blackbird which was supposed to
have some good beer. They did
Blackbird Derry UK
Brewery | Brand | Type | % |Score
Third
Barrel| Double Dry Hopped DIPA | Ale,
IPA, Double |7.5| 7.8
Boundary | Berliner
Vice 02 |Ale, Wheat, Berliner Weisse|5.1| 7.5
Then really surprised me with proof that a bar mostly stocking
the most shithole frozen Eurotrash lager can truly redeem themselves in the
eyes of the lord their god. And me.
Brewery | Brand | Type
| % |Score
Saint-Rémy,
Abbaye of Notre Dame de|Rochefort 8|Ale, Belgian Trappist|9.2| 9.3
From 2018 (“best by” year minus 5)
Day 6 (Monday , July 8, 2019) – on to Belfast
First stopped at the Giants Causeway, which is very
impressive.
Then a bit down the road to see the Carrick-A-Rede rope
bridge. We didn’t actually go on it; seeing it from a distance was fine!
The Marriott Belfast was in the Docklands are that was
redone with the hotel and office space.
Wallked to the Custom House Square; on
the way passed the - Big Fish, salmon of knowledge on the way to the Albert Memorial
Clock
Walked to the American Bar 65 Dock St, Belfast, great bar
Brewery | Brand | Type
| % |Score
Boundary
Brewing | Wits Out | Ale,
Wheat |4.0| 9.5
Boundary
Brewing | American Pale Ale | Ale, Pale, American |3.5| 8.5
Beer Hut
& Lacada| 2 Player | Ale, IPA, Double |8.1| 8.5
Dinner back at the Marriott
Marriott Belfast, Donegall Quay, Belfast
Brewery | Brand
|
Type | % |Score
Whitewater
| Copperhead | Ale, Pale
|3.7| 7.4
Whitewater
|Belfast Black| Ale, Stout, Dry (Irish) |3.7| 7.5
Day 7 (Tuesday , July 9, 2019) - Belfast
We started with the Hop on Hop Off Bus, taking it most of
the way on its route.
There was a very knowledgeable tour guide on the bus,
which we liked better than the recorded guide in Budapest. The peace walls,
murals on the sides of building, and the bonfires that are being set up for
Battle of the Boyne celebration were fascinating.
We got off the bus and started exploring on foot.
Sunflower Public House, 65 Union St, Belfast
Brewery | Brand | Type | % |Score
Farmageddon
| Porter | Ale,
Porter, India Export |5.2|10.0
Boundary | Export
Stout | Ale, Stout, Foreign/Export|7.0| 9.5
Kinnegar | Walla Walla |
Ale, Sour, Fruit |5.0|
9.0
Errigle Inn 312-320, Ormeau Road
Brewery | Brand | Type | % |Score
Bullhouse | El Capitan | Ale,
Stout, Foreign/Export |7.5| 9.8
Farmageddon
| Gold Pale Ale | Ale, Pale |4.2|
7.5
Back to the Sunflower Public House
Brewery | Brand | Type | % |Score
Kinnegar | Big
Bunny |
Ale, IPA, American |6.0| 7.5
Beer Hut |Ahoy
Captain Irish Sea Salt IPA |Ale, IPA, International|7.4|10.0
Lacada | Galaxy
& Simcoe knot series 2 | Ale, Pale, American |5.1| 9.0
Day 8 (Wednesday, July 10, 2019) - Belfast
Another day in Belfast. Our adventures today included using
the Hop On Hop Off bus to get to our destination, however, the bus map didn’t
have right stop listed for the Ulster Museum so we had to get a taxi back to
it.
Saw an amazing mural that showed the entire Game of Thrones
series as a tapestry.
Had lunch at McHughs Belfast
Brewery | Brand |
Type | % |Score
Whitewater|
Clotworthy Dobbin | Ale, Porter, Ruby | 5.0|
7.5
Whitewater|Kreme
de la Kremlin barrel aged|Ale, Stout, Russian Imperial|10.5| 9.8
Whitewater| Kreme
de la Kremlin |Ale, Stout, Russian Imperial|10.5| 9.0
Also dinner again at the hotel, Marriott Belfast, Donegall
Quay, Belfast Harbour
Brewery | Brand | Type
| % |Score
Whitewater
| Maggie’s Leap | Ale, IPA, Session |4.7|
6.8
Hilltown | Pamoja
Number 2 two | Ale, IPA, Black (Cascadian) |5.6| 7.5
Fire false alarm at hotel. Two interesting things compared
to USA:
1) fire department didn’t show (assume they were called by
hotel?)
2) hotel employees gave “all clear” as opposed to FD
Day 9 (7/11/19 Thursday) - Belfast to Dublin
After a heaerty breakfast, left for Dublin.
On the way down we tried to find the Battle of the Boyne
visitor centre, but somehow got back on the highway, where the toll
transponder only worked on 1 highway in Dublin!
We made it to the Morgan Hotel, right on Fleet Street in
Dublin; luckily later AM the street isn't packed! I went to drop off the rental car, and found it was a short walk to
several of the bars owned by Galway Brewing. What was interesting was the vibe
for each was very different.
Gasworks Dublin
Brewery | Brand | Type | % |Score
Galway Bay | West coast speedball | Ale, Stout, Coffee |6.6| 7.7
9 white
deer| Stag Ban gluten free | Ale, Pale, American variant*|4.5|10.0
Galway Bay | Buried at Sea | Ale,
Stout, Milk | | 8.1
Galway Bay | Of foam and fury | Ale,
IPA, Double |9.0| 8.5
*one of the best GF beers I’ve had
Alfie Byrnes Dublin
Brewery | Brand | Type | % |Score
Dupont | Moinette Brune | Ale,
Belgian Strong, Dark |8.5| 7.5
Lindemans |Cuvée
René Oude Geuze Lambic Ale| Ale, Belgian
Gueuze blend |5.5| 9.5
Lindeman's|
Pêche
Lambic Pecheresse |Ale, Belgian Lambic (blend) |2.5| 7.5
Against the Grain Pub
Brewery | Brand | Type | %
| Scores
DOT | Barrel
aged Rum Red Dark ale | Ale, Red, Imperial |8.9| 8.6
Walking back saw a canal and other sights in the city.
Had a fantastic Italian dinner at a place called La Gondola.
Day 10 (7/12/19 Friday) – Dublin
As Cindy was sick I ventured out to see some of the city
while she slept.
Got to see the Christchurch Cathedral and other buildings in
the area. Also found out whart happened to Tom and Jerry...
Near noon went to the Beer Market Dublin which opened late
at 12:00:40
Brewery | Brand | Type
| % |Score
Wild |B’Wildered
w/ cherries & chocolate|Ale, Stout, Imperial, Fruit| 7.5| 8.5
Galway Bay|
Helles |
Lager, Helles | 5.0|
7.5
Brabandere|Wild
Quadrupel Brewmaster Select | Ale, Belgian Quadrupel |10.5| 9.0
Had a great beer thing in Howth with a beer and seafood
event tour. From the Tara Street Station DART train station to Howth.
It was a
fantastic time and the host Mark gave a great tour with beer and a nanobrewery
and seafood and more beer and a great time. One of the best beer tours ever,
replete with local history and jokes and politics and fantastic seafood.
Oh and
the beer was pretty good too. Unfortunately Cindy wasn’t feeling good yesterday,
so she stayed at the hotel. Recommend AirBnB tour “Craft Beer and SeafoodTrail” in Howth, Irish Republic.
Bloody Stream Howath
Brewery | Brand
| Type |
% |Score
Hope | Handsome
Jack | Ale, IPA, American |6.6| 7.5
Hope | Underdog | Lager, Pale |4.8|
7.0
Hope | Passifyoucan | Ale,
Pale, American |4.8| 7.0
Even included a nanobrewery “Harbor Bar” on the tour.
Brewery | Brand
| Type | % |
Score
Harbor Bar | Just
Crafty | Lager, Euro |5.0| 7.0
Wicklon
Wolf| Elevation | Ale,
Pale | | 7.5
Pat house Howath
Brewery | Brand
| Type
| % |Score
Hope | Grunt
|
Ale, Saison |4.8| 7.8
Five Lamps
| Lager
| Lager, Euro |4.2| 7.0
Nice friendly seal in Howath, €2,000 fine if you feed the
blighter
If I had any food I would have said: “Woops clumsy me I
dropped this pail of smelts”
Day 11 (7/13/19 Saturday) – Dublin
Walked and rode the bus a bit and lunch at Porterhouse Brewing Dublin
Brewery | Brand
| Type | % | Score
Porterhouse
| Plain Porter | Ale, Porter |4.3| 7.5
At Guinness Open Gate R&D brewery
GOG: “may we take a customer satisfaction survey, are you
knowledgeable about craft beer?”
Me: “We’ll, this is beer #11,111”
At Guinness Open Gate R&D brewery
GOG: “thank you for allowing me to do a customer
satisfaction survey, here’s a bottle opener”
Me: “here’s one of mine!
Guinness St. James Gate R&D brewery
Brewery | Brand | Type | % |Score
Guinness
St. James Gate|Here we Gose again| Gose |5.0| 7.8
Guinness
St. James Gate| Savage Pale Ale | Ale, Pale |5.5|
7.5
Guinness
St. James Gate| Maritime Stout | Ale, Stout, Oyster |5.5|
8.0
Guinness
St. James Gate| Jerk Spice Brown | Ale, Brown |5.0| 9.4
Guinness
St. James Gate| Azacca IPA
| Ale,
IPA, American |6.8| 8.0
Guinness
St. James Gate| Dark Side IPA
|Ale, IPA, Black (Cascadian)|6.1| 7.8
Guinness
St. James Gate| Sorachi Red Ale | Ale, Red
|5.0| 7.0
Guinness
St. James Gate| Honey and Fig | Ale, Honey |4.5|
8.3
Got the bus back to the hotel and then went to get some more stamps.
Brew Dock Dublin (5 of 7 stamps completed for a free Galway
Brewing T!)
Brewery | Brand | Type | % |Score
Galway |Weights and Measures Citra session IPA|Ale,
IPA, Session| | 7.7
Northern
Monks| Patrons Project 15.01 sour ipa | Ale,
IPA, Sour |6.4| 8.4
Urban Brewing brewpub in Dublin
Brewery | Brand | Type |
% |Score
Urban
Brewing | Grapefruit Pilsner | Lager, Fruit |4.3|
7.0
Westvleteren | 8 eight |Ale, Belgian Trappist Dubbel|8.0| 9.8
Yes the “Westy” was 30 Euros
The Old Storehouse Temple Bar Dublin.
You pump enough alcohol into them and even white people have
rhythm.
Storehouse Dublin
Brewery | Brand
| Type | % | Score
5 Lamps | Red
Ale | Ale, Red | | 7.0
Okay so here’s the most horrific thing I’ve ever seen in
over 30 years of travel.
I’m in Tesco’s market near the hotel in Dublin, getting
water; in the checkout line. There’s 3 really good looking loud partially-drunk
women (25?) in slinky dresses at the ATM complaining about something. I look. I
look again; then turn away. OMFG.
The (German) woman in front of me in the line look back,
then stares, then a look of horror appears in her eyes. She elbows her husband
who looks, and his eyes get as big as saucers and he says under his breath
“mean Gott!”
I whisper “you see what i see, right?” He says “Ja, but I
would never expect this; is it always like this?”
I replied ”I don’t know but I hope not!” (simulates images
below)
Day 12 (7/14/19 Sunday) - Dublin
Went touring and stopped at Black Sheep Dublin
Brewery | Brand | Type | % | Score
Galway Bay
| Bay Ale | Ale,
Red, Irish |9.0| 8.5
Yes - free T-shirt for visiting 7 Galway Bay bars in Dublin.
Paddle & Peel; last of 7 bars in Dublin owned by Galway Bay for free T
shirt. So only 80 Euros for a 12 Euro T shirt. Brilliant marketing!
Brewery | Brand | Type | % |Score
Galway Bay
| Mittlefrüh table beer | Ale, Table |3.5| 8.0
Galway Bay
| Crystal Clear IPA | Ale, IPA, American |6.4| 7.0
Timmermans
| Strawberry Lambicus |Ale,
Belgian Lambic (blended)|4.0| 8.0
Okay sounds like a tourist trap but a great bit of info and
history and folklore as well as whimsey... the Dublin Leprechaun museum!
The Quays Dublin
Brewery | Brand | Type | %
| Score
Smithwicks
Guinness| Smithwick's Pale Ale | Ale,
Pale |4.1| 5.5
Boom hotel Dublin Ireland
Brewery | Brand | Type | % |Score
Carlow
Brewing / O’Hara| Irish Pale Ale | Ale,
Pale |4.3| 6.2
10 Fleet Street Restaurant and Bar for dinner at the hotel.
Day 13 (7/15/19 Monday) Dublin to IOM
Flew to the Isle of Man airport (“Purt Aer Vannin” in Manx),
with a pickup by our driver Mike - thence to the Ascot Hotel. We took the Manx
Electric Railway to the Snaefell Mt Railway stop.
Got a local shuttle to the Old Laxey Brewing Company Brew
Pub, which was quite good; most remote brewery you’ve seen in a while.
Sadly no
shirts in XXL!
Shore Hotel / Old Laxey Brewing
Brewery | Brand | Type | %
|Score
Shore
Hotel / Old Laxey| Bosun Bitter | Ale, Bitter, Ordinary | | 7.7
The shuttle apparently stopped running about 3 PM, and it
was a long steep walk from the brewery to the train station; went back to call
a taxi and one of the local folks offered to drive us!
Island is also the birthplace of Maurice, Robin and Barry
Gibb, of the Bee Gees.
Had to be on a conference call at local dinnertime, fortunately the Ascot Hotel hotel fixed up a meal to go!
Day 14 (7/16/19 Tuesday) - IOM
Had a fantastic 4-hour tour of the southern half of the Isle.
We saw areas we would never have seen without a
knowledgeable guide, and he has passes to places like museums, castles, etc.
Eating a Bonnag at Niarbyl Bay Café CR Michael
Brewery | Brand | Type
| % |Score
Bushy's
Isle of Man| Manx Ale | Ale,
IPA, English |4.0| 8.0
Watching Cricket at the Hooded Ram taphouse and neither of
us have a fscking idea what is going on; altho truth be told I was 2 pints
in...
Hooded Ram taphouse right across from brewery
Brewery | Brand
| Type |
% |Score
Hooded Ram
| Mosaic | Ale, IPA, American |5.0| 7.7
Hooded Ram
| Ram’s Head Bitter | Ale, Bitter |3.7| 8.0
Hooded Ram
| Ram’s Head Best Bitter | Ale, Bitter, ESB | | 9.3
Hooded Ram
| Jack the Ram | Ale, Stout |4.7|
9.0
Still watching Cricket - I thought that was a foul ball
until the umpire beheaded the player
Had dinner at the Seven Kingdom distillery - try the seafood
pie!
Brewery | Brand
| Type
| % | Score
Brew Dog | Dead
Pony Club | Ale, IPA, Session |3.8| 7.5
Bartender: “Would you like some ice in the glass with that
beer”
Me: “I’m gonna have to kill you now”
7/17/19 Wednesday IOM back to Dublin
Nutritional breakfast, something from the:
Fruit group
Egg group
Meat group
Blood group
Kipper group
Isle of Man airport
Brewery | Brand
| Type | % |Score
Carling | Carling
Pale Lager | Lager, Pale
|3.7| 5.0
Also back to the Morgan Hotel
I'll pit a Dublin cab driver against a Somali cab driver any
day
Finally saw the Book of the Kells. A lot of the books are
not on display, but an interesting display nonetheless.
Lunch at the Gallagher’s Boxty House in Dublin (Brewery Pub)
Brewery |
Brand
|
Type | % |Score
Jack Smyth
Stouts & Ales| Pale Ale | Ale,
Pale | | 7.5
Jack Smyth
Stouts & Ales| Red Ale | Ale, Red, Irish | | 7.8
Jack Smyth
Stouts & Ales| Stout
|Ale, Stout, Dry (Irish)| | 7.9
The Gunness brewery tour was a last-minute addition, which I
had to do by myself. IT is spectacular, and even if you don’t like Guinness (or
beer for that matter) its still a must-see. I learned to pour the “perfect
pint” of Guinness.
Also they had a great marketing idea: get a pint poured with
your face on it. Gave the lad a Beeriffic bottle opener; 10 minutes later one
of their Marketing Managers came over and we chatted about beer; he asked if he
could have one also!
St. James brewery
Brewery | Brand | Type
| % |Score
Guinness | Stout
|
Ale, Stout, Dry (Irish) |5.5| 9.0
Took a horse drawn carriage ride back to the hotel area
“After being chosen emperor of the Irish Republic, he magnanimously surveyed
his subjects”
Bruxelles – a Belgian beer bar with only 1 beer from Belgium
Brewery | Brand | Type |
% |Score
Chimay | Chimay
Blue | Ale, Belgian Tripel |9.0| 9.0
Dinner was at the Bad Ass temple bar Dublin
Brewery | Brand | Type |
% |Score
Guinness | Smithwick’s
Blonde | Ale, Blonde, English |4.1| 6.0
Beer 11,143
7/18/19 Thursday Dublin Airport 2 PM > Home
At check in
What’s in the hard suitcase sir, tools?
No - beer and whiskey
Really? All right then.
And at the airport he had the legendary epiphany that the
Guinness in the states would forever taste “not as good as in Dublin.” Thank
you, Arthur, for your blessing and your curse.
Visited Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Isle of
Man
Miles I drove 718; someone else drove 182 (not counting
taxi/tour busses)
Air miles 6,320
Miles total = 7,220
Beers = 104
Beers per mile = 0.0144
