…plus a few others.

There is generally a fairly poor selection of beer available in Northern Ireland from most pubs and off-licences but fortunately I have a couple of reliable independent retailers I can count on to put a fair amount of effort into obtaining stock that would otherwise not be available. The Vineyard on Belfast’s Ormeau Road has already been mentioned a few times here so I’ll make a quick mention now of Gap Wines, on the Antrim Road in Belfast and also recently, and even more conveniently for me, on the Belfast Road in Carrickfergus. Gap Wines just picked up an award for 2008 Off-licence of the Year in the Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Retail Awards, which they can add to their 2006 UK Community Off-licence of the Year. I suspect the award is more for the wine aspect of their operation but they do have some dedicated shelf space for beer. Just this week they’ve taken deliver of a new batch from some Scottish Breweries so off I went to stock up; well, the corner of the kitchen my beer is stored in was starting to look a bit empty.

Featured in the photo, from left to right are -

Highland Brewing Company – Orkney Blast
Black Isle Brewery – Yellowhammer IPA, Wheat Beer, Blonde and Red Kite Ale
Broughton Ales – Greenmantle and Scottish Oatmeal Stout
Atlas Brewery – Nimbus and Three Sisters
Isle of Skye Brewing Company – Red Cuillin

While I was there I picked up one of each of the other new ones I spotted on the shelf as well.

Again, featured from left to right, are -

Meantime – Wheat Grand Cru
Southern Brewing Company SA - Kross Pilsner
Dixie Brewing Company – Blackened Voodoo lager
Brothers Brewing Company - Soho Red and Freedom Organic
Les Brasseurs de Gayant – La Goudale
Cerveceria Patagonia Primitiva SA – Patagonia Blonde

No idea when I’ll get round to posting tasting notes on all these, but I’m sure I’ll have fun doing the research.

Brewery: The Isle of Skye Brewing Company
Location: Uig, Isle of Skye, Scotland
ABV: 4.3%
Version: 500ml bottle

Right, we’ve covered some beer from England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Now it’s on to Scotland. And then the world (insert evil maniacal laugh of your choice).

Hebridean Gold is brewed with the addition of porridge oats, an ingredient which in my experience can make a beer too sweet. However, here the sweetness is well controlled with the hops adding just the right amount of bitterness. A touch of malt rounds things out nicely, resulting in a well balanced, surprisingly light oat ale with a pleasant, long aftertaste.