TOPIC:

Dunno if this is the right forum, but here goes.

I'm a big fan of GH, and I really really wish it was available in cans and/or bottles. Until such time as it is I have been researching alternatives. I took advantage of a recent trip to the south of England to try out every IPA I could get my hands on in Sainsburys and Asda. The ones I found closest to GH are:

Deuchars Caledonian IPA. 4.4%. This is very close (to my taste buds) and is available in Sainsburys and Asda in bottles and cans. I bought 4 bottles yesterday in Sainsburys Newry for £1.91 a bottle, 1 bottle free. Cans taste identical, but are a bit cheaper.

Doctor Okell's IPA from the Isle of Man. 4.5%. Bottles only. The first bottle is a bit bitter by comparison but the 2nd goes down just fine <!-- s:) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s:) --> Also in Sainsburys (not Asda), around £1.65 a bottle.

Marston's Old Empire. 5.7%. Sainsburys, bottles only, and similar price to Okell's. Surprisingly the strong alcohol doesn't ruin it.

I hope this is of use to GH fans who miss having GH at home <!-- s:) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s:) -->

If you like Galway Hooker look no further than Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

&amp;quot;bigears&amp;quot;:323gtbga wrote: If you like Galway Hooker look no further than Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.[/quote:323gtbga]

If you mean by this that they are of equal quality then I heartily agree, but I'm not sure they taste identical. Sierra Nevada seems to me to lack the slight spiciness in GH (supplied presumably from the wheat grain, Saaz hops, and slow maturation process). Also, the Cascade hops in Sierra Nevada pack more of a punch IMO.

Tube: why not try cloning GH? I gave it a bash recently and got pretty close, though I got the proportions wrong between the Saaz and Cascade hops (too much of the latter and too little of the former).

I don't see Sierra Nevada for sale anywhere, except for €5.50 a 355ml bottle in a certain Dublin pub, which is the one and only time I had it. I'm not sure it was an IPA either (do they do seperate PA and IPA?) as the bottle just said Pale Ale. Tasted fairly different to me. Nice. But different.

As for brewing my own, I'd love to but I'm too new to the appreciation of fine beers. Hopefully some day tho.

The drinkstore in Stoneybatter sells it and lots of other fine beers too!

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="www.drinkstore.ie/store/category/2/6/USA/">www.drinkstore.ie/store/category/2/6/USA/

They're not the same beer, granted, but Galway Hooker is loosely based on SNPA, or at least inspired by it (as are a great deal of the American Pale Ales in existence - Hooker is also very much a Pale Ale as opposed to an IPA.)

edit: If you're looking to clone Hooker you can find the recipe at the end of this article[/url:2p05drcj].