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[b:3d9facrs]Like Bigfoot, UFO's and Leitrim I claim this exists and no one believes me. If you want to find out come along on Thursday the 30th at about 7[/b:3d9facrs]


I think Irish Pale ale is a new style of beer that deserves recognition as a seperate type of drink. I cannot nail down how to describe this style But the beernuts description is good
The beernut years ago said[/url:3d9facrs] "The makers claim "Irish Pale Ale" is a new genre, which I was a bit sceptical about but now I can see where they're coming from. This has a touch of the caramel of the classic Irish red, but also a whole lot of the green, vegetal hops of the textbook IPA."

I think The following are Irish Pale Ales
Galway hooker from Hooker Brewery
Or, Trouble Brewing
O'Hara's IPA, Carlow Brewing Company
Copperhead Pale Ale, Whitewater Brewing Co.
Buckleys, in the Bull and Castle
Purgatory Pale Ale, The Franciscan Well

I think other breweries might be brewing this style
Helvick Gold Ale, Dungarvan Brewing Company
Scullion’s Irish (amber) Ale, The Hilden Brewery
Béal Bán, Beoir Chorca Dhuibhne


And I cannot think of one of these ales brewed by some of the big micros such as Messrs Maguire, The Porterhouse Brewing Co. or White Gypsy

So
1. Is Irish Pale Ale a style? Is this the right name for it?
2. How would you describe it?
3. What beers are in this style?
4. Would you be up for a Irish Pale Ale blind tasting? Not as a test to see if you can recognise them but more to put them together and taste if they really do form a style.

I think the same logic applies here as I think apply to India Pale Ale: if that's what the brewery calls it, that's what it is. The only other beers I can think of that call themselves Irish Pale Ale are Titanic Quarter and O'Hara's.

Going by the description you've quoted, I don't think Ór, O'Hara's, Copperhead, Buckley's and Purgatory have enough of a sweet malt base to qualify.

"a_friend_in_mead":r9er49lx wrote: 1. Is Irish Pale Ale a style?[/quote:r9er49lx]No.

"a_friend_in_mead":r9er49lx wrote: 4. Would you be up for a Irish Pale Ale blind tasting? Not as a test to see if you can recognise them but more to put them together and taste if they really do form a style.[/quote:r9er49lx]Always.

I would say Ór and Buckley's have the green, vegetal hops that seems characteristic to me.

Were these beers ever called 'Irish Golden Ale' or am I imagining that?

Buckley's calls itself a "Golden Ale", I think. Ór, despite its name, is usually described as a blonde.

I'm not sure there really is an Irish Pale Ale style, as such but I am certainly willing to take part in a tasting of these beers.

"TheBeerNut":1o3qokbq wrote: Buckley's calls itself a "Golden Ale",[/quote:1o3qokbq]
Buckley'swas nor created to be a Pale Ale, the flavour is there to give the beer a bite because of the low Abv.