I was ambling around ebay & found something I'd not seen before - a beermat for sale from Shinrone Brewery - a now-closed micro that seems to have prided itself on brewing cask beer served from oak barrels - & a beer called Brian Boru, "Fit for a high king!" was the tag-line.
I've not got the book of 'Beer & Cider in Ireland: The Complete Guide' & googling came up with nothing - does anyone have any more info on this, it just intrigued me.
I know the guys behind Porterhouse had a go at brewing cask before they set up in Temple Bar, but I don't think this is them.
cheers folks,
Mike McG
nr Liverpool.
Can't say I have ever heard of them but I am not surprised that they are not around any more. I am very fond of cask beer but I would advise against basing a business on it in Ireland.
The annals of the Companies Registration Office[/url:2240xcle] are littered with defunct and stillborn Irish breweries.
Of Shinrone they say it was based out of the enterprise centre in Birr Co. Offaly and was registered at the beginning of the glorious summer of 1983, only to be wound up on a dismal mid-December's day in 1987.
"TheBeerNut":k6rvib4s wrote: The annals of the Companies Registration Office[/url:k6rvib4s] are littered with defunct and stillborn Irish breweries.
Of Shinrone they say it was based out of the enterprise centre in Birr Co. Offaly and was registered at the beginning of the glorious summer of 1983, only to be wound up on a dismal mid-December's day in 1987.[/quote:k6rvib4s]
Thanks for the comments chaps - the time overlaps with Harty's (Liam LaHart of Porterhouse fame) & they brewed some cask beer, as this UK website says -
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="www.beermad.org.uk/brewery/457">www.beermad.org.uk/brewery/457
but obviously it's an Offaly long way to Blessington <!-- s:oops: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_redface.gif" alt="" title="Embarassed" /><!-- s:oops: --> so it seems they're probably not related.
sbillings - yes, it seems the idea of a running a micro is hard enough in Ireland, the idea of a cask-only one seems sadly doomed!
I've heard of some of the strongarm tactics / persuasion that bigger brewers have used to oust craft-brewers from the bar, but the difficulty of re-educating bar/cellar staff & landlord/ladies about cask beer + then selling it fast enough for it to be in perfect condition sounds like a cliff-face never mind an uphill struggle.
Cheers
Mike.
We have been fortunate enough to have a number of almost regular cask ales that appear at festivals around the country, but other than that I think a cliff face is a very good analogy for the struggle ahead for cask ale lovers.
In a country known all over the world for our love of drink, we have a very sad selection, thank God for the people who at least have a crack at the whip. Since meeting up with my nearest Micro I do everything in my power to promote and support them.
" title="Embarassed" /><!-- s:oops: --> so it seems they're probably not related.
