I don’t think I’ve ever done this properly before, (I had a quick look!) but I have done some similar best of the year round ups before… Anyway Boak and Bailey’s mention of their Golden Pints prompted me to give it a go.
- Best cask – I had the opportunity to drink cask in Copenhagen, Tewkesbury and Belfast this year, which was a lot more than usual for me! I’m going to say Brehon’s Shanco Dubh which I really enjoyed at the Belfast Beer Festival. Honourable mention to Inferno’s Golden Embers which I supped in Tewkesbury.
- Best keg – Rock City Extra Fresh IPA this was a stand out at Rock City and Friends in Amersfoort.
- Package – To Øl In The Ways Of The Old Days this is a proper old school IPA ticking the boxes for pine, resin, bitterness and a pleasant slightly oily mouth feel.
- Overall – Lineman Underline – for pretty much the exact same reasons as the previous beer. Some may have expected this collaboration to be a hazy boi but it wasn’t, and I for one was very pleasantly surprised.
- Brewery – Whiplash – knocking out bangers on a consistent basis, Blue Ghosts Pilsner has become my favourite Irish lager. It’s a cracker.
6. Best pub – Bierhaus, Galway great selection of beers, sound staff and a savage cheese toastie. Honourable mentions to The Shack and Flannery’s, Athlone – both class for different reasons, check them out for yourself.
7. Non-pub boozer – Dead Centre, obviously! A brewpub and casual restaurant feels like my own version of Cheers. Marooned my most checked in beer on Untappd, looking forward to Horan’s Last Hurrah on the 27th of December for some porky goodness and lovely pints.
8. Beer book – I’ve been reading mostly fiction this year!
9. Beer blogger – Beer Nut, actual beer bloggers seem like a dying breed but one man keeps the flag flying. I enjoy John’s idiosyncratic descriptions even though sometimes I’m not sure if he actually liked a beer. Honourable mention to Philip who hung up his boots after putting in some fine work – have a read here! Lisa’s Weirdo Dublin Pubs are always entertaining. And I do like the aforementioned Boak and Bailey’s Saturday morning round ups. Let me know what were your favourites of 2024… sláinte!
Disclaimer – I sell beer to some (but not all) of these places and I sell some (but not all) of these beers, but these are my own opinions.
