Another entry for The Session – this time, Matthew Curtis has set an interesting challenge for #145.
Ireland is, in a word, small. The craft beer industry here is, unsurprisingly, also not large, and because of the size of the market, it is even more difficult for smaller producers to get tap space at most pubs and bars, or in typical off-licenses, corner shops and supermarkets. But while there are opportunities for independent brewers to get onto some supermarket shelves through initiatives like SuperValu’s Food Academy – something that doesn’t come with the ‘selling out’ baggage that seems to accompany wider availability in larger markets like the UK – it can be tough for those brewers to break into the larger public consciousness. Diageo and Heineken’s marketing budgets are orders of magnitude larger, and when ‘a pint’ in a pub means the same beer to most people, it’s a big mountain to climb.
The careful reader will notice that there are some breweries and venues I rarely, if ever, mention, and there’s probably a good reason for that; certain omissions are very much intentional. And I’ve absolutely told some producers directly if I’ve had an issue with a batch or found a particular venue whose taplines seemed muddy; people have appreciated the direct, if offline, communication to improve their product. And there’s also bit of judgement involved there; the larger (though really, still small) brewers have QA setups and actively want to know these things, while some of the smaller outfits may need that kind of news broken more gently – but no one wants to have a bad product out there. And credit where it’s due – you’re not going to get a ‘bad’ Guinness or Carlsberg in 99% of venues (and to be clear, I like Guinness and Carlsberg – but I don’t want them to be the only choices). Huge global brewers of their sort are often much more stable employers, because they can afford to be, and both do amazing things with their corporate history and archives; these are very positive things.
And so when it comes to offering constructive critiques of the industry, especially as a blow-in, it’s something I personally tend to do at more of a macro level, in one very specific area: the availability (or lack thereof) of independent Irish beer offerings in pubs and bars. Places that formerly had a more diverse lineup are very much in my line of fire, and it’s not only because it’s not great for the broader brewing community, it’s terrible for the consumer. The lack of imagination around what punters might enjoy took some time for me to get used to, having previously lived in the US and UK, where there would usually be at least a token local craft beer on in most bars and restaurants, if not a much more impressive lineup beyond that. And yes, tourists are all convinced that there’s a ‘best’ pint of Guinness to be found here; as an initial revenue-generation point, have at it. I’ll absolutely allow the ‘Guinness tastes better in Ireland’ purely from a ‘clean taplines and great atmosphere’ perspective, but many visitors want to sample other ‘local’ products, and all too often, there isn’t anything else. It’s a missed opportunity. And, as such, it deserves to be called out. For example, replacing a wider array of brewers and styles with some not-terribly-well-executed nor well-priced ‘house beers’ ain’t it. House beers you’ll continue to tweak and have as part of a broader lineup? Sure, go for it.
In summary, I believe the Irish beer industry is just about at the point where it’s mature enough to handle more robust public critiques aimed at improving the overall product…almost. While the crew of independent producers and distributors is so small that it’s easy to meet and get to know nearly everyone relatively quickly, it takes a lot longer to build up credibility and to earn trust, especially as an outsider. There’s also something here about not quite staying in your lane, but knowing when and where to share certain opinions. John and Liam can be entirely candid on their respective blogs because they’ve been doing amazing work for years. And, to a certain extent, we’ve all specialised a bit – I’ve got the pubs thing going, John’s doing amazing reviews and commentary, and Liam’s stellar Irish beer history work is, well, just that. And we are so fortunate to have writers like Ali Dunworth covering Irish food and drink in books and magazines, and, of course, my fellow Beer Lady* Christina Wade kicking ass and taking names in the beer history book department. As they drive broader normal-person public awareness, we’ll (eventually) be at that point where Irish beer criticism is as natural and welcomed as restaurant criticism. There will be positives, negatives and, most likely, a fair few ‘mids’ out there, but it will be a sign of growth overall; I’m looking forward to a few rather glorious tasting notes all across that spectrum getting out of private group chats (no, really) and into the wider world.
*We’ll be back with new Beer Ladies Podcast episodes soon! We’ve, uh, all had a lot on. And it is worth noting that we are a lot more vocal about certain trends or issues on the podcast…strength in numbers, or something along those lines…
