Can Conditioned Beer
Here in Dungarvan we are staving off the January blues with some R+D, and working with cans instead of bottles for a while to trial Can Conditioned Beer.
Can Trials 2021
With the rise of canned beers over the past few years, it’s the question we get asked most often and the discussion we’ve had most – will Dungarvan ever release their beer in cans? With all the discussion and consideration, what held us back was changing our process from a bottle conditioned product, which we have always believed produces the best quality and best tasting beer, to a force carbonated product. By working on a can conditioned beer we can keep our core ethos, retaining the character of the beer – undergoing its secondary fermentation in the bottle (or can) to produce a natural carbonation in the beer.
CANditioning
Like our bottled conditioning process, here’s how it works: we can the beer unfiltered so that the live yeast is present in the can after packaging. The beer then undergoes a second fermentation process in the can, creating more CO2, which gives the beer its bubbles. This leads to a natural carbonation, preserving the beer’s quality and enhancing its flavour. After going through the conditioning process the yeast will fall away to the bottom of the can, leaving a natural yeast sediment behind. Anyone familiar with our bottled beers, or any other bottle conditioned beers, will be familiar with this sediment!
The first trial batches of cans are now gone into our warm room for the yeast to work its magic. There are still lots of trials and research ahead of us at the brewery for the next few weeks and all going well we are hoping to have our first ever can release in March. These will be available nationwide through our wholesale partners, Fourcorners.
Stay tuned to our Instagram , Twitter and Facebook pages for updates of Ireland’s first full time range of can conditioned beer.
Brewery Tours 2020
Following careful consideration we are please to begin welcoming tours to the brewery again from 4th July 2020.
Our annual Summer Series of brewery tours commences on Saturday 4th July and will run on Saturdays throughout the summer season at 3pm for the foreseeable future. This may be revised based on advice and guidelines, and groups will be limited to 8 participants with family units being distanced. Our Summer Series is always a fun, relaxed session where we welcome visitors to the brewery for a talk through the brewing process and ingredients followed up with a tutored tasting of our beers. We will do our best to make as convivial an atmosphere as ever while implementing social distancing guidlines! Booking is now live, use our online shop to choose your date and take your place.
Group bookings will also be welcome at the brewery this summer. Groups of six or more can book for a private tour group, and we will do our best to accommodate a date and time that works for your group. All tours will take place outside of brewing times to adhere to our social distancing protocols. Contact us with your preferred date to schedule a tour and tasting.
Brewery Tours 2020 and Covid-19
Protocols will be in place throughout the brewery and all visitors are required to adhere to signage and directives throughout the brewery. Visitors will be asked to arrive at their assigned time only, wait for entry and sanitise hands on arrival. Summer Series groups are limited to 8 people and social distancing measures will be in place between family units. In our tasting area this will mean assigned seating on arrival, with visitors taking the same seats for the tasting after the tour.
During the tour itself, and throughout the brewing facility, visitors will be asked to remain separate from other groups and shared handling of ingredients, equipment or utensils won’t be permitted. For the tasting, guests are requested not to handle any glassware or bottles other than their own and cooperate with staff for the safety of all. Masks are not compulsory but visitors are welcome to wear them, and gloves are available to guests if required.
We look forward to welcoming guests to the brewery again, and our Covid-19 protocols may be revised in line with guidelines as the season progresses.
Covid-19 Statement March 2020.
At Dungarvan Brewing Company we have been monitoring the Covid-19 outbreak closely and introduced best practise in line with the HSE Guidelines for the containment of the virus and the wellbeing of our staff and customers.
For this reason, we will be taking no visitors to the brewery, including tours, until the end of March, after which time we will reassess the situation. We are also working closely with West Waterford Festival of Food for an event we are planning to take place at the brewery in April, and will update on that in due course.
Our production is continuing as normal for the foreseeable future and only pre-arranged visitors for deliveries and collections will be allowed access the brewery, with universal measures in terms of hand washing, covering of coughs and sneezes and disinfecting of brewing equipment as well as office surfaces in place. We hope to have no interruption to the supply of our beer but have put preparations in place to shut down production should brewers feel unwell with symptoms and need to be isolated.
We will make further decisions on reinstating our brewery tours at the end of March based on guidance from relevant authorities and at this point are hopeful that we’ll start up our annual Summer Series again in May. Stay tuned to our social media accounts for details of dates and further updates.
Main Sail Alcohol Free Beer
Now part of our Core Range
After our successful limited sale of our Alcohol Free Beer Main Sail in Summer 2019. Due to popular demand we have decided to make Main Sail a member of our Core Range.
Here’s Why;
Our Alcohol Free Beer has a great taste but also holds many health benefits.
- While drinking alcohol free beer we associate the flavour and smell with full strength beer. Making Main Sail a great alternative to Alcoholic drinks in general.
- Beer is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. Alcohol Free Beer provides all the benefits of these without the negative effects of alcohol.
- Main Sail holds isotonic properties, energising and quenches thirst. More and more athletes are replacing their sports drinks with non-alcoholic beer. Isotonic drinks replace fluids and electrolytes lost through sweating, preventing cramping and aids recovery.
- Drinking alcohol free beer is a good way to stay hydrated. Anything below 2% ABV will rehydrate you rather than dehydrate.
- Beer is rich in a dietary chemical called Silicon which comes from the Hops the beer is made from. Silicon is a key ingredient for increasing bone mineral density, therefore strengthening bones.
The Beer
Irelands first micro-brewed alcohol free beer. We took a while developing this beer to get it just right, To give a refreshing hoppy flavour without the alcohol content. Coming in at 0.4% abv it is defined as an alcohol free product and can be enjoyed in place of a regular beer.
Plenty of hops give a lively, refreshing citrus and herbal flavour to this light bodied pale ale.
ABV: <0.5%
Hops: Amarillo, Challenger
Malts: Munich, Caramalt, Crystal Malt, Cararoma
Allergens: Contains Barley
Member’s Club
With great fanfare we declare our brewery member’s club open for 2019!
Following on from our tasting room redevelopment, the next phase is the launch of our Brewery Member’s Club which gives you discounts and access to events at our brewery and elsewhere, along with an invite to the official opening party on May 25th. Join our Member’s Club to become part of the gang here and share in our special events taking place in the brewery throughout the summer.
Included in Membership:
- Welcome pack with brewery swag and merchandise, and a branded pint glass
- Brewery Tour and Tasting for Six People. Bring your friends or come again and again!
- Invite for you and a guest to our brewery open day event on May 25th
- First Taste – invite to exclusive first pour events throughout Ireland
- 10% discount code for purchases of any other brewery events or merchandise sales
- Monthly newsletter update on brewery happenings and upcoming events
What you need to do:
It’s quite simple – fill in your details and let us take care of the rest! On purchase we’ll drop you a welcome email, then get your welcome pack posted out to you. You’ll be supplied with discount codes to book tours, events and merchandise either at the brewery or through our online shop and we’ll confirm your place at our open day event in May. Having received everything, it’s in your hands to book your six tour places at a date that suits you, and you’ll receive a monthly newsletter from us with details of upcoming events both at the brewery and around the country where you can get booking discount or an exclusive invite, depending on the the event.
If you’ve any queries drop us a line and we’ll do our best to answer them!
Nine Years Later
On April 9th 2010 we gathered in The Tannery for the launch of our brewery, followed up with a party for friends in Downey’s Bar in Dungarvan and first pours of our range. What a nine years that has been!
From an initial core range of three beers, we started adding seasonals beginning with our Coffee and Oatmeal Stout in 2011 and many one-off brews and festival specials. Nine years later our core range has grown to five, with regular seasonals and small batch releases. Added to this is our Greenway Pale Ale, released in 2018 and this year’s batch currently on release. Next to be added to the line up is an alcohol free beer, which is scheduled for release at the end of this month.
We’ve gone from hand bottling to semi automation, and seeing the craft brewing world grow from just seven microbreweries in Ireland when we started to upwards of seventy now. Our own brewery has changed and developed, along with the market and the Irish craft beer scene as a whole.
Making friends
Throughout our journey we have made so many new friends in the brewing and food world in Ireland and beyond. We’ve enjoyed festivals, tastings and collaborations, hosted tours and held long table dinners at the brewery, worked with many local producers and are proud members of Food The Waterford Way which promotes collaboration within the Waterford food and drinks scene. We are founder members of the Independent Craft Brewers of Ireland, a group which has campaigned hard on behalf of the small breweries of Ireland as well as promoting Irish craft beer through Indie Beer Week and the Independent Irish Craft Beer symbol.
What’s next
Since the start of this year we have been working hard on developing our tours side of the business. Alongside our brand new website, we’ve completely rebuilt our tasting room. As a result, we can now accommodate groups of up to 35 and plan on opening up a lot more to visitors this year. From an ad-hoc offering we now offer regularly scheduled tours throughout the summer, on Wednesdays and Fridays, and have plans to add more specialist events to our calendar. As well as continuing to produce great beers, we will be further developing this side of the business and are set to announce plans for our Members Club, which will be launched in the coming days.
So thanks to everyone for being with us along the way, and we hope you join us in raising a glass for our ninth birthday – and come with us as we enter our next phase.
Cheers!
Greenway Beer
Celebrating the Waterford Greenway, we are delighted to announce the 2019 launch of our Greenway Waterford Pale Ale.
First launched in the summer of 2018 in collaboration with The Greenway Man, this refreshing beer has been generously hopped with Simcoe, Citra and Amarillo to give a lively citrus flavour which we think is the perfect restorative beer after a (long or short!) trek on our coastal route.
The Waterford Greenway opened in 2017 and is a 46km scenic coastal walking and cycling rail along the old railway line from Waterford to Dungarvan. Sandwiched between the Comeragh Mountains and the Copper Coast, it hosts unparalleled views and wonderful features such as the Durrow Tunnel, Ballyvoile Viaduct and Mount Congreve Gardens.
In its two years, the Greenway has become an enormous attraction to the area, with both locals and visitors enjoying spending time walking or cycling sections of it. We wanted to celebrate this and were delighted when Garvan and Emmet approached us about doing something together. We all agreed that we wanted to develop a beer that would be refreshing and flavoursome, with a summery feel to it. The result was our Greenway Pale Ale, which after an initial batch had to be quickly restocked last summer. Following a brief winter hiatus, it is now back in full time production for the 2019 season, released in mid March and available throughout the county and further afield. So plan your trip with a bottle or pint to finish up with for this summer!
Indie Beer Week
The second annual Indie Beer Week runs from 22nd June to 1st July – show your independent brewery some love, and meet the people behind your favourite brew.
Indie Beer Week 2018
Indie Beer Week 2018 runs from 22nd June to 1st July and it’s the perfect time to swing by and explore your local independent brewery – where real beer is made.
A week-long celebration of independent Irish brewing, Indie Beer Week 2018 sees local craft breweries all over the country opening their doors for tours, tastings and behind the scenes craic, while pubs, restaurants and off licenses will be celebrating the very best in local independent beers. With over 50 events scheduled all over the country, almost every county in Ireland has a day out to enjoy, fuelled by the Irish public’s love and appreciation for independent beer.
Ireland has a vibrant and exciting independent brewing scene, with interest from the public growing exponentially, year after year. Indie Beer Week capitalises on that interest, providing the opportunity to meet the people behind the beer, putting a face to the name of some of Ireland’s most interesting and innovative independent brews.
The week-long schedule of events by independent Irish breweries, which began with the inaugural Indie Beer Week last year, focuses on emphasising the very real and important connections Ireland’s brewers have with their local communities.
Last year during Indie Beer Week 27 breweries held 35 events in 18 counties with approximately 3,000 attendees. This year there are more than 30 participating breweries across the island of Ireland, with over 50 unique and intriguing events, and a hoped-for attendance of up to 10,000 guests at events which range from brewery tours, talks and tastings to beer house yoga, jazz and trad sessions, long table beer-matching dinners, scavenger hunts and much more.
Working closely with other local food producers, craftspeople, musicians and artists to showcase the independent spirit of their region, the independent Irish brewers participating in Indie Beer Week are all flying the flag for community and connection. As well as making great beer, many small independent breweries act as a hub for other local activities, providing not just economic stimulus in any given region, but also acting as cultural and social catalysts.
Here at Dungarvan Brewing Company we are celebrating by opening our doors once again to welcome chefs Shane McGrath and Paula Hannigan to present a long table dinner, celebrating our local producers with a Food the Waterford Way Local Producer’s Feast on Saturday 23rd June. Shane joined us last year for our inaugural long table dinner and we are delighted to welcome him back with Paula to present a shared-dining feast.
On Saturday 30th June we will be hosting an open day at the brewery and will be welcoming visitors throughout the afternoon for music, tours and beers with some special guests. Pre registration will be necessary, and more details will follow. If you are interested in attending please drop us a line to reserve your space.
Indie Beer Week is how the independent brewers of Ireland get to say thanks to the communities that support them, and we are also in the process of organising more events with some of our local stockists. We’ll be releasing details of these as they are finalised so keep an eye on our Events here and on our Facebook page.
For a full calendar of all events nationally please see www.indiebeerweek.ie
Summer 2018 Events
During the summer of 2018 we will be busy with lots of events, both in the brewery and elsewhere and we’d be delighted to have you along to join us at some of them!
Currently in our calendar are the following:
Summer Series Tour and Tasting Sessions
From Friday 1st June we once again kick off our always popular Summer Series with a tour and tasting session lasting 90mins at the brewery. Learn about the brewing process, taste the ingredients and finish with a tutored tasting of a range of Dungarvan Brewing Company Beers.
Long Table Dining
Following the success of last year’s inaugural Long Table Dining event at the brewery, which was followed by a night of Middle Eastern dining in August, and a Mexican Feast at West Waterford Festival of Food, we are delighted to welcome back some of our friends from the best of the Irish food scene for another range of long table dining events. These will kick off in June, as part of the Indie Beer Week celebrations, with a celebration of Waterford food as chefs Shane McGrath and Paula Hannigan present a feast of local produce, all paired with Dungarvan beers.
Tastings and Festivals
We will as ever be participating in lots of tasting and festivals over the summer – more details as we confirm things but first off we will be participating in the Meet the Makers event in Ardkeen Stores on Saturday 2nd June, 12-3pm.
Long Table Dinner
Photography by Pawel Lorenc, ‘I do’ Photography.
Last Friday we were delighted to host our first dining event at the brewery, a long table dinner in which we showcased West Waterford produce as part of the Waterford Way series of food events taking place throughout the summer.
Table Setting for our Waterford Way dinner
Chef Shane McGrath of the Cliff House Hotel put together a showstopping six course tasting menu featuring delights such as Harty’s Oysters, Grantstown Tomatoes, Seagull Bakery breads, local lobster, halibut and monkfish, Ardmore carrots, Little Milk Company cheese, local strawberries and more.
Chef Shane McGrath getting ready to serve
Guests were welcomed with a drink in our tasting room, before being brought through to the brewery which had been transformed for the evening into a fine dining space with white linen tablecloths contrasting with fermenters and brewkits.
Jen – An Bean A Leanna – welcomes guests
Pre dinner drinks in the Tasting Room
Fine dining in an industrial unit – table waiting for guests.
The brewery had undergone a transformation, and as the sunlight left all the wonderful magical lighting touches brought to life the surroundings
Bottles repurposed into candle holders.
The menu for the Long Table Dinner showcased the best of the region, with many of the producers featured part of the newly launched Waterford Way food trail. Using as many of these producers as possible, Shane put together a sumptuous menu which thrilled all the diners. Each course was paired with a Dungarvan Brewing Company beer, with head brewer Cormac talking diners through the beers and the selection.
Each course was paired with a Dungarvan beer.
The menu showcased producers from the Waterford Way
First course of Harty’s Oysters and Helvick Smoked Halibut, Potato and Dill Cake is served.
Convivial atmosphere, friends old and new.
Flutes of Black Rock served with the first course
In all, it was a superb night and a long time goal of ours met here at the brewery. We look forward to doing it all again soon, and would like to extend a huge thanks to our diners who put their faith in us and came along to this crazy idea we had, to Shane for producing the most magnificent feast which absolutely astounded the guests, Jack for his assistance with Shane, Leeanne for creating the amazing atmosphere and serving on the night, all the local producers who got behind the event and provided ingredients and of course Pawel for coming along to photograph the night and giving us these amazing images.
See more of Pawel’s work at idophotographydungarvan.ie
Join us for our next dining event on Saturday 19th August, a middle eastern feast with our friends at Mezze.