Beer of the Month - Belfast Lager

This series is all about Irish craft brews and, for June, our expert columnist and food blogger KRISTIN JENSEN introduces a Beer of the Month that’s made by one of Ireland’s longest running and most successful craft breweries - and in one of the country’s most scenic areas

ABOUT THE BREWERY

Set amidst the spectacular Mountains of Mourne, Whitewater Brewery is Northern Ireland’s largest microbrewery and has been steadily ticking along since 1996, making it one of the first Irish craft breweries.

The brewery was called one of the best in the world in the prestigious International Beer Challenge 2007 and their beers have won many awards over the years, including their Clotworthy Dobbin and Belfast Lager being named as one of the 50 best beers in the world in the International Beer Challenge 2007 and 2008, respectively.

They produce a selection of cask beers, a lager in keg and many bottled beers, all of which are handcrafted in small batches. The brewery also has its own gastropub, the White Horse Inn, located 5 miles from the brewery in Saintfield. Tours of the brewery are possible but must be booked in advance.

Check the website for a listing of where to find their beer in bottles, kegs and casks in Northern Ireland, which are widely available there. The beers are also available in the Republic, including in Tesco.

ABOUT THE BEER

Beer style: Lager
ABV: 4.5%
Colour: Hazy straw yellow
Serve in: Mug, pilsner/pokal, pint glass, stange or tulip glass
Matches well with: BBQ, burgers, chicken, pizza, seafood, Mexican food, mildly spicy food

Lager is the most popular beer style in the world by far, accounting for 90% of all beer consumption. Yet most of that is big brand lager, which is only a bland, sad shadow of what a proper lager should be. True lagers are dry and crisp, with a distinctive hop bitterness and a character that comes from the use of malted barley rather than corn or rice.

Whitewater’s Belfast Lager pours a pale, hazy straw yellow from the bottle and is quite yeasty and bready, both in terms of the aroma and the flavour. The first whiff is reminiscent of bread dough with a little lemony citrus note behind that, while Saaz hops give it a peppery bite. At 4.5% ABV, it’s a sessionable beer that would be perfect for a BBQ. If you’re looking for a good all-round summertime beer, it’s got to be a lager.

When it comes to matching beer and food, lager is a great crowd pleaser – it’s an easy-drinking beer that won’t steal the spotlight and matches well with a wide range of different food. It plays well with burgers, chicken, pizza, Mexican food and mildly spicy food. It’s also perfect for summertime, as it’s ideal for a BBQ and won’t overpower delicate seafood.
 

Kristin Jensen is a freelance editor specialising in cookery and food books and has worked with many of Ireland's top food writers and chefs. She writes the Edible Ireland blog and is a co-founder of the Irish Food Bloggers Association