No trip to Ireland is complete until you have tried Guinness and Ireland’s oldest ale, Smithwick’s Red Ale. On a recent business trip to Dublin I was fortunate enough to fly in the day before a meeting. What was I to do whilst away from family but to find the closest bar. So off to the bar in my hotel I go for a pint of the red stuff.
It was served very chilled. On the verge of freezing. This is the first thing to hit the taste buds. Following the chill you taste a ever so bitter slightly chocolaty but very smooth ale. The bitterness is not lasting and what remains is a very balanced brink indeed. This is an ale that you can tell has been taken care of.
True to its name the ale itself has a slight red tinge to it moving towards bronze. The head is white and the drink itself has little carbonation. (No bubbles once poured).
As you move down the pint you get a light head and warming feeling. This is a drink that encourages you to drink more.
I’m three pints in whilst writing this and need to think about tomorrow’s meetings. The barmaid has promised me that this will not give me a hangover even if I drink 8 pints.
The main question is not how much to drink but what to put the next few pints through on the expenses as.
When in Dublin and all that……….
I have to thank the staff at the Hilton Garden Inn in north wall quay for a great evening.
Source: Hilton bar Dublin