We haven’t missed the fact that the Six Nations kicks off on Saturday 4 February. We thought it might be fun to put together a small Six Nations beer trail for the 2023 beer bash.
Beer trails are best followed with friends. Discuss the tastes. Discuss life. Laugh lots and make merry. As the Irish might say …
Let the winds of fortune sail you
And may you sail a gentle sea
And let it always be the other fella
Who says: Lads this drink’s on me.
Let’s go. Six Nations. Six drinks. A half of each surely can’t hurt.
Scotland – Fyne Ales – Jarl (3.8%) – On the Cask Bar
I mean what can we say? Jarl is an absolute classic single-hop blonde ale. It’s brewed with the Citra hop from which it takes a subtle, not overpowering, fruitiness.
At 3.8% if you are starting your Six Nations Beer Trail north of the border and want a pint to quench your thirst this is a great place to begin.
Wales – Purple Moose – Dark Side Of The Moose / Ochr Dywyll Y Mws (4.6%) – On the Cask Bar
This is a delicious dark ale brewed from fresh Welsh mountain water. It is brewed with a delicate blend of dark crystal malt (crystal malt, not crystal meth!), roasted barley and Bramling Cross hops giving a lovely balance of rich malty flavour and fruity bitterness.
Purple Moose are in Porthmadog, just up the road from Portmeirion, the iconic location where Patrick McGoohan was Prisoner Number Six. Be wary for the giant white balloons chasing you if you try to escape the beer trail early.
Ireland – Bullhouse – Rolling Papers (5.5%) – Craft Corner
Yes we do know that Bullhouse is in Belfast and that Belfast is in Northern Ireland. As any serious rugby fan will tell you the Ireland national team represents both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. We’re sure you knew this. We did too. Errrr but it didn’t stop us double checking on Wikipedia before ordering the beer.
Rolling Papers is a delightful hazy IPA from across the Irish Sea. Dry hopped with some sweetness and some citrus tastes. Sláinte.
England – State of Kind – Welcome to the Dark Side (8.4%) – Craft Corner
State of Kind Brew Co are just down the road in Ince. As well as tasting good you can also feel good about the low beer miles spent to bring you this brew.
At 8.4% we are thinking sipping rather than gulping this big lad. Enjoy the flavours of chocolate, hazelnut, and coffee. It’s terribly moreish but best not to order another; at least not until you’ve finished all Six Nations.
France – Brasserie 3 MONTS – Bière de Flandre (8.5%) – Foreign Bar
A wonderful beer coming from the Brasserie 3 Monts in St. Sylvestre-Cappel. 3 Monts has been an independent family-owned brewery since 1920. Over a hundred years of practice! No wonder they’ve got this brewing thing nailed on.
3 Monts brew to celebrate the richness of nature and this beer embodies this philosophy. Brewed by infusions this is an old fashioned rising beer. It’s brewed with strong and hearty Flemish hops and fermented with top yeasts. It’s also 8.5% so drink little, drink slowly, and enjoy every mouthful.
Italy – Birrificio Italiano – Tipopils (5.2%) – Foreign Bar
A refreshing and light beer in the pilsener style. It is matured for 2 weeks after brewing resulting in a dry, hoppy taste. A wonderful change of style if you try this beer between the stronger, darker brews.
A Parting Thought
We hope you enjoyed the Six Nations. Let’s bob back to the Irish wisdom for a parting thought:
There are good ships and there are wood ships
These ships sail and tame the sea
But by God the best ships are our friendships
And may they always be.