O'Hara's lands in Chicago

[Mill Rat]

Stopped by the local Woodman's at I-88 & Orchard Road to see if they had the Guinness 250 in stock. Figure I oughta look for it to report back to the Irish Craft Brewer lads I met in Dublin a few weeks ago. When what to my wondering eyes should appear but 4-packs of Irish craft-brewed beer! That's right, no Guinness 250, but the fates dealt a far more favorable hand.

Woodman's now carries the Celtic Stout and Irish Red brewed by Carlow Brewing Company of Carlow Ireland. While not quite equal to their draught counterparts, they are leagues ahead of the "bland stuff" from St. James Gate and prove that the Irish are quite well capable of brewing some fine beers. About three weeks ago my wife and I wheeled a couple of very heavy suticases through Dublin and O'Hare (no relation) airports, laden with well-cushioned bottles of O'Hara's, and now the stuff shows up on store shelves a couple of miles from home. Is that fair? I suppose at least we won't have to go back to Dublin quite so soon, and that amount of air fare will buy a considerable amount of imported O'Hara's.

Next time you think you might be in the mood for a Guinness (or **shudder**, a Killian's) you're really in the mood for an O'Hara's. Seek it out.

[steveh]

??? O'Hara's has been around Chicago for quite a while. I spent an evening at the Firkin in Libertyville with Shamus O'Hara himself back in 2003 or 04.

Great fun talking beer and Ireland with the man in charge.

BTW -- no Guinness 250 up this way either.

S.

[Mill Rat]

Well, this was the first time it registered in the gray matter for me. Some of that might be that when I want a good stout, I brew it, but also it may not be stocked where I usually shop. This was the second time I've been in the liquor side of Woodman's. They run it like a separate operation from the rest of the store, and you can't get from the grocery side to the liquor side or vice versa without paying for what you're carrying first, unlike a Jewel/Osco, for example.

[jesskidden]

About three weeks ago my wife and I wheeled a couple of very heavy suticases through Dublin and O'Hare (no relation) airports, laden with well-cushioned bottles of O'Hara's, and now the stuff shows up on store shelves a couple of miles from home. Is that fair?

Fair? No, but I've found it's the best way to get a beer distributed in my local region- just "self import" it. Sure to show up soon after.

Same goes for paying big bucks for a long sought after out-of-print book or cd- the odds are good once you get fork out the dough, the item'll be re-issued. ;)

[steveh]

Well, this was the first time it registered in the gray matter for me. Some of that might be that when I want a good stout,

So what you're saying is, in order to discover new beer you have to take a trans-Atlantic vacation? Not bad, not bad. :D

Oh yeah, don't bother with the Carlo Wheat, falls short of their other two labels.

S.

[Fweezle]

If you can find it, see if you can get a bottle of their Celebration Stout, they make it once a year and comes in 750ml swing top bottled. Absolutely delicious, one of the best Irish dry stouts I've ever had.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/646/41100

[steveh]

Lew's take too:
http://lewbryson.blogspot.com/2009/04/mushrooms-brawler-and-oharas.html

Like to try some as well.

S.

[Mill Rat]

Just had the one bottle of Celebration Stout that followed us home, (thanks to Dec at the Bull & Castle for locating one of that pub's last bottles for us) last weekend after digging out rhisome cuttings for another local homebrewer. As I said in my review elsewhere, Celebration Stout ought to get the honor of being listed first among the BJCP's style description for dry stout. It's that good.