The Crafty Brewing Company Irish Craft Stout

The Crafty Brewing Company Irish Stout

https://ryeriverbrewingco.com/category/the-crafty-brewing-co/

Brewed by Rye River Brewing Company for Lidl
Style: Irish Stout
Dublin Rd, Celbridge, Co. Kildare

Lidl’s, the German Discount store, has partnered with Rye River Brewing Company to bring a range of craft beers to consumers under the brand of “The Crafty Brewing Co”. They have an offer a Lager, an Irish Stout and a Red Ale to be sold in 4-packs nationwide.

Operating out of Kildare, Rye River Brewing Company is one of the world’s most decorated independent craft breweries regularly achieving success at the World Beer Awards and other prestigious award ceremonies. At the 2018 World Beer Awards they won 19 medals, while at the same competition in 2019 they won an unprecedented 21 medals, an amazing achievement for an independent set up and only on the go since 2013.

The Crafty Brewing Company range (produced exclusively for Lidl and available in over 20 countries across Europe) is not the only brand they produce. Other award-winning Rye River brands include the Solas range, the Grafters range and the McGargles beer (a brand I did a big write up yonks’ ago), all, like Crafty Brewing, exported and sold throughout Europe, and all winning loads of medals in the World Beer Awards and in other prestigious award ceremonies.

Review: 500ml bottle of The Crafty Brewing Company Irish Stout 4.5% vol.

Sold exclusively in Lidl in stores right across Ireland. I have read they don’t sell this any more and the stout has been discontinued but I am not so sure about that…

A craft stout they say, whatever the fuck that is, does that mean its a wanky effort at a real stout? Anyway apparently this stout has won a big award, or at least Silver in the world beer awards for stout. Might be impressive but I wasn’t invited so……..and it won gold in The Irish Food Awards in 2021, as best Irish stout in the country, not bad, well lets see how it goes with me!

On pour I am getting a pitch black colour with a decent sized creamy tanned head. Looks ok, a bit bubbly but overall not a bad pour, which is very important for a stout. Head maintains throughout and with some good lacing, this stout is not bad at all on appearance.

Very good on the nose, a lovely aroma of chocolate and nuts, a very roasty smell, very nice. The dark roasted malts are really pleasant here.

The taste follows the nose, similar. Roasted dark malts, chocolate, coffee and nut taste, Not bad, initially anyway! Nice bitter coffee aftertaste, just right for a stout…..although might be a tad bit too sweet, but overall this is good.

Nice full bodied taste, nice to swish it all around in the mouth. I like this stout. Its not a Guinness or to be fair even near it, but its a bloody good effort.

Like a very nutty chocolate stout than anything else. Very good and filling, can easily see why it won awards. Good for a session. Recommended and a good alternative to Guinness.