The launch of Alltech’s 2015 Craft Beer Festival

Alltech held their launch for next year’s Craft Brew Fair in Sam’s Bar, Dublin yesterday evening. Sam’s is the kind of place you can imagine Phileas Fogg lounging around before heading off on an epic journey. 2015 will be the third  time the event has taken place and if the first two years are anything to go by, next year will be a blast!

Last night a group of us bloggers and industry people were invited to sample some of Kentucky’s seasonal ales to mark the launch. It was my first time to have the peach ale and despite my general dislike of fruit flavoured beers I enjoyed this one as the sweetness wasn’t overpowering.

There was also a chance to try the Pearse Lyons Single Malt which had been infused with herbs and spices. At least I think that’s what it was! It looked great and I liked it. There was some very fancy finger food, smoked mackerel and apple and cheese and grapes on crackers. Mmmm.

It was good to get all of the most opionated beer heads together in the one room. The banter was great and there was a fantastic atmosphere.

The Dublin Beer Ladies were out in force, crushing beer cliches beneath their feet. See, you don’t have to have a beard and a big belly!

There was also some seriously classy entertainment, chilled out tunes with a live sax accompaniment. Nice.

I finished off the night with the Pumpkin Barrel Ale. It smells like pumpkin pie (as it should) but it packs a serious punch at 10%. I only had the one, but I know there were a few sore heads this morning. The 2015 event takes place from the 27th of February to the 1st of March. Tickets are €15 which includes four tokens that can be used for beer or food and there’ll also be live entertainment. The Dublin Craft Beer Cup is always exciting and that will run over the weekend. Breweries from all over the world enter this prestigious competition. You can buy tickets from eu.alltechbrewsandfood.com and there are deals for the early birds! Many thanks to Tony Burke Jnr for his fantastic photography and to the Alltech crew for a brilliant night, I’m really looking forward to next year’s event, sláinte!