I bought a camper van after I got back from California and this weekend was the first time I used it. After work on Friday we set off to Galway. Our destination was Salthill which is home to The Oslo brewpub. The last time I was there they were newly opened (couple of months) and not serving their own brews yet. So this time I wanted to see what the place was like on a Friday evening. Well for one thing it was Friday the 13th so there was he odd person dressed up like it was Halloween?
For another it was actually the one year anniversary of their opening, a fact I did not know until I arrived. Well the place was actually packed so I was happy for them. They seem to be doing rather well which is always good to see with any establishment promoting Craft beer let alone their own.
I think the place is actually rather cool and I would love to live nearby and call it my local. There are however a few problem, or maybe not problems but just things that bugged me in particular, none of which should deter anyone from going.
The first thing is they only have two brews of their own, A lager and a pale ale.
Secondly they do not do much in the way of promoting it apart from having it on their extensive beer menu. It is like the fact they brew their own beer is a very low in their list of priorities. Also I think the logo cold do with some work in the sense that the glassware is branded Bay Brewery and the T-Shirt which they sell mentions Brewers on the bay (beer festival I believe) but nothing indicates where it is located or that it is Irish. If I saw either the glass or T-Shirt I would think it was from San Francisco or somewhere like that.
Another slight sticking point is Wi-Fi. I applaud the fact that they have Wi-Fi on the premises but a search encounters a locked network and there is nowhere obvious to get the code to access it. I imagine you need to ask at the bar and from past experience at other bars, asking for a wireless code is usually met with blank stares and shrugs.
The next afternoon we went back for lunch as we remember the food being rather good from our last visit. After waiting about 15 minutes for the one waitress to take our order, we discovered to our dismay that they are not serving lunch until 1pm and it is breakfast only. Now there was only about 10 or 15 minutes to go but sitting there for 15 minutes when I can't even drink due to having to drive was just a no go and we had to leave and go pretty much next door to Lohans (more on that in a moment).
Anyhow the beer itself in The Oslo? Well I did not have the lager as I would be surprised if it was up to much. I went with the pale ale which cost me €4.20. Not cheap but its only .20c more expensive than a Messrs Maguire house beer. I got some orange and caramel and found it very lightly hopped. Malty but easy to drink however I was not excited. A good solid session ale I think but I found myself wanting a Galway Hooker. Sadly it was late and my wife was tired so no hooker for me.
Moving on to the next morning. After our disappointment in not getting lunch at The Oslo we went to Lohans which is a few doors down. I went in knowing they had lunch on since the menu was out and people were eating. I also had a sneaking suspicion there might be beer inside because Lohans is next door to, well Next door off license and they look like they are the same establishment. I had a very nice lunch there and am happy to let you know that apart from Galway Hooker on tap, they have a substantial range of bottled beer. Interestingly they also allow you to buy any wine at the off license and bring it in, paying €5 for the corkage fee. I forgot to ask if they do something similar for the beer but I imagine they might accommodate you somehow of they did not actually have the beer you want in the restaurant fridge. There is free wifi on site but it's bitbuzz and you need to ask for a voucher which is annoying but at least you are informed when you connect so there is no guessing.
The off license next door, called Next Door actually has a nice range of beers. Not a massive range like drinkstore but enough to keep me happy and stock up the fridge in my motorhome.
The next day we drove to Clifden but sadly I found no craft beer there. Not a hooker in sight but there was some fabulous food there.
A sad note about Galway is that it seems Sheridans on the Docks is no more? A real pity that, but it looks like it was not for financial reasons, rather their greedy landlord took possession of the premises using a clause in the lease since the business has been developed. Sheridans are in the process of finding another building so I hope to try it when/if it happens. Al from Fuggled and I loved the place.
For another it was actually the one year anniversary of their opening, a fact I did not know until I arrived. Well the place was actually packed so I was happy for them. They seem to be doing rather well which is always good to see with any establishment promoting Craft beer let alone their own.
I think the place is actually rather cool and I would love to live nearby and call it my local. There are however a few problem, or maybe not problems but just things that bugged me in particular, none of which should deter anyone from going.
The first thing is they only have two brews of their own, A lager and a pale ale.
Secondly they do not do much in the way of promoting it apart from having it on their extensive beer menu. It is like the fact they brew their own beer is a very low in their list of priorities. Also I think the logo cold do with some work in the sense that the glassware is branded Bay Brewery and the T-Shirt which they sell mentions Brewers on the bay (beer festival I believe) but nothing indicates where it is located or that it is Irish. If I saw either the glass or T-Shirt I would think it was from San Francisco or somewhere like that.
Another slight sticking point is Wi-Fi. I applaud the fact that they have Wi-Fi on the premises but a search encounters a locked network and there is nowhere obvious to get the code to access it. I imagine you need to ask at the bar and from past experience at other bars, asking for a wireless code is usually met with blank stares and shrugs.
The next afternoon we went back for lunch as we remember the food being rather good from our last visit. After waiting about 15 minutes for the one waitress to take our order, we discovered to our dismay that they are not serving lunch until 1pm and it is breakfast only. Now there was only about 10 or 15 minutes to go but sitting there for 15 minutes when I can't even drink due to having to drive was just a no go and we had to leave and go pretty much next door to Lohans (more on that in a moment).
Moving on to the next morning. After our disappointment in not getting lunch at The Oslo we went to Lohans which is a few doors down. I went in knowing they had lunch on since the menu was out and people were eating. I also had a sneaking suspicion there might be beer inside because Lohans is next door to, well Next door off license and they look like they are the same establishment. I had a very nice lunch there and am happy to let you know that apart from Galway Hooker on tap, they have a substantial range of bottled beer. Interestingly they also allow you to buy any wine at the off license and bring it in, paying €5 for the corkage fee. I forgot to ask if they do something similar for the beer but I imagine they might accommodate you somehow of they did not actually have the beer you want in the restaurant fridge. There is free wifi on site but it's bitbuzz and you need to ask for a voucher which is annoying but at least you are informed when you connect so there is no guessing.
The off license next door, called Next Door actually has a nice range of beers. Not a massive range like drinkstore but enough to keep me happy and stock up the fridge in my motorhome.
The next day we drove to Clifden but sadly I found no craft beer there. Not a hooker in sight but there was some fabulous food there.
A sad note about Galway is that it seems Sheridans on the Docks is no more? A real pity that, but it looks like it was not for financial reasons, rather their greedy landlord took possession of the premises using a clause in the lease since the business has been developed. Sheridans are in the process of finding another building so I hope to try it when/if it happens. Al from Fuggled and I loved the place.
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