Hillstown Brewery


Hillstown Brewery is based on Glebe road in Northern Ireland in a place called Randalstown. It's a collaboration between homebrew shop Get ‘er Brewed and Hillstown Farm Shop. Apparently they originally started brewing to feed beer to their cows in order to produce the best wagyu beef. Feeding cattle beer and massaging them to make the beef more tender could be a myth or it might be true but either way, I'm sure the cows are pretty happy.

They have re-branded recently with younger, more dynamic labels and they sent a few cases to those of us running the Beoir Cider Competition. I made sure to bring some bottles home to write about.

Squealing Pig IPA is only 4.5% so I'm going to go with Irish Pale Ale here. Underneath the toasted grain and bit of chewy caramel body is some pine and citrus. There's a nice, clean bitter finish. It's rather sessionable.


The Goats Butt is a 5.3% wheat beer which also uses some rye. The result is a very easy drinking wheat beer with some lemon, citrus notes. It's a little tart and pretty spicy. One interesting thing was that it wasn't nearly as carbonated as most wheat beers and I think that served it well here.
I recall this one winning the best wheat beer category at this Killarney this year. It came third last year and second in 2015 which means this is a solid wheat beer that consistently wins awards.


Massey Red Ale, at 5.2% is quit strong for a red ale. There's a picture of a Massey Ferguson tractor on the front which of course s traditionally red in colour. As you might expect from a red ale, there's a big caramel body but less than many. Instead, this is far more bitter than most red ales. There's a big chunk of orange citrus notes here too.


A few weeks before, I was up in Bushmills and had a bottle of their Horny Bull Stout with lunch one of the days. This is a big 7% stout but when it first came out, they had thought it was 12% for some reason. It's a big imperial stout full of  chocolate and mocha notes. There's a hint of licorice too. I didn't look at the date at the time, I had no reason to. Sure a 7% stout isn't really going to go off for a very long time. Now that I see the branding has changed, I wonder how old mine was. It was bloody delicious though so if it was a little on the elderly side, the time did it no harm whatsoever.

It's worth mentioning another one of their beers that I haven't had in a few years and didn't write about. Spitting Llama won the best Belgian beer in Killarney in 2015 so it's worth keeping an eye out for. It's a 7% Belgian strong golden ale and I'm not sure how many of those are made in Ireland.

I see my cat photobombed the first two pictures and the third has a shadow of a cat to the right. Anyway, thanks to Hillstown for the first three beers I wrote about today. The cider judges appreciated them.

COMMENTS

Name

1 week taste test,2,12 acres,2,1698,1,18c soup,1,2010,1,2011,1,2012 black ale,1,2019,1,21st amendment,1,3 floyds,2,3 kings,2,3 monts,1,30th anniversary,1,312 urban wheat,1,4 pines,1,400 pound monkey,1,4th of July,1,5 barrel,1,5 day ipa,1,500 posts,1,57 the headline,1,5am saint,1,60 minute IPA,1,77 lager,1,8 degrees,6,80/,1,9 white deer,2,90 minute IPA,1,90 shilling,1,a winters ale,1,abstrakt,1,Acorn Brewery,1,adnams,4,Aecht Schlenkerla,2,Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier weizen,1,against the grain,2,Agent Provocateur,1,alaska,1,alba scots pine,1,alcohol,1,aldi,2,aldipa,1,ale,1,alice porter,1,all day ipa,1,all ireland craft beer festival,1,allagash,1,alltech,5,alpha dawg,1,Alpha Dog,1,alphabet,1,alpine glacier,1,Altfrankisches Klosterbier,1,amber-ella,1,Ambräusianum,1,American,1,american craft beer week,1,amsterdam,1,anarchist alchemy,1,anchor beer,3,anchor bock,1,anchorage,1,And now for something completely different,8,Anderson Valley,2,antwerp,1,apex,1,Apple Wheat,1,arabier,1,Arcobräu,1,Arrogant Bastard,1,Arthurstown,1,asheville,1,Athens,1,atlanta airport,1,atom,1,Auckland,1,augustiner,2,Augustinerbräu münchen,1,australia,6,Aventinus,1,avery,1,avery brown dredge,1,avoid italy,1,awards,3,Ayinger,2,Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock,1,ayr,1,aztec stout,1,Backdrifts,1,bad attitude,1,bad king john,1,badger,3,Ballyferriter,1,Baltika 6 Porter,1,Baltika 8,1,Bán an aol,1,Bán Oráiste,1,banks bitter,1,bar,1,barbar bok,1,barcelona,2,barclay perkins,3,Barefoot bohemian pilsner,1,barley cargo,1,barleywine,1,barney's brew,1,barnsey,1,barrelhead,1,basement bar,1,basque,1,basqueland brewing project,2,batemans,3,bath ales,1,bay brewery,1,bbc11,3,beara irish brew,1,beavertown,2,becks blue,1,beer bar,3,beer bloggers conference,2,beer bloggers conference 2011,7,beer bloggers conference 2012,1,beer bloggers conference 2013. ebbc13,1,beer books,1,beer festival,16,beer kit,5,beer labels,1,beer mats,1,beer myths,1,beer na beer,1,beer review,20,beer review.,1,beer tourism,1,beerman,1,beertime,1,BeeWyched Honey'd Ale,1,belfast beer festival,2,belfast black,1,belgian,4,Belgica,1,Belgium,4,bell ringer,1,Bell's brewery,2,bells,2,belzebuth,1,beoir,3,berch,1,berg,1,Bergkirchweih,1,berwery,1,best beer cities,1,beverage house,1,Bière de Garde,2,Bière pouset,1,bierhaus,1,big beers,1,big river,1,bigfoot,1,bigfoot ale,1,bir and fud,1,Birra Moretti,1,Birrificio l'olmaia,1,bitch please,1,bitter,4,bitterbock,1,Bitterness,1,bj's,1,BK,1,black cab,1,black diamond,3,black donkey,1,black forest,1,black jack porter,1,black lager,1,Black Malts and Body Salts,1,black rock,1,black tuesday,1,black's,3,blackberry wit,1,Blanche De Chambly,1,blockchain,1,blogger,1,blonde beggar II,1,blonde frog ale,1,blowhard,1,blue frog,2,blue frog dipa,1,Blue Heron pale ale,1,bluebird bitter,1,boann distillery,1,bock,1,bombardier,1,bonator,1,boom,1,Boont Amber,1,bottle conditioned,1,boulder,1,boundary brewing,1,bourbon,1,Bourbon County,1,Bourgogne Des Flandres,1,boyne brewhouse,2,brabant,2,bracia,1,brainblasta,1,brains,1,brakspear,1,Bravoure,1,bread,1,breckenridge,1,Breconshire,2,brehon brewhouse,1,Brettanomyces,1,brew,56,Brew and roll,1,brew dock,2,brew york,1,brewberry,1,brewcon,1,brewday,6,Brewday Disaster,1,brewdog,21,brewdog bar,1,breweries,2,Brewers on the bay,1,brewers reserve,1,brewery tour,14,brewery update,1,brewery visit,2,breweyed,1,brewfist,1,Brewhouse Brisbane,1,brewing and distilling convention,1,brewpub,13,bridgeport,2,brisbane,1,bristol beer factory,2,British open,1,Brittany,1,brno,1,brooklyn,4,Brooklyn Brown ale,1,brooklyn Oktoberfest,1,Brooklyn Pennant Ale,1,brothers beer,1,broughton,2,broughtons,1,Brouwerij ’t IJ,1,browar,1,browar profesia,1,browar prost,1,browar stu mostow,1,brown ale,1,brown paper bag project,1,brown-eyepa,1,bru,1,bruges,1,Brugse Zot,2,Brunehaut,1,brupaks,1,brussels,2,bsa,1,bucks fizz,1,budvar,1,bull and castle,7,bullying,3,burren brewing,1,Busty Amber,1,Butt head,1,Cains Double Bock,1,cairngorm,1,california,1,camden town,2,can,1,can vs bottle,1,cantillon,6,canvas,1,Caracole,1,carboy,4,cardiff,2,carlow brewing company,5,carlsberg,1,cascade pale ale,1,cask,5,cask ales competition,1,cask beer,1,cats,1,catso,1,celebration ale,1,celebration stout,2,Celiac,1,centennial ipa,1,centurions ghost,1,ceres,1,cerveza,1,ch'ti,1,chalky's bark,1,Chameleon,1,champion beer,1,Chania,1,charity,1,Charlie,1,chcolate orange stout,1,cheese,2,cherbourg,1,chester,1,chicago,1,chico,1,chieftain,1,chimay,1,chiswick bitter,1,chocolate marble,1,chocolate stout,8,Choklat,1,chophouse,1,chrismas porter,1,christmas beer,1,cider,7,cider review,1,cidre,1,cigar city,3,citra brett,1,citra IPA,1,clanconnel,1,classic export,1,classy red,1,cloaked stranger,4,clonakilty,1,cloudwater,4,clough more,1,co-op,1,cock o the walk,1,code black,1,coffe club,1,collectibles,1,Colorado,2,combinations,2,Comeragh challenger,1,comet on fire,1,competition,6,conference,1,Conqueror,1,Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale,1,copper coast,1,copperhead,1,cork,1,cotton ball,1,craft beer,1,craft brews,1,crafty brewing company,1,craic beer community,1,Crete,1,crew,1,cribyn,1,crows,1,cúl dorcha,1,cumbria,3,curly hole,1,customer service,1,cutthroat porter,1,Cuvée d'oscar,1,Cuvee des Trolls,1,cyclone,1,czech,3,Czech inn,1,cztery sciany,1,D’uvaBeer,1,dales pale ale,1,daly's,1,dante's gastropub,1,dark arts,2,dark energy,1,dark lord,1,dark mild,1,Dark Stranger,1,darkstar,2,dave,1,Dawkins Brwery,1,de dochtor,1,De Dolle,2,De Kuppe,1,de molen,2,dead centre,2,dead pony club,1,delirium,1,delirium cafe,1,demographics,1,Den Bosch,1,dentist,1,denver,2,denver pale ale,1,derry,1,designated diver,1,deux amis,1,devil's backbone,1,diablo,1,diageo,2,Dicey Reilly,1,dingle,1,dipa 3,1,DIPA V9,1,dirty bastard,1,dirty dicks,1,Discovery IPA Series,1,diy,1,dobber,1,Dog Schwartz,1,dogfish head,3,Dogfish head Indian brown ale,1,doggie style,1,dogma,1,Don De Dieu,1,donegal,3,dopey dick,1,doppelbock,1,dot brew,1,double dog,1,double stout,2,double swan,1,down n outz,1,downstream,1,Dr Rudi,1,Dreamsicle Wheat,1,druids brew,1,drunk,1,dubbel,1,Dubbel Jeopardy,3,dubbel whammy,2,dublin,2,Dublin City Brewing,1,Dublin Live Bloggers Crawl,1,Dukes of Burgundy,1,Dulle Teve,1,Dungarvan brewery,4,dw,1,e,1,early bird,1,east india pale ale,1,east river lager,1,easterfest,4,easterfest special,1,Eau Bénite,1,ebbc,1,ebbc12,6,ebbc13,9,ebbc14,2,ebbc15,2,ebbc16,1,edinburgh,2,eggenberg,1,eight degrees,2,ekstra,1,elbow lane,1,elgoods,1,emelisse,1,Emerald Pale Ale,1,english bitter,1,equity for punks,1,erlangen,1,esb,1,eskdale,1,eureka,1,Event,1,evil twin,1,excellent beer,38,exodus porter,1,exp431,1,Explorator,1,explorer,1,Fässla,1,fat tuesday,1,featured,1,festival,1,Finesse,1,firestone walker,1,FlavorActiV,1,florence,2,floris,2,flossmoore,1,flying dog,6,food,1,football pub,1,fort collins,2,founders,3,france,1,Franciscan Well,16,fraoch,1,Fraoch 20th anniversary ale,1,Fred And Ken's Bock,1,french beer,2,frog and rosbif,1,frog pubs,1,Frothingham Best,1,Fruh Kolsch,1,fuck art,1,fullers,15,Fullers Old Winter Ale,1,funkwerks,1,fyne ales,3,Galway,2,galway bay brewery,6,Galway Hooker,4,galway hooker pils,1,garage project,1,garde dog,1,gardeners tipple,1,gem,1,George Gale and Co,1,georgia brown,1,georgia salpa,1,ghent,1,ghost ship,1,glasgow,1,Glenmore hotel,1,gluten free,1,Glutton For Punishment,1,Goats Butt,1,gold reserve,1,golden hare,1,Golden Pheasant,1,golden pints,4,Golden Valley,1,goldings,1,golf,1,gonzo,1,Good beer,1,good friday,2,good juju,1,goose island,6,goose island Demolition,1,Goose Island is Mild Winter,1,Goose Island Oatmeal Stout,1,Gordon Biersch,1,Gouden Carolus,1,grafters,2,grain mill,1,grainne walsh,1,grand cru,3,great divide,5,Great Newsome,1,great white,1,greece,2,greene king,2,gretel,1,grimbergen,1,grisette,1,Grisette Traminer,1,Grottenbier,1,growler,3,grozet,1,gruit,1,Guayabera,1,gueuze,2,guinness,4,Guinness Nitrosurge,1,Guinness Open Gate,1,Guinness Surger,1,gulden draak,1,Gyvas Tamsusis,1,h41,1,Hagstravaganza,1,hal900,1,halloween,1,hansel,1,happy friday,1,hardknot brewery,5,harrington's,1,harvest ale,1,harvistoun,3,hashigo zake,1,health,1,heather ale,1,hefe ryzen,1,heineken,1,Heinoweiser,1,hellfire club,1,helvick gold,1,Hemp Hop Rye,1,hercules,3,hero,1,herold,1,hibernicus,1,Hildegarde,1,hilden,4,hillstown,1,hipster,1,history,1,hitachino nest,2,hobgoblin,2,Hoegaarden Citron,1,Hofbräuhaus,1,hogsback,1,home bar,3,homebrew,72,hook norton,3,hooky bitter,1,hooky gold,1,hop adventure,5,hop bomb,1,hop garden gold,1,hop house 13,1,Hop Ottin',1,hop rocker,1,hopback,1,hope,1,Hopfen Weisse,2,Hopfenweisse,1,hophead,2,Hoppety Hop,2,hopping hare,1,Hops,2,hops kill,1,hopsecutioner,1,hopsfume,1,hoptimum,1,Hoptimus Prime,1,Hopus,2,horal,1,hot press,1,Hotel Welcome,1,Hotteterre,2,How do they make us buy their beer?,1,howling gale,1,hsb,1,hullabloo,1,hurricane,1,hurricane jack,1,I hardcore you,1,IBU,1,icbcf,2,ice bucket challenge,1,iceland,1,idaho 7,1,ihp2012,2,ihp2014,1,ihp2015,1,iipa,1,Illawarra Brewing Company,1,imperial brown,1,imperial stout,2,
ltr
item
The Tale Of The Ale: Hillstown Brewery
Hillstown Brewery
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2PBZ4nklUNfT-E-7NckOtSiVRat3umrUlXz7P_6lp1-5fq-Am-DRjg7zTzIWbKDM32QffwCP9s2CG6foWOdbRY2XkU7_rc86T5nw8-0UQ-DFaC0dtVkWWUBrJmZVp9NiaquDGowSpeY9y/s640/20170610_224937.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2PBZ4nklUNfT-E-7NckOtSiVRat3umrUlXz7P_6lp1-5fq-Am-DRjg7zTzIWbKDM32QffwCP9s2CG6foWOdbRY2XkU7_rc86T5nw8-0UQ-DFaC0dtVkWWUBrJmZVp9NiaquDGowSpeY9y/s72-c/20170610_224937.jpg
The Tale Of The Ale
https://www.taleofale.com/2017/06/hillstown-brewery.html
https://www.taleofale.com/
https://www.taleofale.com/
https://www.taleofale.com/2017/06/hillstown-brewery.html
true
9188731842335528276
UTF-8
Loaded All Posts Not found any posts VIEW ALL Readmore Reply Cancel reply Delete By Home PAGES POSTS View All RECOMMENDED FOR YOU LABEL ARCHIVE SEARCH ALL POSTS Not found any post match with your request Back Home Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat January February March April May June July August September October November December Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec just now 1 minute ago $$1$$ minutes ago 1 hour ago $$1$$ hours ago Yesterday $$1$$ days ago $$1$$ weeks ago more than 5 weeks ago Followers Follow THIS PREMIUM CONTENT IS LOCKED STEP 1: Share. STEP 2: Click the link you shared to unlock Copy All Code Select All Code All codes were copied to your clipboard Can not copy the codes / texts, please press [CTRL]+[C] (or CMD+C with Mac) to copy