Latest report from Ireland

IRELAND’S CRAFT beer scene has grown immensely since I first wrote about it in 2003. Yes, I’m back on the Emerald Isle once again, and because I know plenty of readers in Massachusetts either have roots there and or love/want to travel there, I’ll use this week’s column to provide some new craft beer discoveries I made on this trip. It was unusually hot (for Ireland) during this trip. That means it sometimes hit 75F, which might seem mild to Bay Staters, but coupled with Ireland’s constantly high humidity, it became fairly oppressive to someone like me. But it seems petty to complain about the sun being out here; I only mention it to say why I’m kicking off this column with my main first beer choice while I was here: Galway Bay Brewing’s Slow Lives Helles Lager (at the Salt House in Galway).

Galway Bay Brewing makes such a wide array of beers that it’s hard to stick to just one, but my first week in Galway City was so hot and sunny that I found it even more difficult to switch to anything else. This Helles is a stunning thirst-slaker, and except for two or three bottles of Galway Hooker Irish Pale Ale at my favorite Galway eatery, Quay Street Kitchen (and some Guinness pints at the legendary Tig Coili with my superb

Airbnb host, Daniel), I barely drank anything else for the first week.

Slow Lives is a Munichstyle lager employing German Pilsner malt, Saaz hops, and Galway water. It’s as crisp as you want it to be, with a nice bready underpin ning. It finishes clean and leaves you wanting a second or third. At 4.5% ABV, it’s a perfect session brew.

Of course I did eventually try another Galway Bay beer, the amazingly tasty I Hear You Like IPA. This is a smallbatch “cold IPA” release that uses cold-fermenting lager yeast to create a more crisp focus for the tropical hops. It’s brewed with pilsner malt and rice and fermented with a blend of house lager and ale yeasts, with simcoe, columbus and strata hops doing double-duty as the brew is both wet-hopped and dry-hopped with all three varieties.

Catch the year’s biggest concerts like Jonas Brothers, Lainey Wilson, Machine Gun Kelly and more.

Party with free live tribute bands every Friday on the Sun Patio and brand-new outdoor bar.

Don’t miss a salty good time at the Sun Tequila Tasting on July 22nd. Tickets on sale now.

Take your summer nights to the next level at your favorite hotspots like TAO Asian Bistro & Lounge and novelle.

Catch the hottest shows of the summer for free in the Wolf Den from acts like The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Lit, Sheena Easton and more.

Go all in on delicious dishes from your favorite restaurants like Michael Jordan’s Steak House, Todd English’s Tuscany and BALLO Italian Restaurant