In 2005 when Brian Cowen, our former Taoiseach, lowered the excise duty that microbreweries had to pay by 50%, he set in motion a new wave of Irish artisan beer production that has been rapidly gaining momentum ever since. That critical tax relief enabled the few existing microbreweries at that time to scale up or refine their operations, while opening the door to many hopeful craft brewers who were restlessly waiting by in the wings. 8 Degrees Brewing was one of those young hopefuls.

Caroline Hennessy, a graduate of the Ballymaloe 12 Week Certificate, is an integral member of the 8 Degrees Brewing team. Most widely known in the blogosphere and world of social media as 'bibliocook', she is in her own right a well respected food journalist and broadcaster, as well as being a co-founder of the Irish Food Bloggers Association in 2010. Her interest in craft beer was piqued during time spent living in New Zealand, where she describes being within walking distance of not one, but several, microbreweries near her home in Christchurch. A "confirmed Heineken drinker", she found the Kiwi focus on the nuances of various beers, and pairing food with beer, extremely innovative and began to wonder why this wasn't the case back home in Ireland.

Fast forward several years: Caroline is back in Ireland, having brought home her very own Kiwi (Scott Baigent), to whom she is now happily married, both personally and professionally! Scott, and his Australian business partner Cam Wallace, are the dynamic brewing duo that make up 8 Degrees Brewing, founded in Mitchelstown, North Cork in 2007. They launched with their first beer, Howling Gale Ale - an Irish pale ale - and quickly realised that there was an appetite among Irish drinkers for something different than the typical "yellow, black and red" on-tap offerings in their local pubs. Their first major outlay was on a 1500 hectolitre brewing kit from the already established Carlow Brewing Co., who were expanding and wanted to sell their existing kit. This enabled 8 Degrees Brewing to increase their output, and they are currently producing 45 hectolitres a day and continuing to expand. Scott and Cam are presently endeavouring to find a means of giving a beautiful brew kit they've sourced in Mauritius a new home in Mitchelstown!

8 Degrees Brewing is a success story begun in the depths of the Irish economic recession, and not without having to navigate a number of hurdles along the way. Launching a production operation like this requires a huge investment, both financially and personally. Streamlining their overheads, they have had to make the business work with no budget for PR & Advertising, relying on the power of social media marketing and word-of-mouth to communicate the quality of their brand effectively. Of course, they also encountered the occasional teething problem in the early days - having to scrap an entire batch of beer because of an excess of esters, for example! However, the heart and soul they have put into the business created the momentum to carry them forward. They are currently producing a range of exciting premium craft beers, and we were lucky enough to be treated to a guided tasting of a selection of them last Thursday evening here at the cookery school.

The Tasting

Barefoot Bohemia

This is 8 Degrees Brewing Pilsner Lager. At 4% ABV (Alcohol by Volume), it is a popular choice among their regular consumers. Pale golden in colour, and with a distinctive herbal character on the nose, it is an excellent "food beer". It delivers a refreshing, peppery wake-up call to the palate, its citrus freshness providing a perfect counterbalance to anything sweet or cheesy. This is the 8 Degrees beer to pair with your Saturday Pizza! (Note: Made with Saaz Hops/Czech - 4% ABV)

Howling Gale Ale

Close your eyes as you inhale the aromas of Howling Gale Ale, and what lingers in your memory is grapefruit. Not too "hoppy", the personality of this beer presents as slightly darker, a little pleasant bitterness and malt sweetness in a harmonious balance. With its grapefruit note translating to the palate, this proves a fantastic palate cleanser. Typically paired with Guinness or porter, oysters will welcome the "squeeze of lemon" that this beer provides when put together. It will also work especially well with fish & chips! (Note: Made from Cascade Hops/USA - 5% ABV)

Sunburnt Irish Red

The creme caramel of Irish craft beers! Caramel, toffee with a bitter orange twist, this is mellow drinking. Its nose is fresh and intoxicating, and its gentle hoppy quality provides just the right amount of bitterness to counteract its caramel notes. This will pair perfectly with a number of cheeses and charcuterie, as well as traditional Irish stew or anything roasted or barbequed! (Note: Made from NZ and Australian hops - 5% ABV)

Knockmealdown Irish Stout

Caroline had arrived at the start of the tasting with a colourful looking vintage biscuit tin, and we'd been wondering what was inside! For the pièce de résistance of her tasting, she uncovered the most mouth-watering chocolate brownies as we considered our final beer of the evening - 8 Degrees version of an Irish stout. With aromas of chocolate and espresso displaying on the nose and a malt-driven toasty complexity, this member of the 8 Degrees family is the one to complement blue cheese, coffee cake, a hearty beef and stout stew, or Caroline's now famously moist chocolate brownies!

The recipe for these brownies, and many other creative culinary ways to use Irish craft beer , can be found in Caroline Hennessy's new book on the subject - Sláinte: The Complete Guide to Irish Craft Beer & Cider - which she has co-authored with her colleague Kristin Jensen. This book is the first of its kind in Ireland, and the ultimate guide to all things related to artisan beer and cider production in this country. It makes for an interesting read and is a great addition to a kitchen bookshelf!

Many thanks to Caroline Hennessy, her friend Sally O'Reilly for helping on the evening, and our own Colm McCann and Peter Corr for organising the event for our 12 Week students!.