Francis' Big Bangin IPA 7.1%
Cousin Rosie's Pale Ale 4.5%
Knock Knock Ned's IPA 6.5%
McGargles, eh? I quite liked them when they came out, especially the lager. By my reckoning (and after a two year absence) they have re-branded and (as I discovered tonight) they appear to have re-branded again (see below*). From the picture I think that the Francis' Big Bangin IPA is the original branding, with the other two bearing the Mk2 branding. I bought these all in Dunnes but I've lost the receipt, so no idea how much they are.
Anyhoo, onto the IPAs. Let's do the honourable thing and start with the weakest first, Cousin Rosie's Pale Ale. It's...decent. Tastes like a lot of other Irish IPAs of medium (<5%) strength, not a huge amount of hops, decent mouthfeel and a piney, resiny finish. Perfectly fine overall, but I wouldn't pay premium craft beer prices for it; but it's a perfect supermarket pick-up.
Next up is the mid strength IPA - Knock Knock Ned's IPA. Hmmmmm, it's definitely stronger, that much is obvious from first sip. The flavour profile is very similar though, quite bitter and resiney but not enough fruit to offset it, IMHO.
Lastly, in this batch, and certainly not least, at a torrefied 7.1%. is Francis' Big Bangin IPA. This is much better, strong but with a hint of tropical fruit on the nose and a solid core of fruit to balance the pine. It really reminds me of Grafters IPA (also available from Dunnes), which I like. No surprises there as Rye River brews them both. I would say this is more like an American pale ale. Careful with this one, it goes down very easy.
**Updated**
Mk3 McGargles ales...
Little Bangin IPA 3.8% - €3.00*
Double Bangin IPA 8% - €3.79*
Not sure what I was expecting with these two, the double IPA probably a big piney unsubtle beast, and the Little fella probably underwhelming and weak. Lets start with the Double Bangin' IPA. Wow, this is really good, a super balance of fruit and bitterness, without the overly sugary sweetness you sometime get with double IPAs. I'm even getting a hint of liquorice. I'll buy this again.
Lastly the Little Bangin IPA, limping in at a weedy 3.8%. I suspect this part of the current vogue for session IPAs, so let's see. Hmmmmm - probably should have started with this. Still, it's not bad. Light in flavour but what's there is tasty; a hint if citrus along with the standard bitterness. This isn't an IPA for the die-hard but I could see it being a nice drink for a warm summer's evening.
*Bought in Tesco
