It’s about four years since the last episode of Game of Thrones graced our screens, but the epic TV show has spawned its own industry in this part of the world.
Anyone how routinely drives up and down the A1/M1 corridor will attest to the sight of Game of Thrones tour buses on the route.
Even those who take great pride in telling you they haven’t seen a single episode of the show based on the books of GRR Martin will have to concede that it has put ‘Norn Iron’ firmly on the map.
One of the most iconic sights for GoT tourists is the Dark Hedges, which can be found on the along Bregagh Road between Armoy and Stranocum in County Antrim.
It comes as no great surprise therefore that Lacada Brewery have not only used the image of the trees on a can of their beer, they have also taken some inspiration for the name of it too.
Long Road is a 5 per cent mixed berry whose name comes from the fact that the avenue of beech trees which comprise the Dark Hedges meet the longest road in Ireland, the Ballinlea Road which runs from Ballymoney to White Park Bay.
So, as with most Lacada beers, you’re not just getting a cracking brew, you’re also getting a lesson in local geography and folklore.
But what of the beer itself? Well, as a mixed berry sour, it comes as no surprise that it pours an autumnal red colour.
The berries used are raspberry, blueberry and redcurrant which all combine to produce a beer tart and jammy flavours. The sourness is a bit understated, but there’s a freshness to the berry flavours and it a lipsmacking refreshing feel to it all.
Another Lacada beer which leans heavily on local knowledge is Rathlin Gold. As the name might suggest, this is a 3.8 per cent golden ale which gets its name, not so much from the island itself, but from the Irish Golden Hares who inhabit Rathlin.
The beer pours a golden colour in the glass and has lovely floral aromas. The strength means it's quite sessionable and the first gulp confirms this, the initial sweet malt giving way to some earthy and herbal flavours with a mild bitter finish.
