I REMEMBER when Lidl first came to these shores, there was something of the exotic about it. That probably came as a shock to German shoppers who had longed viewed it as a discount store in their own country, but it was the taste of the unknown which initially drew curious shoppers to its aisles.
Previously unseen and untasted foodstuffs from central Europe could be found there and favourites were quickly established.
However, after slowly but surely establishing a foothold in the local supermarket scene, Lidl have moved towards providing more local produce.
In recent years, that has extended to beer and although you can still pick up the German pils and wheat beer you could when Lidl was still an intriguing curiosity, it has also become a fruitful outlet for Irish craft beer.
More specifically, the Rye River operation has struck a deal with the supermarket to produce a range of beers under the Crafty Brewing Co label. Some of you may recognize Rye River as the brewery behind McGargles, but they have also produced an extensive and high-quality range for Lidl.
Of course, Lidl’s all-Ireland approach to their product range means that I was able to get my hands on a few of the 500ml bottles on a recent holiday to Donegal.
First up was the 4.8 per cent Belgian-style Saison. This is one of my favourite styles, but with Kildare far from the farmhouse of Wallonia, I wasn’t expecting anything too authentic.
It gets all the main things right – the dry finish, the lively carbonation, the subtle fruit flavours, the herby. I could have done with a bit more spice, but this is a fair effort and a refreshing beer.
Next up was the 6 per cent IPA and the first thing to note is that the relatively high strength isn’t that apparent.
The malt and hop profile tilts it slightly more towards this side of the Atlantic, with sweet, biscuit malt balanced out by flavours of stone fruit and citrus. It’s a well-balanced, traditional form of the style, but has a sharp bitter finish.
Lastly, there is the 4.5 per cent Pale Ale. This is a smooth, easy drinker with some sweet, fruity flavours and a slight piney bitterness.
