Delightful beer from the ‘Dead Centre’ of Ireland

“I’m a one-man band,” says Liam Tutty, founder of one of Ireland’s newest craft breweries. Dead Centre – based in Co Westmeath – has just released its first beer, an IPA called Marooned.

After years of homebrewing – and a stint with the Rye River Brewing Company in Kildare – Tutty decided to set up on his own. He designed the beer label himself – with a bit of feedback from friends – and brews out of St Mel’s brewery in Longford.

The recipe for the Marooned IPA is based on the beer that won Tutty second place in the Midlands Homebrewing Competition last year – with a few tweaks, he adds. “I decided to use Kilbeggan organic oats in the brew and it gives the beer a lovely silky mouthfeel. ”

Marooned is a 5.5 per cent IPA with an autumnal amber hue, which comes from the Red X malt used in brewing. There’s plenty of lovely Simcoe and Mosaic hops used too but it’s not “just a hop bomb” says Tutty. “It’s a balanced and full-bodied beer.”

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Available in cans, Marooned is also on draught in many pubs around the country, from the Bierhouse in Cork city, Caribou in Galway to Lock 13 in Sallins and plenty of Dublin venues.

Next up for Dead Centre is an amber ale, while Tutty has also invested in a 9 hectolitre brewery system which he hopes to have up and running in 2018 – and there’s also the day job of account manager for him to be getting on with too.

Another new release worth keeping an eye out for is from Dublin brewery Rascals. Their latest 5 per cent pale ale is made with apricot puree and a fruity Vermont yeast. It’s easy going, comes in a can and it’s got a great name: Planet of the Apricots.

@ITbeerista beerista@irishtimes.com