Brewing up a storm in Achill

BREWING in Achill dates back to the 1850s when it is believed the Franciscan monks first distilled alcohol at Bunnacurry on the island.

Today, the same village is home to a state-of-the-art brewery run by locals that is taking the industry by storm, writes Tom Gillespie

The brewery, Táirgí Acla Limited, is a bespoke new 16-barrel distribution brewery trading as Achill Island Brewery. It was formed in September 2014 by brothers Malcolm and Dermot Cooney from Achill and their UK cousins Anthony and Daniel Keating.

Malcolm told me: “The cousins came back from the UK probably two-and-a-half years ago for their grandfather’s funeral. We got talking and it took off from there. We got this building from Údaras na Gaeltacht which had to be done up and a lot of money spent on it. We needed a master brewer, of course, and we got Canadian James Groves.

“We pride ourselves to brew to the highest standard. We don’t add any ‘extras’ to our beer - no additives or enhancing chemicals to pasteurise our beer.

“Achill Island is made from the elements of the wild Atlantic - chiselled by the ocean, lashed by the wind and pelted by the rain, which creates one of Ireland’s most spectacular and beautiful places with its rugged landscape, breathtaking cliffs, soaring mountains, isolated lakes and its beautiful blue flag beaches. Now we have ‘created the beauty’ for you to taste.”

Malcolm added: “Our main ingredient is water. We are lucky to be blessed with an amazing source on Achill Island. Bunnafreeva Lough is one of the highest mountain lakes (corrie loughs) in Ireland at over 300m above sea level.

“This remote lough is tucked away near the top of Croghaun Mountain at the farthest end of Achill Island. This pure natural source is filtered before being heated to high temperatures and tested to make our finest beer.

“Another thing that makes our premium beer distinctive is the addition of Carrageen Moss - a red seaweed that grows in the cool Atlantic waters. The moss we use is specially picked from the rocky shores of the island.

“The seaweed binds to the excess proteins in the wort, allowing it to settle out before the beer is moved to the fermentation vessel. This helps to give its unique taste of the Wild Atlantic Way.”

James explained: “We use Carrageen Moss as a flavour. Some people say they can taste it. It is an earthy, grass taste, but that comes from the hops as well. The moss is usually used to clarify beer.”

Malcolm, who is also involved in the floor sanding business, continued: “James has been trying and testing different beers for over a year. He has a few beers ready to rock 'n' roll. The first one we made was a lagered ale and it is going down very well and is available all around the county, from Knock airport to nearly every townland. Now we are looking at a red ale coming up and putting a different seaweed into that.

“The seaweed is the selling point really. People cling on to the Carrageen Moss, which is one of these super foods.

“We are getting very positive feedback. On July 2 of last year we got it into the pubs in Achill and it absolutely flew out the doors. Visitors loved it, the locals liked it. It is not to everybody's taste. Some people like a cup of tea with sugar, others without. It is down to taste, but we have got good, positive feedback. Out next challenge is to get it to the rest of the country and the UK.”

Four full-time staff and one part-timer are employed at the brewery. “We see that expanding,” Malcolm added. “We want to open a shop, probably from March onward, for the tourist season. We have had a huge amount of people coming in wanting to do brewery tours and to buy merchandise.

“A lot of people are looking for things to bring back from Achill and our glasses have been taken out of every pub in the place as souvenirs because they are so unique.

“The monks' monastery was right beside us and I am sure they were doing a spot of brewing.”

Achill Island Brewery's lager is also available in draft and they use disposable kegs, manufactured in The Netherlands. The draft product is available in Rocky's, Bar One and The Connaught Inn in Castlebar, and in Matt Molloy’s, The Coast, McGings’s, O’Mara’s, Cosy Joe’s, The West, The Jester and The Towers in Westport. The bottled product can be purchased in SuperValu in Castlebar and Westport and in Mulroy’s Filling Station, Castlebar, as well as in Mulranny and Belmullet.

Achill Island Brewery can be contacted on (098) 47868, or see www.achillbrewery.com.