Tastes from Northern Ireland for brewing showcase
Craft brewers, cider producers and a leading gin distiller from Northern Ireland will be showcasing their products at the forthcoming Alltech 2018 exhibition in Dublin.
The show, held at the city's Convention Centre from 8-11 March, is now the most important in the craft brewing and distilling sector in Ireland. Some 400 products from Ireland, the UK and further afield will be features at the annual event.
The Northern Ireland participants are:
Station Works Brewery in Newry, county Down, producer of Foxe's Rock beers, which is owned by Alltech;
Mac Ivor's Cider, Portadown, county Armagh, a cidery producing an award winning range;
Tempter Cider, Lisburn, county Antrim, a family run business specialising in a wide range of ciders and apple juice; and
Jawbox, a Belfast-based producer of gin from a single estate grain distillery in county Down.
Now in its sixth year, the Alltech Craft Brews and Food Fair is considered Ireland's largest craft brews gathering and features tasty food, great live music and over 400 craft beers, ciders, gins, whiskeys and more.
2018's Fair will be the first time to feature a Distillers Quarter - an area serving the best craft spirits and cocktails created by leading mixologists, where Jawbox Gin will be showcased.
The area will have a cosy cocktail lounge feel and visitors will have the opportunity to sample a range of tasty new infusions and combinations, some of which will have been developed exclusively for the Fair.
A highlight of the event is the sixth annual Dublin Craft Beer and Cider Cup competitions.The contestsallow craft brewers and cider makers to showcase their brews and have them rated, tasted and analysed by an expert, international panel of judges.
The competition was first launched in 2013 to provide an opportunity to build brand recognition within the industry for smaller craft brewers. It has grown steadily each year and last year more than 450 entries were received from all over the world, including Japan and Venezuela.
The competition is overseen by head judge, Dr. Gearóid Cahill, a brewmaster with more than 20 years' experience and a panel of 30 judges. Previous winners of the Dublin Cup have included Hilden Brewery in Northern Ireland, Ireland's oldest craft brewery.