The Foxes Rock

http://dev.stationworksbrewery.com/products/?s=the-foxes-rock

Brewed by Station Works Brewery (Cumberland Breweries Ltd)
Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland

Pearse Lyons, from Dundalk, is from a family steeped in the brewing tradition and he was the first Irishman to achieve a Masters Degree of Science in Brewing Science from the British School of Malting and Brewing in 1968. While at university, he did an internship at Guinness and later worked as a biochemist for Irish Distillers, makers of the well known and loved Jameson whiskey. So you could say he is well versed in the craft.

He set up the company Alltech in his garage in 1980 while living in Kentucky for work purposes. Lyons used his fermentation expertise to helping brewers. He then moved into agri business, more particularly, animal feed and animal nutrition. Overtime Alltech has become one of the fastest growing companies in the global animal health industry, continually making a tidy profit year in year out, and with an annual turnover of $1.6 billion. Not bad for the fella who got a 10,000 Dollar loan to start off in his garage!

But not to forget the roots of the industry, Lyons jumped at the chance to purchase Lexington Brewing Company in 1999, and over time he managed to resurrect the brewing and distilling tradition of Lexington that dates back to 1794, and produce a successful range of Kentucky Ale beer that have proved popular amongst the drinking masses.

Growing his international alcohol division, Alltech acquired a craft brewery in Northern Ireland (The Station Works Brewery) and also one in England (Cumberland Breweries Ltd), representing a return to his roots as such, and a major expansion into Europe of his successful American brewing division.

With three new breweries under construction in the United States, and a major investment in a new distillery in the heart of the Dublin at the former St James Church, where his grandfather is buried, Lyons is set to continue the family history.

Review: 500ml Bottle of The Foxes Rock Pale Ale: ABV: 4.5% vol. Style: Irish Craft Pale Ale

Hand crafted Irish ales, as it says on the bottle. Note to the clowns in Beeradvocate/ratemy beer…..that means it is an Irish beer and not a British beer!

Got a lovely dark golden colour with a nice frothy white head on the appearance. Some small carbonation too.

Head did die a little and there was only some small retention.

Goes a bit murky and cloudy as the hops settle.

The beer had a nice malty smell, very nice aroma, with some citrus notes as well, piercing on the nose.

On taste, a lot of hops, very hoppy as you would expect for a standard craft beer pale ale.

It is ok, with nothing amazing, just a pretty standard fare beer, and if IPA is your thing then probably this would be fine for you.

Strong, can feel the alcohol.

A hoppy, slightly malty, yeasty drink and is tasty enough, but standard and nothing special.

Ok as a slow burner, but overall it is too bitter for me and forgettable.

Review: 500ml Bottle of The Foxes Rock Red Ale: 4.5% vol. Style: Irish Red Ale

On appearance we get a very darkish red colour as you would expect, with a small frothy white head, looks ok.

Some small carbonation going on, and some good lacing. Looks decent enough, even if it goes a bit cloudy in the end.

The aroma is lovely, Smell is tinty and piercing, and smelling the fruits and sweet malts,

It has a nice light lager smell.

Tastes like a full bodied ale, as it should be really.

Another slow burner, very hoppy.

For a red ale this could and should be better. Also a good bit hoppy, like the Pale Ale and not a whole lot different in the taste if truth be told.

On second bottle, the tastes start to become clearer, get a half decent initial taste that is ok, a nice big mouthful of malt and fruits. But is just a little too hoppy and bitter for me.

Is tasty but nothing overall to back it up and let it linger in the mouth.

Another disappointment.