Headfest 08

The good stuff, and no bubbles needed. A glass of Bronze Age beer.

Declan Moore, of the Moore Group, was kind enough to invite me out to Headfest 08 a couple of weeks ago. I mentioned before that Declan, and fellow archaelogist Billy Quin, proposed a theory of Bronze Age beer making in Ireland. Headfest 08 (in the back of Billy’s cottage out in Headford) would be a chance to see the brewing in action, and more importantly, a chance to taste the beer itself.

These ladies cooked like angels.

Alas, despite a sunny morning, the afternoon became a monsoon, and the beermaking never happened. It didn’t matter because the lads had made a batch in July, and there was plenty of it. I have to say that they know how to throw a party, and the guest have to be friendliest bunch of people I’ve come across in a long time.

The beer is quite nice actually, and a reminder that the fizzed-up overchilled swill served up in most pubs isn’t actually what beer is about. I forgot to ask what volume of alcohol is in it , but i suspect it is fairly low. They had added bog myrtle and other flowers to the mix, and one could actually taste and smell the bouquet from the beer (they had barrels of Guinness and Galway Hooker as well, for non-believers).

Lamb on a spit, and damned tasty too.

I have to mention the food – (sheep lovers, turn away now). There was a lamb on a spit cooking slowly (and being eaten quickly) and rack of lamb on a barbecue oven which quite literally melted in the mouth. Simply Outstanding. The rain didn’t deter anyone (there were a bunch of marquees about the garden) and by the time I left, the musicians were limbering up for the night shift.

I bet this family of swallows couldn’t wait to get to Africa, as they listened to the rain hammering off the roof above them.

I took plenty of pictures but won’t put up a gallery for now, if only to protect the contestants of the hilarious Lovely Girls competition.

Can’t wait for Headfest 09.