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Irish Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
The rise of poitín: Ireland's notorious spirit goes mainstream
We've all heard stories about the infamous poitín makers in remote pockets of Ireland. They usually involve someone's uncle's mate's cousin, a clandestine meeting in the dead of night and possibly a bag of turf, followed by an evening of shenanigans fit for a Christy Moore tune. Stories like this have led to an almost mythical status for a drink that is, at its core, an Irish take on clear, unaged spirit, not a million miles from vodka - although definitely not the same. This status was definitely helped by the fact that poitín production and sale was illegal between the years of 1661 and 1997 (with a slight loosening of the laws in the 1980s, but only for export), but since it was legalised, these stories have been a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the very mention of poitín invokes a kind of mysterious and shadowy world that is undeniably cool and appeals to the Irish love of outlaws and rule-benders. On the other, a reputation for being a dangerous drink that can lead to all sorts of unpleasantness has perhaps made it a little difficult to market effectively. Reputation aside, the last decade or so has seen a resurgence of sorts for whiskey's wayward younger sibling, with distillers putting their own spin on this misunderstood liquor, and premium poitíns coming out of producers like Mad March Hare, Blackwater, Micil and Fore Distillery. In fact, all four of these will have a presence at this year's Bloom Festival, which is a sure sign that mainstream is just about ready to embrace poitín. In addition, long-time poitín advocate Oisín Davis will be hosting poitín parties at Ballymaloe Food Festival and Beyond The Pale later this year, after successful events in Galway, Dublin and New York over the last few months. So it's a drink on the rise, but… How do you drink it? Well, it is, of course, perfectly reasonable to sip a decent poitín on its own, but if you fancy getting a bit more adventurous with it, mixologists across Ireland have been experimenting and refining all manner of delicious serves using poitín as a base. Notable examples include the fantastic Belfast Coffee, from Dublin's Bar 1661, which uses Bán Poitín, and Cask Cork's Little Pot, which uses Mad March Hare. Here are a couple of delicious poitín cocktails that you can make at home, courtesy of Oisín Davis' Irish Kitchen Cocktails, which is a must-have book for any serious home bartender. Frozen Poitín Piña Colada Even if you're not mad about getting caught in the rain, these frozen piña coladas, which use poitín instead of the traditional rum, will bring a hint of sunshine to your BBQ, cocktail party or quiet Friday night in. Ingredients: Method: Pour the pineapple juice, poitín, coconut cream and lime juice into a blender (NutriBullet works nicely). Blitz for 10 seconds to combine, then drop in the ice. Blitz for another 3-5 seconds until the ice is no longer chunky and it's the consistency of a slushie. Pour into a glass, serve with a straw and garnish with pineapple. Serves 1 The house cocktail at Bar 1661 - if you haven't tried one there, you really, really should. You can buy it pre-mixed from their website, but if you fancy having a crack at it yourself this chilled spin on the Irish coffee is an absolute treat. Ideally, you'd use a Georgian Irish coffee glass for this, but a small wine glass will work as well. Chill the glass with ice. For the demerara sugar syrup, take 2 parts sugar to 1 part boiling water, mix until the sugar is completely dissolved. You can make a batch of this ahead of time and it'll keep in the fridge for a week. Combine the coffee, sugar syrup and poitín into a jug or a jar of ice cubes and stir for about 20 seconds. Strain the coffee mixture into the glass, making sure not to get any of the ice cubes in there. Carefully pour the cream into the glass, using the back of a spoon to help it settle on top of the coffee, and then grate a little nutmeg on top. Serves 1
CTV News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
ADVERTISEMENT Ottawa Watch 18th Annual Whalesbone Oysterfest Jesse Papastratos from Whalesbone and Shane Clark from Beyond the Pale Brewery give us a preview of the festival.
Ottawa Watch Jesse Papastratos from Whalesbone and Shane Clark from Beyond the Pale Brewery give us a preview of the festival.
Extra.ie
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Beyond the Pale announces 2025 'high camp' arts line-up
Highlights from the programme include SexyTadgh, RÓIS, Irvine Welsh, Meow Meow, Haus of Wig and more. Beyond The Pale festival has announced the arts programme for its 2025 edition, set to take place in the Glendalough Estate from June 13 to 15. Described as more 'daring, delicious and defiant than ever before', the arts programme is set to include acts such as folk and electronics Fermanagh artist RÓIS, Irish pianist, songwriter, vocalist, and fashion designer SexyTadhg, Meow Meow, the international cabaret icon and queen of post-post-modern performance, as well as Irvine Welsh, who is set to present Men In Love, a literary trip down the rabbit hole of masculinity and disco. The arts programme is also set to feature Haus of Wig, The Wild Geeze, Rathaus, Abandoman, Lisette Krol, Attention Bébé, The New Brass Kings, Faragh Elle, CHOP, Paradise Cabaret and more. Announcing our 2025 arts programme – a fever dream of high camp, high kicks and art magic. It's more daring, delicious and defiant than ever, blending sweaty glitter with political subversion, raw talent with ritual, and spectacle with pure unadulterated craic. Full details on… — Beyond The Pale (@BeyondThePaleIE) May 13, 2025 'This year's Arts Programme is a celebration of curiosity, community, and creativity in all its forms,' says Emily Brennan, Arts Programme Manager. 'Whether you're drawn to drag, circus, spoken word, aerial spectacle or simply stumbling into something surreal in the woods — we want people to feel surprised, inspired, and welcome. Beyond the Pale is where play becomes art, and art becomes unforgettable.' Previously announced musical acts for Beyond the Pale include Róisín Murphy, Jon Hopkins, Berlioz and Broken Social Scene, who will play their only Irish shows this summer, while Boney M play their first Irish show in nearly a decade. They're joined by Brooklyn-based rockers, TV on the Radio, playing their first show in Ireland in 17 years, festival-favourite Marc Rebillet, BadBadNotGood, recent Brit Award winners Ezra Collective and many more acts. Find the festival's full programme here.
