Latest news with #Guinness'
Eater
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
Detroit's First Black-Owned Brewery Wants to Make Drinking Stout a Year-Round Tradition
is a writer born with over two decades of experience in the restaurant industry, and she has been covering the local food and beverage scene for the past eight years. Detroit's first Black-owned brewery, Roar Brewing, opened its taproom at 666 Selden Street in early July with a weekend celebration that kicked off on Thursday, July 10. The three-day event featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a set by Detroit's own DJ Invisible, live music performances, TVs broadcasting local sports, and a lively hustle line that energized the courtyard patio. And, of course, there were plenty of pints — most notably the MVP of the tap list, a black honey oat stout. That choice wasn't accidental; it speaks directly to the brewery's mission and identity. When discussing the lack of representation in Michigan's craft beer scene, especially in Detroit, owner Evan Fay attributes it to people's unfamiliarity with the product or fear of how they might be perceived as newcomers to the industry. 'Think of us as Detroit's Guinness' 'I don't think people don't drink craft beer. I think they just don't drink beer, yet,' Fay says. 'I didn't drink a ton of beer before going into the service, but once I started learning about its complexities and the people behind it, it changed my perspective. I started to imagine what my place in it could look like. I'm hoping to inspire others in that way, too.' Roar's black honey oat stout is the brewery's main beer, a rare choice since few breweries make a dark stout their flagship. 'We want to make everyone stout drinkers,' Fay says. 'It represents the brewery really well; dark, smooth, creamy, and there's a subtle sweetness from the honey. People think stouts are just for cold weather, but I want to enjoy them any time, all the time. Think of us as Detroit's Guinness.' Roar Brewing debuted with six beers. Courtney Burk 'Craft breweries are good at gathering the community together through their programming,' Fay says. 'When I was traveling a lot, breweries and cafes were where we went to grab a drink and get to know the city through there. Breweries and cafes are two businesses that I've started because of that aspect — building community to make everyone feel at home right away.' Fay's interest in beer started after college, while stationed in Cheyenne, Wyoming. 'My first experience with beer in college wasn't craft,' Fay says. 'But being stationed near Fort Collins, [Colorado], I'd visit New Belgium often and got immersed in the culture. Later in Alaska, spots like Midnight Sun Brewing had that same welcoming vibe. When we moved to Detroit, I knew I wanted to emulate that here.' Roar debuted with a lineup of six beers, which it calls its franchise players: a raspberry wheat, pilsner, IPA, amber, and that honey oat stout. The beers are brewed on a 10-barrel system by head brewer Dave Hale, formerly of Nain Rouge. Fay served as assistant brewer during the early stages, helping develop the lineup in collaboration, but stepped back as day-to-day operations began drawing his attention away from the brewing process. The brewery uses locally sourced ingredients, including malt from Great Lakes Malt and honey from Hives for Heroes, a Michigan-based, veteran-owned business. Roar's interior opens onto an extended patio through a roll-up garage door, linking it to the nearby restaurant corridor. The brewery plans to add an 800-square-foot, three-and-a-half-season room to the outdoor plaza to increase covered seating. Events include karaoke nights, hustle and line dancing, weekly drum circles, and sports watch parties, aiming to make the brewery both a gathering spot and a taproom. A small bites food menu is currently being developed in collaboration with the neighboring Barcade, an old-school video game arcade and beer bar, and the brewery collaborated with So Creamalicious on a popcorn flight that pairs with the taproom's franchise players beer flight. The brewery also offers a pay-it-forward program inspired by Midnight Sun Brewing, where guests can buy a beer for someone who has experienced a specific situation or moment written on a card, which is then hung on the wall. Instead of a traditional mug club, Roar offers a season pass model tied to Detroit's pro sports teams. The annual Roar Pride membership costs about $175, while season pass memberships range from approximately $100 to $150. The brewery also has plans to host three brewery tours a day with beertenders facilitating them. Fay's goal is for everyone that works at Roar to know as much about the beer and the brewing process as the brewers do. The aim is to make beer really accessible to everyone in a comfortable and inviting environment. Roar Brewing is located at 666 Selden Street in Detroit; open 4 p.m. to midnight Monday though Thursday, noon to midnight Friday and Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday — except during football season.
Irish Independent
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Mary Regan: Coalition must balance jitters over Occupied Territories Bill against its pledges to stand up for what is right
The most notable thing about the comments from a senior US diplomat that Ireland needs to 'sober up' after 'falling into a vat of Guinness' with the Occupied Territories Bill was not the lazy and jaded stereotyping of the Irish.
Sunday World
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Sunday World
US ambassador blasts Irish government and tells country to ‘sober up'
Mike Huckabee feels that Ireland is committing an act of 'diplomatic intoxication' over the Occupied Territories Bill. Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, said Ireland needed to 'sober up' when it comes to Occupied Territories Bill. Photo: Reuters US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has called on Ireland to 'sober up' over legislation which would ban the import of goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. The senior Trump administration figure also claimed that the Irish government 'fell into a vat of Guinness' when drafting the proposed legislation. The bill comes after the International Court of Justice last year declared that countries should "take steps to prevent trade or investment relations" over illegal Israeli settlements. Writing on X, the former Governor of Arkansas said: 'Did the Irish fall into a vat of Guinness and propose something so stupid that it would be attributed to act of diplomatic intoxication? Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, said Ireland needed to 'sober up' when it comes to Occupied Territories Bill. Photo: Reuters Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 17th "It will harm Arabs as much as Israelis. "Sober up Ireland! Call [the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs] and say you're sorry!' Huckabee, a long-time supporter of Israel, was chosen by US President Donald Trump for his current position last November before being sworn in following senate approval in April. The comments came following a spiky exchanges between delegates from the Ireland Israel Alliance and the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade earlier this week. The committee heard former Minister for Justice Alan Shatter liken the bill to legislation passed in Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Taoiseach Micheál Martin. Photo: Collins Speaking on Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin rejected the claims made by the American diplomat. 'The situation is very serious in Gaza including an appalling loss of human life. Terrible war crimes are being committed. 'Ireland has consistently condemned Hamas and we equally condemn Israeli breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza. 'The slaughter of children must stop. The slaughter of innocent civilians queuing for food must stop. What is going on is beyond any moral compass. 'Ireland stands for peace and a political pathway forward.' The proposed bill is set to go before the Dáil in the autumn. In May, the cabinet gave the green light for the government to progress a version of the proposed legislation. UNICEF stated this week that more than 17,000 children have reportedly been killed and a further 33,000 wounded in the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza. As of July 9, the Gaza Health Ministry stated that approximately 60,200 people have been killed by Israeli forces since October 2023.
Extra.ie
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Extra.ie
US Israel ambassador's tweet slammed by Taoiseach
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has rejected comments by the US ambassador to Israel, who asked whether Ireland had fallen into a 'vat of Guinness' over the Occupied Territories Bill. Mike Huckabee made the derogatory remarks this week, accusing Ireland of 'diplomatic intoxication' and calling on the nation to 'sober up'. But his comments have drawn the ire of both the Taoiseach and prominent Irish politicians, who labelled it 'xenophobic' and 'anti-Irish'. In his full remark on social media, Mr Huckabee wrote about the Occupied Territories Bill: 'Did the Irish fall into a vat of Guinness & propose something so stupid that it would be attributed to act of diplomatic intoxication? It will harm Arabs as much as Israelis. Sober up, Ireland! Call @IsraelMFA & say you're sorry!' US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Pic:) Mr Huckabee tweeted an article from the Jerusalem Post, which highlighted the Foreign Affairs Oireachtas Committee hearing earlier this week, which addressed the passage of the Bill. His remarks came as a series of high-profile American politicians also ramped up warnings to Ireland about its pro-Palestinian position, saying that it may be a danger to the Irish economy. There is now growing concern within the Irish Government that Ireland may be targeted by the US administration for its overtly pro-Palestinian stance. In the last week, articles have appeared in US publications, such as The Hill and The Wall Street Journal, criticising the Irish legislation. A number of senior US politicians have now publicly attacked Ireland for its position. Taoiseach Micheál Martin. Pic: Stephen Collins/Collins However, Micheál Martin criticised the tweet by Mr Huckabee, remarking: 'I reject the comments made by the ambassador.' He added: 'The situation is very serious in Gaza, including an appalling loss of human life. 'Terrible war crimes are being committed. Ireland has consistently condemned Hama,s and we equally condemn Israeli breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza. The slaughter of children must stop. The slaughter of innocent civilians queuing for food must stop. What is going on is beyond any moral compass. Ireland stands for peace and a political pathway forward.' contacted both spokespeople for the Taoiseach, asking Mr Martin to comment on the anti-Irish nature of Mr Huckabee's comments, but did not receive a further reply. Sinn Féin's foreign affairs spokesman Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire. Pic: Leah Farrell/ Sinn Féin's foreign affairs spokesman Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said Mr Huckabee's comments were 'absurd, plainly xenophobic, and plainly intended to provoke. It leans into old tropes of the drunken Irish. It is quite bizarre that he assumes the only reason for having a different position from his administration is intoxication,' he said. 'Unfortunately this is not out of character, Mr Huckabee has a history of controversial comments, and is someone who does not believe in a two-state solution. His comments are wrong, but more worrying is the fact that a man who has such views as Mr Huckabee carries influence within the US administration, and what that says about US policy in the Middle East.' Mr Huckabee is staunchly pro-Israel, and in an interview in 2017 with the CNN news network, he said: 'There is no such thing as a West Bank. It's Judea and Samaria [the territory's biblical name]. There's no such thing as a settlement. They're communities, they're neighbourhoods, they're cities. There's no such thing as an occupation.' US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Pic:) He has gone as far as to question Palestinian identity. During his 2008 Republican presidential campaign, he said: 'I need to be careful about saying this, because people will really get upset – there's really no such thing as a Palestinian.' Gary Gannon, the Social Democrats justice spokesman, said that the comments about Ireland were 'xenophobic' and 'anti-Irish', adding that the Irish-American vote should be asked to push back at Mr Huckabee. There have been several comments about Ireland's position from senior US politicians in the last 48 hours, in what looked like a coordinated move by senior Republicans against the Bill, which seeks to ban the import and sale of goods and services from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Gary Gannon, the Social Democrats justice spokesman. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos Senator Lindsay Graham, a significant political ally of Donald Trump, tweeted: 'I hope that Ireland will reconsider their efforts to economically isolate Israel, as they are in a fight for their very existence. I do not believe these efforts would be well received in the United States, and they certainly would not go unnoticed.' Congressman Mike Lawler said: 'Ireland's draft BDS [Boycott, Divest and Sanctions] law is reckless and sets a dangerous precedent. Targeting Israel won't bring peace, and will only reward extremism. Ireland should reject this misguided legislation and stand against hate.' Congressman Josh Gottheimer wrote: 'Ireland's proposed legislation targets Jewish communities by singling out settlements tied to Israel. American companies with a presence in Ireland who complied with [it] would violate US anti-boycott statutes and face penalties in the US. America will continue to stand with our ally.' While Congressman Andy Ogles wrote: 'Ireland's proposed ban of Jewish-made products is nothing short of anti-semitic. This proposal not only harms American businesses but undermines the very principles of Western civilisation. I vehemently oppose this decision and urge Ireland to reconsider.' Congresswoman Lisa McClain tweeted that the Bill was 'extreme anti-semitic hate' while Rick Scott, a Republican senator from Florida, said Ireland should think twice about the message they're sending by passing this bill'. Daniel Mulhall, the former Irish Ambassador to the United States, said that Ireland could not expect a 'free lunch' for its position on Palestine in relation to how American politicians, particularly, Republicans, viewed the issue. Mr Mulhall pointed out that Mr Huckabee is a politician who became an ambassador. 'He expresses himself more like the politician he was, than the ambassador he is,' he said. Mr Mulhall said the comments were 'extreme and over the top' but they 'point to a strong set of opinions across the political world, particularly in the Republican side of the house about Israel, which means we have to be conscious that when we do things related to Israel and the Middle East, it's not a free lunch'. 'It doesn't mean we do nothing, but we should bear in mind that opinions can be perceived as hostile and to be anti-Israeli.' 'We can't ignore the reality that some of the positions we may be about to take go down very badly in the United States.'
Metro
18-05-2025
- Business
- Metro
The 'crowd pleasing' Irish beer set to take Guinness's stout crown
There's a beer on the block that could be about to steal Guinness's stout crown. While the joy of 'splitting the G' has helped the Irish beer to dominate since it was created in 1868, it seems the stout industry is filling up with choice, and there's one beer emerging as a clear favourite at local pubs: Murphy's. Call it a beer revolution, a cost of living crisis or a generation of beer lovers unafraid to try new things, the reality is Murphy's sales increased by 632% across the UK in December 2024, according to The Irish Examiner. Meanwhile Guinness – which is owned by Diageo – experienced price hikes and supply issues, sparking a debate among stout drinkers who are asking: 'Is Guinness or Murphy's the better choice?' Reddit threads are filling up with opinions, publicans are weighing in, and we even got Murphy's to share their thoughts as well. Here's what we found out: Despite the seeming newness of Murphy's, the Irish stout isn't a young brew. In fact, it's been around longer than Guinness, having been created 12 years earlier in 1856. After running as an independent brewery in Cork for over 100 years, Heineken acquired it in 1983, and since then, it's been quietly rising in the stout ranks. So, what's the major difference between Murphy's and Guinness? According to stout lovers on Reddit there are a few noticeable differences. Mr-EdwardsBeard says: 'Murphy's is a tad sweeter', and Kshump says they 'prefer the drier taste of Murphy's'. The beer experts behind the popular The Real Ale Craft Beer page on YouTube say Guinness has more of a 'rich, creamy, and thick mouthfeel', with a 'lingering bitterness'. While Murphy's is 'lighter, less bitter, and more sessionable, with a thinner mouthfeel'. Landlord Padraig Brady of the popular Irish pub Mulligans in Manchester, who considers himself a 'Guinness expert', tells Metro: 'Murphy's delivers an authentic, high quality alternative to the market leader, with a smoother, slightly sweeter flavour profile that's especially appealing to those who find Guinness' coffee-like bitterness a little too intense.' Basically, if Guinness is the bold older brother, Murphy's is the mellow mate. The recent popularity of Murphy's can be attributed to a few things, but one is supply and demand. According to Heineken, Murphy's saw a 176% increase in UK sales, and in November, it was declared that 'the stout battle between Guinness and Murphy's' had moved to the UK. The reason why is partially because Guinness hiked its prices, and suddenly, the average price for the once-affordable brew in London became approximately £5.74, with some pubs charging upwards of £8, while others offer them for under £3, according to the Evening Standard. It was a hit for Guinness lovers but it unfortunately wasn't the only challenge to come. During Christmas 2024, the stout experienced a surge in popularity so great that the Dublin-based brewery was unable to produce and distribute the product according to demand. It meant publicans had to find an alternative or go without. For Brady, he saw it as a perfect time to introduce Murphy's draught into his pub. He knew there was an appetite for stout as he, on average, sells 13,000 Guinness each week. 'We wanted to offer our customers more choice, and Murphy's felt like the perfect fit. It's an iconic Irish name and a truly traditional pint, ideal for enjoying while soaking up the atmosphere of Mulligans and our daily live music line up.' To welcome the beer in, the pub gave away 1,989 pints last week – a nod to the year it was first launched on draught in the UK – and the result has been fantastic. 'People have been coming back specifically to ask for Murphy's,' Brady explains. 'Sales have exceeded all our expectations, and we're already seeing strong repeat orders from customers.' Turns out, dry Guinness taps weren't the worst thing in the world for stout lovers, and as Reddit's Sjeffield said, Murphy's has become a bit of a crowd pleaser'. It's tough to answer this one. As Guinness is sold in significantly more pubs across the UK, there are major variations in its cost. For example, at one pub house, you can nab a pint for just £2.91, while another sells a pint for £9.05. Based on this, the average Guinness ends up being £5.74, according to the Pint Pricer – a website that compares the prices of pints across all pubs in London. The average price for a pint of Murphy's is slightly higher at £5.83, with the cheapest being £5.20 and the most expensive sitting at £6.20. Regardless, the price hike certainly changed things and shifted some perspectives on Guinness, including from CAMRA Chairman Ash Corbett-Collins, who tells Metro: 'It's a blow to see Diageo is taking advantage of the rise in the popularity of Guinness by hitting punters in their pocket when they just want to enjoy a pint of stout.' For Corbett-Collins, she understands why many would switch to Murphy's but she believes there are even better options. 'I'd encourage everyone to seek out and choose great stouts and porters from independent and local breweries. These independent breweries and beers deserve as much as attention as the global brands. Sadly, unfair access to taps at the bar in a lot of pubs makes this difficult.' London pub Nancy Spains, the 'home and top seller of Murphy's in the UK', has seen a rise in people switching to Murphy's this year. 'We always see Irish drinkers seeking it [Murphy's] out, but also a growing number are younger drinkers curious about alternatives to big-name stouts,' Nancy Spains co-founder Peter O'Halloran tells Metro. 'Once they try it, they're converted.' 'People are after flavour, quality, and character. Murphy's has that in spades, and at Nancy Spains, we serve the best of it.' It's something Heineken UK's On-Trade Director, William Rice can prove as well: 'Draught sales are up 176% this year, and we've also tripled the number of pubs now pouring Murphy's. It's clear the brand is becoming a go-to for those looking for quality, authenticity and a fresh take on a classic pint.' We contacted Guinness for comment too, but the iconic brand seems to be sitting pretty and hasn't got back to us yet. The good news for Guinness lovers is the stout won't be going anywhere anytime soon. It still holds the stout crown in most corners of the UK and carries some impressive cultural clout. More Trending But Murphy's rising popularity has proven that Guinness isn't the only stout worth talking about anymore. The alternative Irish stout is going down a treat for landlords and beer lovers alike while making sure it doesn't stray too far from the old trusty Guinness. So, while Guinness isn't going anywhere, it's not quite as untouchable as it once was, and that can only be a good thing for stout fans everywhere. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ View More » MORE: I tried 70 wines from Co-op — a £7.35 bottle was the best MORE: Stop buying cheap Bordeaux — the best value wines are from this French region MORE: Is VE Day 2025 a bank holiday in the UK?
