STRADBALLY-based Ballykilcavan Brewing Company is going from strength to strength.

It has just launched another addition to its ever-growing stable of beers. Only 960 bottles of the new beverage went on sale last Saturday, 4 November, in Egan’s off-licence, Portlaoise.

The one-off batch was brewed using hops sourced exclusively from the hop garden on the company’s farm just outside Stradbally.
Co-founder David Walsh-Kemmis said: “Along with our barley, we’ve been growing hops for a couple of years and they produced a really good crop this year. We recruited a team of interested people on Facebook and got them in for a day’s hop picking. We were then able to brew a beer, where all the barley and all the hops were grown right here on the farm.”

Manager of Egan’s off-licence Mary Delahunty said: “Customers are really starting to look for locally-brewed beers made from locally-sourced ingredients, so this has generated a lot of interest before it’s even in the shop.”

With only 960 bottles of the beer on sale, David hopes to expand in future years.

“We’re doubling the size of our hop garden, so with a bit of luck and some kind weather, we should be able to make two batches next year. Picking the hops is a really labour-intensive process, but by getting a team in to help with the picking, it turned into a fun day out, so we’re going to make it into an annual event,” said David.

Read more at source Laois Nationalist