-
APPRECIATING CRAFT BEER
The best way to understand and appreciate a craft beer, after tasting one of course, is to visit the brewery and talk with the brewers.
Here at O’Hara’s Carlow Brewing Company you will learn all about the O’Hara’s beer range, see the entire craft brewing process, taste
the special malts and smell the hops used to brew O’Hara’s and sample some of our award winning beers.
-
MILLING THE GRAIN
The brew begins with preparing the malts and today Maurice is on the job, milling in our locally sourced and specially selected malts to crush
the grains and aid the release of the starch and enzymes.
-
BREWING THE WORT
Grain is transferred to the mash tun where it is mixed with hot water to activate enzymes which change the malt starches into simpler sugars.
The result is a sweet liquid called wort which is separated in the lauder tun from the spent grain.
-
ADDING THE HOPS
The nutrient-rich wort is transferred to the brew kettle. In the kettle choice hops are added for bitterness to balance the sweetness of the
wort. The selection of hops used and the timing of their addition to the kettle gives the beers enticing flavours and aroma.
-
FERMENTATION
After the specified recipe time, the hops are removed, and a whirlpool is used to sift out any remaining hop particles before the now
“hopped wort” is transferred to the fermentation tanks. The cooled liquid meets with the yeast already placed in the fermenters and the process of
creating the alcohol begins. The yeast converts the sugars from the brewing process into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas.
-
RECYCLING SPENT GRAIN
After each brew our spent grain is usefully recycled by local farmers who use the nutrient rich food to supplement their herd’s feed.
-
FILTERING THE BEER
Most of our beers are sent through our filtration system after fermentation and maturation for kegging and bottling. Here any yeast and
other particles are removed to prevent spoilage.
-
CASK & BOTTLE CONDITIONED
Our unfiltered cask-conditioned and bottle-conditioned beers skip the filtration process to remain in their most natural form.
-
CROPPING THE YEAST
As the fermentation vessels are emptied our yeast is cropped for the next brew.
-
KEGGING
After our beers are filtered they are kegged or bottled. The same care and dedication that goes into the O’Hara’s brewing process is carried right through
to the end of the kegging line.
-
TASTING EACH BATCH
It’s a hard job but someone has to do it! Every batch of O’Hara’s is personally tasted for quality assurance by head brewer Alan and quality manager David.
-
MEET SOME OF THE BREWING TEAM
It takes a combination of passion and respect for the craft, curiosity and creativity to build a good craft brewery and to brew great beers. Share in our
passion, taste our beers and we’d be happy to have you join us one day at the brewery!
O’Hara’s Brewery/Carlow Brewing Company is an independent Irish family owned brewery located in the heart of Ireland's historical malt-growing “Barrow Valley” region.