FOR a few days there it was summer and the cloudless skies and my own location would afford splendid and unblemished views of the Mourne Mountains.
Then it all remembered that this is Ireland over came the clouds and down came the rain.
However, it does no good to curse the rain in these parts. After all, it's that water the gets filtered through the mountains and plays a major role in the beers produced at the Mourne Mountains Brewery in Warrenpoint (when there's a bit of a dry spell Gareth has to do a rain dance).
Some of those beers will be flowing on Saturday July 9 when the brewery hosts a taproom at their facility at Milltown.
One of those brews will be Cosmik Debris, a kviek pale ale brewed with cashmere and citra hops.
The kviek yeast contributes to a lively and fluffy white head on top of a hazy, amber-coloured beer.
Although hops are usually the main source of fruity and juicy flavours in a beer, kviek can contribute to them as well as it does here. It pairs well with the Cashmere hop as both provide tropical fruit flavours.
Cosmik Debris clocks in at a sessionable 4.5 per cent and you get a good whiff of those tropical and stone fruit flavours.
On the palate, there are strong note of mango and pineapple with a lingering peach flavour. There is a pillowy softness to the mouthfeel and low-level bitterness.
This is a highly crushable beer and a real thirst quencher.
Mourne Mountains have also showcased the Cashmere hop in their double IPA Burning Hope. It clocks in it a hefty 8 per cent.
One of my favourite DIPAs is The Wall from MMB but this one is right up there too. The two beers differ, though, with Burning Hope rowing back the bitterness a little bit. There are hints of peach, melon and mango, but the Cashmere gives it a softness and medium bitterness.
There's a slight herby feel to it as well and the strength is well hidden by those complex flavours.
