A visit to the home of YellowBelly beer

There’s nothing more eye-catching than a mistake – or something that looks like one. A can of beer, for example, that seems to be missing its label so you have to look a little closer to see what it is.

Paul’s On Holiday is a new beer from Wexford’s YellowBelly – and what happened when its art designer went away for a few weeks. For a brewery known for its bright, award-winning labels – and the associated comic book stories and video games – the mostly blank can makes for a clever (and temporary) branding twist.

The beer itself is a Maibock, a delicious malty lager that’s deep gold in colour, with a clean, crisp body that tastes lighter than its 6.9 per cent. I tried it on draft at Simon Lambert & Sons brewpub on Wexford’s main street, where the YellowBelly brewery started up (in the basement) in 2015. The brewery has since moved to bigger premises nearby but they’re keeping the pub well stocked with beer.

It’s a cosy spot that’s buzzing at lunchtime on a Monday, serving soups, sandwiches and the like, with blackboards dotted around with lists of house and guest beers. The row of taps at the bar is mostly dominated by YellowBelly offerings and you’ll get all of its core range on draft here, including YellowBelly Lager, Castaway Passionfruit Sour, and some small batch and special beers such as its recent collaboration with Brewdog, Kottbusser kettle sour. I also tried two very tasty session beers, It’s Elementary session IPA and Now in Session pale ale, both at 4.6 per cent.

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If you’re in this part of the country over the summer, make it your business to drop in – or take a detour – and get a tasting tray of beers or just go straight for its heavenly-fresh Citra pale ale.

@ITbeerista beerista@irishtimes.com