Beerista: The after-work pint

Having a beer after a long day, or week, is one of life's simple pleasures. In Germany they even have a word for it – the "feierabendbier" is the beer you drink to celebrate when you get off work. It could be the only beer of the evening, or the one to kick off your weekend – either way, it marks an important juncture in the day, so make it a good one.

One of the original "working" beers is the Belgian Saison which farm hands or "saisonnaires" would drink after working the fields during harvest time. You'll find plenty of versions of this farmhouse style on the shelves these days, which is generally dry, fruity, highly carbonated and with a light body. Roscommon brewery Black Donkey does a tasty Irish saison called Sheep Stealer (below), while Galway Bay has a new hoppy farmhouse ale called Scarecrow on draught which you can try in any of their craft bars around the country.

Session beers are ideal for after-work pints, especially if you think you might be out for a few. They’re lighter in bitterness, body and alcohol and there’s plenty of Irish craft offerings. Rascals Happy Days session pale ale is a summer seasonal and you’ll get it on draught at the moment – it’s crisp and dry with plenty of fruity flavour (melon and mango) and comes in at 4.1 per cent. Beavertown also make reliably quality beers and if you’re heading home for your feierabendbier grab a few cans of their light and hoppy Neck Oil session IPA.

If the sun is shining, or maybe it’s not but you feel like something summery, try Juicebox Citrus IPA by London brewery Fourpure. Made with orange zest, it’s got a grassy, hoppy aroma, a bright, balanced bitterness and a tropical juiciness that builds as you drink. It comes in a lovely tall 500ml can but it’s a bigger beer, at 5.9 per cent – perfect, though, if you’re only having the one.