Chris Shanahan: Beer review — Grolsch & Carlow Curim

Grolsch Premium Lager $3.99 473ml swing top
Fancy bottles invariably push our BS metre up. But Grolsch impressed, both for stunning freshness (rare in imports, especially in green UV-admitting glass) and individuality. In one sense it’s mainstream lager. But there’s a distinctive and appealing pungent, herbal, hop character that carries from aroma, to rich palate, to dry, refreshing finish.

Curim Celtic Wheat Beer $7.99 $500ml
Carlow Brewing, established in Ireland’s Barrow Valley in 1998, brews this and a number of other beers including, of course, stout. But the Irish can brew wheat beer, too. In Curim it’s an appealing fruity, round, soft style — as beguiling as an Irish brogue, if a little tired from its long journey.