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Le Chéile

Carlow Brewing Company
Ireland·West Coast Pilsner
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Brewed for the 2026 Dublin Craft Beer Festival as a one-off: a West Coast pils at 6.0 %, fermented with lager yeast and hopped with the New Zealand varieties Nelson Sauvin and Riwaka. Very bright in the glass, with aromas of gooseberry, passion fruit and white wine. A grassy hop note runs through it, and the finish is hoppy and distinctly bitter at 50 IBU.

ABV
6%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter50 IBU
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
pale gold3
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
grassyhoppyfruity
grassy
hoppy
fruity
tropical
clean
malty
Aroma
The Nelson Sauvin and Riwaka hops deliver a distinctive bouquet of gooseberry and passion fruit, supported by subtle white wine notes that suggest fresh stone fruit and citrus complexity.
not found:juicy,caramel,sour,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Le Chéile

◎ Appearance

Brilliant pale straw yellow with excellent clarity and fine, persistent carbonation. The head forms quickly and clings to the glass with fine white lacing. A model of visual clarity typical of the pilsner tradition.

pale straw yellowcrystal clearfine white head

◌ Aroma

The Nelson Sauvin and Riwaka hops deliver a distinctive bouquet of gooseberry and passion fruit, supported by subtle white wine notes that suggest fresh stone fruit and citrus complexity. A grassy, herbaceous hop character runs throughout, clean and bright without any yeast-derived esters or phenols.

gooseberry, passion fruitwhite wine notesgrassy Edelhopfen

◐ Taste

The palate opens with a lean, crisp entry balanced by moderate malt sweetness that frames rather than dominates. Mid-palate reveals the full articulation of the New Zealand hop character—resinous, herbal, and distinctly fruity—while 50 IBU of bitterness builds steadily and anchors the flavor. The finish is clean and hoppy with a pronounced dry bitterness.

crisp, dry palateassertive hop bitternesslean malt backbone

◑ Finish

The bitterness persists and gradually fades over several seconds, leaving a clean, grassy aftertaste and no residual sweetness. A genuinely dry, refreshing conclusion.

hoppy, lingeringdry finish
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
82
Appearance
87
Finish
78
Serve at 4–7°C

Serve well-chilled at 4–6°C for maximum crispness. A pilsner served too warm loses its defining snap.

Pilsner glass

The tall, narrow pilsner glass preserves carbonation and showcases the golden clarity that defines the style.

Drink fresh and cold. Pilsners do not improve with age — within 3 months of packaging is ideal.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Le Chéile

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About West Coast Pilsner

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a West Coast Pilsner?

Pilsners are crisp golden lagers with 4–5.5% ABV and IBU 25–45. Defined by spicy, floral Saaz hops over a light malt backbone — bright carbonation and a dry bitter finish.

Finding a similar West Coast Pilsner

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same bitter, grassy, hoppy character as Le Chéile will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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