Barebone Restaurant with Fierce Mild Non Alcoholic Beer

Barebone Restaurant with Fierce Mild Non Alcoholic Beer

After clocking up some serious mileage for their Beár Bia travelling podcast, hosts Dee Laffan and Oisín Davis stayed local for their final episode of season two!  Over on Wexford Street in Dublin's city centre, there have been some wonderful barbecue aromas emanating from Barebone [https://barebone.ie/]since they opened last November. Glowing reports of their food, as well as a beautifully curated Irish-centric drinks menu, meant that paying them a visit was well overdue. Especially when we saw that they were keen supporters of Fierce Mild [https://fiercemild.co/pages/about-us], Ireland's first non alcoholic brewery. Thankfully, Barebone's manager Cal Hennessy and their head chef Bryan Spain could accommodate us, as could the two founders of Fierce Mild [https://fiercemild.co/products/fierce-mild-na-extra-pale-ale-330ml] Fergal Carroll and Cathal Byrne.  Barebone got a very slick makeover last autumn. Their ground floor has a confident urban feel with a particularly nice DJ booth in the centre back and a function room & kitchen upstairs. The crew behind barbecue legends Smokin' Bones [https://smokinbones.ie/] make up part of the ownership team here and that really shows in the food. An offsite smokehouse and slow cook kitchen across town facilitates the team here, meaning they can serve up richly seasoned and lusciously tasty cuts of meat that require the kind of equipment that would never fit or function in their tight space on Wexford Street.  Manager Cal Hennessy explains that this is a great asset for the business as frequent customers already have firm favourites that they regularly come back for. One of these would be their Spatchcock Chicken Mojo, which takes 2 days to prep and brine before hitting their grill. We paired this wonderfully vibrant and herbaceous dish, with the latest member of the Fierce Mild clan, their Lively Lager. It's a Pilsner style brew made with Irish malted barley that has a lightly bitter finish with a gentle fruit note. Perfect balance to the smoky charred chicken and its piquant accompaniments.  The second pairing of the day is another big hitter from the Barebone menu [https://barebone.ie/menu/], their 7 oz dry-aged bavette steak with a whiskey & peppercorn cream sauce. To accompany this delight, the Fierce Mild Extra Pale Ale was served. Made in a completely different way to their lager, it features three different hops and a special yeast that holds the integrity of flavour that every great beer should have, regardless if it contains alcohol or not. As it says on their site, "A beer defined by addition not subtraction." [https://fiercemild.co/products/fierce-mild-na-extra-pale-ale-330ml]  Enjoyed alongside the steak, it paired beautifully - the soft sweetness of the beer amplifying the deep character of the meat.  For our final episode of this season, it was fantastic to go out with something a little different. What Fierce Mild are proving with their range is that when someone wants an alcohol free Irish beer, not only do they not need to compromise on taste and flavour, but they can also really enhance a meal. In 2026, low and no-alcohol brands are an essential part of Ireland's liquid landscape.  You can listen in on this episode here.

Ballina Whiskey & Belleek Castle

For their first outing of 2026, Dee Laffan & Oisín Davis hit the road for county Mayo to record two episodes. The first of which features two local dishes from the team at Belleek Castle and each one was cooked and paired with single malts from their next-door neighbours at Ballina Whiskey [https://ballinawhiskey.com/].  Located in the small town of Ballina, Ballina Distillery [https://www.instagram.com/ballinawhiskey/?hl=en] sits on the banks of the River Moy in County Mayo on Ireland’s Northwest coast. Constructed on the site of the old Duffy’s bakery, the distillery was originally opened in 2015 and was the first to be built in County Mayo in 150 years. Over the last year, the distillery has undergone a full rebrand and recently launched its first two expressions. Their closest neighbour is the nearly two hundred-year-old Belleek Castle [https://belleekcastle.com/]. With its turrets, stone columns, ornate vaulted ceilings, intricate wood panelling and breathtaking views and grounds, it's quite easy to see why Belleek has become one of Ireland's most beloved wedding and event venues. However, they are equally well known for being deeply committed to keeping the highest standards in their food & beverage program, and that was why we made the train journey for - although that backdrop was rather special! For our first pairing, Belleek Castle's owner, Paul Marshall Doran, introduced us to his head chef, Andrew Lewis. He shared the exact detail as to how they take Irish organic salmon and cure it with Ballina Whiskey's triple distilled and triple barrel aged single malt, Ballina Triarach [https://ballinawhiskey.com/products/ballina-triarach-whiskey?variant=51547618541915]. This is a fantastic process, and while the prep is quick, the salmon needs a couple of days to cure. We'll be sharing a video of it all on the Beár Bia Instagram page [https://www.instagram.com/bearbiapodcast/]. Enjoying this wonderful fish alongside the very same whiskey it was cured in was a real delight. The fruity notes and spicy character of the spirit were also a great counterbalance to the richness of the salmon.  Our second pairing came from the land and has been the signature dish of Belleek Castle itself for over 50 years. Known as "The Drunken Bullock" it is as visually dramatic as it is tasty. A fillet steak is cooked to order before being speared on a 16th-century sword, doused in Ballina Dúbailte [https://ballinawhiskey.com/products/ballina-dubailte-whiskey?variant=51408598434139] Single Malt and set alight. An incredible sight to behold and a tradition normally reserved for the bride and groom of wedding parties! The flambéed whiskey imparts a mellow char and smoky character onto the beef, and when paired with the whiskey, the double-stilled single malt's deep character sat beautifully with each other. Warm earthy spice of the spirit with the decadently cooked fillet, a match made in Mayo heaven! The whole flambé process will also be going up on our social media [https://www.instagram.com/bearbiapodcast/], so please stay tuned for that.  Throughout our whole recording, Ballina Whiskey's head of blending and maturation Stacy Longworth, guided us through the unique methods the team employ with their signature styles of slower fermentation and distillation. She also talked about some exciting future releases the distillery will be bringing out. Belleek Castle's owner Paul Marshall Doran, walked us through not just the grounds themselves, but also, its remarkable history and how his family have acted as custodians of it since the 50's.  Enjoy! Dee & Oisín And follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bearbiapodcast/] for more.

Christmas Special: A Fireside Chat in The Shelbourne, Dublin

For their final episode of 2025, Dee Laffan & Oisín Davis of the Beár Bia travelling podcast wanted to celebrate Irish festive hospitality at its absolute finest - so they took a trip into town and hit up, The Shelbourne Hotel! As one of the country's most iconic and beloved five-star hotels, the Shelbourne Hotel [https://theshelbourne.com/] has over 200 years of history behind it. Praised as a Dublin city institution whose bars and restaurants are particularly vibrant during the Christmas period - the perfect time and place for some quintessentially Irish food & drinks! To get an understanding of what some of the recommended Irish food & drink pairings the Shelbourne have to offer the many merrymakers passing through its doors at the moment, we were honoured to spend some quality time with the hotel's General Manager, JP Kavanagh and their executive chef, Garry Hughes.  Recorded in the cosy confines of the 1824 Bar, we were treated to two excellent Irish dishes alongside two beautiful Irish beers.  Before we enjoyed our first pairing of the day, JP shared some remarkable key points in time around the Shelbourne Hotel [https://theshelbourne.com/our-history/]before getting into some of the staggering numbers behind its meticulous operation. He himself has been there for 8 years and regards his role to be as much of a custodian as a manager. We were then treated to one of the most popular serves from the hotel, Flaggy Shore oysters [https://www.flaggyshoreoysters.ie/] and Guinness. On any given day, you can spot plates of these plump, juicy County Clare oysters in any of their bar areas or restaurant tables [https://theshelbourne.com/the-saddle-room/]. Their saline sweetness is a great counterpart to the creamy hoppy notes of Ireland's most acclaimed stout, Guinness [https://www.guinness.com/en-ie]. A sumptuous and very traditional all-Irish pairing. The second pairing was inland inspired and is a more recent addition to the menu - a signature sausage roll. Throughout his 18-year tenure as executive chef, Garry Hughes has created and overseen countless dishes, menus and banquets. With inspiration from his childhood, Garry crafted this dish as something fun yet fulfilling for the bars in the hotel as a comforting snack item. It's made with flaky butter pastry, Tommy Doherty's black pudding and pork mince, from Kells, County Meath, and Garry's secret mix of spices. The rich fattiness of the sausage roll was cut through with the citrus-forward, softly sweet Hopburgh Helles Lager we sipped with it. Brewed just across the river on Bow Street by Hopkins & Hopkins [https://www.hopkinshopkins.com/beer/hopburgh-helles], think of it as an Irish-style lager but with a Vienna malt character. A refreshing combo to be had if you're planning a Christmas rendezvous in the hotel's Horseshoe Bar ,perhaps!  We hope you enjoy our Christmas Special episode and Happy Christmas & New Year to one & all!! Dee & Oisín  Beár Bia is available wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple and on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/4RSXj7slEJk15n8TGbHJi8?si=6ROUSCMRSCu8zvn1JAvOjg]. Follow us here on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bearbiapodcast/].

Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur

Beár Bia Podcast Hits West Cork  With the Yuletide season now in full swing, this is the time of year in Ireland when we like to indulge a little. A mid-morning mince pie, a cheeky Christmas sambo or maybe even a wee drop or two of an Irish cream liqueur. Such are the treats we gift ourselves during the festive period. This is what inspired us to reach out to the good folk from Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur [https://fivefarmsirishcream.com/] as enjoying their fine product at the end of a Christmas dinner is a tradition that we should all get behind! When we asked one of the brand's founders, Johnny Hart where we should record the episode, he insisted we head on down to the brand's number 1 account in Ireland, Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa [https://www.inchydoneyisland.com/luxury-hotel-west-cork.html?_gl=1*qtifyn*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*NzIyNDc2MjYzLjE3NjM2Mzg4MzY.*_ga_J5QMPW74KL*czE3NjM2Mzg4MzUkbzEkZzAkdDE3NjM2Mzg4MzUkajYwJGwwJGgw&gclid=CjwKCAiAlfvIBhA6EiwAcErpyQXm_L6MzwOEFJykD8LRM213nAk9dd8ZB5kusiT-F4eCdJhKg4zgARoCto4QAvD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAACziNRhuka_oj6npXAe6Ghv-k53O4]. So a trip to West Cork was made! We were warmly greeted by Incydoney's owner Des O'Dowd and it quickly became apparent to us why they sell more Five Farms here than anywhere else in the country. Every adult guest that checks into the hotel, the very first thing they receive is a small chilled glass of complimentary Five Farms. Des explained that this is a custom that he firmly believes in as it expresses the hotel's hospitality and their commitment to engaging with other local businesses. He then kindly shared details about Inchydoney's history, their deep appreciation for all the West Cork food & drink suppliers they're so blessed to work with and how local attractions such as the surf school help to bring visitors there all year round.  Co-founder of Five Farms, Johnny Hart then took the microphone to tell us all about their origin story. With a strong background in the drinks industry, when he set about establishing the brand, his intention was to create the best Irish cream liqueur he possibly could and to make it farm to table. His research ultimately led him to West Cork where he says the land and sea air collectively lend themselves to make the best dairy on the planet. Johnny then spoke deeply about his choice of spirit for the liqueur and the amazing bottle they have which he wanted to evoke authentic Irish rural life.  For our first pairing, we sampled a chilled Five Farms neat serve. It's silky texture and use of pot still Irish whiskey, gives it a long sweet finish - easy to see why so many drinks professionals and media call it the best on the market. Chef Alan at Incydoney took the Five Farms itself and used it to make a Pannacotta. This is exactly the kind of Irish cream liqueur and dessert paring that any restaurant in Ireland could do. Simple and elegant execution but with the finest of ingredients that merge together to make the perfect ending to a meal.  Our second pairing saw us delve into a twist on a classic cocktail, the house created Five Farms Espresso Martini. The strong coffee is a wonderful balance to the sweet and decadent liqueur. A beautiful way to introduce an Irish flavour to an internationally loved cocktail. It was served alongside a Hazelnut and Mocha Bavarois: made with Mocha Sponge, Milk Chocolate Bavarois, Whipped Hazelnut Ganache, Caramelized Hazelnuts and Honeycomb Tuille. A true celebration of West Cork dairy in every bite, this was a slice of local luxury and the cocktail was a sublime counterpart to it.  Irish cream liqueurs and desserts just go so well with each other. Throughout the episode we stress how great it would be for more Irish bars, restaurants and hotels to replicate pairings like what we so thoroughly enjoyed in Inchydoney.  Beár Bia is available wherever you get your podcasts in

Hawk's Rock Distillery & White Hag Brewery

For the latest episode of the Beár Bia podcast, we hit the road for Sligo City to spend some quality time in the company of a master whiskey blender, a legendary brewer, a local oyster producer and a publican par excellence!  It all took place in the cosy surroundings of Hargadon's [https://www.instagram.com/hargadons/], a traditional gastropub and bottle shop. Co-owner Morgan Kerins was there to greet us and talked us through its great history as well as all the many elements that make this pub one of the finest in the country. They include how they source so much of their award-winning food from their own locality and how they grow their own microgreens in a nearby polytunnel.  We then set about enjoying some Sligo Oyster Experience [https://www.instagram.com/sligooysters/] oysters that had just been picked by co-owner Aisling Kelly's team. Served as is (but with an optional splash of Scarlet for Yer Ma [https://www.instagram.com/scarlet_for_yer_ma/], the Dublin hot sauce!), they were imbued with a soft sweetness and a slight hint of minerality that Aisling tells us comes from the Garavogue river that washes out onto the seabed.  Quite fitting that the oysters would then be paired with the inaugural Garavogue 20-Year-Old [https://www.instagram.com/hawksrockdistillery/] Single Malt Irish Whiskey. This is the first release from Sazerac's newly rebranded distillery on the shores of Lough Gill. It was crafted by Ireland's first female master blender, Helen Mulholland, who was very kindly there to tell us all about its intricacies. It's a double-distilled beauty aged in a complex mix of casks – including French Muscat, French Sauternes, Spanish Pedro Ximénez Sherry and Barbadian Rum. Every sip brought on another rich, intense flavour, brightly displaying Helen's decades of experience.  To be able to enjoy this supremely well-made whiskey with oysters picked within the same locality of the distillery was a remarkable experience. And one that can be very easily replicated by simply swinging by Hargadon's in Sligo on any given day...  Not that it was our intention, but this episode could easily have been themed around "Surf & Turf" as we went from shellfish to beef carpaccio for our second pairing of the day. Thinly sliced Sligo beef fillet, sourced just around the corner from Clarke's Butchers, was dressed with Hargadon's own microgreens as well as Parmesan cheese shavings and truffle oil. The 28 days of ageing gave the beef the softest texture along with a warm umami pungency.  For its accompaniment,  Bob Coggins from The White Hag Brewery [https://www.instagram.com/thewhitehag/] was on hand with some of his Red IPA. Established in 2013 by Bob and his partners, The White Hag [https://thewhitehag.com/] team not only have a world-class range of internationally distributed beers, but their taproom and annual "Hagstravganza" summer festival are both huge attractions. There was a sour sweetness to the beer that provided the perfect counterbalance to the beef; the sharp umami of the meat lingered in the background while the malt and hops of the beer worked their magic. Tune into what is a fantastic (slightly long!) episode that relishes the bounty Sligo has to offer.  The Beár Bia podcast is available across all platforms, including here on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/62jJXDMvxqL9dSE2WsjWbS?si=yodpu-33QlSM7PndWPb1og].