Drumlins Mountain IPA

Brewery Name: Brehon Brewhouse
Beer Style: Mountain IPA
ABV: 6.8%
Brewed In: Dunelty, Inniskeen, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan, Ireland

Tasting Notes

Today we are heading to Monaghan for a proper hop-forward treat – a Mountain IPA that blends the best bits of East Coast juiciness with West Coast bite.

Appearance: Deep golden to light amber with a soft haze and a lasting white head. Bright, inviting and very modern in the glass.
Aroma: Juicy tropical and stone fruit up front – think mango, peach and tangerine – backed by grapefruit zest and a fresh piney edge. There is a light resinous note underneath that lets you know there is some proper bitterness to come.
Flavour: Juicy hops lead the way with mango, citrus and stone fruit, quickly followed by grapefruit, orange rind and a clean pine snap. A gentle malt sweetness keeps things balanced without ever feeling heavy. The bitterness is firm but tidy, giving you plenty of hop character without any harshness.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with smooth carbonation. Soft and juicy through the middle, finishing with the crisp, drying snap you expect from a West Coast-leaning IPA. Bright, layered and very drinkable at 6.8%.

It is a lovely example of the Mountain IPA idea – all the flavour and aroma of a hazy, but with a proper clean finish.

About the Brewery: Brehon Brewhouse

Brehon Brewhouse is based in Dunelty, Inniskeen, just outside Carrickmacross in Co. Monaghan, on the McMahon family farm. The brewery is housed in a converted 19th-century stone dairy, surrounded by fields, old farm buildings and the quiet rhythm of farm life. It is a genuine farm brewery – small, hands-on and full of character.

Founded in 2014, Brehon has built its reputation on approachable Irish beers that balance tradition and modernity. Their range includes classic stouts, reds and pale ales, often named after local stories, townlands and Monaghan folklore. There is a strong sense of place in everything they do, from the artwork to the recipes.

Drumlins Mountain IPA fits into the more modern, hop-driven side of the brewery. It shows how Brehon can lean into bright, contemporary hop character while still keeping the beer balanced, structured and very drinkable. It feels like a Monaghan take on a new-world IPA – rooted in a farm brewery but not afraid of big hops.

If you want to explore more Irish small-batch breweries, you can browse our
Irish Craft Beer collection.

Style Spotlight: Mountain IPA

Mountain IPA is a relatively new IPA sub-style that sits somewhere between East Coast hazy and West Coast classic. The idea is simple: keep the juicy hop aroma and softer mouthfeel of a hazy IPA, but bring back a bit more bitterness and a cleaner finish.

Origins: As brewers experimented with different IPA expressions, some did not want to pick a strict side between hazy and clear. Mountain IPA emerged as a sort of middle path, often associated with breweries in mountain regions of the US, mixing soft fruit character with a snappier bitterness.

Key Characteristics:

Juicy citrus and tropical fruit on the nose and palate
Some stone fruit and light resinous notes
Moderate but noticeable bitterness
Soft, rounded mouthfeel without being thick
A finish that is cleaner and crisper than a full-on hazy IPA

Modern Takes: Some Mountain IPAs lean more towards the hazy side with softer bitterness, while others are closer to a modern, slightly hazy West Coast IPA. Drumlins sits comfortably in the middle – plenty of juicy hop character, but with enough grapefruit and pine bitterness to keep it crisp and refreshing.

If You Like This Beer, You Might Also Enjoy…

If Drumlins Mountain IPA is your kind of beer, there are a few great places to explore next on TheCru.ie:

Dive further into hop-forward styles in our
IPA & Pale Ale collection – perfect if you love bright citrus, tropical fruit and modern hop character.
Keep supporting Irish independent breweries by browsing our
Irish Craft Beer section – plenty more small-batch IPAs and pale ales to discover.
If you like a bit of malt depth with your hops, you might also enjoy exploring our Red & Brown Ales, where you will find beers that blend caramel malt with a hoppy edge.

These are ideal if you enjoy bright hop flavour, a bit of bitterness and that clean, moreish finish.

Share Your Experience

Enjoying Day 7?

Snap a photo of your Drumlins Mountain IPA and share it with us – tag @TheCru.ie and use #TheCruIE on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or YouTube.
We love seeing where everyone is enjoying their Advent beers throughout December.