Mussels and Guzzles at Johnny Fox's (Dublin)...

In India we begin a venture by choosing an auspicious day and doing seemingly pointless things like breaking coconuts on cars and shit... The equivalent of that for a beer blog has to be a post about Ireland... The Irish are warm, happy-go-lucky, sometimes incomprehensible, loud, brash, full of life and alcohol and always ready for a pint of the black stuff. My host in Ireland, Dermot Ryan, is a dear friend who let open his house and heart for a bunch of ten sordid drunk souls from all over the world gathered in the City of London for a Masters Course in Thievery and Hard-Balling or as they are calling it these days.. Finance.

It's obvious that I don't have much of a recollection from this particular trip as we were face down in pools of Guinness for the greater part of our time there. But the only three times I made sure I was at my alert best were our trips to St. James Gate (the Guinness Brewery), Johnny Fox's Pub and the Jameson Brewery. Since this is a beer blog I'm keeping the whiskey bit out of it (but it was awesome and I earned a diploma in whiskey tasting (at 9 am)).



Getting straight down to business Johnny Fox's has been by far the most profound drinking experience in my legal drinking life, hitting the right notes with all the senses. Located about an hour and a half away from the hustle bustle of Dublin, the pub is set atop a beautiful hill in the middle of a long windy road meandering through a forest. The pub on all accounts resembles a watering hole in the Shire. It also enjoys the privilege of being the highest pub in all of Ireland, and I don't just mean that in terms of altitude. Guests here enjoy not just a traditional Irish ambiance and music but also delicately cooked Irish food coupled with one of the nicest Guinness pints poured immaculately in six steps.



First came the stouts then came a massive bowl of Mussels placed on a slow fire swimming in a subtle garlic butter sauce. This was followed by spare ribs and another pint of Guinness. For desert we ordered a pint of Guinness each. I don't quite remember the damage but I wasn't complaining, so it couldn't have been that bad. The wooden interiors further accentuate the experience and also help the acoustics of the place. The pub is a platform for Irish musicians who are hell bent on making a fool out of you in your attempt to tap dance like the Irish.

The pub also has a very beautiful beer garden outside. I can only imagine the awesomeness of the place in summer. It was freezing outside in early February when we visited. This is the kinda place you'd take your whole family to on a Sunday afternoon and return home only much much later in the evening, or the kinda place you'd take your mates to and may be return the next day.

After one last booster pint we bid a teary goodbye to the pub. But the ride back through the beautiful long windy roads was some kind of a consolation.

Rating : 8.5/10
Link : http://jfp.ie
Address : Johnnie Fox's Pub, Glencullen, Co. Dublin, IRELAND.
Reservation : Recommended