“I don’t drink beer” is a phrase I hear fairly regularly. Sometimes it will cut a conversation short, but if the mood is right, I’ll get going like some kind of craft beer evangelist, suggesting different styles or breweries, offering a taste of this or that.

I’ve gotten it wrong on more than one occasion, pouring something too bitter or too strong. And it was returned, immediately, with a “God no.” So most of the time I stick to less intense styles when offering to craft beer newcomers. Still, personal tastes are so varied and unpredictable that there’s no telling what someone will like.

Every now and then, though, you hit a winner. Like the other night. A few people were around and I was drinking a bottle of Galway Bay’s Althea. This is an easy-going pale ale, with a delicious hoppy aroma and a gentle bitterness. I gave a small glass to a friend (a white wine drinker) and asked what she thought. She took a few sips, then finished the glass. “Lovely, lovely.”

Althea is one of three excellent new Irish beers out at the moment. You can get it on draught in Galway Bay pubs around the country or in bottles in most off-licences and supermarkets.

Rye River is behind The Crafty Brewing range of beers in Lidl, and its new American Style Pale Wheat Ale is particularly good. This is a limited edition beer with a lovely tropical hoppy aroma: pineapple, lemon and a hint of sweet, bready maltiness.

Bonita, an India dark ale by Wicklow brewers O Brother, has a rich roasted aroma, a dark chocolate flavour and a smooth finish. It’s a big, hoppy black beer at 7.1 per cent – not for the uninitiated.

@ITbeerista

beerista@irishtimes.com