when in ireland - part three

It's not yet been a year since my adventures 'round the Emerald Isle, but I find myself becoming nostalgic about that journey lately. The other night some friends and I enjoyed a warm evening (something I can't say I had the pleasure of experiencing in Ireland, I must admit...) over a few drinks outside the pub, swapping memories of our voyages across the pond. The conversation's catalyst? A quite-close-to-authentic snake bite - authentic, that is, to the Irish snake bites I love. 


I discovered this drink one night at Stoney's Bar, a hole-in-the-wall on Hill Street in the north side of Dublin (check out the street view; you'll see what I mean). Definitely one of those local venues, Stoney's was small, laid-back and not crowded with tourists. The perfect sort of place to actually talk to the bartender. Not quite sure what I wanted, I indecisively asked for a Bulmers - no - a beer perhaps - well, but cider did sound tasty...



'Have you had a snake bite perhaps?' he suggested, and at the shake of my head he instantly set about making one for me.

the secret ingredient!

One sip of the almost ruby-coloured drink and I was hooked. The bartender explained it was a concoction of Bulmers cider, Harp lager and blackcurrant Miwadi. I shared sips off my quickly emptying glass with my friends, and soon everyone had a snake bite in hand. One of the guys was pleased as punch that the Miwadi he constantly drank had a new, alcoholic application. As for me, this was a reason to start buying blackcurrant squash.

Squash, also known as cordial, is a drink concentrate, somewhat like juice. It's diluted with water to make a fruity beverage. Miwadi, the brand we found most commonly around Ireland, comes in flavours other than blackcurrant, too, such as summer fruits and lime.

nectar of the gods!!!!

As with many of my quickly developed habits, the Snake Bite was abruptly - and much to my dismay - cut off upon arriving home in the States. Thanks to FoodIreland (to which you all probably know I'm eternally grateful), Miwadi was available. And Harp is rather easily found in any good liquor store and even some groceries. Sadly, Bulmers lacks presence in the U.S. It is distributed here as Magners, but my nearest source is a six-hour drive to Chicago. Boo.

poor picture... sorry, guys :(

For now, substitutes are in order. The Strongbow cider pictured here is actually not a great substitute for Bulmers, but what I had on hand at the moment (as was the Carlsberg, in place of Harp). I find Woodchuck and Crispin to be acceptable ciders for snake bites, especially from the tap. (I'm not going to deny carrying a flask of blackcurrant Miwadi to 'spike' my half-and-half pint of cider and Harp!) 

At least I can pour up my snake bites at home in authentic Bulmers pint glasses, shipped straight to me from the U.K.! That's another thing I found fun about drinking in Ireland... it's easy to tell what a person is drinking just by looking at the glass in their hand. I'm so looking forward to the next time I find myself in Chicago, whenever that may be, solely for the visit I'll make to Binny's Beverage Depot - the Midwest's mecca of booze. At long last, these vessels will be reunited with their intended libation!


Cheers!