Here are some tipples that are a perfect to complement your diet. These are a few we think you should try.

“Diet” Beers

Hufi Gluten Free Beer

In general, beer has been considered the worst possible alcoholic drink one can consume. Packed with gluten, yeast and grains, beers commonly cause inflammation and bloating for those who imbibe in it. In recent years however, in an attempt to shake off the “unhealthy” label, beer makers have been coming up with calorie restricted beers that taste just like beer. Hufi is one such beer. With only 93 calories per bottle, this guilt free brew tastes great and considering with standard beers your ingesting between 144-220 calories, is a dieters best friend. Another low calorie beer we recommend is Skinny Lager. This is a full flavour, full strength lager with half the calories which has become hugely popular in the UK particularly among athletes trying to avoid empty calories.

Wines that won’t ruin a waistline

Although beer is considered the worst for your waistline, wines are not far behind. On average, your standard glass of wine has 125 calories but this can go all the way up to 200 depending on your bottle of choice. Much like beer, your body has to burn off alcohol and carbs from the wine before it can burn off any fat you’re storing, making it tough on your waistline. As a rule of thumb we recommend you drink white rather than red if your aim is to lower your calorie intake. Within white wines, those with lower alcohol (9-12 %ABV) will work out about 110-140 calories per 175ml glass. You will find these typically come from northern Europe or cooler regions. Seek out Pinot Grigio and other Italian whites, and also Spain's Albarino. One wine we can recommend is our Sutter Home White Zinfandel, which has only 70 calories per glass. It's also worth noting that a glass of Prosecco is actually lower in calories than a white wine. If that’s not an excuse to break out the bubbles we don’t know what is!

The best of a bad bunch

NorCal Margarita

Spirits have the least impact on the waistline according to most dietitians, as they contain the least amount of calories. On average a standard serving of the classic spirits contains about 64 calories. Again, there are a few do’s and don'ts with spirits. For instance, instead of using full fat soft drinks as mixers instead use diet and sugar-free alternatives, the best being soda water and sparkling water. Of all the classic spirits, tequila is said to be the least harm to your waistline, as its the only spirit not derived from grains. So our drink recommendation is the NorCal Margarita from Paleo pioneer Rob Wolfe. Here’s the recipe;

Ingredients:
1 Lime
Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila

Soda Water or Sparkling Mineral Water
Ice
1 Tall Glass

Directions:
Fill glass with ice
Add 3 ounces of tequila
Juice half of your lime into the glass
Top with soda water
Garnish with a lemon wedge

Valentines Days is just around the corner and we have some excellent Valentines Day gifts that are perfect for you Valentine this year!

Spirits:

Gordons Pink Gin

HaPenny Rhubarb Gin 70cl 41%

Boe Violet Gin 70cl

Pinksters Raspberry Gin 70cl

Collagin Gin 50cl

Champagne & Prosecco

Moët & Chandon Dom Perignon Champagne 750ml

Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé

Moët & Chandon Rosé Champagne (NV) 750ml

Bottega Gold Prosecco

Gifts for Him

Writers Tears Mini Gift Book

World Craft Beer Sampler 6 x 33cl

Cantastic Ireland - 8Pk (440ml) Cans in Gift Box

World Beer 12Pk (330ml cans) in Gift Box

As we head toward the end of January a lot of us took this month to cut back and set some new goals when it comes to enjoying a few drinks. WE are here to help you keep those goals and reolutions going strong without sacfrificing quality and taste.  At Molloys we have a large range of Low-Calorie beers, wines, and ciders to help maintain that smashing figure you worked so hard to get back after an over indulging Christmas Season!

Beers

Craft Beers

Brewdog Dead Pony Ale: https://molloys.ie/brewdog-dead-pony-club-330ml-can-1948
Calories ABV: 3.8% Calories: 118
Dive in and the toasted malt base soon yields to a huge box-fresh hop hit, washing tropical fruit, floral garlands and spicy undertones all over your palate.Inspired by US-Style pale ales, Dead Pony is a low amplitude, high voltage hop hit; California dreaming for the craft beer generation.

Ballast Point Mango Even Keel: https://molloys.ie/ballast-point-mango-even-keel-355ml-can
Calories ABV: 3.8% Calories: 130
The perfect balance of fruit and hops. Our Mango Even Keel is the ideal beer for easy drinking. This hoppy, session ale gets a flavor boost from mango, which perfectly plays off the citrusy hop bouquet. With fruit, hops, and a low ABV, this beer truly is on another level.

Sierra Nevada Otra Vez: https://molloys.ie/sierra-nevada-otra-vez-gose-ale-335ml-can
Calories ABV: 4.5% Calories: 139
Otra Vez means “another time,” and for Sierra Nevada that time is early California when beers were made from local ingredients. The brewery trialed various native produce searching for great flavors. Prickly pear cactus flourishes in the state’s arid deserts, and grapefruit fills the Central Valley’s flats. Together their fruity-tangy blend makes Otra Vez, whose tartness is true to the gose style, pop with character.

Stone Got to IPA: https://molloys.ie/stone-go-to-ipa
Calories ABV: 4.7% Calories: 145
For Stone Go To IPA, we embrace our hop obsession in a new way, funneling an abundance of lupulin-borne bitterness into a session IPA that delivers all the fruity, piney character of a much bigger IPA. To accomplish this, we employ hop bursting, a technique wherein an irrational amount of hops is added during the final phase of the brewing process to bring out extreme flavors and aromas while also imparting a burst of desirably pleasant bitterness. The result is an alpha-acid-rich beer that fans can enjoy more of without missing out on the assertive hop character you, like us, crave. So, sit back and go two with your new everyday go-to IPA and bask along with us in the glory of the almighty hop.

Founders All Day IPA: https://molloys.ie/founders-all-day-ipa-35-5cl
Calories ABV: 4.7% Calories: 147
The beer you’ve been waiting for. Keeps your taste satisfied while keeping your senses sharp. An all-day IPA naturally brewed with a complex array of malts, grains and hops. Balanced for optimal aromatics and a clean finish. The perfect reward for an honest day’s work and the ultimate companion to celebrate life’s simple pleasures.

BEER & CIDER

Hufi Gluten Free Beer

ALL AVAILABLE IN STORE
Heineken Light 500ml: cal 110
Hufi (gluten free) 500ml: cal 140
Bud Light 500ml: cal 145
Rockshore Irish Lager 500ml: cal 145
Coors Light 500ml: cal 160
Corona Light 33cl btl: cal 99
CIDER
Orchard Thieves Light 500ml: cal 140
Bulmers Light 500ml: cal 156

Wines

Weight Watchers Wines

Weight Watchers
Fruity White Wine
ABV:9.0% WW points - 1 Only 80 calories per 125 ml glass
Produced in Germany. Made with grapes that are harvested early, this wine is slighter lower in alcohol content. The wine is deliciously smooth and full of apple and pear flavour.

Refreshing Rose Wine
ABV:9.0% WW points - 1 Only 75 calories per 125 ml glass
Produced in Germany. Made with grapes that are harvested early, this wine is slighter lower in alcohol content. Lively & refreshing with raspberry & cherry flavours. Serve chilled.

“Where are you spending Christmas” is a frequent question this time of year.  If you are lucky enough to be going to someone’s house as a guest, you might want to re-pay their generosity and hard work with some well-chosen wines.

Turkey and ham is the number one choice on Irish tables.  Which wines go well with turkey and ham? The key thing is to avoid wines with high acidity (Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling) which will make the turkey meat taste even drier than it is.  A fruity wine, with soft, round acidity works best.

The best white wine to pair with turkey is Chardonnay.  It’s hard to beat Chardonnay’s rich round generous flavours. Pinot Grigio is a popular crowd-pleaser too, and would work well with turkey.

When choosing a red wine for turkey and ham, avoid anything that’s high in tannin, as it will overpower both the ham and turkey.  A well-cooked ham is juicy, and perhaps glazed with sweet honey or cider.  Choosing a fruity red with smooth tannin, will make the ham taste juicier and sweeter.

In grape varieties, Syrah/Shiraz is a great choice, followed by Pinot Noir and Merlot.  If you are looking at classic French wines, this will lead you towards the Rhône valley (including Côtes du Rhône, Gigondas, Châteauneuf du Pape which are blends of Syrah and Grenache), Languedoc Roussillon wines (Minervois, Corbières) and also Pinot Noir from Burgundy.

Rioja, particularly Reserva is a great choice, and very much a crowd-pleaser.  If you like Bordeaux, look for St. Émilion or Pomerol, or older vintages which have softened with time.  Beaujolais, including Fleurie would also be fantastic, and popular with people who like slightly lighter styles of red.

La Marca Prosecco Spumante is a fresh sparkling dry prosecco and is the perfect start to your Christmas Day! With a vibrant bouquet of apple, white peach and honeysuckle. Recommended by The Sunday Times (Wine of the Year), and The Sunday Business Post. Wonderful with finger food, especially flaky or filo pastry titbits.

Château Martinolles ‘Limoux’ Chardonnay  Limoux, is possibly the best source of Chardonnay after Burgundy, and infinitely more affordable.  Old vines deliver small yields of intensely-flavoured fruit.  Barrel-fermentation & oak ageing add layers of cloves, sweet spice & smokiness to this creamy, buttery, richly-flavoured wine.

Château Paul Mas ‘Clos des Mures’ This Languedoc red is smooth, ripe and fruity, with plenty of blackberry, herbs, vanilla and soft spice.

Sancho Garces Rioja Crianza is beautifully smooth, and richly concentrated.   Stewed blackberry, vanilla and coconut, with a feint lick of sweet spice on the finish.  Don’t let its inexpensive price tag put you off – it’s a little cracker, worth much more than the cost.  It’s also available in magnums this year!

Château Chante Alouette St. Émilion Grand Cru is powerful, with rich ripe dark fruits, plenty of lead pencil shavings, and a long finish, not too grippy.

Join us as we launch our Christmas Range at Molloys Liquor Stores Tallaght and Clonsilla with a Festive night of Drink Tastings, Christmas Nibbles, Exclusive Deals and Christmas Gift Recommendations from the experts!

Christmas is an opportunity to say thank you to customers, colleagues & friends. A gift of wine, spirits or craft beer is a welcome gift that almost everybody will be happy to receive.

---------------Buy 11 Bottles of Wine and Get One FREE--------------
-------------------- FREE Gift Wrapping on the Night--------------------
----------Corporate Discounts on Bulk Orders on the Night-----------

YellowBelly Beer worked with Richard Molloy to create this anniversary ale named Covert Operation, a 5% ABV pale ale. The mission was to create a juicy, easy-drinking Pale Ale and Head Brewer Declan Nixon rose to the challenge. The malt bill is kept light and clean, giving a solid base for the Mosaic and Azacca hops to shine. Aroma’s of pineapple, blood orange and mango leap out of the glass, backed up by flavours of lemon peel, grapefruit and even more pineapple. The finish is low on bitterness and super clean, enhancing the beers sessionability.

The label features YellowBelly, the 3 generations of the Molloy family and the Crafty Fox who will lead them on a Covert Operation to bring superior craft beer to the masses.

It was hard keeping this 'Covert Operation' under wraps, but now that it’s cover has been blown, you can find it in all 7 Molloys Liquor Stores around Dublin. And it is available to buy online at www.molloys.ie.

SAVANNA DRY

Savanna Dry is a South African Cider that was first produced in the Elgin Valley in 1996 and has since become the third biggest cider brand in the world. This clear, refreshing and dry tasting cider takes only two weeks to produce and during this period; the product is run through a micro-filtration process where it is triple filtered and double chilled. On a hot day there are not many drinks as refreshing as an ice-cold bottle of Savanna as you can tell from the image below.

ÄLSKA
Its makers say ÄLSKA is all about pure love and top quality and they have been spreading this pure love around the world since 2012. ÄLSKA, which means love in Swedish, is probably the best fruit cider I’ve ever tasted with the Strawberry & Lime and Passionfruit ciders being particular standouts. Its also the only product within its competitive set to be vegan, gluten-free and natural. All the more reason to love ÄLSKA.

SHEPPY'S

Sheppy's are one of the oldest premium craft cider making families in the world with over 200 years experience crafting classic Somerset cider. With flavors including raspberry, original cloudy and elderflower, Sheppy's are perfect for cider fans who are looking for something a little different to sip on this summer.

TEMPTED CIDER

Tempted Cider is made in Armagh by one of the world's most renowned cider making families. They use Armagh Bramley apples which have earned Protected Geographical Indication status by the EU for their unique, sharp, clean taste. The Uprichard family also source special cider apple varieties from Co.Tipperary so as to include only the finest quality apples in the finished product.

JACK DANIELS CIDER

Recently launched in Ireland, Jack Daniels Cider is not like any cider I’ve tasted before. The unmistakable flavour of Jack Daniel’s still runs to the core with this new drink, while blending crisp handpicked apples for a refreshing twist. Jack Daniels describe the drink as "crisp and lightly spiced with hints of caramel and vanilla", and, although it might not be for everyone, it's probably the most distinctive cider I’ve tasted and a must try for fans of the whisky.

Meet Jean-Claude Mas:

‘Charismatic French estate owner’ is how he has been described.  He is perhaps the most eminent and respected winemaker/estate owners in France’s Languedoc. While over 70% of this region’s production is from co-operatives, Jean-Claude Mas prefers to craft his own, special wines.   Earlier this year, The Irish Times’ wine critic, John Wilson, singled him out as being a great winemaker who could equally make very affordable wines.

‘Good value wines’ is what we are all about in Molloys.  We count ourselves extremely lucky to be the exclusive importer of several of his labels. We’ve been buying directly from Domaines Paul Mas (named after his great-grandfather) for several years.

One of our most popular and longstanding ranges is Domaine Claude Val, a range of four solid varietals (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet), offering exceptional, reliable, everyday value wines.

Last year we introduced Claude Val Organic wines, in red and white, with a good reaction from the press, and more importantly, our customers.  Farming his vineyards organically is a big focus for Jean-Claude, and he plans to be fully organic in his vineyards by 2020.  Mildew and rot are one of the biggest problems facing grape growers, but in the dry Languedoc, rot is rarely an issue.  Hence, the vineyards can be farmed very naturally, without any artificial pesticides or chemicals.  He is also moving towards sulfur-free wines.

dA Malbec is another popular seller.  It really over-delivers on quality at the price and makes a perfect red wine for steak (so our customers tell us!).  Although it reads as ‘Da’ (and possibly a perfect wine for Father’s Day), it’s short for “d’Astruc” as it’s from the Astruc vineyard.

Château Martinolles is another of his ten estates, this one in Limoux, a relatively cool region which funnels cool area from the west.  If you are looking for a special occasion wine that won’t break the bank, both the red and the white have been bombarded with praise in the press in the last year.

Ch. Martinolles white was chosen as one of the ‘100 best wines to drink’ in 2018 by John Wilson, of The Irish Times.  (…sounds like a good ‘bucket-list’!)

Jean-Claude Mas was born into wine in the Languedoc.  Although the Languedoc isn’t as famous as other French regions, Jean-Claude is keen to point out “in markets where consumers are more discerning, they recognize that there can be good wine at a good price – so they are more adventurous.”  Domaines Paul Mas extends to 1500 acres across the Languedoc in the south of France.  It includes more than ten estates.

At the age of three, during the harvest, he escaped from his mother and ran 2.5 km to meet his grandfather in the cellar!    He is renowned for perfection and attention to detail.  Not happy with the local restaurants, he decided to build his own on the estate.   He is fiercely proud of the rugged natural landscape and way of life in his area – ‘rural luxury’ he calls it.

Why not try a little ‘rural luxury’ yourself.  Available exclusively at www.molloys.ie and in-store.