North East Beer Review

Bullhouse Brew Co is a Northern Irish brewery which I have tried before in the form of Hoppy Days. I bought this whilst out for Christmas drinks with my girlfriend. Thinking the name of this beer called Rolling Papers was cool and the fact I rated Hoppy Days so highly, I thought this was a must try. So during the course of this review I will cover the history, the pour, the taste and aroma and finally my verdict. Cheers

Inspired by US, Born in NI

The brewery was founded by Willy Mayne who in 2011, visited Green Flash Brewery in San Diego. This provided a spark for the idea of bringing craft beer culture to Northern Ireland. Whilst Willy was grafting, an old cattleshed was slowly being converted into a brewery. The official commercial launch was in March 2016.

In 2020, Bullhouse moved into a 6000sq ft facility in South Belfast. This was due to the increasing popularity of their brews. This was followed by the taproom being opened in 2022. In 2025, Bullhouse received even more recognition by SIBA as they were named Brewery Business of the year. The Belfast based brewery recognises the importance of being community focused and strives to reflect on its farm roots whilst also encouraging innovation.

Bullhouse Brew Co Rolling Papers is one of the brewery’s core beers which became available during the release of 2022. Rolling Papers is a 5.2% ABV hazy IPA which is multi dry hopped and is also vegan friendly.

An orange opaque pour

When you pour Bullhouse Brew Co Rolling Papers you will immediately notice the hazy pale orange colour which almost glows in the light. It has a soft opaque appearance typical of a juicy new-england IPA. As you pour, a creamy white head appears which leaves a moderate amount of lacing down the schooner. The carbonation is not aggressive, but more gentle which gives the beer a smooth feel. Overall, a juicy and warm looking beer which invites you for a sip.

Time for the taste and aroma notes

Aroma

When you pour Rolling Papers it immediately presents a tropical fruits aroma similar to the likes of mango, pineapple and passionfruit. This supported by hints of peach and citrus zests. This adds a pleasant bitterness to the aroma. An addition of the herbal aromas gives this beer a hoppy edge. The malt profile is quite restrained. Overall, this is a very hop forward aromatic hazy IPA

Taste

On the palate, Rolling Papers presents all the hallmarks of a Hazy IPA such as an upfront tropical and citrus taste very similar to the aromas. This includes touches of mango, pineapple and orange. A stone-fruit addition gives this an extra sweet edge. The bitterness is gentle and allows the hops to shine in this beer. The finish is clean and dry. Overall, this beer is a well rounded hazy IPA and does what you would expect.

Time for my verdict

Overall, Bullhouse Brew Co has a cool can design and overall presents a decent beer. Although this tasted quite nice and does what you would expect from a hazy IPA, this I felt was quite restrained in the bitterness you would expect from a refreshing Hazy IPA. This beer did look the part and did taste very pleasant, I felt it could have been better in terms of depth of flavour. Overall, I would still rate this a solid 3.75 out of 5, as this was still an enjoyable beer.

Where did I purchase this beer?

I bought this beer in Head of Steam Durham as part of the 3 for 2 can deal.

Thanks for reading my review. If you enjoyed this review, you will love my review of Alnwick Brewery NEIPA.