Beer – #64 – Invercargill Sa!son

An Invercargill Sa!son, that is all.

Delightfully presented in a 330ml  bottle of a 6% ABV beer, and I mean nice, this is really nicely packaged in with a wrap-over seal, gift-worthy!

Saison is French for Season. Originally this style was made at the end of winter, heavily hopped to preserve it through the summer months so it could be doled out to farm workers at the autumn harvest.

The Invercargill Brewery interpretation has been laid up for three months to allow the flavours to mature and soften.

They say...  and so the aroma really is like a summer ale, hazy golden and with a nice head., and it backs all that up by being  creamy smooth, but with a hint of hops and  quite a bit of grass, I like it, I think, I like it better than the Boysenberry Stout. How could you not?

It's quite interesting on the tongue and has a subtle set of things going on. There is tangerine/Mandarin as a flavour in this, a smile appears on the dial :-) If this was a beer that you get at the end of a days work then I'd be a happy worker, except that it's just a bit meh

It ticks a lot of the boxes though, of enjoyment, taste, adventure, fun and just being good, but it might not be a beer for the whole evening. If you were having a beer adventure night then this would be as a beer on that journey, and it would fill a precious space and entertain a lot of conversation, and it would carry a stronger beer to follow.  In and of itself a strong, well balanced, and just nice beer. Could I go another though? Not really. I peaked early with this.

The arbitrary pdubyah-o-meter is an easy 7 on this. There is no effort in the drinking, but I think that there wouldn't be a urge to have a second or third, not for any good reason, except that it  might be a bit under-stated, a bit quite about it's work. I don't doubt that sitting in the late afternoon sun that this would be a bang-on-treat of a drink, and it's a quantum leap better than the fruit stout, in many ways.

The Fleece Machine – Spiritual medium to meet with Pike River families - wait there's more !

"I only want to help: Psychic to sceptics"

Says the headline today.

A celebrity psychic who wants to get in touch with earthquake and Pike River coalmine victims from beyond the grave says she only wants to help families heal, despite criticism by sceptics.

Australian Sensing Murder psychic Deb Webber will hold a free "private reading" on Monday for families of those killed in the February 2011 quake and another for Pike River mine disaster families in Greymouth next month.

She will also hold a free public meditation session and a sold-out public show that seats 150 and costs $70 a head in Christchurch tomorrow.

Webber said those who considered her work a money-making venture should "look at my bank account". "I'm actually skint," she said.

The tour of fleecing the gullible is called "a "Hope and Heal" New Zealand tour,  and Deb Webber said she "can't understand" the criticism.

Like she didn't see it coming.

And then ............

Psychics' killer lead hits a wall...

Friends of Deb, Sue Nicolson and Kelvin Cruickshank made some guesses on a TV program "Sensing Murder", and they came up with.....

The psychics both concluded Mrs Calvert was murdered, but her husband was not responsible.

They gave a detailed description of the alleged culprit, who still lived in the Waikawau area, stating what he did for a living and the vehicle he drove.

Detective Senior Sergeant Grant Coward, of the New Plymouth CIB, said a significant amount of work had been done on the case over the past two to three years.

"A number of further inquiries were made but as a result of those there was nothing further gained that would add evidential weight to the inquiry," Mr Coward said.

Or as we say in the real world...... nothing.

Why would a spirit lie? What advantage would a spirit gain from telling you something that was untrue?

The people that can talk to dead people will tell you that they don't understand the messages and that there may be many interpretations of the messages they receive.

This "gift" they have is one they have to monetize, by fleecing the gullible. If they had a "gift" why  would they not monetize it in other ways, by discovering things, shrewd investments, invention of things, or perhaps by undertaking a JREF challenge to prove their ability and claiming the million dollars.

I've said before I've been to a psychic show, with Kelvin Cruickshank, it was entertaining and weird, I got nothing from it, clearly the spirits of my ancestors are all in the UK and NZ is a bit far to travel.

I'm prepared to be proven wrong, there is plenty of me on the interweb and you could pretend to know a lot about me, but there are things that you can't know, and if you want to have a crack and make a guess I'd be delighted to hear from you. But you knew that didn't you?

Related articles

• I only want to help: Psychic to sceptics (stuff.co.nz)


• Psychic Vulture Wanting to Exploit West Coast Mine Disaster Families (canterburyatheists.blogspot.com)


• 'Spiritual medium' to meet with Pike River families (nzherald.co.nz)


• Deb Webber now believes she can control Christchurch's Earth-Quakes! (canterburyatheists.blogspot.com)


• Psychics' killer lead hits a wall (stuff.co.nz)

Beer - #66 - Lion Red

Brewed by Lion Breweries - NZ (Lion Nathan Co.) in the style of (hold your breath) an American Dark Lager , and they make it up the road in Auckland, New Zealand

Ok, so despite the pretence that there is a gourmet beer fridge in pdubyah-land sometimes there is bulk over substance.

And bulk is Quart sized  750ML bottle of 4% ABV "beer" from Lion Brewery,

Available in many formats from 330Ml can, and bottle through the more traditional Swap-a-crate format.

Everyone, but everyone in New Zealand has had the "Leon Rouge", it's one of the most inoffensive beers made, along side depending on your choice Steinlager (Steingrenade) Waikato Draft, Speight Original, Tui and Lion Brown.

Made famous, perhaps, in the once were warriors movie, as a beer delivery method, the quart, swap-a-crate is still a respected method of drinking beer. under the "serve in" descriptor reads "comes in glass does not need pouring,drink from bottle"

The pdubyah-o-meter has a special number for this, it's a made up number. And that's all I have to say.

This is a beer you have when you need "beer" or intake of "alcohol" to be sociable. It's class is in the $ per can/bottle delivery category, and it's that inoffensive or challenging that hardly anyone would turn it down, despite the face you just made. It's bulk beer made in a constant fermentation process that may or may not contain chemicals of one thing or another.

It's also a beer you might drink when you had the good stuff and need just a little more to keep your buzz on.  It is what it is. Everyone know what their version of this that we privately  deride and public consume , it might be Budweiser, Coors, Watneys, Carlsberg or Fosters... et al

It's cold, wet, has a taste that is the taste it has. A beer for the occasion that you had where everyone wants a beer and one beer should suit all. The beer that's in the fridge at most corporate workplaces, it's the beer you go for for a "trade-ie as a thank you. Safe beer, Group beer. Leon Rouge, a go-to-beer in a strange  bar.

As twitter would say, specially @LegGully  who just says "It's a bit shit"

Beer – #65 – Chatoe Rogue OREgasmic Ale

Settle down in the cheap seats - Chatoe Rogue OREgasmic Ale, alright.

Brewed by Rogue Ales in the style of an American Pale Ale and unlikely as it sounds this is a rare visitor to the beer fridge from Newport, Oregon USA woop woop holla !!

A bit pint of 650ml of 7% ABV beer, power to the people!

This beer has all of 6 Ingredients, listed as being; Brewed using 100% OREGON Ingredients. Micro Barley Farm first growth Dare™ & Risk™ Malts; Rogue Micro Hopyard Willamette & first growth Independent Hops, Pacman Yeast and Free Range Coastal Water.

Yes well that's all well and good, sounds like a college project beer, mention everything, everyone and do it in that "it really important to know" way. Very American, they should learn the less is more thing.

and that's before I got to open it. When I do it pours the muddy brown colour of a beer, I wish I could pick the aroma, I can't discern one though, and that's strange but not weird.

And almost as a religious experience akin to a rapture this has head for afwica! Get in!!!

Wow! hang on a bit, that's a lot interesting, there's a about a bazillion things that I want to taste first and they're all interesting, for a bit of a back-burner on the aroma this has the goods in the taste department.

Absolutely a Pale Ale. Done. Delivered. Winner!

This is then already without a doubt just a nice beer. There is the sharpness of taste that you get from the hops, but then there is the lovely warmness of the caramel  malts that makes this just plain old interesting. Just all over a fine and dandy thing. Woop wwo holla!

And the head, well that's still about it's business, I'd sit and marvel at that for a bit, except that it's between me and the beer beneath. And Marvel at the drink beneath I do, it carries it hops and it has this marvellous (I want to do that in the Tony Greig Accent) creaminess that I don't know how to describe. To go another cricket thing this one is straight off the middle of the bat. (None of which the Americans will get).

Give it up then for the pdubyah-o-meter.... and this in and of it's genre is 9/10,  arbitrary thing from an equally arbitrary number, and if ever there was a thing to aspire to this would be a thing.  I'd dial back the self promotion label probably. I'd never dial back on the hops, the malts, and all that thing that makes the thing that this is.

Buy this, if you like IPA and American Pale you you don't  like this I'd refund you. Seriously.

Related articles

• Brew Review: Rogue Chocolate Stout (freshnewmane.wordpress.com)

Beer - #63 - Invercargill Pitch Black Boysenberry Stout

I know right, a Boysenberry Stout!!! Brewed by Invercargill Brewery in the style of a.... Stout, and they're from Invercargill, New Zealand, served up as a 330ml 5% ABV

This member of the Pitch Black stout family starts rich and finishes dry. Prior to fermentation we added the equivalent of 15 percent boysenberry juice which blends with the familiar accents of chocolate and roast coffee in the brewer’s version of chocolate beery ripple

They said..... and it delivers a pretty strong and very pleasing aroma, and a fine mocha coloured creamy head. So far so good. The Aroma appears to be fruit and or chocolate, or chocolate fruit.

Oh and then there's a shocker of a taste. Carbonation burst and a melange of flavours of neither one thing or another, but a smokey after-taste. I don't get more than an acid fruit indication, I have no idea what the fruit would be other then it's a fruit. I get, weirdly, biscuit as an aroma, biscuit as in a rich tea biscuit. Odddly odd.  I think it'd like to be chocolate biscuit.

Cutting to an early chase then because this might should have been more a grand-stand beer, in my mind, that it actually is, a closer, the finisher, The night-cap. All these things in my mind that are never going to happen.

The pdubyah-o-meter flickers briefly to 6 from 10, and that would be a push, it's a bit underwhelming and a bit drab. And that annoys me.

Related articles

• Brew Review: Rogue Chocolate Stout (freshnewmane.wordpress.com)


• Beer in a Cupcake (brooklynlocavore.wordpress.com)

Larkings Landing, Beach Haven, Auckland

I had some time on my hands today, and went a wandering. I found this;

Hilders Park, Or Larkings Landing if you prefer. Down some steps to the Sea Scout hut,  a moored Play boat that seems to be allowed to wander as it's tether and tides take it, more seats with dedications to dead people than is prudent (all painted deep institutional green) , and  at least 3 public barbecue machines.

Bit of a find really

You'll seem I'm still a thing for geometric shapes and got a tad muddy getting under the wharf, I just can't help myself.

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Beer – #62 – Epic - Double Stout

Epic Double Stout Vintage Ale - brewed by the Epic Brewing Company, actually brewed at Steam Brewing Company in the style: Imperial Stout, and it's a local being from Auckland, New Zealand. And it says on the label:-

• Double Malt.


• Double Mash.


• Double Fail.


• Double Mess.


• Double Boil.


• Double Hops.


• Double Stout.

And that's me brandishing it like it was Thor's hammer or something.

This is a Pint sized (500ml) of 7.7% ABV beer. A closer then. Sofa be warned that you might have a guest sleeping on you tonight.

This is a beer that's a bit under the radar, it's not listed on the website, which either means that it's a mistake beer that they had to monetize, or a seasonal thing. Well yes I went back and read "Double Fail" so this isn't going to end well is it.

Heck that's an aroma of a smokey beer. Pours thick chocolate and a mocha head completes the trick. Did I say smokey, it also smells hoppy bittery hops. Did I say head, well I turned mine and it ran away.

That's not so bad, it has the bitter that you'd expect, and some chocolate that you'd also expect, and somewhat hidden perhaps coffee.  It has a dancing carbonation. It's not such a bad thing. There is quite a lot going on though on the palate, and it dances about a bit. the bittery hops is the lead part though, everything else has a follow on part.

Arbitrarily at 6 from 10 arbitrary things on the pdubyah-o-meter this really is a beer that has for company a lot of very good beers that are better than it is, you'd be foolish if you had this and settled on it as being the best you ever had. It's good, but it's only Championship league and not Premier league good.

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Beer – #61 – Dead Good Beer – Golden Ale

Dead Good Beer - Golden Ale is brewed for Dead Good Beers in the style of an Golden Ale / Blonde Ale, and they're based in Nelson, New Zealand.



A 330Ml Bottle of 5.0% ABV beer this one.

Alarmingly the label says that added organic elder flowers into the brew. I don't know if this is clever inspired or desperate to differentiate their outsourced beer into something niche.

Golden Ale seems to be a catchall though, this could either be something that's struggling to be a "blonde" or a safe haven that precludes criticism.

This is a pale yellow beer, and similar to the IPA seems under-carbonated and despite my bestest efforts failed to deliver any head at all. I tried, really I tried. Either my nose is broken or there is no aroma, how's that happen?

Immediately then this drinks like it's flat. It's not something that I was expecting and not something I'm thinking that I'd enjoy.  The elder flower might be the taste that I'm reaching for when I'm drinking this. And unlike the IPA I'm actually not loving this, at all.

The pdubyah-o-meter flickers to a 4 from 10 arbitrary numbers for this. An Avoidable mistake.

Dead Good Beer is one of a new wave of craft brewing companies commonly called a “virtual brewery”. A “virtual brewery is one that contracts an actual brewery to make their beer for them. The level of involvement of the virtual brewery, in the brewing process varies greatly from “Make me a beer” to full hands on brewing.

As a Postscript – This beer has a mention / dedication for Ninoy Aquino on the label, He was assassinated at the Manila International Airport upon returning home from exile in the United States in 1983

Beer – #60 - Dead Good Beer - IPA

Dead Good Beer -India Pale Ale, is brewed for Dead Good Beers in the style of an India Pale Ale (IPA), and they're based in Nelson, New Zealand.

Dead Good Beer is one of a new wave of craft brewing companies commonly called a “virtual brewery”. A “virtual brewery is one that contracts an actual brewery to make their beer for them. The level of involvement of the virtual brewery, in the brewing process varies greatly from “Make me a beer” to full hands on brewing.

Make of that what you will, seems though that they declare themselves somewhere in the middle.

A bottle of 330Ml of 5.3% ABV dark golden beer with a creamy head. There's an understated hoppiness about the aroma, not unpleasant. It also appears to be under carbonated, it's not that lively, the head has fallen away quickly.

There is a bitterness that carries, from the hoppiness, but it's not aggressive, and the sweetish malty tones are an ok balance. my new favourite phrase "I'm not not loving this" seems to be where I'm at at the moment. Not a bad place to be, but with option to move to somewhere else. I think that might be because I'm having reservations about the on-going quality of outsourcing beer production, it might also be because of the underlying bitterness is creeping.

The pdubyah-o-meter sits at an arbitrary 7 on the arbitrary scale of things. There are many worse ways to drink an IPA than this.

As a Postscript - This beer has a mention / dedication for Blair Peach on the label, a New Zealand-born teacher who was fatally assaulted by a police officer during an anti-racism demonstration in London, England in 1979. Nice work.

Tales from the Beer Fridge

I'm on a journey through an explosion of craft / speciality / Micro-Brewery beers. It's a challenge that I'm enjoying, but the immediate problem I have is that I've got a backlog of things that I'd like to drink.

I have imposed a couple of rules on myself. They, like the beers, are fluid. I'd prefer not to have to drink from more than one brewery at a time. So I would have both the Heen and Weer, followed by the Bed and Breakfast, for instance, but I doubt I'd have the Le Freak followed by the OREgasmic. Unless I was thirsty and the first one was a complete travesty and the pdubyah-o-meter failed to register a satisfaction.

So the list is looking long and inviting and just having a list means that I'm compulsively buying beers. Shame on me. The list, which contains a bit of everything,  currently is;

• Brouwerij de Molen - De Molen Heen & Weer (Back & Forth)


• Brouwerij de Molen - De Molen Bed & Breakfast 

• Golden Eagle Brewery - SIPA 

• Invercargill Brewery - Invercargill Sa!son


• Invercargill Pitch Black Boysenberry Stout

• Dead Good Beer - Golden Ale


• Dead Good Beer - IPA

• Green Flash  -  Le Freak

• Chatoe Rogue  - OREgasmic Ale

• Shepherd Neame Spitfire

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• The Lessons of Craft Beer (blogs.gartner.com)

Beer - #59 - Eagle vs Dog Episode 2 Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster

Yes "Eagle vs Dog Episode 2 Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster"  Which is brewed by the Golden Eagle Brewery, in the old school style of a Brown Ale in Rolleston, New Zealand. Now Andy Capp used to drink Brown Ale.....

Born from a melding of cultures whilst on the run from the Vogon fleet. Utilising brewers born under the Long White Cloud and St George’s Cross. Incorporating German, English and Canterbury malts, lashings of New Zealand and American hops, shaken not stirred Christchurch artesian water and a well bred American yeast. Ideal after a meal at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe, the effect of drinking a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster is like having your brains smashed out by a slice of lemon wrapped around a large gold brick. We apologise in advance for any inconvenience this may cause. Cheers, Sean and Dave.

So a 500ml of 7.5% ABV beer with a novella of a label ..... This is a Beer. Smells like a Beer. Looks like a Beer. pours like a beer. Honest to goodness beer.

It's dark like a stout, and a nice head of foam, only a slight bitter hop on the aroma. It's looks the part.

This is, I have to say, a barnstormer of a good beer, it's got taste for Africa. I got Coffee, Malt, chocolate, I'm still getting it, this is a Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster of a a beer.  It has a sweet bitterness and lots of depth. I am impressed. I am however easily impressed.

You know, from my previous musings that I like the Epicurean Coffee and Fig, I'd like to be able to afford of having a taste-off with this. Sponsorship welcome.

Golden Dog make that totally awesome Apache Amber that made me all gooey.

This is the equal to any good stout / brown ale that I've had. It's a lazy 9 from 10 - on the pdubyah-o-meter and it arbitrary scale of things. Show me a better beer. Every mouthful is a joy and a journey, I think I'm in love.

Related articles

• Beer - #52 - Apache American Amber Ale (pdubyah.com)

Beer – #58 – Pauwel - Kwak

Pauwel Kwak - Brewed by Brouwerij Bosteels, and it's a Belgian Strong Ale from Buggenhout, Belgium.

A Tiny 330ml of 8.4% ABV Full-bodied Belgian Specialty Ale.

Amber in color with beautiful foam (yes I got a head on it!) and slightly to moderately sweet,  an intriguing malt character. And with all that it's promising a Rich, satisfying Belgian experience.

And yes, I have to say, that it's that, and a bag of chips.

Brown, malty, creamy, fruity of  fruits, this is a pretty classy beer.Sweet and moreish and yet holds back something.

Usually served in a contraption of indescribable, I just had it in a normal glass, and tell you what, it tastes just as good if not gooderer. You get to focus on the beer and not the delivery.

Pauwel Kwak is somewhat known for it's quirkiness of delivery , and yet it typifies the Belgium Beer, of this genre,  and as such you can you can taste the  many things that underly a Belgium, Beer. You can tell it's a strong beer as it hints quite strongly of alcohol as a backwash when you drink it,  but this is  also a beer who's flavour and aroma come through the more you enjoy it.

No surprises then that I like this, after all I have developed a bit of a soft spot for Belgium beer over the months, and the pdubyah-o-meter wavers at about 7 ish on the arbitrarily numbered scale of things.

I like this, it's a beer you can contemplate and measure against, it's not a giant amongst the Belgium beers, and I'm suspecting that this is a beer brewed for it's market, and not a beer that's just brewed for itself. The Kwak lovers will love it, the pub goer will thrill at the pretentious delivery of a beer. I like it because I expect to like it, but I enjoy it's colour, aroma and sweetness.

I've had this in the Belgium beer cafe in Ponsonby, and I'm glad I had this at home where it becomes more honest and has to stand on it's own. Hats off to he chaps at the Liquorland in Forest Hill who know their stuff, and after all this is a fine departure from the Chimay and the Duval and the Hoegaarden, or the Leffe. It's not like this is a limited production market.

I'm sorry I rambled on, I wanted to 10 from 10 this beer, I want to like it because that's what I want. I don't love it, I wouldn't not drink it, but I would not drink it for something else it all.

Related articles

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The one where I pretend to be a Chef

I like food.

A lot.

I like a lot of food.

I like to try new things when I eat out, having the belief that there wouldn't be anything on a menu that would kill you. There might be a bit that is repulsive, but nothing that should kill you.

Yesterday I added to the collection of gadgets and things with a Paella pan from the nice people at the Paella pan place in Mt.Eden.

I didn't opt for the Stainless Steel one, the one with the red handles on the advice of the Paella man.

He told me, and I have no reason to doubt him, or I am an easy sell, that there are a couple of things with the steel pans that I need to know.

1) They don't cook evenly, being steel they don't have an even heat, and the edges can be cooler than the center.

2) They are higher maintenance, being steel they can show rust, and need to be kept dry and oiled when not in use.

[caption id="attachment_3238" align="alignleft" width="147"] A enamelled Paella Pan[/caption]

So I went for the Enamelled version, which he assures me has a more even heat and although is less aesthetically pleasing was the superior pan, in his opinion. I picked up some rice, and some instant paella mix that he also recommended and I toddled off. All that I need now is the stock, the seafood and an hour to prepare and eat.And after cooking it will end up in the gadget cupboard.

The Gadget cupboard that contains, amongst other things,

• Ice-Cream Maker


• Tortilla Press


• Pasta Machine


• Bread Tins


• mandolin


• Mortal and Pestle


• Pizza Stones

There is still  room however for

• A Tagine


• Deep Fat Fryer

Oh and if you're wondering the slow-cooker lives in another cupboard, but not all by itself, it's with the sandwich press.

We all follow the Palace, Over land and sea, And Brighton...

For a long many years I've followed the fortunes of Crystal Palace F.C. For many years I went along every saturday afternoon when they were playing at Selhurst Park to watch them play, sometimes mid-week night games, sometimes even getting a coach to watch them play away.

The New Years day match in Brighton, the long weekend double headers, cup games.

Sometimes I even went to watch other teams, at other grounds.

But I've always followed "The Palace"

I watched them when they had Ian Wright, Mark Bright and Andy Gray playing, and scoring some of the most spectacular goals, lots of them.

They had John Salako, Alan Pardew, and Geoff Thomas. I saw Phil Barber, Micky Droy, and Jim Cannon.

I saw legends, and I saw donkeys.

I drank more warm bovril and luke warm pies than I care to remember.

And I saw them win, and I saw them lose.

Today they beat  an "Old Foe", and that reminded me that I've never stopped following them, over land and sea..... and never will, and the strange way that an event that you have no control over can make or break your day.

Related articles

• Struggling south London neighbours Charlton and Crystal Palace prepare for tonight's clash (standard.co.uk)

Happy Families, the one with the lost photographs #2

I found some more recent pictures, some of me as a fine young man, and they are presented here for your amusement.

[caption id="attachment_3215" align="alignleft" width="344"] Yes almost literally in a tree, can you believe it?[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3214" align="alignleft" width="548"] Me holding onto my Dad and Uncle Jospeh in the foreground like he's been startled by the Paparazzi. He's dressed very well for a ramble in the countryside. Poland 1967ish[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3211" align="aligncenter" width="456"] With my Cousin Andreiz (he's the tall one) apparantly. Again in the trendy turn ups and a fashionable yellow top, probably with airplanes on it. On reflection shorts seemed a lot shorter and high-rider than now too[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3210" align="aligncenter" width="318"] Back Left - Lesley, Back right - shirly with her Crystal tips hair, and Front Right Andy (looking like a tubber) and me on the front right.[/caption]

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Beer – #57 – Golden Bear Brewing Company - Pirate Peach Saison

Won a Trophy and a silver medal at the recent  Sutton Group Brewers Guild of New Zealand Awards so there!

Golden Bear - Pirate Peach Saison is brewed with fresh Black-Boy peaches, NZ grains and hops. The Belgian Saison yeast combines with those fresh ingredients giving it a unique flavour – zesty with essence of peach and a slightly dry finish worth pillaging for! Bottle conditioned and drinkable now – but gets more interesting as it matures.

A 750Ml bottle of 6.3% ABV Fruit beer, brewed in Port Mapua Nelson, and bottled in May 2011 by the   Golden Bear Brewing Company

And there was I thinking it was some American beer, for no reason at all, other than I started thinking, and that's usually when the problem start.

So I would love to say this smells like a beer, but it smells like a fruit drink, a very fizzy one, and having prepared well it's poured a a lovely hazy golden with a head that borders on ridiculous, so I guess i'm still in need of beer pouring practice.

And that's a bit odd on the tongue. very tangy, and on the dry side like a dry cider is, not harshly dry but there it is. I don't really know that to think, it's jumped out of the bottle in a rush, but it might be a bit like a puppy that's pleased to see you as soon as you get home, then instantly falls to sleep on you. I certainly am expecting a peachiness that just isn't in it, the initial rush settles to a dry/sour fruit flavour.

Don't get me wrong this isn't unpleasant, and be honest with yourself when is says "peaches" you're going to get something that it's quite normal. The pdubyah-o-meter ticks up to 8 from 10 arbitrary things on this beer, but not because of what you struggle with it's what you're struggling to get. I'm in awe of a brewer who's prepared to push the boat out, and unlike some other fantasy beers this one is a bit of ok, I'd be prepared to give up a lot of beers before I gave up this one. Despite my bluster I do like it.

However the Luddite in me can't even think of a food match that might work for this, I'm sure that someone with a but more taste and refinement could some up with a few things. I can say that it's be wasted with Fish and Chips, a pie, a curry, kebab or a burger :-) It might be worth a crack with cheese, which reminds me of a camembert with my name on on the kitchen.

Perhaps I should get some for the summer afternoon when I'm done with chores and just want to idle in the warm rays with no care in the world and a bit of a challenge and talking point of a beer with friends.

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Sporting your life vicariously – the last Tournament – Pictures and Video

Some of the pictures from the last game of College Hockey for #2 Daughter - Federation Cup 2012 - Carterton - there is a YouTube too, just because I discovered how to do that !

The movie has the sequence in order of an obstruction call that she didn't get given and ends with some hand waving and chirping of the umpire. Wonder where she get's that from :-)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFnIfV7YgoA]

The game Rangitoto College against Palmerston North Girls for 13/14th place. It ended 5-2 to Rangitoto who were altogether the better team.
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Sporting your life vicariously – the last Tournament - Aftermath

The Final Federation Cup Hockey Tournament for the #1 Daughter is done and dusted.

After the two games on Monday the dye had been cast and the girls were then in the bottom half off the draw - the bottom 8, which was confirmed after a further loss on the Tuesday.

Wednesday's game, against, surprisingly Whangarei GHS, meant that the loser would effectively be relegated from the tournament the following year.

It didn't go well, the Rangitoto girls turned up to play in a very terse, nervous and sombre mood. And this translated to a ponderous and withdrawn match that they lost easily to a very motivated Whangarei team.

Thursday then, nothing to lose and a match against Kristin School, who, ironically are the closest school to Rangitoto College in Auckland. They have "the wood" on them and 1-0 doesn't really do justice to a match that Rangitoto dominated for he large part

And so to a final game, in the pouring rain, and #1 seeding for the Marie Fry tournament next year, and a comprehensive 5-2, smiles and high fives all round.

• Mon 3rd Sep  Round 1 Pool C Rangitoto College Craighead Diocesan  LOSS 0 - 2 


• Mon 3rd Sep  Round 2 Pool C Rangitoto College Villa Maria College LOSS 2 - 4 


• Tue 4th Sep    Round 3 Pool C St Cuthbert's College Rangitoto College LOSS 3 - 0 


• Wed 5th Sep  Crossover Round 4 Whangarei Girls' High Rangitoto College LOSS 4 - 0


• Thu 6th Sep   Crossover Round 5 Rangitoto College Kristin School WIN 1 - 0 


• Fri 7th Sep   Final Round Rangitoto College Palmerston North Girls WIN 5 - 2 

Final Results and Placings

• 1 St Cuthbert's College


• 2 Wairarapa College


• 3 Diocesan School


• 4 Rangi Ruru Girls


• 5 Villa Maria College


• 6 St Margaret's College


• 7 Epsom Girls Grammar


• 8 St Hilda's Collegiate


• 9 Whangarei Girls' High


• 10 Craighead Diocesan


• 11 St Matthew's Collegiate


• 12 Christchurch Girls High


• 13 Rangitoto College


• 14 Palmerston North Girls


• 15 Kristin School


• 16 Gisborne Girls High

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Two Thumbs Up, for Two Thumbs Up

Awesome concept and brilliant execution, I love this.

Beer – #56 – Sawmill Brewing Company - Crystal Wheat Beer

Sawmill Brewing Company - Crystal Wheat Beer. Brewed by Leigh Sawmill Brewing Company in Leigh, New Zealand ,and they style it as a Wheat Ale.

A beer with a flip top lid,  500mls of 4.5% ABV craftiness. As usual it's buy first think about it later with me and having read about it later I have the trepidation.

Named "Crystal" because of its unique qualities, this beer is made to one of our own special recipes using 50% pilsner and 50% wheat malts. Light amber in appearance with a foaming white head, this beer has unique citrus fruit flavours. There is a hint of spice and a mild bitterness coupled with a medium hoppy aroma. This is a refreshing summer drink that can be enjoyed with a squeeze of lime juice. 4.3 to 4.5% abv

And I'm thinking "what have I done?" It could be a Frankensteins monster of a beer. It doesn't seem to be what it wants to be.

But it does come with a flip top lid.

So it's clear like a lager, it has the citrus lemon of an aroma- fleetingly. It even has a a head. And it had a magnificent poppage when I opened it- like it should.

yeah, the confusion of tastes, there is hoppiness, there is a lemonade shandy ness, a confusion of carbonation and a long mouthfeel taste of none of those things. I get an aftertaste of hops, it's not good.

I am a fan of the wheat beer genre, there should be no mistake on that, and I've had a wide range of them. This is down the wrong end of the range. I'd be happy to put it at the end of a firing range and take pot-shots at it, this isn't a beer that you could straight-face describe as a wheat beer. Or perhaps you can, in New Zealand, the same way you can trademark Radler I assume.

Arbitrarily then I can't even give this an arbitrary out of some number rating.But I will being 3 from 10 arbitrary things. I might have found another beer that I'll struggle to finish, and the frugal in me hates that.

The Leigh Sawmill company can do, and do have better beer than this. "The Doctor" for example - not a wheat beer. I'm in doubt about how this beer came into being, I'm not convinced it started as one thing, someone made a mistake and they had to sell it as something with a "special recipe"  and they do tell you to add lime juice to give it flavour. Enough said.

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One massive mistake - two stories - natural health.

 

Two stories in the media today outlining the lead up to the death of a woman from an invasive brain tumor having been under the care of a quack, charlatan, confidence trickster.

Naturopath failed cancer patient - National - NZ Herald News.

Natural Health Treatment For 18 Months, Despite... | Stuff.co.nz.

One story lays bare the facts, including names:-

A naturopath who treated a woman for 18 months while an invasive cancer ate through her skull has been heavily criticised for not deferring to doctors.

Te Horo iridologist Ruth Nelson may face Human Rights Tribunal action over her treatment of Yvonne Maine, who sought treatment for what she believed was a cyst on her head in 2008.

Mrs Nelson carried out a variety of natural health treatments over the next 18 months, as the invasive carcinoma grew to 10cm by 11cm in size.

The other skirts the issue:-

A natural health practitioner treated a woman with a lesion on her head for 18 months, even though the practitioner recognised from the beginning that the lesion "looked cancerous".

The provider did not retain any records of the care she provided and no other health practitioner treated the woman's lesion during that time.

Despite being aware that the lesion was likely to be cancerous, the provider did not inform the woman of her opinions about the severity of the woman's condition or that the lesion was worsening during the course of the treatment, the HDC said.

I'm pretty sure this is the same story, with different spins by the media. One does not appear to hold back and name names, the other plays the story in a "we've heard" kind of way.

As far as I know anyone can be an Iridolgist - it's an alternative medicine technique whose proponents claim that patterns, colors, and other characteristics of the iris can be examined to determine information about a patient's systemic health. Practitioners match their observations to iris charts, which divide the iris into zones that correspond to specific parts of the human body. Iridologists see the eyes as "windows" into the body's state of health.

or  I might even  get into a bit of Naturopathy, or Naturopathic Medicine, is a type of alternative medicine based on a belief in vitalism, which posits that a special energy called vital energy or vital force guides bodily processes such as metabolism, reproduction, growth, and adaptation

How this isn't at one end manslaughter or even assault I can't figure out. If the "provider of care" couldn't provide care, but was taking money, not keeping records, and avoiding sending someone to a proper doctor with proper qualifications I don't know what it is you can be held responsible for. She may not have lived if she'd been a a qualified medical practitioner, but there would be records, and multiple opinions, not a quick glance in the eye, a fear of hospitals and some nonsense about "windows"

I'm convinced that there will be a lot of people who have faith and anecdotal evidence that looking in the eyes can cure you, that there is some "vital energy" that you can be tapped, the same people that think Reiki works, or that Acupuncture can clear your meridians, and that Ear Candles are effective in something or other. You all need to question why you have only "faith" and that you'll rely on an old wives tale as appropriate medicine.

Shame to you.

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Beer - #55 - Ass Kisser - Vanilla Pale Ale

Ass Kisser Ales - Brewed at Hermitage Brewing Co. In the style of a Golden Ale/Blond Ale, and this is a visitor from further away than Hawke's Bay being from Fort Worth, Texas USA

5.5% ABV in a 330ml bottle of goldeness, actually cloudy golden in the glass, bit of a head, so there's a thing too.

I smell bread is what I smell. and the immediate taste is one of over carbonation. Nek Minit boom there is a subtle flavour of vanilla. That made me smile. And then frown as it was a fleeting as an Auckland sunny day.

The aroma isn't unpleasant, but it really is having you on if you think that (a) it reflects the taste and (b) it reflects what the taste might be.

It's competent beer, and the quirky nature of the vanilla blush is of intrigue. It's a moment by moment beer though, I'm not sitting here enjoying any after taste effect, it did make me burp though. Well I burped, I was drinking this therefore.....

The pdubyah-o-meter would be 6 from 10 arbitrary things for an arbitrariness score. I didn't actually think I was getting ice-cream in a glass, I did think I'd get something that I didn't get for long. It's an easy drink, it is over carbonated, it doesn't carry a taste, but it's not the worst beer I ever had by a long measure.

They make a Smoked Porter that I'd like to give a crack to and a Strawberry Wit beer. Now that's giving things a go!

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Beer – #54 – Golden Ticket Brewing – Black Emperor

Golden Ticket Brewing – Black Emperor

How best to describe the Black Emperor? Black Pilsner? American Black Lager? Pseudo Schwarz? Whatever it is, its brewed with malt from New Zealand, Germany and England, hops from America and yeast from Germany. Dark, bitter and thirst quenching

A 330 Ml bottler of 4.1% ABV beer

In a little bit of  TMI this has the following; Malts: Pils, Munich, Carafa Special II, Black. Hops;Centienniel Yeast: Wyeast 2565.

A Black Pilsner. Heaven help us.

It's dark, so that's 1/1. This is no where near as hop laden as the Champion Malky, so that's 2/2.

I managed a head on the pour 3/3.

I lied about the hops. They are there., hiding.

And as day is night this is a bit of special. Wow this is pleasant, unctuous, warm, velvet and altogether has it's thing going on. I don't know how that happens but it has.

Chocolate, Smokey, rich, oh testify!!!  This hits a lot of high notes. Impressed would be understated.

As bad as the Champion Malky is as this is good, very good, above average good. Credit where it's due.

And don't think I'm going soft. I like this, in and of itself.

Comparison to the Epic Fig and Chocolate, the Renaissance Craftsman is pointless, but this would give #8Wired iStout a real shove for 3rd, for me on the podium. It's really that good.

The pdubyah-o-meter dings with excitement and easily gets to 8 from 10, faith is restored, the sun will rise, all is good in the hood.

If you buy a bottle of this and don't enjoy it I'd wonder why. That is a nice beer, and I might have been hard on the 'Champion Malky" but this is and should be considered a champion of it's kind. Peace be upon me, and as much as the Champion Malky might have brought me to giving up beer this one has brought me near to tears of happiness.

Beer - #53 - Golden Ticket Brewing - Champion Malky

On my visit to Liquorland in Forest Hill today I picked up one of these -  A Golden Ticket Brewing company - Champion Malky.

Brewed in Invercargill , which might be just about as far South as you can get before you have to wrestle Penguins.

Champion Malky - which  carries the claim of  being a  Golden Ale

This Golden Ale combines the best of New Zealand hops, English Malt and American Yeast with tropical fruit notes perfectly integrated with a delicious biscuit malt. Balanced for everyday drinking this beer channels Olympian spirit with Scottish enthusiasm. This beer is produced in limited quantities so this might be the only bottle you get to try. Enjoy

it's a 330Ml bottle of 4.7% ABV beer.  more to the point this has Malts that are the  Bairds Pearl. and Hops that are  Nelson Sauvin, Rakau,  with the Wyeast 1450 yeast.

Most of which means nothing. 

Washed glass, poured, no head, might have to take lessons on washing :p

This has a faintly unpleasing sour odour, lots of grass, an abundance of hops. I poured this and then stepped away from the table.

This of course might be "a learn" that I can't expect to have a two in a row that set me on fire. But in the spirit of all things I'm pushing ahead.

I'm genuinely holding back on drinking this, the change of pace on the palate is often difficult and challenging in itself, and I'm trying to be honest with each bottle. After all it is my money invested.

It's very clear, very golden, well carbonated........ touch, pause..... engage.... and than.....  a taste, to me, of grass, which is of course as of the hops.

This hop under-taste is all there is. In the mouth, on the palate, and it's a long taste in mouth.  Not pleasant. With the absence of anything competing for attention then all you have is a a pleasing colour beer with a sour hop taste.

It's also a  bit 'thin' a bit of not a lot. I'm wilting under the disappointment of expectation.

sad face because this could be one of the most disappointing beers I've had for ages, and notwithstanding that I just had a beer that set my dial to smile. If I'd had this first I think I'd still be confused, let down, and a pleased that it came in a 330ml bottle and not something I had to be daunted by.

2 out of 5 arbitrary things on the pdubyah-o-meter for this, and that's because I'm a nice person. If you can't say something nice don't say it, which I have to set aside. I was intrigued by the label for this that looked like it could be a "golden snitch" of Harry Potter things. Benefit of the doubt being given that it's angel wings on a golden globe - It's definitely not an angel, nor is it a devil masquerading as something, it's just not pleasant.

This Golden Ticket is not one to the implied delights of the Wonka factory. All I have it a Scottish enthusiasm for parsimony and none of the other flowery claims on the label, it's almost enough to put a man off beer.

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Beer - #52 - Apache American Amber Ale

Apache American Amber Ale -  Brewed by Golden Eagle Brewery, in the style of an Amber Ale, and is brewed in Rolleston,  Just outside Christchurch, New Zealand.  It delivered in a convenient (pint) 500ml 5.6%ABV bottle.

Pure Canterbury water, barley & American hops are brought together with passion to create an amber ale with Zest!

Been around since 2002 or thereabouts. It's very hoppy and dark for an "amber ale"  which lead me to this discovery since I was really expecting 'amber' and not "dark'....

American Amber / Red Ale - Primarily a catch all for any beer less than a Dark Ale in color, ranging from amber (duh) to deep red hues. This style of beer tends to focus on the malts, but hop character can range from low to high. Expect a balanced beer, with toasted malt characters and a light fruitiness in most examples. The range can run from a basic ale, to American brewers who brew faux-Oktoberfest style beers that are actually ales instead of lagers.

An then I went "ahhh" I get it now. So turning the frown upside down your starter for 10 is "can I pour a beer with a head?" and you'd be right. Not this time.

Crikey that's hoppy. Very hoppy, a loud surprise hoppy- again crickey. That's somewhat pleasant. Wow, I'm totally at peace with the fact that mu ignorance leads to me a red ale, rather than something else. And having just had a "Leprechauns Belle" at the "Deep Creek Brewery" that won a bronze I can tell you the bar must be pretty low for that award. This is hands down a better beer by heaps.

Ok so else I get Hops, of course, and a pleasant malt that adds enough sweet to make this really somewhat a game of two halves. The hops makes you think of a bitterer mouthfeel the underlying malt taste balances that very well.

Lest I talk more nonsense I'll award some arbitrary points on the pdubyah-o-meter, and I can't lie this is 9 from 10. and it's a high 9 not a down-marked 9. If I could pour one with a head, and it had better lacing it's be 9.5 :). This is something of a pleasant and rewarding beer, and I'm really impressed, and for the jaded me that's something I look for.

In the adventure that is craft beer there are never many surprises, often you get too much carbonation, or mis-balance of hops, or malt, a thinness. Today I'm really quite impressed that I had to sit up and pay real attention to a fine beer. Seriously, try this, you'll be impressed.

The lovely people at Liquorland in Forest Hill for their selection deserve a mention.

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Next Post

I could have added to this, but na it's a boy thing.. (optional)

Beer – #51 – Hoegaarden Wit

 

Don't think badly of me. I enjoy Hoegaarden Wit beer, it's light, lemony and usually pours with a head, but since It's me it doesn't. Which means I can't pour beer or live in some dead zone. No it's not a craft or special beer.

[caption id="attachment_3063" align="alignright" width="300"] It's a commercial beer, the shame.[/caption]

Hoegaarden Wit, 330ml 4.9% ABV. Brewed by Brouwerij Hoegaarden (InBev) in the style of a Belgian White (Witbier) and it's made in Hoegaarden, Belgium

If you're unsure about Wheat beer/White beer/Wit beer there would be far far worse places to start than this. It consistent like commercial beer is.

Arbitrarily this is always consistent  and 8 from 10 arbitrary things. giving it more would give away the lie that it's somehow a craft beer, which clearly it isn't. It's a good beer however and I'm going to enjoy this one and the 3 mates it came with. Probably the beer that got me started on "different" beers truth be known.

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