Beer- #136 - Harringtons - Belgium Tempest - revisited

I did this already - Beer #32 - June - a while ago, and I wasn't that impressed.

But clearly I wasn't that miffed, or disappointed or this might not have made it back to the shopping basket, unless it was under one of those buy one get one free things.

Brewed by Harringtons Breweries (Christchurch) in the style of a  Abbey Tripel from the deep south as far away as Christchurch, New Zealand.

Brewed using Belgian Ale yeast makes this beer big, rich and full of fruitiness. Palate is rich and subtle malty. Full bodied sweetness dominates most of the palate but dies to a dryer finish with a herbal/phenol crisp hop bitterness.

And because it was like 9 months ago, I start again, They set themselves a big bar, and a big expectation for this. So what do I want/expect: Golden or Chestnuet \ Malts and sweets \ Alcohol to the back\ citrus to the front. A s 500ml of an 8% ABV beer - thats 3.2 standard drinks in old money, it looks inviting with it's electric blue label this may have been what drew me back.

Stand by ...

The aroma isn vague  bit musty..  Well carbonated, chestnut colour no head, it looks like day old beer in  a glass, but it might be that's doing it wrong.

The aroma is dank, musty, yeasty, not so good, a bit plastic, and perhaps a bit of banana.

And the taste is a bit sour, and alarming, it's not inviting, and the malts take like forever to make a fleeting appearance, there is something not quite right about this.

I think that I gave this a 4  on the pdubyah-o-meter before, age or experience have not improved either this beer or my opinion of it. There is not even the begin of a head, carbonation or lacing, and this hasn't changed. Either the brewer is working to a schedule or this must be the last harrarh for this, who likes it? Even at a 2 for 1 deal your're being sold short.

Avoid

 

Beer - #135 - Lagunitas - Imperial Stout

Tonight then a Lagunitas Imperial Stout, Brewed by Lagunitas Brewing Company an that's in the style of a  Imperial Stout and they do that in of all places Petaluma, California USA

Having downed his forth Imperial Stout of the day, the wild eyed charlatan from Voldvostogniaky belched and hollered for the Czarina to enter his chamber and bend herself to his will. The economy was a wreck and revolt was just around the corner. Nicky the Czar dude was off playing soldier like any pale nobleman with a hemorrhagic skin condition would. Such were the final days of the old empire. Reactionary, decadent, sputnik, stroganoff, weird, and drunk. But even as the proletariat countryside labored under inhuman conditions and a threat of being sent to a futile war in the east, they wisely took the time to slam back an Imperial Stout or two. After all, life can be a real "suka", as they say in the old country. Big, black, bourgeois, bolshoy, belligerent, buxom, and scary - this is our version of the chaotic end of an era in a bottle.

a Pint of a 9.9% ABV beer (or 8.8% according to the import label) and that's about 4.2 or more standard drinks. Spells trouble .

So expectations: Black, Coffee/Chocolate, slight bitter, s little bit of what does you good.

There's a goodly complex nose on that, chocolate mostly, some smoke, deep dark brown, chocolate head, gorgeous aroma, chocolate and what might be a summer fruit.

oh and that's lovely and thickly rich and just gorgeous. wow.  Nicely sweet, lots of layers, plenty of length, how much can you enjoy a good thing. Aside from the sweet you get from the chocolate or roasted malts it carries a bitter under-note.

Instantly you know you like this beer. the pdubyah-o-meter says 9, it might just be a little sweet , and also a little too sour to make the final push, but I don't know that it should. There is more than enough to keep you occupied with this goodness in a glass not to rush through because there is a lot to enjoy with this.

Give it a go, I'm impressed by this, you might be too.

Related articles

• Beer - #117 - Moa - Imperial Stout (pdubyah.com)


• Great Divide Brewing Co. Yeti Imperial Stout (tobysbeerreviews.wordpress.com)


• Moa Imperial Stout (tiltingsuds.wordpress.com)


• Imperial stout next to a warm fire (mattsweeny.com)

Beer - #134 - Boundary Road - Brewer’s Cut -Ein Stein

This was a gift to me a few weeks ago - Boundary Road Brewer’s Cut Ein Stein. Boundary Road Brewery Brewed at Independent Breweries (New Zealand), And they say that this is in the style of a  Dortmunder/Helles and they're a local brewer in Auckland, New Zealand.

The label says "Much Lager", it's 500ml of a 5.3% ABV beer (2.1 standard drink units)

Dortmunder/Helles :  These two styles are closely related, the former hailing from Dortmund and the latter from Bavaria. Both are slightly strong (5.0-5.6%), malt-accented pale lagers. The cookie-like or bready maltiness should be very much in evidence in a traditional example. These beers are clean and easy to drink in quantity. Some Dortmunders made in Denmark and the Netherlands are stronger.

When you think of Bavaria you probably picture two things. Beer and theoretical physics. Einstein, who invented science in Munich, was not only a brilliant physicist, he was also a brilliant coincidence. His name happens to be German for "one beer". This Munich lager is just the sort of "Ein Stein" you would enjoy at Oktoberfest. Smooth, crisp and pouring the same large head as its namesake. It'll satisfy any man in leather shorts.

Well no leather shorts, but I am in need to a refreshing beer while I'm waiting for the bread machine to do all the work in the kitchen.

I'm also going to put out there that this is one of 16 "craft" beers from this brewery that is an acquired company. And that being that I'm going to get something that is competent and palatable if not remarkable.

So pre open hopes: Pale blonde, yeasty, and no alarming flavours, will have a head.

Aroma of yeast/bread, golden yellow colour, and a head like a chuppa-chup on a stick, very happy with that result.  Nice lacing too, they're getting some thing spot on.

To the taste, which offers that basic hop note you'd expect, a mouthful of fizz, and a slightly sour note in the mix, not disturbingly so, but a reminder that they've tried hard to get this right as a homage to beer that is produced by the everyone.

This isn't spectacular or quirky enough to make you add this to your must get in the shopping beer list, it sits along all the other six-pack lagers as just a lager, no more or less.  It delivers nothing more than you expect.

Not ghastly and rating a 7 on the pdubyah-o-meter as being competent, not offensive and least likely to upset a beer drinker the Ein Stein is a beer from a brewer trying to touch as many market points as possible, some of them well, some not.  I would rather they stuck to producing fewer better more memorable beers, but that wouldn't fit a commercial venture now would it.

Related articles

• What You DON'T Know About Beer (hothits957.cbslocal.com)


• Are Session Ales a Growing Craft Beer Trend? (crttbuzzbin.com)

Beer - #133 - Liberty - C!tra

Liberty C!tra, Brewed by Liberty Brewing in the style of a  Imperial/Double IPA in New Plymouth, New Zealand

500ml of a 9% ABV beer (thats about 3.6 standard drinks) in a simple bottle.

What is in a name? Under conventional language guidelines you would expect to find any number of consonants, and to a lesser extent, you will find the odd noun. But if your have a look at the name of this beer, you will find that it has an exclamation mark right in the middle of it. What’s that all about? Doesn’t that just seem a little unusual? It’s definitely not a typo - and if you’re reading this, then I guess it’s done it’s Job. The next step is to take this bottle home. Go on. You won’t regret it.

at 9% ABV you might regret it, is what I'm thinking. This is beer that has nothing but good reviews though, so I'm not expecting any regrets, except if its only having one bottle.

Double IPA, so Hoppy, bitter (99IBU bitter) and a full noise nose is what I'm expecting. A head on the pour would be a bonus.

Before I pour there is an abundance of hop aroma, this is something you should bottle, it's pretty o for owesum. It's hoppy but sweet. Its chestnut brown and pours with a nice settled head. MrsPdubyah agrees with me , a first, that this has an aroma to die for. Grapefruit,  citrus, a little grass. I may have gone on a little bit about the aroma, it's worth it!

There's a banging amount of hop bitter on the taste too, not lip puckering whince but a fair goodly amount of 'gosh, how fine and subtle that is', and how fabulous the length of the taste, I'm sitting here grinning.

There a lovely sweetness to offset the bitter in this, the whole experience is something to savour and if you're drinking to enjoy you're unfolding a many layered thing.

After a bunch of average this stands shoulders above many many beers, and leaves you wondering what  the others might be up to, or what they missed on their journey.

As it sits the grassiness begins to take hold of the taste, the length remains the smile still lingers. They've really crammed the hops into this, and managed at the same time to keep them in check. I can see why this is well liked.

The pdubyah-o-meter likes this too. It's a solid 9 things on the scale of things. Not a 10, there just aren't enough things to keep you looking for the next thing, but as a thing on and of itself this is the thing!

One of those beers where if you like an IPA, then this would really ring you bell, and if you brought this and didn't like it I'd offer you the money back. Quite spectacular, quaffable and a beer that would get you wobbly in short order should you forget that this i a big hitter 9% abv beer. Would easily stand up to some strong taste foods, would easily make grown men start waxing lyrical about the 80's, 90's, and confess many things.

Hats off to you Liberty, I'm a bit in love.

Related articles

• Beer - #116 - Liberty - Yakima Scarlet (pdubyah.com)

Beer - #132 - Tuatara - Belgian Tripel

Tuatara Belgian Tripel  Brewed by Tuatara Brewing Company in the style of a : Belgian Strong Ale and that's all done in Paraparaumu, New Zealand.

8.5%ABV (4.65 Standard drinks) contained in a 650ml bottle.

Develop an active interest in Belgium’s monastic Trappist brews and it’ll quickly become obvious that the Low Countries weren’t named after the alcohol content of their favourite beers. Tuatara Tripel is is brewed in that same intense style, rich on the nose with esters and hop aromas balanced to perfection. It’s possessed of a sustained and lively body that instantly fills the mouth with flavour. Meanwhile a smooth aftertaste ensures the kind of drinkability that by rights no 8.5% alc/vol beer ought to possess.

This wasn't my first choice tonight, but if you buy beer at lunch time and leave it to get warm then what can you do, except stop and buy another beer from the cold room.

Expectations are of golden/chestnut , malty sweet, and alcohol present but not making a big deal about it.

Ok it pours golden syrup golden, it fizzes like an alka-seltzer, but delivers no head, and now appears to look very flat. Slightly bittery yeasty aroma.

And then heaven on the tongue! All the malty sweetness floods you with a tearful hug.  There's plenty of length in this too the lingering taste on the lips and back of throat. They're fairly docile tastes though, and I didn't get the same enjoyment second or third mouthful. Bit disappointing, I do still get the back burn of something though.

For me there isn't enough sweet malt taste, the alcohol is masked but bobs it's noise in a bit, it might be just over carbonated, and it still looks like a flat beer poured a day ago.

Taking stock though, as you must. This isn't bad. It stands on it's own merits and is doing what it says on the label. There isn't much indication that this is an 8.5% beer, and that you should be paying more attention to that.

Overall the pdubyah-o-meter things that 8 on its arbitrary scale means that this is accomplished, and well mannered, unlikely to disappoint, and also unlikely to make it to the top table.  I like it a lot more than I thought I would, you know the bar is high when it comes to trying to make a standard your own thing. Fair play and well done.

Related articles

• Beer - #121 - Yeastie Boys - His Majesty 2012 (pdubyah.com)


• Beer - #123 - La Chouffe (pdubyah.com)


• Beer - #124 - Mc Chouffe (pdubyah.com)

Beer - #131 - Badger - First Gold

Change of innings at the cricket and Im into a Badger- First Gold. 500ml of a 4% ABV beer (2 standard drinks). This, then, is Brewed by Badger (Hall & Woodhouse) and it's in the style of a  Bitter and they create this in Blandford Forum, England.

"It has taken us over two years to develop this golden brown country ale. Badger First Gold is a country ale from Dorset using a single English hop for purity and character."

And as I write Cook makes a pigs ear and get's himself out. Oh well hopefully the beer is going to make up a bit for that.

I was surprised that this is only a 4% ale, that's really at the bottom end of the scale of things.

Wet cereal aroma, small but persistent head, chestnut brown in colour. The wet cereal aroma fades to bring through a bittery hop, which is altogether better, but it's neither strong or able to put aside the other aromas.

Plenty of carbonation, I don't think I'm a big fan of fizzy, which gives aside to a pretty disappointingly disappointing flavour combination. There's precious little maltiness in this, and the hops are a passenger.

Thin, inoffensive, and masquerading as something it's not. Ha! but it does say "Single English Hop" which accounts for the lack of taste in this, he said jokingly.

This is as bad as is gets for something I thought was going to deliver, not the first time I've been disappointed with a beer, but the first time since I've been disappointed with  one from the UK, in a long time.

At about 4 on the pdubyah-o-meter you'd be well advised to avoid this, I'd be more scathing but it is a 4% beer and suitable for a session of beer, but not a beer you'd like a session with, if that makes sense. I

It's not improving either with sitting, and I'm rather hoping to get to the end rather quickly so that I can get on with something more in line with making me smile. I live in hope.

Beer - #130 - Chimay Rouge (Red) / Première

After a day of watching cricket (NZ v England at Eden Park) I decided that my mood might be best served by a retreat to a Belgium beer -  a Chimay Rouge (Red) / Première. Brewed by Chimay
Style: Abbey Dubbel and that all happens in Baileux, Belgium

Chimay Red is noted for its coppery colour which makes it particularly attractive. Topped with a creamy head, it gives off a light, fruity apricot aroma produced by the fermentation. The taste perceived in the mouth is a balance confirming the fruity nuances noticed in the fragrance. Its taste, which imparts a silky sensation to the tongue, is made refreshing by a light touch of bitterness. To the palate, the taster perceives a pleasant astringency which complements the flavour qualities of this beer very harmoniously. This top fermented Trappist beer, refermented in the bottle, is not pasteurised.

This then the 750ml bottle of 7% ABV and that's about 4.1 Standard drink units.

I've noticed that sitting in the sun watching cricket turns me as red as the label on the beer. However I digress.....

The bottle is delivered with cork and cage, which adds to the excitement of this. It's fizzy of course, and there is an aroma of yeast, which fades. There isn't a nosefull of malts that follows though.  The taste is  hidden by the fizzy tongue feel but you do get the malty taste you're looking for in a Belgium beer of this type. It is a dark dark amber colour which promises a lot.

But reality is that this isn't all that and a bag of chips, it's less sweet on the tongue and somewhat underdone on the nose. Which disappoints. Unless I've set the bar too high. It's not really all that bad, and sitting back and thinking about it I'm actually enjoying it, despite it's short comings and the slightly alcohol after burn that it delivers.

For some though this might be  slightly sour as a beer, and there isn't enough warmth from the malts to off-set that,  and you could come away thinking that this is 'thin' on taste and body. I have no idea if this would improve with age, bit late now I've opened it, and I can't image a beer cellar set up, can you imagine the temptation.

The pdubyah-o-meter would love this 8 from 10 despite all that. There are better Abby ales than this that are readily available, but if this was it you'd still be in for a good time.

Related articles

• Beer - #124 - Mc Chouffe (pdubyah.com)


• Beer - #121 - Yeastie Boys - His Majesty 2012 (pdubyah.com)


• Binche, Belgium: a pilgrimage to beer heaven (telegraph.co.uk)


• A Beginner's Guide to...Chimay (morebeerforme.wordpress.com)

A Letter to Murray McCully - he replies

The reply to my original letter is posted here as a PDF MurraryMcCully or as a picture below,

This is a response to a letter I wrote to my MP, who had changed his mind about supporting the "same sex marriage" bill, one of ony 4 MP's to do so in the negative way.



I'm not convinced it's a form reply.

I've let his secretary know by way of a reply what I think .

Erica

Thank you for your reply.

Please, if you would be so kind, and should the Minister care to know,  tell him that, should he be standing at the next election, he will not be receiving my vote, as he has enjoyed in the past.

Of course there are more pressing matters of Economy, Welfare, Education, Health and Security but he had it in his grasp to be someone who actually did something for everyone, and not because he has a fear and loathing of the real meaning of equality, and was cowered by sanctimonious religious bigotry.

You'll recall I've been married 25 years, I've no axe to grind, no flag to fly, but to take a stance that it's all equal except for some is morally bankrupt, and frankly he's disappointed one time to many.

It might only be one vote, but it might make a difference.

Related articles

• A Letter to Murray McCully (pdubyah.com)

Beer - #129 - ParrotDog - DeadCanary

ParrotDog - DeadCanary, Brewed by ParrotDog Brewing Ltd. in the style of a  English Pale Ale
from the Windy and Dry Wellington, New Zealand. Laughingly the review site suggests to serve this in a "Pint" glass, which would make for a tiny beer in a big glass.

Since however it's a 330ml bottle of a 5.3% ABV beer (1.4 standard drink units) I might find a smaller glass for this -

A refreshing, fruity New Zealand-hopped aroma floats aloft a golden coloured English malt base and culminates in a smooth New Zealand-hopped bitterness. An easy drinking pale ale, showcasing both malt and hops in unbiased amounts.

Lovely chestnut colour with a small head, and a glorious amount of balanced hoppy aroma are some ticks in the right places.

Not bitter at all though, and if anything a little under-done, what I'd like to call "thin". Not to say that I'd turn down another, or another, but that it lacks the thing that makes it special, or different. I don't get a fruitiness, but it is soft.

Session beer? Not quite, but if we're at the pub I'd be happy if this was the beer that was being had. The pdubyah-o-meter says about 7.75, as it struggles to be a breakthrough moment for me. I'm smiling about it though, it's a nice clam pleasant beer to come home to.

Related articles

• Beer - #128 - ParrotDog - Bloodhound (pdubyah.com)


• Stone Pale Ale (morebeerforme.wordpress.com)


• Rogue Dead Guy Ale (morebeerforme.wordpress.com)

Beer - #128 - ParrotDog - Bloodhound

ParrotDog - Bloodhound : Brewed by ParrotDog Brewing Ltd.  on twitter as @ParrotDog  - in the style of an  Amber Ale  (!) and they do that in Windy Wellington, New Zealand And this is odd since the label clearly says "Red Ale"

"A grassy NZ hopped aroma featuring a hint of roasted malt is supported by full-bodied, red coloured malt base and a pleasant NZ hopped bitterness to round off. A big, malty red ale uplifted with a generous amount of hop"

It says.

6.3% ABV in a 330ml bottle (1.6 standard drinks).

A big sell then, but they might have the chops to pull it off.

So despite what I read, saying it was nice amber pour, this is in fact a red ale, and has exactly the right colour for it. Despite it having no head :-(  it delivers a fairly notable hop nose and a sweet aroma that not instantly obvious as to what causes it. But then you get it, it's oranges!

So the aroma settles to an orange syrupy affair, which reminds me of the sneaky cake you get with the coffee on occasion (Don't tell MrsPdubyah).

There is a lively hop taste, restrained and not all up in your face, nicely carbonated, it's goodly good is what it is. The sugary aroma though is obvious and I flinched again before I took more, it's that obvious  and loses it appeal.

The aroma is all there is though, I get no orange note on the palate with this, but that does not make it a bad beer. I would imagine that as a summer beer this would hit the mark.

At a 8 on the pdubyah-o-meter I rate this as nicely hoppy and bitter enough, It loses ground because I don't overly care for the aroma that shocks the nose each time it gets close to it, which can't be a good thing. This would stand up to something hearty by way of a food accompaniment adding to something rather than overshadowing it.

A fine effort from the new boys of ParrotDog, I'd give this another go anytime, and  I've got me a DeadCanary to chase this one, and in the unlikely event they ever read this I'd be happy to review and appreciate any or all the beers you produce, for research purposes of course.

Beer - #127 - Rogue - Morimoto - Black Obi Soba Ale

Morimoto - Black Obi Soba Ale  - Brewed by Rogue Ales in the style of a Specialty Grain Newport, Oregon USA

It's a pint of a 5.3 ABV beer (thats about 2.7 standard drinks),

"A darker version of our Soba Ale. Roasted malts provide a rich nut-laced flavor, while the 3 hops blend to provide a refreshing zest. 10 ingredients: Roasted soba, 2 row pale Munich, c-15, c-60, and Weyermann malts: Horizon, Sterling, and Cascade hops, free range coastal water and top fermenting Pacman yeast. 12.05 Plato, 30 IBU, 75.2 AA, 36.0 L"

I was opening this and Auckland had a 4.0 earthquake, unusual, which I hope portends the beer time come.

It's a very dark brown beer, with a monster head of light brown, well carbonated, decent aroma of malts, but also some yeastiness. Head lingers too. All good so far.

It soft on the with a little bitterness, not an awful lot of body in this, and the pleasure is all derived from the flavour. Whilst it's not challenging it avoids being bland and meh by having quite a lot going on on the palate, all very quietly going about what they do.

The darkness of this beer might put some off, and it's colour doesn't really match the taste delivery, this is a bit of a paradox in some respects.

The pdubyah-o-meter says 7.75 would be about right, it stumbles to achieve a greatness but quirky gets your attention and makes this an enjoyable experience.

Related articles

• Follow-Up: Review: Morimoto Black Obi Soba Ale (strangedavid.wordpress.com)


• Review: Morimoto Black Obi Soba Ale (strangedavid.wordpress.com)

A Letter to Murray McCully

I expect a form letter asnwer.

 

Mr.McCully,

I understand that you're voted in for your opinions and preferences, but I can't let it pass without comment that you changed your vote to change your support of Marriage Equality to be opposed to it.

As the National MP in the ECB you've secured my vote for the previous elections. Mostly because you're inoffensive and are in a party that by and large suits my own thinking. By and large.

Being the intelligent, well travelled, and well rounded man that you are I can't begin to understand how you can vote against something that I've enjoyed for coming up to 25 years this year, that of being married.

I can't begin to understand how you could support it one day and be against it the next. You're now one of only 4 people who've been swayed, cajoled, or harangued into taking a contrary position to one which you came to on your own.

I'd lay Dollars to Cents that you've been lobbied by the religious element in this. Modern marriage is a construct of religion, religion that does all it can to deny minorities the status that they themselves confer upon themselves.

The world will not end, churches will not crumble, men will not start eyeing me up lustily in the streets, people will go about their lives. Traditional marriage, and denial of it to all people, is about religious dogma. Traditional Marriage isn't for life, as the number of divorces will attest. Marriage isn't for everyone, else everyone would be married.

At a time when Atheism or non-religion becomes more prevalent and religious dogma and teaching become less relevant you find yourself in a position where you are in danger of becoming a dinosaur of a past age.

Mr. MCully I ask you, if you could travel back in time would you yourself would have voted for women's suffrage? And whilst not comparable in moving society forward, I ask you why you would vote against Marriage Equality, something that clearly brings equity to everyone?

I'd ask that you do me the service of not sending me a stock/form reply, because that's just avoidance, and my one vote might not make a difference, but then again it might.

Philip Walter

Beer – #126 – Stella Artois - Cidre (ok it's not a beer)

As I'm want to do I was a wandering around the local importers and they had on their shelf a selection of English Ales, and Ciders and amongst them Stella Artois Cidre. Brewed by InBev Belgium in the style of a Cider and they live in Leuven, Belgium

It is a  568mls (a whole pint) of a 4.5%ABV drink, (2.6 UK Drink units).

Laughingly it says it's made from "hand-picked Apples (50%) " which if you're gullible could indicate that some local bod is out there plucking apples lovingly from his tree, into a basket, and then driving a ways to the factory for money. Or it could be that the Stella buyer turns up at the market and chooses the apples by general appearance.

Both, in my opinion, are a nonsense. Making commercial quantities of apple cider on a consistent basis would mean that you'd like to have same variety apples. No use picking he Granny Smiths, the Golden Delicious and the Cox's pippin to mix up separate batches.

So 50% Apples? or is that 50% hand-picked apples ? Anyway in the bottle it looks ok, I should open it and stop frowning at it.

It's nicely carbonated, has that musty smell of an apple cider. It's at both sweet and there is some other taste underneath. A bit confusing. Not unpleasant or awful, just there.

It's less sweet than some ciders I've had, it's also less tasty than some. It's not a dry cider either.

I'm torn between places, this is inoffensive and not wholly unpleasant to drink.

As a cidre then the pdubyah-o-meter thinks this is ok, and there is no reason to avoid it unless you have an inkling to want some flavoured version. So 8 seems a reasonable score on the scale of things, considered.

I don't buy the hand-picked, I wonder what the 50% refers to,and I fret that the rest is chemical juice. Still give me a couple more and I'd care less :-)

Related articles

• Cider, cider everywhere (bristolculture.wordpress.com)


• Goose Island scion Greg Hall's Virtue Cider will debut in West Michigan this month (mlive.com)


• Cider52: Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouché Brut de Normandie 2011 (unitedstatesofcider.com)


• Apple Cider Vinegar (aliciapxo.wordpress.com)

Beer - #125 - Moa - Five Hops

Brewed by Moa Brewing Company in the style of a  Premium Bitter/ESB  brewed in the Marlborough region , Blenheim, New Zealand

Premium! none of the riff-raff. All cage and Cork too , you get a premium delivery for such a small bottle 330ml of what is described on the label as a winter Ale of 6.2% ABV beer.

Moa Five Hop winter ale shows the unique signatures of traditional North European bottle conditioning. Displaying a Nelson-dominant hoppy nose with a subtle oak character leaving extra smooth and creamy, honeyed characters on the palate. A well-balanced companion to eastern style spiced foods. Traditionally served just below room temperature.

Nelson Dominant?  Moa Five Hop Winter Ale utilises pilsner, Vienna, Munich and crystal malts to produce a distinctive mouth feel and flavour. New Zealand grown B Saaz and Hallertau aroma hops are used.

To me this says "We have a few bags of a few things left over let's just chuck them in"

I have no idea why Moa beers carry a cachet of quality, taste, and remarkable, but I fall for it every time.

And back to earth this has nose-full of hops, which is somewhat re-assuring, it's well carbonated, carried a decent head, which tinges orange coloured. and is decent beer orange colour (they're not related I hope.)

The aroma portends a sour taste... here goes.... and ..... that's interesting. It's quite lovely, the hoppy combination is a bit of a joy, nothing that it going to shock you, and as a taste it's not at the extreme end of the scale.

I like beer, and although I enjoy the sweeter beers, getting back to a hoppy taste is something that makes me smile, and somehow resolve to have more of it. I'm entranced by this small bottle of apparent magic. It's quite mellow offers up a slight bittery finish and does not crease the brow with a difficult combination of things. It's alright by me.

After the sweeter Belgium beers this is a welcome and remarkable beer,  lots of tastes despite the apparent initial  lack of aroma, which arrives as it warms, and in that weird way matches the taste that you get.

This is good enough for an 8 on the pdubyah-o-meter, I could get carried away and say that it's as good as your money back, but it isn't. It's nice, very nice, nicely delivered, sense of occasion and does what it says. Impress your friends and get some, it'll  be expensive and you should have a stand-by or alternative to go to.

For me it leads me back to the hoppy beers... and when you start to think about the types of beer and how they fit on sliding scale should bring joy to the heart.

Related articles

• Beer of the week: St. Peter's English Ale (beerhub.wordpress.com)


• Best Local Breweries in Charlotte (apartmentguide.com)


• Moa Beer enters Canadian market (nzherald.co.nz)

Beer – #124 – Mc Chouffe

Mc Chouffe. That's it's name. Brewed by Brasserie d’Achouffe (Moortgat) in the style of a  Belgian Strong Ale and that's all done in Achouffe, Belgium

750ml bottle of an 8% ABV dark beer - the Mc CHOUFFE is an unfiltered dark beer, which is re-fermented in the bottle as well as in the keg. Behind its fruity flavour a slight hint of bitterness may be found.

I have an expectation of a toffee coloured beer, with a similar taste, malty, sweet, and fruity.

It's a lot darker than I expected, but it is a "Brune" beer so that's not such a surprise, the head is nice foamy and dark, and stays with the beer. There is nothing in the aroma to give away what is to come, if anything it smells of musty yeast.

There is a fair whack of carbonation that surprises the palate and this seems to mask the taste of the beer that you're drinking. The malt isn't very strong and you can get the alcahol bitterness of this beer. It's not wholly unpleasant just surprising.

So where am I at with this. I think like the Le Chouffe this is a beer that isn't a leader, or setting a mark that others have to get to. It's a middle of the road offering,  nothing to see here, move along.  This isn't a beer that I'd share with others, it's not something that I'd be trying to impress you with. As a beer this lacks the sugary malty front taste, has too much carbonation and doesn't carry very well to a finish.

However! for an 8% strong ale this is guaffable and could get you into trouble if you let it get carried away with you. The pdubyah-o-meter says 7.5 is a good mark to give, and at that mark there are a lot of beers that I wouldn't dink in favour of this.

Given the beers of a similar  type that come to mind, such as Duvel, Chimay, Leffe or Maredesous this doesn't fare as well.  It's a likeable beer, well made and rounded, but it's not a "A" student

The Thin me is trying - the less of me update for February

A bit of fun in February and by my own personally competitive nature I managed to crack a 100kms of exercise in the 4 week period, says my Nike+ SportsWatch GPS

My weight hasn't exactly plummeted, but from being 105Kg in November I'm back to 97kg, and having been on or at 100Kg for years and a while I'm inwardly smiling about gaining the extra notch on my belt back.

My goal is to lose about 1kg a month, by a combination of better eating, for instance the breakfast porridge, a lighter lunch and better dinners, and having cut out snack things like crisps/chips and chocolate (for the most part), and to be much healthier and thinner by next summer. And I've invested in a bit of gear so I have a motivation.

I'm also drinking less beer less often too, but I'm enjoying it more, and instead of the whole cheese I can now enjoy it 1/3 at a time over three days.

I've all but worn out my current  Nike shoes (around 250kms) and will move on the new ones I brought this weekend. MrsPdubyah says I should slow down and go further, I'm going to seek advice on what's the best way forward. I don't think I can walk any faster without getting into the whole speed walking gait and thing, and I probably look just a bit odd now, although I do manage to break into a run for a few hundred meters (he says kidding himself), which is more than I could in December. I think I'd be aiming for more jogging intervals than just walking fast. That would be plan A.

Stretching has helped, the massage stick has helped, I still have stiffness in the calf area, and now around the knees, although the latter might be the result of the worn out shoes. Touching your toes is quite the joy :-)

So far then Pdubyah world all is going to plan.

Beer - #123 - La Chouffe

Simply " La Chouffe " Brewed by Brasserie d’Achouffe (Moortgat) in the style of a Belgian Strong Ale and of all places in Achouffe, Belgium.

As a treat for completing over 100kms of walking exercise this month I've gone and decided that a thirsty Thursday beer is in order

Bottle conditioned.
Golden Ale, strong, spicy, lightly hoppy, with evolving taste. Natural beer, bottle conditioned, unfiltered, not pasteurised and without any additives

750mls of an 8% ABV beer, which is just under 5 standard drink units.

Fantastic fruity sweet aroma, highly carbonated, brilliant white fluffy head, the sweetness dies to a yeasty aroma though, the head settles back. Nice darker golden colour with cloudiness.

Initially this is bitter on the palate, sour bitter, not lemon bitter,  but then wait the taste of the fruits shine through, the lemons again, and there might be honey, which is nice.

This isn't remarkable though, it's accomplished and a nice beer, it's not outstanding,  it's not needing you to think about what you're drinking. But it never kicks on and resolves itself to a slightly bitter finish leaving you a bit ambivalent.

The pdubyah-o-meter says 7.5 on the scale of things, it's better than average and less than good. I'm going to kick back and supp this and feel happy about my 100kms, that I chose a beer that overall brought me a smile and not a frown and look forward to the McChouffe that I have in the fridge for another day.

Related articles

• Chouffe chug-a-thon: Belgian beer festival at Brussels Bar on January 26 (beijingboyce.com)


• Golden ale sales soar as lager drinkers turn their backs on the fizz (guardian.co.uk)