Beer - #248 - Duvel - Tripel Hop 2012 (Citra)

I've been putting this aside, until now, because I wanted to get to 250 beers with a splash. I have an Epic Epicurean Coffee & Fig Oatmeal Stout, and a draft Epic Hop Zombie to get me there. I had to put off a couple of other beers too that I've been looking forward to drinking for the right occasion.  And I also picked up a Moa 10 Ale, which is a Cherry Lambic wild/sour beer.  It's like I can't control myself in the beer chiller.

Anyway, Duvel Tripel Hop 2012 (Citra), a beer no longer available, limited edition an all, Formerly brewed at Duvel Moortgat in the style of a  Belgian Strong Ale and of all places in Breendonk-Puurs, Belgium.

The first two batches of Duvel Tripel Hop were brewed with Saaz-Saaz, Styrian Golding and Amarillo. From now on Duvel Tripel Hop will have a different hop every year that will be added in the brewing process as well as being used for dry hopping.

For 2012 this hop is Citra.

 The aromatic Citra hop cultivated in the Yakima Valley of Washington State, USA. Citra is new world hop renowned for citrus fruit flavours such as lime and grapefruit along with tropical fruit aromas of passion friut, peach and lychee. It is also added differently in a process called 'dry-hopping' whereby whole hop heads are added at a later stage in the brewing process resulting in a rich, bold hop flavour with increased bitterness (IBU 44).

My 750ml bottle is  a 9.5% ABV beer, and with 44 IBU which is higher than for a normal Tripel which could come in put o 40 IBU.  In NZ this then is 5.62 standard drink units.

Presented in a well packaged and delivered foil covered cork and cage, lots of rich gold foil.  Justification for the cost :-)

Really nice burst of the Citra hops on opening this, pours pale yellow, with a small but interesting head, a really nice wash of aromas. I could of course be being lyrical because I think this is really good. Patience.

Settles to a subtly strong yeast note, really full mouthfeel, has lots of the character you'd expect, musty, sour, citrus, but has a very dry finish.

Does not have a warm malt carry that could be expected, and so then this is carried by the top sourness.

I'm not enjoying this as much as I talked myself into :-) and we've all done that before. So not as spectacular and fireworks as I thought, but then who knows what I thought, the only other person that I know who has drunk this said it was as good as the normal Duvel,  should have listened to them,.

The pdubyah-o-meter says that this is a 7.5 better than good, less than great. At this point I have to say that the alcohol might be kicking in and making me smile.

But I'm left with a few regrets and more observations. This might not have sat well, even though it can't have been a long time, it may have lost something in the couple of month in the fridge, yes I'm a complete n00b I kept it in the fridge, cold, like you do with beer.  It isn't as warm or malty as I might have thought it was going to be, it was paler and more yellow like straw than I thought it was going to be, it still has a head even though I drank that whole glass.

I shall sit an pander then, what was the best thing before sliced bread, and what would chairs look like if our knees bent the other way for a bit.

The background to my evening this evening has been the summer sunset, cats charging about after insects and the odd skink, and a very fine couple of album records from Lee Fields who's a bit better than James Brown - hush my mouth.

Off to incinerate some foods on the bbq. Enjoy the setting sun, and get my groove on. possibly in that order.

Related articles

• Beer - #235 - Tuatara - Belgian Tripel - Redux (pdubyah.com)


• Recipe - Citra-Simcoe Indian Pale Ale (halffullpint.wordpress.com)


• Ode to Duvel (jazzyritmo.wordpress.com)


• Moab Brewery Desert Select Tripel (samplingcraft.wordpress.com)

Beer - #247 - Mike’s - Taranaki Hefeweizen Cloudy (THC)

in for a pound, to follow that thinking... following the Plum Ale from Three boys I have a Mike’s Taranaki Hefeweizen Cloudy (THC) - Brewed by Mike’s Brewery in the style of a  German Hefeweizen and that's from the rugged Taranaki, New Zealand place. 

A 500ml bottle, distinctly labelled as a Mike's,  at 5.5% ABV making that  2.1 standard NZ drink units.

As much as I want to put a more fulsome description here you can have "Bananas, cloves, Cloudy" And nothing to do with Marijuna.

Almost a quite uncomfortable aroma on opening, might just be the banana.

Very cloudy golden pour, of course without a head, because that'd be impressive if I could pull that off right.

Looks flat, but I know it isn't, has a similar sort of aroma to a wheat beer :-).

And then..... wow a mouthful of something that really surprised me! Really chock full of a nice fruit base, with a hint of top sour, but a bit disappointed by the finish that left a lingering, how can I describe, plastic taste. I might be going bonkers.

Also this is a bit thin. There isn't a lot of carry. Also I'm not going bonkers.

So it falters and falls at the hurdle. This is at best averagely a 6. There are some highlights in this, but they are real point thing, and not part of a whole story.

No cloves, the banana might just be confusing me as something not overly pleasing, it happens,  bit of bubblegum thing, but the initial excitement wasn't long lived. I think I also just poured the floaters into this, the dregs, making it even cloudier and thicker looking. More fool me.

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Beer - #246 - Three Boys - Wild Plum Ale

In for a penny with this, a Three Boys Wild Plum Ale, Brewed by Three Boys Brewery in the style of a  Fruit Beer from the wonderful Christchurch, New Zealand.

A 330ml of a 7.7ABV beer , 1.9 standard drink units give or take.

Every autumn in the deep south, the Three Boys family harvest wild cherry plums from the family farm and celebrate their capture in traditional preserves. The Three Boys brewer takes these same fruit and captures those evocative flavours in this Wild Plum Ale.

Aroma is just of yeast and a hint of a fruit sweetness, it's not pronounced.  Pours a really golden orange with more head than humpty dumpty!

It's quite tart and bit like unsweetened stewed fruit as a taste, you can pick that it's plums, but knowing that it's called Plum Ale sort of helps out :-)

It's not sweet to drink, might want to notch that up a bit, but then it might be more a lambic fruit. and then I thought that there is a roughness in the profile, not enough to put you off though.

Drinking this along with a Nick Cave live from the KCRW album on a summer evening and all is good.

I thought....and that's how the trouble started....  that I might have got more sweetness, less tartness, and I thought I would get more 'musty' than there is. It's really a fantastic colour, well carbonated and doesn't have unusual or sharp edges that catch you out. But it's not a lambic, as I tell myself again.

So how do I mark it as a fruit beer/ale? The same way. As it warmed up a bit there was more 'fruitiness' but not overt pluminess. So the pdubyah-o-meter ever a quandary says that 7, lucky 7 for this, it's good but not spectacular, and only a 7 because less would be mean.

I liked it, would I have another? Not really there are many better alternatives to this, cider for instance come to mind. However big final thing, 7.7ABV, likely to be a show stopper if you think that you'd have another, could be a short evening not overly rewarded.

FRUIT BEER (def.)

Any ale or lager made with fruit. See beer description for flavor. Body, color, hop character and strength vary depending on the type of fruit used.

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4am and the clock goes tick-tick-tick Musings

4am is a weird time, and I've already covered a few things that keep me occupied at that time of the morning , or this. Things like why flying is nonsense, why invisibility would be chilly, walking through walls not floors and the improbability of time-travel.

But now lying awake I'm thinking about Mind Reading,  Mind Control and what I've been thinking of as Trans-Location or Teleporting. Sort of things that you'd think were Holy Grail.

Mind Reading:  Actual mind-reading, not the interpreting the body language and picking up visual clues.  Listening in to people's thoughts. I'm not a scientist but I'm not actually sure that there are voices in my head that you could listen into like a radio, and the mind is processing a lot of information all the time.

Mind Control: Being able to influence people by "talking" in their head. Nice idea the thought of suggestion. I don't know if you'd have to have contact with their head though, like a Klingon mind-meld or something or you could just stand behind them and whisper, brain-to-brain like not actual words.

Trans-Location or Teleporting: Being able to re-locate your whole self into a different or new location. Couple of issues though.

• If you were standing you would arrive standing, if you were sitting you'd arrive sitting, or whatever posture, pose or contortion you had at point A you would arrive at point B the same.


• If you teleported into a solid object, like a concrete wall, that'd be a problem, mostly of instant death, because you're transient state of moving from A to B would be finished.

So would need heaps of research if you wanted to use this 'power' to do anything without injuring, or even killing yourself.  You'd have to extend this to being able to scan or verify the landing place before your re-emerged, then making it a non-instantaneous transaction where you would find yourself outside of the everything.  useful for things like getting from one side of a door or from one room into the next room perhaps (furniture and other objects in your landing space aside).

But it was 4am and the clock went tick-tick-tick

Beer - #245 - Green Flash - Le Freak - another redux

I have to stop doing this, however in my defence this was in tap and not in a bottle, so I ware sore tempted and couldn't resist.  I had this over a year ago, and I wasn't overly impressed with it, to start with, which might explain why I've forgotten about it. It was a over ago and I've been drunk since.

So, it's a trip back back to  "Le Freak", which is  Brewed by Green Flash Brewing Co. in the style of an Abbey Tripel, and they make that in San Diego, California USA

I have a, from the tap bottle of  1 Litre of a 9.2 % ABV beer -  which makes it I have there equivalent in NZ of 7.2 standard drink units. In going back to the previous review it might be a long evening.  But I do have Pork ribs sitting in a marinade of some Moroccan concoction and so the evening might turn out alright.

“Le Freak is a modern ale created by converging two beer styles, BelgianTrippel and American Imperial IPA. The use of two yeast strains further marries the styles and American hops give thebeer its modern flare…”

I said a bit "game of two halves, neither of them relevant to the other", sort of, because I changed it to be a much better beer than I thought once I and dwelled on it a bit, and that doesn't happen often. Mostly I get remorse about being too kind. This of course based on I've spent my own money and therefore have to enjoy it. I don't always enjoy it, but always feel bad about a low score.

Anyway to the beer.... and hopefully I'm focussed and paying attention.

In some weird universe I got the aroma of bananas on popping the top, Hazy cloudy in the bottle .

Nice pour has a head that we persistent but faded. Cab't however shake the banana thing, what is that about ?  The taste is of course the familiar Brlgium style yeast, but there is a the hop edginess , and it finishes a  bit like the astringent alcohol burn.

However no way at all of telling if you're drinking a local domestic strength or this barnstormer.  It really is quite a thing, and it could end badly.

Nice balance, nothing to shouty and arrogant in the glass, and all a bit sedate and behaved.  I really do mean a strong aroma, and seriously I thought banana, I said it again, therefore must be true, probably isn't.

This is an interesting beer, it's not one thing or another, and I think I said before that both together don't equal the sum of the parts in some way. I get the holiness, even chucked in a hop belch there, and I get the Belgium style yeasts in this. I love the cloudiness, I like the soft fluffy mouthfeel, this really is a beer that you need to be paying attention to as it is quaffable and therefore going to end badly, if you're not a bit paying attention.

I think I marked this an 8 before, I think from the tap this is better than a bottle version it's less edgy and there isn't a two face thing going oh, it's more an equal partners enjoying a thing.  The from the tap in the take-away "growler" rates. according to me, a a very good 8, straight off the bat. I know shut-up, but this is a very good beer. It is well behaved, has enough of a presence for you to interact with it, teases you to go back to it and have a little more, and rewards you by being just a bit nice.

at 9.2% ABV this really is a quiet achiever, there isn't any taste clues that you're being made incompetent and incoherent by the mouthful, as you can with some beer, taking your clues from the very bitter grassiness, or the alcohol astringent burn, it's just not there with this. Dangerous much?

A real gem that would  enjoyable but a wide range of drinkers, if only they'd take a chance and a punt.  I am so not disappointed that I brought this, despite my frail memory, even though I keep a list, it's kind  of made my weekend (so far) a good thing.

Related articles

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Beer - #244 - Rogue - Yellow Snow IPA - a Redux

so to quote Eminem it's back to reality ...... with a bump -  and I retreat to a Rogue Yellow Snow IPA. Never ever eat yellow snow, they said....  Brewed by Rogue Ales in the style of an  India Pale Ale (IPA) and that is all the thing in Newport, Oregon USA.

355ml of a 6.25 ABV beer, making it 1.7 standard drinks in kiwi land.

Pale golden in color with a hoppy fruity aroma. Big hop flavor up front complemented by medium body and hoppyness mid-pallet. Finishes with a characteristic lingering bitterness. and this rolls in at 70 IBU slap in the middle of the IPA range, and almost as many ingredients as dwarves Cara Foam, Melanoiden & Great Western 2-Row Malts; Amarillo & Perle Hops, Free Range Coastal Water & Pacman Yeast.

Ah, the familiar hoppy grass aroma,  orange golden pour and a bracingly good head, is that 3 in a row? Delicate grassiness dominates and has a really long finish, almost one dimension.  But then you take some more and there are some floral notes and a bit of a carnival going on underneath. Very clever.

And then.... I realised I had this before, in a bigger bottle almost a year ago. Wherein I described it as a bit one dimensional. Howzat!!  And looking back I was chubbier and less less expressive.

Has it, or my taste, changed in the intervening months? Because I write as I drink clearly not.  or not. I get a few more things going on under the hopiness note, but I still think that this is a bit of a one trick pony. I also don't think it's impressively bitter.

What I do think however is that this is a jolly good beer that you could drink a fair bit of, quickly and easily, there is nothing to prevent you from drinking this or thinking that it'd bore you or challenge you to enjoy it, it just a daily nice middle of the road beer.

The pdubyah-o-meter has no problems with a review of the 8 and thinks that this would be "generous" given my current thinking and change of the way that I enjoy or appreciate beer. So I mark this to 7 still being better than good but not outstanding.

Hey if this was on tap at the local then I'd be in boots and all, in like Flynn, off like a robbers dog and all that.  It's nice to have something that is this pleasant and rewarding.

Having said that though, this is still good coins for a beer that is just "good" and it's a big pool you're swimming in with a straight IPA. There are better, but then you might have wandered away from middle-of-the-road good-to-drink into challenge-me, which might not be where you want to be, at this time of night and at this moment. As I am now.

He said, scratching his head as to why he's finished this and has to find another thing to drink.

Beer - #243 - Garage Project - La Calavera Catrina

The 2nd of the day of the dead beers, this one the Garage Project La Calavera Catrina. Brewed by Garage Project This one also in the Style of a  Spice/Herb/Vegetable and of course from windy Wellington, New Zealand.

The brewer says "Blonde Lager". but they could be making that style up and mean plain old Lager of course.  650ml bottle of a 6.9% ABV beer, in NZ being 3.54 standard drink units.

La Catrina is as blonde as Day of the Dead is dark, but she’s no lightweight. The base beer is a blonde lager with a cheeky, even ironic addition of maize. Maize is an ingredient you’d normally associate with much blander lager offerings, but here it is fired up with a generous addition of organic Habanero chillis, giving Calevera a far more assertive chilli heat than the smoky chipotle of her brother. To this blonde chilli base went an addition of rose water and watermelon. The result is a complex and surprising beer we think can stand proudly beside the Day of the Dead. Cheeky, ironic, complex and firey – what more could you want in the Lady of Death? We hope you’ll give her a warm welcome.

Aroma perhaps of sour fruit on opening. Pours orange golden with a fair fluffy head, which is two in a row, on a roll here!!!

Firstly there is something nice, like watermelon, but it's a ruse because there is a rabbit punch of chilli that fair assaults you.  Made my eyes pucker.

Yes this is as pale as the other is dark. This has a front taste that the other didn't, but this is far and away more chilli bite than you'd expect, or perhaps is warranted.

It's more a pepper than than a chilli though, and it's that harsh and blunt that it has to be a bit of a 'have'. I don't doubt that making a chill beer is a challenge, but this sort of isn't that, it seems like a beer that they tipped some chilli as an addition after the fact rather than as a balanced part of a project or end goal.

Garage Project seem to be aggressively brewing different beers in an almost endless procession,  you would hope that they'd stop and think, or get some feedback from a focus group. Not that they're failing but you can wander down a pathway that might take a while to get back from. Sure they've had a few hits and misses but they tend to be close or near to the mark.

I can't see though how this beer fits with anything. It's not a beer to accompany anything, it's a bit overwhelming on the palate tanging everything up, it's not a session beer,  frankly it's a bit of a challenge (I was told it was easier drinking, it isn't),  and it's not something that I would let a friend drink, except perhaps as a prank. Which means for the pdubyah-o-meter that this is struggling to find a home. I want to say 6 - average, it has great colour, great aroma but it's just not pleasing.  Six it is making just above average, but that might be taking into account the nice things about it. of which the chilli smash isn't one of them.

So if the random score isn't about the chilli what is it about? I'm going to cower and say it looks great, pours great, has a head, and the aroma was pleasant. The chilli is "as advertised" and so therefore this is what it is. You might like it.

Probably won't.

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• Beer - #242 - Garage Project - Day Of The Dead (pdubyah.com)

Beer - #242 - Garage Project - Day Of The Dead

Keeping in theme with heavy metal then, or not, I have the pleasure of a Garage Project beer, this one  "Day Of The Dead" Brewed by Garage Project in the rather mixed style of a  Spice/Herb/Vegetable beer, and they are of course in the windy city of Wellington, New Zealand.

The brewer says "Black Lager" though , for this, a 650ml bottle of a 6.7% ABV beer, making it in NZ 3.44 standard drink units.   This would then be similar in taste then to the Rogue Farms – Dirtoir Black Lager that I had and rated a high 9, he said hopefully.

Lager, but not as we know it. Garage Project’s Day of the Dead - astrong black lager inspired by the Aztec beverage xocolatl, “a bitter, frothy, spicy drink” combining cocoa and chili. Brewed with smoked chipotle chili, refermented with organic blue agave syrup (the basis of Tequila) and conditioned over raw cocoa nibs - rich and dark, Day of the Dead is smooth and drinkable with a complex mix of smoke, chocolate and restrained chili heat. A true celebration of the dark side. First available November 1, in celebration of  El Día de los Muertos - Mexico’s Day of the Dead.

Opening you get a cocoa aroma,  Pours with a decent head, dark dark black (it does say black lager), but the aroma is hard to pick now.

To the taste though. This is sort of lager like, but it isn't. They've faffed with it of course, and then this loses the 'aaah' in lager.  What you get is a brief familiar lager introduction taste and 'bang' a sucker punch of spice zing. Not a punch in the mouth, more a playful punch on the arm.

So I'm a little confused, this is 'hot' in the way that that hard to describe, there is more a pinch at the back of the throat, and you play with trying to identify what exactly is causing it. I have no idea, so I refer to the label,  and some chipotle in tequila has been added. Makes Sense.

Not sense ending in -ible because this isn't at all sensible.  It is a good thing though. Because (a) you have no idea what you're drinking, a lager or a spiced beer (2) if you drink it all you forget that it's 3 1/2 drinks you just had, because (c) you can't easily pick that you have a beer of stronger than normal. But this brings me to (4) Could you go another ?

I don't think I could, and I have a La Calevera Catrina, in the fridge, the companion to this, and that by all counts has Chilli that might kick your teeth in - (I'm kidding) (I hope).

As this  gets warmer it begins to gather more body about it, and turns it hands to a more porter like profile. But with a kicker that is more muted but there, like a mosquito in your ear at night, just out of reach, and it appears to tail off the more you have, or the warmer it gets, and it's only a matter of degrees.

This would be a fantastic "to share" beer with friends as a discussion, and the pdubyah-o-meter says at 8 this would be a very good idea. It's not at all like the Rogue Farms Dirtoir Black Lager, but that's a good thing, because they're really not the same thing.

Beer - #241 - Robinsons - Trooper

Iron Maiden inspired  and Brewed by Robinsons in the Style of a  Premium Bitter/ESB
Stockport, England, it's Trooper! They also made the Elbow beer that I wasn't overly in love with.

A 4.7ABV in a 500ml bottle in New Zealand a head banging 1.85 drinks, in the UK 2.35, in the US 1.32 standard drink units . Rock on!

Onward, Onward
Rode The 600...
The Charge Of The Light Brigade, which inspired the Iron Maiden song The Trooper, took place at the Battle Of Balaclava (1854) during the Crimean War when 600 British cavalry courageously charged the massed Russian artillery. This gallant but foolhardy assault resulted in a massive loss of live and came about due to a misunderstanding of an order given by the commanding officer, Lord Raglan.

Trooper is a premium British beer inspired by Iron Maiden and handcrafted at Robinsons brewery. Being a real ale enthusiast, vocalist Bruce Dickinson has developed a beer which has true depth of character. Malt flavours and citric notes from a unique blend of Bobec, Goldings and Cascade hops dominate this deep golden ale with a subtle hint of lemon.
www.ironmaidenbeer.com

So it's a welcome to the Jungle for this beer, difficult to get in NZ, will I have found what I'm looking for?  Looking for a whole lot of love from this, and hoping I won't get fooled again.  Desperate that this does not smell like teen spirit, or smoke on the water, hopefully it's the ace of spades and I won't run for the hills, so perhaps Thunderstruck,

But enough of that stupidity...

Very English bready aroma on opening, nice chestnut brown poor with a nice off white head, reasonable carbonation.

Sour bitter note and a little thin, however.... it seems to have a fairly nice malt carry. So although it's a bit tangy it's also a bit drinkable.

The pdubyah-o-meter things that this should be a 6 it's there in the above average beers, compared to other English beers. It could do with more body but overall it's not unpleasant to unenjoyable.

Confession time, I've never knowingly heard an Iron Maiden Song so I googled one. But I could have reviwed it without listening to it :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADBo0s4CbvM

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Beer - #240 - St Peters - Christmas Ale

Hot Cross buns will be appearing in the stores soon, so what better reason than that to have a St Peters Christmas Ale. Fa la la la la la la la la. Brewed by St Peters (UK)
in the Style of an  English Strong Ale Bungay, England. Possibly they stared around Easter, who knows how this brewing thing works.

500ml bottle, that looks like a medicine bottle or something a pirate would have in hand, 7% ABV in a 500 ml delivery,  in the UK 3.1 drinks in NZ that would be 2.76 and 1.97 in the US of A . Fa la la la la la la la la.

A smooth, fruity, full-bodied ale, the perfect companion for Christmas savouries, sweets and snacks. 

yes Sweets, and Snacks. Don't let me go there. Well I did once here  orange slices, wrapped satsumas.....

Aroma is wet bready yeast. Pour a woody brown with a reasonable head, and surprisingly a fruity note ensues. Despite me dipping my whole nose into it, thought I would share that.

Head of course disappears. Like my hopes and dreams. Dreams mostly of the last beer I had :-( .

Focus. This then has the aroma of being  beer that has a "fruits" carry, at leaf on the aroma, despite the bread yeast thing that went on, which I think is an English beer thing, said Sherlock.

Surprisingly then this really is a bit of the real deal. Fairly solid and genuinely a bit full of body and palate. There is not a lot wrong with this. It has a full fruity body, but lacks a little of the sweetness that should carry it more finishing al title sour, but it has a full mouthfeel.

The Pdubyah-o-meter thinks on reflection that this is a goodly 8. But I might have afterglow from the last beer I had,

If you had this following that you shouldn't be unhappy, this is a bit short in a couple of things, but it isn't a beer you should dismiss as a gimmick.

I can see how you could sit in a pub and have a fair few of these, shoot the breeze, cheat at dominos and lie at cards, miscount at Darts and generally tell stories that really about the old you are the better you were. I'd be happy to settle into a few of these, because again there is no peaking bitter, no cloying sweetness, the aroma isn't so bad, and it's a beer that'll catch up with you in end.

Merry Holiday Season, which in NZ means shorts, swimming on the 25th, sunburn, Barbecue, late evening sun, mosquitoes, and of course all the Northern Hemisphere things about snow, fat blokes need suits, trees inside, nuts, tinsel, and at least one early morning and two obligatory lay in bed days.

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Beer - #239 - Unibroue - La Terrible

So, again, a strange name for a beer. Hope it isn't. Unibroue La Terrible - Brewed by Unibroue (Sapporo) in the style of a Belgian Strong Ale and a first time visit to Chambly, Canada

La Terrible is a dark brown beer on lees and is part of a collection of exotic and refined Unibroue beers brewed using 100% natural raw materials. It may be drunk as an aperitif or as an after dinner digestive. It is equally a perfect accompaniment to the above-mentioned dishes or a pleasant alternative to coffee

750ml bottle of a 10.5% ABV beer, with an IBU of 15 - which is really low, sort of American Pale or Standard Lager low.  In NZ this would be 6.21 standard drinks, the US 4.4. Canada 4.6. I know it's all over the place.

Great cork and cage presentation too. Drama though to get it out, hurt my soft office hands it did. But the aroma was something special, cherries and sweet liqueur like you get in those chocolate things at christmas in the shape of bottles that are all sugar and a bit of something inside. Yes you do.  Dark Chestnut dark oak pour, very effervescent pour, but that leads to a very thin transient head, the concentrated cherry aroma fades to the more familiar Belgium yeast.

Spec-tac-u-lar!!! Fruity, soft, the slightest hint of bitter, lots of bubbles, full mouthfeel, bit flavours, long carry.  I've swallowed a fair bit already in enthusiasm and love! Opps I did it again.

This is a beer that I would both love to share with a friend, and at the same time begrudge them a glass of it. I'd go so far as to say that I'd buy another bottle right now if I could.

Repeating myself then It's sweet, but not cloying, bitter but mildly so, fruits are to the fore but softly and let you play guessing, is it cherry, raisin, something else. Sits nicely in the mouth, doesn't hang around but you know you've just had a drink of something a bit good.

The worst thing is that this is so drinkable that I've had a half of it already. It's NZ$30 a bottle, I'd hate to think I'd have had a half bottle of wine in so few attempts at the glass. For some this might not be bitter enough, might not have the astringent alcohol burn that you should or might get with Belgium ales, and be too soft or sweet. But for me there are plenty of high notes, and a lot of all-round carry.

The pdubyah-o-meter easily easily says 10. If it could say more it would. This is so one of the best beers I have ever had since I've been keeping a list.  It really for me is that good. Hits my taste profile, nice and easy on the bitter, tangs of taste, lots of things going on, all in harmony.

I'm eating this with a tail end of a rib eye steak fresh from the bbq, just salt and pepper and a coleslaw with a light honey vinaigrette. I think I've achieved a new level in the game of life.

Sigh #Happyface.

I was had

I've been hectoring MrsPdubyah to trade-in her car for something newer, smaller, more economical. It's a long sales cycle.

There are a number of discrete stages.

• Suggestion.


• Pause for a few days, or more.


• Suggestion.


• Pause for a few days, or more.


• Look and point at cars.


• Pause for a few days, or more.


• Suggest again trading the old car for a new one


• Pause for a few days, or more.


• Whilst out doing things stop at a car yard and mooch about pointing at a cars.


• Ignore sales person


• Pause for a few days, or more.

Today however was a bit of  a breakthrough, there was agreement to at least go to look at a specific car model at a specific yard. Which we did.

It was then the wool was pulled over my eyes when MrsPdubyah says "Lets to to the car yard in Albany, then we can at least say that we've looked there and can cross it off" Since it was on the way home, or not to far out of the way of course I agreed. More in shock.

Oh yes, of course the specific car was available on the lot, and we went for a drive. "Oh I knew this was here, I looked it up the internet"

This isn't the first time that this has happened although in the past MrsPdubyah might have taken a test drive already. Seems not this time,

Then I get more questions about engine sizes of different versions of the model, and there again I was had when I was schooled in a number of features. Oh and further to that there are other car yards where similar models can be found, if I could see my way clear to chauffeur to and fro. Way to spend a Sunday.

So now it all depends on the trade-in value of the old jalopy as to whether we go any further.

The World Tour of Taupo - The Romantic Getaway

Surprisingly I've been married 25 years. To celebrate this milestone MrsPdubyah and me took off for a couple of days holiday.

We chose Taupo. More correctly I was told we were going to Taupo. Two nights.

I took some photo's. Admittedly on the iPhone.  I think the one that is most representative of Taupo is the one of Huka Falls.  Not sure the view from out room without the beer is much to look at.

Oh and the frozen margarita, strawberry, was mine. Sometimes you don't need a beer.

Beer - #238 - Ballast Point - Sculpin IPA

I can't help it that I'm easily led. This time astray by the Ballast Point - Sculpin IPA. In a one litre bottle from the taps take-away style. Comes Highly recommended. Brewed by Ballast Point Brewing Company in the style of an India Pale Ale (IPA) and of course near Sea World in San Diego, California USA.

At 7% ABV a one litre bottle then is about 6.8 standard drink units in NZ (4.34 in the US, and 7.7 in the UK)



The Sculpin IPA is a testament to our humble beginnings as Home Brew Mart. Founded in 1992, the Mart continues to be a catalyst for the San Diego brewing scene, setting the trend for handcrafted ales. Inspired by our customers, employees and brewers, the Sculpin IPA is bright with aromas of apricot, peach, mango and lemon. Its lighter body also brings out the crispness of the hops. This delicious Ballast Point Ale took a Bronze Medal at the 2007 Great American Beer Festival in the Pro Am category. The Sculpin fish has poisonous spikes on its fins that can give a strong sting. Ironically, the meat from a Sculpin is considered some of the most tasty. Something that has a sting but tastes great, sounds like a Ballast Point India Pale Ale.

Accompanying me tonight is music from New Orleans: The Original sounds of Funk 1960-1975 on the LP Player, and for which I paid far far too much New Zealand money.

Lordy that was poppy when I popped the top. Mellow rich hops aroma.

As you can see, head! lots thereof.

But wait. This isn't anywhere need as puckeringly bitter as the last beer I had, the Panhead Days of Thunder, but it's much more caramel and malty balanced.

So although there is a grassy hop note with some grapefruits\grass it actually drinks a bit mellow and, dare I say, thin. For a beer that rates as highly as this I again wonder if I'm doing this right.

It is very very drinkable and this is one of those non-threatening beers that'll keep you in good company, you're not wandering too far from the middle. Safe.

Not what I expected. It's defiantly a session beer, you could be happy with this all night, and possibly the next night. There is enough to remind you you're drinking a decent beer, but not so much that you're ruining your palate. It is fur sure light drinking.

So what to make of that. This really is highly regarded, and IPA is, only in my opinion, a safe to make beer, the fact that the everyone does it should indicate that it's a something.

Is it a beer I'd rave over? I don't think it is. I like safe beers, beers that offer up a profile and engage you, without worrying you and testing you. This though is a bit like a comfortable cardigan, a bit thin and worn. The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as a 7 being good.

I wonder if the idea that harsher and harsher beer is a path that you end up taking, more IBU's more more, instead of thinking about a balance and drinkability. Trying to find an extreme, I may have voiced this before. The Ballast Point Sculpin is a good beer, and I'd happily forego many other beers to have this on a night out, you're going to get a buzz on, and you're not going to end up with that horrible full mouth carnage. This is a bit bitter, a bit sweet, had a bit of carry but not much and ends up being all supped and gone before you know it. That is it's strength, it's doing a clever thing very well.

Perhaps this is the benchmark and I've been harsh. I'll have the other pint and decide later.

The New Orleans Funk was ok, although the idea that you can only get 12-13 minutes on a side of vinyl is a bit low-rent and frankly awkward, I'd rather a good old fashioned full side of music, which should be more than 4 tracks, perhaps 8 and 23 minutes? At least they are 33rpm and not 45rpm versions. The clarity and quality faultless, danceability a little low, but I could get my groove in if I didn't have to stop every few minutes to flip the thing, or reset the needle on the groove. Unlike many vinyl records does not come with a MP3 download or CD thrown in, so I can't enjoy this and enjoy it in the car. Would I spend another NZ$50 on the volume 2 or 3 ? I might, I'd blanch at the price but I just might.

Related articles

• This week's IPA of the week again come Ballast Point Brewing Company (jjk442.wordpress.com)


• A Beer a day..Ballast Point Sculpin IPA. (jjk442.wordpress.com)


• Fishing For Beer (beerbellyblogger.wordpress.com)


• Beer - #237 - Panhead - Days of Thunder (pdubyah.com)

Beer - #237 - Panhead - Days of Thunder

It's Thursday, a work day, and I'd put my empty bottle in the car hoping to fill it tomorrow. But being how as I'm easily lead I've stopped off at the Liquorland in Newmarket and picked up a litre of the Panhead Customs Days of Thunder, a US  style IPA with an ABV of 7.7%. A one litre bottle then is about 6.8 standard drink units in NZ (4.34 in the US, and 7.7 in the UK)

Brewed by Panhead Custom Ales in the style of  an India Pale Ale (IPA) and they're in Upper Hutt, New Zealand.

Possibly named after the 1990 race car movie starring Tom Cruise, or a type of engine.

It's much more yellow and pale in the real as opposed to the picture. Trust me .

Explosively hoppy aroma, nice pour but a little shy on the head, again the colour is much more pale, almost cloudy.

Brilliantly bitter, with grapefruits and citrus and a reasonable carry with this. Not so bitter that you frown but more one that introduces itself with a firm handshake, which is preferable.

Really very quaffable, the grassiness of the hops coming more to the fore, but not in that way that blunts your tongue and kills off your taste buds.

Drinking this I was reminded of this picture. Which I found to be very needful.

Started off life as a  Honda XL 600 Enduro.

As you can see had a bit of a make-over.

Nothing to do with beer, or panhead engines, which are a Harley Davidson thing but you knew that.

But nethertheless a bit needful.

Moving on. The pdubyah-o-meter says this is a cracking beer, and rates it well at 8 - very good, on the random scale of all things.

Nicely done, not too overboard, very bold, and you'd be surprised at the high ABV rating that seems to just pass you by. Thursday night sitting in the evening sun got a whole lot more pleasant.

 

Beer Review 0510: AleSmith Speedway Stout Imperial Stout

It's not often I drink beer at the same time as a real reviewer. This though would be a time. It's a good review of a very good beer.

Beer - #236 - West Coast - 1080

I travelled to the Hopscotch Beer Company with my empty bottle today. I came away with a litre of West Coast 10-80, Brewed byWest Coast Brewing in the style of an India Pale Ale (IPA) and that's on the West Coast,  in Westport, New Zealand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiUvwxndDkc&feature=youtu.be

So named because this IPA has 80 different varieties of hops and 10 hop additions. A New Zealand first for that amount of hop varieties used in a beer!

80 appears to be the second highest number of hop varieties ever added to a beer, trailing just Top of the Hops 2012 from Great Yorkshire Brewery which had (allegedly) 2012, which wasn't a raving success.

1080 is also a 'popular' poison in NZ so a fairly cheeky take on a name.

1 litre of a 6.5% ABV beer which in NZ makes that about 5.13 standard drink units.

The top fair flew off this , lucky it's not a cork or damage would have been done.  Fantastic Golden Orange pour, fluffy head of considerable beauty, huge amount of hop aroma, generic hop I have no idea which one in particular :-)

For all the build up and trepidation this is very very mellow, almost to disappointment. I was expecting a much more rangy palate and something a bit harsher, what you get is almost soft and oversold. As beers go though this is very "Sessionable" it's tasty combined with a relatively low ABV means that you should be ok with a few of these in you before you start to talking the nonsense.

As it warms up the profile really does not change, or expand, nothing is unusual or testing about this, it's just competent and the pdubyah-o-meter says it should be a 7 good, which is disappointing because it should be a much better beer than that.

Now I'm thinking about it this must be an extremely limited output, I don't know that you could replicate it the same, and probably that's a good thing, as that amount of hops seems either irresponsible, or just someone taking a stock-take and being asked by the Finance guy to use what they have available.

Obviously there is no reason to add 80 hops. Clearly obviously because they'd all be doing it, right?  I've had beers from brewery people who would revel in the way that could produce a 30 hopper, 40 hopper, 50 hopper... for example DogFishHead and the 30, 60, 75, and 90 minute IPA ones to mind.

But of course with Hops they're all different and have different things about them. See here or here so it's be a big ask to throw them all together to get a result of any merit and substance, wouldn't it? Not only a big ask but a massive result if you could pull it off.

Sadly whilst amusing as 'thing' I'm not actually sure that they've managed to pull off anything other than a competent beer. But tonight it's good enough.

Related articles

• Andrew Mailen Breaks Down The Secret Behind Beer's Greatest Ingredient: Hops + What You Taste When You Drink Beer (bdp4life.com)

Beer - #235 - Tuatara - Belgian Tripel - Redux

Back to the middle again, away from the heavier beers that I seem to have been having of late with a NZ Tuatara Belgian Tripel, Brewed by Tuatara Brewing Company in the style of a  Belgian Strong Ale and they're in, of course, Paraparaumu, New Zealand.

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.

And just to make it worse for myself here is a clip of me taking it all serious

http://youtu.be/FBpcybmsedY

8.5% of a beer, in a 650ml bottle, in NZ 4.65 standard drink units.  I rated this 8 last time I drank it   Who's surprised that I forgot about this. well me. I don't know that it made much of an impression because I'm usually better at remembering things, he said not convincingly.

I also picked up, knowingly a Brewaucracy "In Triplicate" Which I thought was a 9, as if that changes anything.

Hopefully then, a head, and a bit more balance of flavours. We'll get to that next.

Fair hiss, vinegary cider aroma, Orange golden pour, and fluffy white head to accompany. Aroma more to caramel malts and familiar belgium notes. It's better than I remember.

Slightly sour front, but it gives over to a nice balanced sweetness, and finishes sharp. Again the alcohol is not apparent in this, which is both a good and bad thing. Nose full of aroma every sip too, and you know I mean "big sip".

Lovely earthiness, lovely sweetness, nice tang, and a #smileface from me on this. I rated it an 8 before and I think that on this I would probably rate this on the pdubyah-o-meter as a  9 making it a great beer.

Of course I'm coming off the back of a few of the more eccentric beers, the porters and stouts and some very very hoppy beers, so this was a retreat to something I know, or hope, is more comfortable to drink. Very easy drinking, very tempted I would be to have another if I had one to have. For a New Zealand company this is quite accomplished.

To be able to buy a quality Belgium Tripel style beer, made locally, and for it to be the equal or better than some imported offerings, for my palate at least, is a very rewarding thing. At least it's not like Champagne and they'll have to change it's name to something. Which reminds me that one of our commercial brewers trademarked "Radler" as a name, and so therefore you can't get a 'real' Radler beer brewed or marketed here. But that's a different story altogether.

Related articles

• Beer - #132 - Tuatara - Belgian Tripel (pdubyah.com)


• Beer - #161 - Brewaucracy - In Triplicate (pdubyah.com)

Beer - #234 - Great Divide - Yeti Imperial Stout

Brought only on it's name, because I couldn't find a BigFoot I follow up the Alesmith extravaganza Speedway stout with Great Divide - Yeti Imperial Stout.

Brewed by Great Divide Brewing Company in the style of a Imperial Stout and that's in the mile high Denver, Colorado USA

ok yes I need a haircut. Tomorrow. Anyway the beer......

Great Divide’s Yeti Imperial Stout is an onslaught of the senses. An almost viscous, inky-black brew, Yeti opens with a massive, roasty, chocolate, coffee malt flavor that eventually gives way to rich toffee and burnt caramel notes. Packed with an enormous quantity of American hops, Yeti’s hop profile reveals a slightly citrusy, piney, and wonderfully dry hoppy finish. 75 International Bittering Units (IBUs).

9.5% ABV in a 355ml bottle , in NZ 2.66 standard drink units. and yes 75 IBU thingumy things which could be a bittery tang.

Yeasty bread chocolate on opening, Syrupy deep dark black syrupy pour with a persistent thinnish head of brown. Aroma is a comfortable roasted malt.

Then to summarise my first impressions,  bit less punchy, and less balanced than it could be, oh and its a bit short of length.

Carries it's aroma really well, but has a persistent sourness, doesn't have a big mouthfeel, and there is no lingering. There's not a lot of profile either, it might be a one trick thing. Mostly I get an after of a sourness, which isn't what you really want, and there isn't a warmness that should come along after this gets warmer in the glass.

So then, the pdubyah-o-meter, which is moping only to 7, and that's "good" and I'm giving it a free pass having followed a barnstormer beer.

At this moment, and in this place. it's isn't all that and a bag of crisps. The yeti is still then a bit undiscovered as a thing.

Beer - #234 - Great Divide - Yeti Imperial Stout

Brought only on it's name, because I couldn't find a BigFoot I follow up the Alesmith extravaganza Speedway stout with Great Divide - Yeti Imperial Stout.

Brewed by Great Divide Brewing Company in the style of a Imperial Stout and that's in the mile high Denver, Colorado USA

ok yes I need a haircut. Tomorrow. Anyway the beer......

Great Divide’s Yeti Imperial Stout is an onslaught of the senses. An almost viscous, inky-black brew, Yeti opens with a massive, roasty, chocolate, coffee malt flavor that eventually gives way to rich toffee and burnt caramel notes. Packed with an enormous quantity of American hops, Yeti’s hop profile reveals a slightly citrusy, piney, and wonderfully dry hoppy finish. 75 International Bittering Units (IBUs).

9.5% ABV in a 355ml bottle , in NZ 2.66 standard drink units. and yes 75 IBU thingumy things which could be a bittery tang.

Yeasty bread chocolate on opening, Syrupy deep dark black syrupy pour with a persistent thinnish head of brown. Aroma is a comfortable roasted malt.

Then to summarise my first impressions,  bit less punchy, and less balanced than it could be, oh and its a bit short of length.

Carries it's aroma really well, but has a persistent sourness, doesn't have a big mouthfeel, and there is no lingering. There's not a lot of profile either, it might be a one trick thing. Mostly I get an after of a sourness, which isn't what you really want, and there isn't a warmness that should come along after this gets warmer in the glass.

So then, the pdubyah-o-meter, which is moping only to 7, and that's "good" and I'm giving it a free pass having followed a barnstormer beer.

At this moment, and in this place. it's isn't all that and a bag of crisps. The yeti is still then a bit undiscovered as a thing.

Related articles

• Colorado's Top Ten Beers: Yeti Imperial Stout (mensjournal.com)


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


• Great Divide And The Yeti Surprise (cravedfw.com)

Beer - #233 - AleSmith - Speedway Stout

Indeed, a highly regarded beer, the AleSmith Speedway Stout, Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company in the style of a Imperial Stout and that all happened in the place with a Zoo, San Diego, California USA.

Speedway Stout is a HUGE Imperial Stout, with pounds and pounds of coffee added during conditioning for a little extra kick! This is a limited-edition Formula and it'll definitely get you racing! It is available in 750 ml. champagne bottles.

• Appearance: Jet Black, with a toast-brown head.


• Flavor: Starts with a strong coffee and dark chocolate sensation, then fades to a multitude of toasty, roasty and caramelly flavors. Finishes with a nice fullness but dry enough not to be cloying.


• Aroma: COFFEE! And some other stuff. And coffee.


• Mouthfeel (body/texture): Velvety smooth texture. Clean and crisp, full-bodied. Warmth from the high alcohol content lightens up the feel a bit. Still, you won't fool your taste buds -- this beer is HUGE!

750ml bottle of a 12% ABV beer. In NZ thats 7.1 standard drink units., the US 5.1 and in the UK 9.  As far as I can tell this has an IBU of around 70.

Peeve is that although this is presented with a foil wrap over the cap, it's a plain gold cap, no printing, just a plain old ten-a-penny cap. Just a peeve, doesn't make it taste better.

worryingly the foil has a chocolate aroma, I hope the cap was sealed.  It's ok it hissed, and a lovely deep chocolate/coffee aroma made me smile.

Intensely dark beer, with a nice head of dark brown fluffiness. Aroma is more subtle that the intense burst from the smaller neck of the bottle, more muted coffee than anything.

Big big mouthful of flavours, very full, the underlying bitterness is easily and generously compensated by the bag full of sweetness that this delivers.  Bittery tang on the length but it's in a good way.

This is really one of those beers tastes that you sit after drinking and are still marvelling at the taste profile, it really is a full on experience.

The notes above are somewhat pretty accurate, and I'm getting each and every one of those things. I can see why is is so highly regarded and rated, they say what it is and then it is what it is.

The pdubyah-o-meter cracks up to an easy 9.75, and I'm taking the quarter off because this might, for me, just be a little too sweet. Picky picky. But that's a 10 by any other name.  More Awesome than Great. #HappyFace.  I put the glass down and the pdubyah-o-meter ticked up the 10. Like it wasn't going to.

This is, though, to sum up, a really really good beer, the coffee/chocolate thing is awesome, the low bitterness is more than balanced, and the length of flavour and the whole profile is stunning.  The idea that this is one of the best beers "in the world" isn't so far fetched. From fond memory the Epic Coffee and Fig stout would give this a fair run for the money, and I do have a current year version coming up to try.

If this "is" and therefore sets the bar, then woe betide the pretenders.

Related articles

• Beer Week Wednesday: Speedway Grand Prix (utsandiego.com)


• Beer Bucket List: 25 Beers You Must Try (coolmaterial.com)

Beer - #232 - Sierra Nevada - Ovila Saison

I'm pleased to be able to drink this - a Sierra Nevada - Ovila Saison  with Mandarin Oranges and Peppercorns. Brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company obviously in the style of a  Saison  and in a place that sounds like part of a group of bothers Chico, California USA

It's cork and cage presentation, the interesting bottle shape, the dark label and of course it seeming;y weird concoction all called me.



An homage to the monk’s noble work, this unique farmhouse ale is incredibly complex with notes of lemon, pepper, straw and herbs balanced by the tang of Mandarin oranges and a spicy kick of pepper. The Mandarin oranges used to make this beer were locally grown, including a portion grown on the grounds of the Abbey of New Clairvaux and picked by hand by the community of monks living there. We hope you enjoy this collaboration ale.

12.7fl oz,  or 375ml, of  a 7.5% ABV beer, making it 2.21 standard drinks in NZ (1.59 in the US)

 A collaboration between Sierra Nevada Brewing Co and the monks at the Abbey of New Clairvaux, Ovila Abbey Saison brings the centuries-old monastery brewing tradition to America. Ovila Abbey Saison is complex and contemplative-but also refreshingly dry and drinkable. With earthy and spicy aromas, this rustic Saison has note of green grass and a faint citrus tang. The body is light and layered with fruit and spice accents and a dry, peppery finish. A portion of the proceedsfrom this ale go toward the restoration of the historic Santa Maria de Oliva chapter house on the grounds of the Abbey of New Clairvaux. This medieval building stood for nearly eight centuries in Spain. William Randolph Hearst purchased the monastery in 1931 and planned to use the stones for a castle even grander than his famous San Simeon. Although Hearst’s plan crumbled, these historic stones will rise again in a California Cistercian abbey.

It's a bit wordy if nothing else.

Really fruity notes on opening, pours golden brown orange, little cloudy, thin head, aroma has more yeasts in it.

Little sourness, but an interesting mix of things. You'd expect the sourness of course, that's one of the things. The fruits are trying hard to be made known, they hint and insinuate rather than standing up though. Very easy drinking this, and in the sun it's making everything seem all a little more pleasing and relaxing.

Didn't get anything like a fluffy head, nor any lacing, but I'm going to look all past that. If it was that I was limited to having a beer, just the one, this afternoon, this would be it.

The Sourness, the dried fruit aroma, the way the mandarin is giving it a good go, the nice caramel length means that it's ticking a load of boxes. It's nice for that.

Missing though is anything that you could confuse as peppercorns. I'm sure they do a thing.

So much so that the pdubyah-o-meter says easily a 8.5, making it almost a great beer to be drinking.  Sadly I only have the one, because this for it's shortcomings is rather nice to have.

SAISON

Fruity esters dominate the aroma. Clarity is good with a large foamy head on top. The addition of several spices and herbs create a complex fruity or citrusy flavor. Light to medium bodied with very high carbonation. Alcohol level is medium to high.

Related articles

• Sierra Nevada Brewing Sustainable Journey (neevilbeers.wordpress.com)


• Here's How Beer Helped Save a Monastery in California (theblaze.com)


• Trappist Ale from Northern California, thanks to William Randolph Hearst, Sierra Nevada, and some stones from Spain (daveibsen.typepad.com)

Beer - #231 - Clown Shoes - Blaecorn Unidragon

That's right, A Clown Shoes - Blaecorn Unidragon. Brewed at Ipswich Ale Brewery
in the style of a Russian Imperial Stout  in the familiar sounding Ipswich, Massachusetts USA.

A 1 Pint 6 fl oz, or 22 fl oz, (650ml) bottle of a 12.5% ABV beer, which in NZ makes it 6.4 standard drinks, (in the US 4.6 and UK 8.1, it's a minefield)

What should we call our Russian Imperial Stout? Black Unicorn? Soul Dragon? Nohhh. Let’s combine them and create the ultimate mythical creature: Blaecorn Unidragon.

Imbued with a monstrous amount of dark malt and aggressive hops, Blaecorn Unidragon is a powerful and complex brew designed to improve with age.

Brewed with a monstrous amount of malt and combined with aggressive American hops, this beer is powerful and complex and designed to age. Smokiness is subtle but present and blends nicely with the rich, dark flavors.

I have Cricket on the TV, and Alison Moyet playing on the music thing, I should cheese and crackers at least on the table, but I don't. I could pause to remedy that.

This is one of the beers I brought as the leaving gift. It came with a monstrous price, just saying.

Smoked and chocolate notes on opening. Dark syrupy pour with a small bit present head of mocha chocolate colours. Aroma more of a peppery bitterness.

A very full mouthfeel, really upfront caramel, and a deeper bitter hop, but in the middle there is a lovely chocolate/coffee thing going on.  Lots of tastes of dried fruit, caramel, and all sorts of nice things going on. It's certainly a whole circus. Nice finish and carry too.

Reminds myself that this is a potent beer to be drinking, but it something that you can savour and enjoy, it's not something you should be chucking down your neck with abandon.

The cricket is going sort of ok too, the music is a bit hit and miss though, bit pop music. I was expecting more, a banking after more Yazoo of Alf perhaps. wherein as I wrote she cracked out an aria thingy. Not enough.

Back to the beer, and the pending BBQ as I've been informed. The Pdubyah-O-Meter finds this to be 10 our of 10 goodly, making it an awesome beer to drink. As it warms it gets more chocolate warmth, the bitterness tails off a bit, but the wonderful full mouth feel remains. It's very clever.  Bonus that it has a head on topping up the glass, and that there was lacing. All little things that add up to this being a great choice for me. Unlike the music, and it's too early to tell about the cricket.

Related articles

• I have Beer for great night in.... (pdubyah.com)


• Where Are My Clown Shoes? (anediblequest.wordpress.com)

On the Occasion of the 25th Wedding Anniversary

Eventually we were going to get there, MrsPdubyah and me.

5th November 1988, Paeroa Presbyterian Church. A date I chose, it's a long story and I'll scan some photo's and write a bit more about that.

Fast forward through the first house, then the #1 Child, the #2 Child. the 2nd house, and  3rd house, the half-dozen pet cats, the first days at school, the driving lessons, the leaving home. All those things.

Eventually you get  get to 25 years. Which is where the trouble starts.

I'm not sure who thought this up, but for getting to a 25 year marriage you have to exchange traditional gifts of Silver.

It's not clear if this should be solid silver, silver plate, or silver looking. I want to know who was on the committee that decided this, it's a gross oversight.

Then, oh yes then, look for a suitable gift. When was it that matching ceramic mugs were appropriate? or a Crystal Bell?

Who exactly gives their life partner, after 25 years of marriage (not counting the courting and preamble years) a Candelabra, Knives and Forks, Serving Spoons, Silver Platter or Photo Frame?

Which of you thinks that at 25 years you're a bit doolally in the head and have slipped into some kind of dementia where you need to surround yourselves with trinkets and old tat?

Of course yes in olden times you might have. But I don't feel like I've spent half a life with MrsPdubyah. Yes on the outside a bit more rugged, but mentally still in the game.

All that aside however I'm going to be in a world of pain if I don't get a suitable gift, if only I could remember if MrsPdubyah has pierced ears on not I could get her some ear-rings, and on reflection a little bell I could tinkle wouldn't go amiss when I needed a beer top-off.