A life just as ordinary. Wherein I drink beer, and write badly
Monday, February 24, 2014
Beer - #310 - Renaissance - Stonecutter Scotch Ale
A beer that was a gift - Renaissance - Stonecutter Scotch Ale
Brewed by Renaissance Brewing in the style of a Scotch Ale and they live in Blenheim, New Zealand
This is the big, hearty ’red wine’ of our range. Nine malts are blended to produce layers of caramel, coffee, liquorice, chocolate and roasty flavours and these are balanced by a tart, raisiny fruitiness that gradually gives way to a lingering dry finish. Rich, full bodied. warming and moreish. Stonecutter pairs well with venison, roast beef or lamb, or the heartiest casseroles and stews. For dessert try with a creme brulee or, of course, Scottish shortbread.
We use nine malts blended together to produce layers of caramel, toffee, liquorice, chocolate and roasty flavours. These layers are balanced by a tart, raisiny fruitiness that gradually gives way to give this dark beer a lingering dry finish.
Rich, full bodied, warming and moreish.
210 calories a serve, 7% ABV and 2.8 standard drinks, in a 500 ml bottle. Get in!
Heavy yeasty bready aroma on opening. Pours a lovely chestnut brown with a smallish off white head that seems firm and persistent.
More fruits and raisin in the aroma than indicated from the opening.
This is a full beer, by which it has a nice set of tastes from the tip the finish. There's a nice bitterness and a nice amount of caramels throughout this.
The raisin fruits play their supporting part too, adding to the whole enjoyment of this.
But, and isn't there always a but? I'm not actually sure that this is as full as I think it is, you can mistake a better beer this time than the last beer you had as being a step change.
This is really easy drinking, there are no hard edges to trip you up, and there is no unusual flavour or notes to distract you.
Pdubyah-o-meter rating this is 7, making it better than good. I could have started the afternoon with this and been happy to keep spending the afternoon with it. But let me not get carried away. I'm not in love.
Yes I'd session on this (drink this a bit), but it could end up cloying and full of the caramels and sugars which would make it heavy weather after a couple.
Musically, because this is important. I can't help but like the Smiths and Morrissey - this one is Everyday Is Like Sunday. MrsPdubyah and me went to see him in concert recently, frankly he's a bit of a dick. Aside though I do like the musics
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27yyCVC1UvI&w=560&h=315]
Scotch Ale was the name given to a strong pale ale from Edinburgh in the 19th century. This was typical of the strong pale ales brewed in Britain at that time - mainly pale barley malt and moderate hopping, and were not that stylistically different to English Strong Ales or Barley Wines. The name however became regionalised so that a strong pale ale from Scotland became known as a Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy. Beers using the designation Scotch Ale are popular in the USA where most examples are brewed locally. Examples of beers brewed in the USA under the name Wee Heavy tend to be 7% abv and higher, while Scottish brewed examples, such as Belhavens Wee Heavy, are typically between 5.5% and 6.5% abv.
Brewed by Renaissance Brewing in the style of a Scotch Ale and they live in Blenheim, New Zealand
This is the big, hearty ’red wine’ of our range. Nine malts are blended to produce layers of caramel, coffee, liquorice, chocolate and roasty flavours and these are balanced by a tart, raisiny fruitiness that gradually gives way to a lingering dry finish. Rich, full bodied. warming and moreish. Stonecutter pairs well with venison, roast beef or lamb, or the heartiest casseroles and stews. For dessert try with a creme brulee or, of course, Scottish shortbread.We use nine malts blended together to produce layers of caramel, toffee, liquorice, chocolate and roasty flavours. These layers are balanced by a tart, raisiny fruitiness that gradually gives way to give this dark beer a lingering dry finish.
Rich, full bodied, warming and moreish.
Multi award winning Stonecutter Scotch Ale is the big, hearty, ‘red wine’ of our range. The Scotch Ale style is believed to have originated in Edinburgh in the 18th century and is colloquially known as "wee heavy" due to its higher strength than its paler siblings. We use nine malts blended together to produce layers of caramel, toffee, liquorice, chocolate and roasty flavours. These layers are balanced by a tart, raisiny fruitiness that gradually gives way to give this dark beer a lingering dry finish.
210 calories a serve, 7% ABV and 2.8 standard drinks, in a 500 ml bottle. Get in!Heavy yeasty bready aroma on opening. Pours a lovely chestnut brown with a smallish off white head that seems firm and persistent.
More fruits and raisin in the aroma than indicated from the opening.
This is a full beer, by which it has a nice set of tastes from the tip the finish. There's a nice bitterness and a nice amount of caramels throughout this.
The raisin fruits play their supporting part too, adding to the whole enjoyment of this.
But, and isn't there always a but? I'm not actually sure that this is as full as I think it is, you can mistake a better beer this time than the last beer you had as being a step change.
This is really easy drinking, there are no hard edges to trip you up, and there is no unusual flavour or notes to distract you.
Pdubyah-o-meter rating this is 7, making it better than good. I could have started the afternoon with this and been happy to keep spending the afternoon with it. But let me not get carried away. I'm not in love.
Yes I'd session on this (drink this a bit), but it could end up cloying and full of the caramels and sugars which would make it heavy weather after a couple.
Musically, because this is important. I can't help but like the Smiths and Morrissey - this one is Everyday Is Like Sunday. MrsPdubyah and me went to see him in concert recently, frankly he's a bit of a dick. Aside though I do like the musics
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27yyCVC1UvI&w=560&h=315]
SCOTCH ALE
Scotch Ale was the name given to a strong pale ale from Edinburgh in the 19th century. This was typical of the strong pale ales brewed in Britain at that time - mainly pale barley malt and moderate hopping, and were not that stylistically different to English Strong Ales or Barley Wines. The name however became regionalised so that a strong pale ale from Scotland became known as a Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy. Beers using the designation Scotch Ale are popular in the USA where most examples are brewed locally. Examples of beers brewed in the USA under the name Wee Heavy tend to be 7% abv and higher, while Scottish brewed examples, such as Belhavens Wee Heavy, are typically between 5.5% and 6.5% abv.
Related articles
Restaurant Critic #5 – One3One Bar Kitchen Cafe - Paeroa
We had dinner at one3one in Paeroa.
131 refers to it's street number
It was on the site of a pub called "The Fathers Tavern" and let me tell you that used to be an experience. The last time we went their with some friends we walked in, and in the wild west cowboy style the bar went quiet as strangers walked in, true story, we ordered a couple 'jugs' of beer, brought the barman a drink and everything became sweet-as. True Story.
Wind the dial on a few years, there is now a Maccas in town, but there isn't a roundabout and nor is there traffic lights. Something shouldn't change.
One3One. A modern establishment. Central island bar set up, to the left high tables, the right 4 top tables, a couple of booths. Wallpaper like wooden fence paling, menu's kept in beer crates.
Let down by the industrial quality carpet on the floor to be honest when wood or polished concrete might have been better.
In a major change the one beer garden has been sacrificed for more floor area, and the smokers and other outside dwellers get a concrete corridor. I don't smoke so no loss to me.
Two people chose the CHICKEN BREAST
Oven roasted chicken breast stuffed with basil & wrapped in streaky bacon, served with herb roasted potatoes and topped with a tomato & herb sauce
I had LAMB SHANKS
Slow cooked tender lamb shank on creamy mashed potatoes with a rich gravy & kumara wafers
And one of us had LAMB AND FETA SALAD
Sliced marinated lamb rump with feta, cherry tomatoes, caramelised pumpkin & salad greens, dressed with minted yoghurt
Lets cut to the chase and critique this.
The biggest biggest problem by far was that the main meals had no seasonable vegetables on the plate. OK if you colour me me stupid that the menu description din't call this out, but you know that the whole experience would have been magnified to great if the plate had a carrot or a floret of broccoli on it.
Sides are called out on the menu, but these weren't offered up by the wait staff.
Specifically calling out the lamb shanks that I had, these weren't browed before cooking. One of them stringy and tough, the other soft and fell off the bone. The gravy was watery and insipid.
Calling out the lamb salad as looking awesome!
One3One has a couple of things going for it, and in no particle order:
They could improve things here and there of course, to suit me, but this sets a new standard in Paeora and the others need to take note.
131 refers to it's street number
It was on the site of a pub called "The Fathers Tavern" and let me tell you that used to be an experience. The last time we went their with some friends we walked in, and in the wild west cowboy style the bar went quiet as strangers walked in, true story, we ordered a couple 'jugs' of beer, brought the barman a drink and everything became sweet-as. True Story.
Wind the dial on a few years, there is now a Maccas in town, but there isn't a roundabout and nor is there traffic lights. Something shouldn't change.
One3One. A modern establishment. Central island bar set up, to the left high tables, the right 4 top tables, a couple of booths. Wallpaper like wooden fence paling, menu's kept in beer crates.Let down by the industrial quality carpet on the floor to be honest when wood or polished concrete might have been better.
In a major change the one beer garden has been sacrificed for more floor area, and the smokers and other outside dwellers get a concrete corridor. I don't smoke so no loss to me.
Dinner:
Two people chose the CHICKEN BREAST
Oven roasted chicken breast stuffed with basil & wrapped in streaky bacon, served with herb roasted potatoes and topped with a tomato & herb sauce
I had LAMB SHANKS
Slow cooked tender lamb shank on creamy mashed potatoes with a rich gravy & kumara wafers
And one of us had LAMB AND FETA SALAD
Sliced marinated lamb rump with feta, cherry tomatoes, caramelised pumpkin & salad greens, dressed with minted yoghurt
Lets cut to the chase and critique this.
The biggest biggest problem by far was that the main meals had no seasonable vegetables on the plate. OK if you colour me me stupid that the menu description din't call this out, but you know that the whole experience would have been magnified to great if the plate had a carrot or a floret of broccoli on it.
Sides are called out on the menu, but these weren't offered up by the wait staff.
Specifically calling out the lamb shanks that I had, these weren't browed before cooking. One of them stringy and tough, the other soft and fell off the bone. The gravy was watery and insipid.
Calling out the lamb salad as looking awesome!
One3One has a couple of things going for it, and in no particle order:
- The RailTrail Cycleway that passes by
- It's very new, clean and tidy, and will have broad appeal to the locals
- The pricing isn't outrageous
- The menu has something for everyone
- It'll do a cracking trade on the battle of the streets motorcycle racing weekend
They could improve things here and there of course, to suit me, but this sets a new standard in Paeora and the others need to take note.
Beer- #309 - Townshend - Kings Landing
Kings Landing, a dark Scotch ale with a touch of peated malt. See what I did there Ned's head and then a Kings Landing. Like a Game of Thrones tribute. or not.
Brewed by Townshend Brewery this is styled as a Scotch Ale in Upper Moutere, New Zealand
A familiar 500ml bottle of a 5.6% ABV beer making that about 2.2 standard drinks, and only around 150 calories a serve!
So a confusion of descriptions. But I'm intrigued.
Forewarned though that this has a sediment, and from the last bottle might be a gusher.
Light peat aroma on opening, and that was all, no overly excited beer, also a sweetness about this. I frowned.
Almost the opposite an under carbonated beer. Very chestnut brown on the pour, and the little head settles to just a film. Aroma really is go light peat, or perhaps you could imagine a wee dram in your beer as a filler.
There is a lightness about the peat addition in this, more at the aroma and insinuation level than as an integral part of the brewing. It's not an afterthought though clearly this is part of the brewing process.
Peat infused beer then. Hot or miss. There are certainly a few of these styles around, Old Dubh was the last one I had, and that was fantastic, then there was a Yeastie Boys version that was almost, for me, undrinkable.
This is somewhere in the middle. Most defiantly not undrinkable by any stretch of the imagination.
Enjoyable? For me though this is 'thin', like the Ned's head. There isn't a substance to the body that carries this. The peatiness leaves the stage and leaves a cold beer that is somewhat middle of the road.
I don't think this hits the brief somehow. Pdubyah-o-meter thinks 5, absolutely making this average, and average as.
You get the peat (read whisky) note as the background to this but that leaves you a bit unfulfilled and empty. If you were on a dink unit limit you might be miffed you wasted a couple on this though. If, however, you like a whisky and you like beer, this might be something you could try and be sightly impressed with.
I wasn't and I won't be revisiting this to try again.
Not so confused about the music in the background - a little something from Vampire Weekend
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_qKmTLbEPc&w=560&h=315]
Scotch Ale was the name given to a strong pale ale from Edinburgh in the 19th century. This was typical of the strong pale ales brewed in Britain at that time - mainly pale barley malt and moderate hopping, and were not that stylistically different to English Strong Ales or Barley Wines. The name however became regionalised so that a strong pale ale from Scotland became known as a Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy. Beers using the designation Scotch Ale are popular in the USA where most examples are brewed locally. Examples of beers brewed in the USA under the name Wee Heavy tend to be 7% abv and higher, while Scottish brewed examples, such as Belhavens Wee Heavy, are typically between 5.5% and 6.5% abv.
Brewed by Townshend Brewery this is styled as a Scotch Ale in Upper Moutere, New Zealand
A familiar 500ml bottle of a 5.6% ABV beer making that about 2.2 standard drinks, and only around 150 calories a serve!
So a confusion of descriptions. But I'm intrigued.Forewarned though that this has a sediment, and from the last bottle might be a gusher.
Light peat aroma on opening, and that was all, no overly excited beer, also a sweetness about this. I frowned.
Almost the opposite an under carbonated beer. Very chestnut brown on the pour, and the little head settles to just a film. Aroma really is go light peat, or perhaps you could imagine a wee dram in your beer as a filler.
There is a lightness about the peat addition in this, more at the aroma and insinuation level than as an integral part of the brewing. It's not an afterthought though clearly this is part of the brewing process.
Peat infused beer then. Hot or miss. There are certainly a few of these styles around, Old Dubh was the last one I had, and that was fantastic, then there was a Yeastie Boys version that was almost, for me, undrinkable.
This is somewhere in the middle. Most defiantly not undrinkable by any stretch of the imagination.
Enjoyable? For me though this is 'thin', like the Ned's head. There isn't a substance to the body that carries this. The peatiness leaves the stage and leaves a cold beer that is somewhat middle of the road.
I don't think this hits the brief somehow. Pdubyah-o-meter thinks 5, absolutely making this average, and average as.
You get the peat (read whisky) note as the background to this but that leaves you a bit unfulfilled and empty. If you were on a dink unit limit you might be miffed you wasted a couple on this though. If, however, you like a whisky and you like beer, this might be something you could try and be sightly impressed with.
I wasn't and I won't be revisiting this to try again.
Not so confused about the music in the background - a little something from Vampire Weekend
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_qKmTLbEPc&w=560&h=315]
SCOTCH ALE
Scotch Ale was the name given to a strong pale ale from Edinburgh in the 19th century. This was typical of the strong pale ales brewed in Britain at that time - mainly pale barley malt and moderate hopping, and were not that stylistically different to English Strong Ales or Barley Wines. The name however became regionalised so that a strong pale ale from Scotland became known as a Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy. Beers using the designation Scotch Ale are popular in the USA where most examples are brewed locally. Examples of beers brewed in the USA under the name Wee Heavy tend to be 7% abv and higher, while Scottish brewed examples, such as Belhavens Wee Heavy, are typically between 5.5% and 6.5% abv.
Related articles
Beer - #308 - Townshend - Ned's Head Flaunders Red
Townshend - Ned's Head Flaunders Red.... Get on the bandwagon. It might be clearer next beer.
Brewed by Townshend Brewery This is styled as a Sour Red/Brown ad they do this trick in Upper Moutere, New Zealand
A Special Release, this sour wee drop will pop your top and leave your mouth dancing. But don't be fooled into thinking this is a shock value beer, it’s full body and malty base stops you from completely loosing your head, and is in fact a highly pleasurable experience! It’s loosely based on a Flanders Red style beer from Belgium, or there abouts! It’s a tangy, slightly wild red ale brewed in the Flemish tradition.
So a Sunday 500ml bottle, 6-5% ABV, which would be 2.4 standard drinks, and at 195 calories a serve.
Sour beer.
Squirty beer as this gushed all over the place on opening including me and the keyboard. Not a good start.
So Aroma on opening - fizzy foam up the nose. A shocker.
So highly carbonated and that early release doesn't appear to have dampened it down as it pours with a fluffy off brown aerated head. The aroma is 'sour'.
Colour is murky brown, muddy and cloudy. Because sediment. Because light orange on dark orange in mini font makes that clear.
No points for the label. Call me old may eyes as you will.
This isn't my first sour beer experience, but this isn't like the others I had. The sourness is a thing, and probably very clever, but there isn't anything to support this or carry it as a thing across the palate. For that then I think that this is a bit thin and ultimately not that enjoyable.
The pdubyah-o-meter says 6, but leaning more towards above average than just average. I wish there was something fuller in the taste of this, a warmer underneath something to fill it out, and although this is 6.5% beer it's not that apparent in drinking it.
Sour ale is a broad spectrum of wild ales, from the fruity and acetic Flanders Red Ales and Oud Bruins, to the experimental ales gaining popularity in the United States which use lactobacillus, brettanomyces and pediococcus in new and wild ways.
Brewed by Townshend Brewery This is styled as a Sour Red/Brown ad they do this trick in Upper Moutere, New Zealand
A Special Release, this sour wee drop will pop your top and leave your mouth dancing. But don't be fooled into thinking this is a shock value beer, it’s full body and malty base stops you from completely loosing your head, and is in fact a highly pleasurable experience! It’s loosely based on a Flanders Red style beer from Belgium, or there abouts! It’s a tangy, slightly wild red ale brewed in the Flemish tradition.So a Sunday 500ml bottle, 6-5% ABV, which would be 2.4 standard drinks, and at 195 calories a serve.
Sour beer.
Squirty beer as this gushed all over the place on opening including me and the keyboard. Not a good start.So Aroma on opening - fizzy foam up the nose. A shocker.
So highly carbonated and that early release doesn't appear to have dampened it down as it pours with a fluffy off brown aerated head. The aroma is 'sour'.
Colour is murky brown, muddy and cloudy. Because sediment. Because light orange on dark orange in mini font makes that clear.
No points for the label. Call me old may eyes as you will.
This isn't my first sour beer experience, but this isn't like the others I had. The sourness is a thing, and probably very clever, but there isn't anything to support this or carry it as a thing across the palate. For that then I think that this is a bit thin and ultimately not that enjoyable.
The pdubyah-o-meter says 6, but leaning more towards above average than just average. I wish there was something fuller in the taste of this, a warmer underneath something to fill it out, and although this is 6.5% beer it's not that apparent in drinking it.
SOUR ALE/WILD ALE
Sour ale is a broad spectrum of wild ales, from the fruity and acetic Flanders Red Ales and Oud Bruins, to the experimental ales gaining popularity in the United States which use lactobacillus, brettanomyces and pediococcus in new and wild ways.
Related articles
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Beer – #307 – Brouwerij Huyghe – Delirium Tremens
The night clearly is drawing in - next up is from the Brouwerij Huyghe – Delirium Tremens.
Brewed by Brouwerij Huyghe this is the Belgian Strong Ale and they make this in Melle, Belgium
[caption id="attachment_6696" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Selfie[/caption]
The allusion to pink elephants and the choice of names is not due to chance. With a particular character, the unique taste of results from the use of three different kinds of yeast. The result is a finish of peppery bitterness without aggression. The gray bottle hides a mystery awaiting discovery by the none faint of heart.
Launched on December 26th 1989 @ 9% abv. Abv reduced from 9% to 8.5% in 2003.
The particular character and the unique taste of "Delirium Tremens" result from the use of three different kinds of yeast. Its very original packing, which resembles cologne ceramics, and the colourful label contribute to its success.
In 1997, Stuart A. Kallen nominated Delirium Tremens as "best beer in the world". A gold medal during the "world beer championships" in Chicago (1998) confirmed that worldwide recognition.
Clearly not the best beer in the world.
The small 330ml bottle, contains only 8.55% ABV of a beer that is 255 calories a serve. making this 2.21 standard drinks.
Similarly presented in the painted bottle, to look like pottery, and with the blue foil. It looks great. Pink elephant in attendance.
Sweet sour aroma on opening, lively carbonation as this gets all excited in the bottle. It has been sitting warming for a while, it should be ok though.
Wildly fluffy head on the pour, and it surprised me with how pale it was, but all that subsides to a more normal light fluff, and leaves some decent lacing.
Aroma is more settled and remains towards the sour, but not without a sweet undertone.
Its lovely and sweet to drink, with a bitterness that carried with a lovely mouthfeel of fluffiness, all of which sounded like poetic nonsense.
I'd finished writing about this before I'd finished the beer. It really is a very full beer. I like the word full, it gives you the idea that when you sip you get a cheeks full of action. This is a very robust beer, and the flavours are not diminished by time or warmth.
The pdubyah-o-meter, which I may have overlooked in previous published versions, mostly due to beer, for this, then, is an 8. How would I be able to rate this higher and 8 is as low as I think I'd go based on the units of beer consumed on empty tummy.
In a scenario where you're a quaffing away on things, and then this is plied before you, and then you stop to thin about it, and frankly this is a bit of a finisher. Despite is nice balance and delivery of the flavours and profile this really is a beer that made me feel 'full" both of tummy and in the buzz.
Not a bad way to be, but to much to soon. said MrsPdubyah scornfully.
Belgian Strong Ales can vary from pale to dark brown in color, darker ales may be colored with dark candy sugar. Hop flavor can range from low to high, while hop aroma is low. The beers are medium to full-bodied and have a high alcoholic character. Types of beers included here include tripels, dubbels and ultra-strong abbey ales.
Brewed by Brouwerij Huyghe this is the Belgian Strong Ale and they make this in Melle, Belgium
[caption id="attachment_6696" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Selfie[/caption]The allusion to pink elephants and the choice of names is not due to chance. With a particular character, the unique taste of results from the use of three different kinds of yeast. The result is a finish of peppery bitterness without aggression. The gray bottle hides a mystery awaiting discovery by the none faint of heart.
Launched on December 26th 1989 @ 9% abv. Abv reduced from 9% to 8.5% in 2003.
The particular character and the unique taste of "Delirium Tremens" result from the use of three different kinds of yeast. Its very original packing, which resembles cologne ceramics, and the colourful label contribute to its success.
In 1997, Stuart A. Kallen nominated Delirium Tremens as "best beer in the world". A gold medal during the "world beer championships" in Chicago (1998) confirmed that worldwide recognition.
Clearly not the best beer in the world.
The small 330ml bottle, contains only 8.55% ABV of a beer that is 255 calories a serve. making this 2.21 standard drinks.
Similarly presented in the painted bottle, to look like pottery, and with the blue foil. It looks great. Pink elephant in attendance.
Sweet sour aroma on opening, lively carbonation as this gets all excited in the bottle. It has been sitting warming for a while, it should be ok though.
Wildly fluffy head on the pour, and it surprised me with how pale it was, but all that subsides to a more normal light fluff, and leaves some decent lacing.
Aroma is more settled and remains towards the sour, but not without a sweet undertone.
Its lovely and sweet to drink, with a bitterness that carried with a lovely mouthfeel of fluffiness, all of which sounded like poetic nonsense.
I'd finished writing about this before I'd finished the beer. It really is a very full beer. I like the word full, it gives you the idea that when you sip you get a cheeks full of action. This is a very robust beer, and the flavours are not diminished by time or warmth.
The pdubyah-o-meter, which I may have overlooked in previous published versions, mostly due to beer, for this, then, is an 8. How would I be able to rate this higher and 8 is as low as I think I'd go based on the units of beer consumed on empty tummy.
In a scenario where you're a quaffing away on things, and then this is plied before you, and then you stop to thin about it, and frankly this is a bit of a finisher. Despite is nice balance and delivery of the flavours and profile this really is a beer that made me feel 'full" both of tummy and in the buzz.
Not a bad way to be, but to much to soon. said MrsPdubyah scornfully.
BELGIAN STRONG ALE
Belgian Strong Ales can vary from pale to dark brown in color, darker ales may be colored with dark candy sugar. Hop flavor can range from low to high, while hop aroma is low. The beers are medium to full-bodied and have a high alcoholic character. Types of beers included here include tripels, dubbels and ultra-strong abbey ales.
Related articles
Beer - #306 - Brouwerij Huyghe - Delirium Nocturnum
yes indeed, following the Belgium beer thing this is the Brouwerij Huyghe - Delirium Nocturnum
Brewed by Brouwerij Huyghe as a Belgian Strong Ale and they're in Melle, Belgium
Can sized 330ml bottle of beer, Triple Fermented, A Strong Beer, of 8.5% ABV, and of 255 calories, making this 2.21 standard drink units.
[caption id="attachment_6685" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Selfie[/caption]
Colour and sight: Dark brown-red. A compact white-yellow, stable and lacing head. Scent: Touches of caramel, mocha and chocolate. Spices such as liquorice and coriander are also present. Flavour: Initially, a very good mouthfeel of alcohol and softness. This is followed by an increasing bitterness, partially from the hop, but also from the roasted malt and chocolate malt. Towards the end a nice balance between bitterness, sour and sweet.
Nice presentation, the bottle is painted to look like clay or pottery, and this has the purple foil, with the pink elephant label.
This is listed as being a "Dark" ale.
Familiar bitter yet smooth aroma on opening, Pours a darker shade of brown than you could expect, and it seems to pour "thick" and delivered a great white creamy looking and persistent head.
Aroma in the glass is fruity.
Well I nearly used a sweary word. That's a a really attacking taste on the palate. I really wasn't expecting something so tart, abrupt and frankly as full as that. Shows you that the pretenders to the Belgium style might have a ways to go.
Consider myself told.
This is really a full mouthfeel beer, and for me the amount of carbonation has two effects. One is that I'm distracted by the soda mouthfeel, and the other is that I'm aware that the fizz is carrying the taste.
The taste is, again, 'full', with a whole range of tastes and flavours clamouring to be heard. Aroma remains persistent of fruits and sweets.
The legend that tis the Pdubyah-o-meter ranks this as 8, very goodly good, on the arbitrary scale of things. The aroma persists, the strong mouthfeel persists and doesn't waver, the range of flavours offered up stays the same beginning to end.
After a bunch of "Belgium Style" beers it is a bit nice to get back to the benchmark. But I'm easily impressed, as you know.
I'm also trying to be again, harsher on the scale of things. It's way to easy to mark everything as great, particularly when you've put your own dollars down.
I finished this beer before I finished thinking about writing about it, which makes this a beer that is easy to drink, enjoyable and worth your coins as much as it was worth mine.
Disappointingly not a music night, if it was it might be a bit of Sweet Billy Pilgrim.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuGjK6cJ8Dc&w=420&h=315]
BELGIAN STRONG ALE
Belgian Strong Ales can vary from pale to dark brown in color, darker ales may be colored with dark candy sugar. Hop flavor can range from low to high, while hop aroma is low. The beers are medium to full-bodied and have a high alcoholic character. Types of beers included here include tripels, dubbels and ultra-strong abbey ales.
Brewed by Brouwerij Huyghe as a Belgian Strong Ale and they're in Melle, Belgium
Can sized 330ml bottle of beer, Triple Fermented, A Strong Beer, of 8.5% ABV, and of 255 calories, making this 2.21 standard drink units.
[caption id="attachment_6685" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Selfie[/caption]Colour and sight: Dark brown-red. A compact white-yellow, stable and lacing head. Scent: Touches of caramel, mocha and chocolate. Spices such as liquorice and coriander are also present. Flavour: Initially, a very good mouthfeel of alcohol and softness. This is followed by an increasing bitterness, partially from the hop, but also from the roasted malt and chocolate malt. Towards the end a nice balance between bitterness, sour and sweet.
Nice presentation, the bottle is painted to look like clay or pottery, and this has the purple foil, with the pink elephant label.
This is listed as being a "Dark" ale.Familiar bitter yet smooth aroma on opening, Pours a darker shade of brown than you could expect, and it seems to pour "thick" and delivered a great white creamy looking and persistent head.
Aroma in the glass is fruity.
Well I nearly used a sweary word. That's a a really attacking taste on the palate. I really wasn't expecting something so tart, abrupt and frankly as full as that. Shows you that the pretenders to the Belgium style might have a ways to go.
Consider myself told.
This is really a full mouthfeel beer, and for me the amount of carbonation has two effects. One is that I'm distracted by the soda mouthfeel, and the other is that I'm aware that the fizz is carrying the taste.
The taste is, again, 'full', with a whole range of tastes and flavours clamouring to be heard. Aroma remains persistent of fruits and sweets.
The legend that tis the Pdubyah-o-meter ranks this as 8, very goodly good, on the arbitrary scale of things. The aroma persists, the strong mouthfeel persists and doesn't waver, the range of flavours offered up stays the same beginning to end.
After a bunch of "Belgium Style" beers it is a bit nice to get back to the benchmark. But I'm easily impressed, as you know.
I'm also trying to be again, harsher on the scale of things. It's way to easy to mark everything as great, particularly when you've put your own dollars down.
I finished this beer before I finished thinking about writing about it, which makes this a beer that is easy to drink, enjoyable and worth your coins as much as it was worth mine.
Disappointingly not a music night, if it was it might be a bit of Sweet Billy Pilgrim.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuGjK6cJ8Dc&w=420&h=315]
BELGIAN STRONG ALE
Belgian Strong Ales can vary from pale to dark brown in color, darker ales may be colored with dark candy sugar. Hop flavor can range from low to high, while hop aroma is low. The beers are medium to full-bodied and have a high alcoholic character. Types of beers included here include tripels, dubbels and ultra-strong abbey ales.
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Beer - #305 - Iron Fist - Dubbel Fisted
Iron Fist Dubbel Fisted to start my Friday. WooHoo! I make no secret for my like of Belgium Style beers.
Brewed by Iron Fist Brewing Company this one in the Style of a Abbey Dubbel and that's in the abbreviated place of Vista, California USA
This the Friday day jumbo 750ml, bottle of an 8.1%ABV beer, of 243 calories a serve. 4.8 standard drinks in this, so best behave before barbecue time. Also this is bottle conditioned.
[caption id="attachment_6676" align="alignright" width="300"]
The Selfie ![/caption]
When starting an uprising, two is always better than one. Or so I’ve been told. And after you try Dubbel Fisted, you’ll find out the reason for its namesake. While peering into a glass of the deep amber colored brew you’re holding in your drinking hand, you’ll realize that you probably want one in your open hand too. Rich chocolate, caramel, and plum notes are almost too tempting for words. So therefore a Belgian Style Dubbel with a California Twist.
A very sweet aroma on opening, but at the same time almost sour, and fruity sweet. Looks an absolute treat in the glass, but the thin head dissipates quickly.
Seems well carbonated and fizzes like sherbet on pouring. The aroma dissipates too, leaving a somewhat disappointing lack of something.
But it has a lovely rich body of taste when you're drinking. Initially this is quite sweet, and there are strong hints of fruits, and heavier caramel or chocolates.
This has many of the nice things that Dubbels have, but this does appear to have a couple of flaws. It might be too flat, the carbonation seems to be all excited itself away leaving a flattish tasting mouthfeel.
Then the sweetness might get you confused as it's all front predominant.
What you don't get is the astringent alcohol tang that you might otherwise expect, and the mustiness that you could be waiting for isn't there either.
This is bottle conditioned and I have no idea if I can put one in a cool place to sit and get better or different with age, I really do need to research that more .
The pdubyah-o-meter isn't all that and a bag of chips on this, it's a fairly solid beer that does nothing to put you off. So it's a better than good 7.5.
As it sits it just gets flatter which I'm not sure is desirable, and this is the worst of it. I'll perhaps not research about putting one aside for a rainy day later and just enjoy what I had as a pleasing and pleasant start to a weekend.
Thanks to the nice people at Liquorland in Forest Hill for having this on the shelf, it makes it easier for me to enjoy my weekend.
These are dark, malty, yeasty strong ales in the Trappist tradition, but produced (mainly) by secular brewers. Dubbels range between 6.5-8% abv, and have a dark brown, cloudy colour, and a palate mixing malt, a lush fruitiness, and yeast. They are typically bottle-conditioned.
Brewed by Iron Fist Brewing Company this one in the Style of a Abbey Dubbel and that's in the abbreviated place of Vista, California USA
This the Friday day jumbo 750ml, bottle of an 8.1%ABV beer, of 243 calories a serve. 4.8 standard drinks in this, so best behave before barbecue time. Also this is bottle conditioned.
[caption id="attachment_6676" align="alignright" width="300"]
The Selfie ![/caption]When starting an uprising, two is always better than one. Or so I’ve been told. And after you try Dubbel Fisted, you’ll find out the reason for its namesake. While peering into a glass of the deep amber colored brew you’re holding in your drinking hand, you’ll realize that you probably want one in your open hand too. Rich chocolate, caramel, and plum notes are almost too tempting for words. So therefore a Belgian Style Dubbel with a California Twist.
A very sweet aroma on opening, but at the same time almost sour, and fruity sweet. Looks an absolute treat in the glass, but the thin head dissipates quickly.
Seems well carbonated and fizzes like sherbet on pouring. The aroma dissipates too, leaving a somewhat disappointing lack of something.
But it has a lovely rich body of taste when you're drinking. Initially this is quite sweet, and there are strong hints of fruits, and heavier caramel or chocolates.
This has many of the nice things that Dubbels have, but this does appear to have a couple of flaws. It might be too flat, the carbonation seems to be all excited itself away leaving a flattish tasting mouthfeel.
Then the sweetness might get you confused as it's all front predominant.
What you don't get is the astringent alcohol tang that you might otherwise expect, and the mustiness that you could be waiting for isn't there either.This is bottle conditioned and I have no idea if I can put one in a cool place to sit and get better or different with age, I really do need to research that more .
The pdubyah-o-meter isn't all that and a bag of chips on this, it's a fairly solid beer that does nothing to put you off. So it's a better than good 7.5.
As it sits it just gets flatter which I'm not sure is desirable, and this is the worst of it. I'll perhaps not research about putting one aside for a rainy day later and just enjoy what I had as a pleasing and pleasant start to a weekend.
Thanks to the nice people at Liquorland in Forest Hill for having this on the shelf, it makes it easier for me to enjoy my weekend.
ABBEY DUBBEL
These are dark, malty, yeasty strong ales in the Trappist tradition, but produced (mainly) by secular brewers. Dubbels range between 6.5-8% abv, and have a dark brown, cloudy colour, and a palate mixing malt, a lush fruitiness, and yeast. They are typically bottle-conditioned.
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Friday, February 21, 2014
Melbourne Diary.
Had a trip to Melbourne at the end of January, 5 days. 5 of some of the hottest days they've ever had. One day was 40 degrees. A bit warm.
Be warned there are a lot of photo's mostly in fuzzy-o-vision.
We arrived on a Sunday, mid-day, of course we hadn't planned for it to the Australia day, and naturally we missed the parade downtown. But we caught the end of it.
Monday was a public holiday and lots of cafe's were closed for business, leaving us only the tourista places.
We went variously to St.Kilda beach, via South Melbourne, we visited Port Melbourne and did the usual shopping things.
Spend a few dollars, had a great time, and would go back
[gallery type="slideshow" ids="6481,6482,6483,6484,6486,6487,6489,6495,6496,6497,6498,6499,6500,6501,6502,6503,6504,6505,6506,6507,6508,6509,6510,6511,6512,6515,6516,6517,6518,6519,6520,6521,6522,6523,6524,6525,6526,6527,6528,6529,6530,6531,6532,6533,6534,6535,6536,6537,6538,6539,6540,6541,6542,6543,6544,6545,6546,6547,6549,6550,6551,6552,6553,6554,6555,6556,6557,6558,6559,6560,6561,6562,6563,6564,6565,6566,6567,6568,6569,6570,6577,6578,6579,6580,6581,6582,6583,6584,6585,6586,6587,6588,6589,6590,6591,6592,6595,6596,6597,6598,6599,6600,6601,6602,6603,6604,6605,6606,6607,6608,6609,6610,6611,6612,6613,6614,6615,6616,6617,6618,6619,6620,6621,6622,6623,6624,6625,6626,6627,6628,6629,6630,6631,6632,6633,6634,6635,6636,6637,6638,6639,6640,6641,6642,6643,6548,6576" orderby="rand"]
Visited the usual places, the markets the beaches, rode the tram, ate the food from Chinatown and the Greeks quarters, drank the local beers.
Be warned there are a lot of photo's mostly in fuzzy-o-vision.
We arrived on a Sunday, mid-day, of course we hadn't planned for it to the Australia day, and naturally we missed the parade downtown. But we caught the end of it.
Monday was a public holiday and lots of cafe's were closed for business, leaving us only the tourista places.
We went variously to St.Kilda beach, via South Melbourne, we visited Port Melbourne and did the usual shopping things.
Spend a few dollars, had a great time, and would go back
[gallery type="slideshow" ids="6481,6482,6483,6484,6486,6487,6489,6495,6496,6497,6498,6499,6500,6501,6502,6503,6504,6505,6506,6507,6508,6509,6510,6511,6512,6515,6516,6517,6518,6519,6520,6521,6522,6523,6524,6525,6526,6527,6528,6529,6530,6531,6532,6533,6534,6535,6536,6537,6538,6539,6540,6541,6542,6543,6544,6545,6546,6547,6549,6550,6551,6552,6553,6554,6555,6556,6557,6558,6559,6560,6561,6562,6563,6564,6565,6566,6567,6568,6569,6570,6577,6578,6579,6580,6581,6582,6583,6584,6585,6586,6587,6588,6589,6590,6591,6592,6595,6596,6597,6598,6599,6600,6601,6602,6603,6604,6605,6606,6607,6608,6609,6610,6611,6612,6613,6614,6615,6616,6617,6618,6619,6620,6621,6622,6623,6624,6625,6626,6627,6628,6629,6630,6631,6632,6633,6634,6635,6636,6637,6638,6639,6640,6641,6642,6643,6548,6576" orderby="rand"]
Visited the usual places, the markets the beaches, rode the tram, ate the food from Chinatown and the Greeks quarters, drank the local beers.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Beer - #304 - Pink Elephant - Mother's Bruin
Mother's Bruin. Pun intended. Probably. 2013 vintage. I have no idea if they've made this before, but they may be planning to make this again.
[caption id="attachment_6666" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Yes! it's a selfie[/caption]
Mothers Bruin is a Strong Ale. This secret ingredient is honey. It features a butter/toffee aroma, creamy mouth feel, with toffee and caramel (and some fruity notes
Bear a thought for the effort that went into bruin this silky sweet honey bear. Four million B's can't bee wrong.
This Ale’s secret ingredient is the honey which is produced from the honey dew collected from the bush clad Canterbury hills.
500ml bottle of beer, with an ABV of 8%, which makes this 3.16 standard drink units. and around 250 calories a serve.
Lots of yeast aroma on opening, Pours a chestnut brown traditional beer colour, with a smallish but firm and persistent head.
Aroma settles to something akin to a honey thing.
Goodness gosh! That's a complex beer.
Firstly its very rich, and that'd be the honey, although it's not a honey taste, or is it. Nice and rounded smooth sweetness.
The bitterness isn't intense, and the carbonation is soft.
The lead in aroma is inviting.
I'm a bit impressed with this from Pink Elephant. I'm not sure I've been their biggest fan in the past. Which is a poor assumption based on one poor experience in the past. So I'll get to that and make some more effort. Consider myself told.
So I had a low expectation and now I have a high regard. But let's not get carried away. This is a sweet drinking beer. It has a foolish mouthfeel and a lovely carry but it is a sweet beer.
I'm tempted to leave it to warm to see what happens.
Which turns it into an experience akin to toffee or treacle, but still way up in the sweet zone of taste.
The pdubyah-o-meter is easily swayed by the easily drinkability and seductive sweetness that appeals. There is no indication at all that you're getting a bit squiffy by quaffing this, there is no alcohol apparent. A lovely long drink with some bitterness at the edge, the soft middle and a lovely finish. By far the best honey beer I've had, and I've had so few to make that a bit of a nonsense statement. I would though go as far as to say 9 for this, complete with a money back caveat that if you have a sweet tooth then this should appeal to you as it's nearly but not quite toffee beer, and that really would be a thing.
It's really very clever, I'm smiling and in my happy place.
Old Ale is a simple enough style to figure out. At least, once you understand that there are three or four beer styles called Old Ale. The first is the best known - the strong dark Old Peculier style. The second type of Old Ale is a blended dark ale. At least one of the beers comprising the blend will be aged for a couple of years in wood casks. The third version of Old Ale is a form of mild – a low-gravity dark ale. Another version of Old Ale is closely related to the first. For me, these are robustly malty beers, akin to a top-fermented version of a doppelbock.
Brewed by Pink Elephant in the enigmatic style of: Old Ale and that's in a fantastic part of the country - Blenheim, Malborough, New Zealand.
[caption id="attachment_6666" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Yes! it's a selfie[/caption]Mothers Bruin is a Strong Ale. This secret ingredient is honey. It features a butter/toffee aroma, creamy mouth feel, with toffee and caramel (and some fruity notes
Bear a thought for the effort that went into bruin this silky sweet honey bear. Four million B's can't bee wrong.
This Ale’s secret ingredient is the honey which is produced from the honey dew collected from the bush clad Canterbury hills.
500ml bottle of beer, with an ABV of 8%, which makes this 3.16 standard drink units. and around 250 calories a serve.Lots of yeast aroma on opening, Pours a chestnut brown traditional beer colour, with a smallish but firm and persistent head.
Aroma settles to something akin to a honey thing.
Goodness gosh! That's a complex beer.
Firstly its very rich, and that'd be the honey, although it's not a honey taste, or is it. Nice and rounded smooth sweetness.
The bitterness isn't intense, and the carbonation is soft.
The lead in aroma is inviting.
I'm a bit impressed with this from Pink Elephant. I'm not sure I've been their biggest fan in the past. Which is a poor assumption based on one poor experience in the past. So I'll get to that and make some more effort. Consider myself told.
So I had a low expectation and now I have a high regard. But let's not get carried away. This is a sweet drinking beer. It has a foolish mouthfeel and a lovely carry but it is a sweet beer.
I'm tempted to leave it to warm to see what happens.
Which turns it into an experience akin to toffee or treacle, but still way up in the sweet zone of taste.
The pdubyah-o-meter is easily swayed by the easily drinkability and seductive sweetness that appeals. There is no indication at all that you're getting a bit squiffy by quaffing this, there is no alcohol apparent. A lovely long drink with some bitterness at the edge, the soft middle and a lovely finish. By far the best honey beer I've had, and I've had so few to make that a bit of a nonsense statement. I would though go as far as to say 9 for this, complete with a money back caveat that if you have a sweet tooth then this should appeal to you as it's nearly but not quite toffee beer, and that really would be a thing.
It's really very clever, I'm smiling and in my happy place.
OLD ALE
Old Ale is a simple enough style to figure out. At least, once you understand that there are three or four beer styles called Old Ale. The first is the best known - the strong dark Old Peculier style. The second type of Old Ale is a blended dark ale. At least one of the beers comprising the blend will be aged for a couple of years in wood casks. The third version of Old Ale is a form of mild – a low-gravity dark ale. Another version of Old Ale is closely related to the first. For me, these are robustly malty beers, akin to a top-fermented version of a doppelbock.
Beer - #303 - Gösser - Gösser Beer (Export)
A Can. A gift. Gösser Beer (Export). It's been sulking at the back of the fridge for ages.
Brewed by Gösser (Brau Union) in the style of a Pale Lager and I'm being all continental because they're in Leoben, Austria
A 500ml can, 5.2% ABV which is about 2.02 standard drinks, and this is 156 calories a serve.
[caption id="attachment_6654" align="alignright" width="300"]
This can has lived in the fridge an bears many battle scars from being shuffled around at the back.[/caption]
This bottom fermented, light beer tickles the palates of beer-lovers around the world. Its aroma is mildly malty and its refreshingly sharp tang derives from balanced hopping
Is how they put it.
Even paler pour than the Zipfer beer, similar head but not as persistent. Aroma is again that earthy light thing.
Head dissipates quickly though, leaving a pale beer that looks under-carbonated.
Oddly ever less taste than other beers that I've had.
Mikey clearly had some intentions when he passed this on to me to try, and dare to write about. Cheers Mike.
Couple of things that might make this better. Splash of Lime, or a splash of lemonade making it a shandy.
Really this doesn't appear to have any redeeming features at all, which is possibly its redemption. They're not a local beer to NZ, so there must be some context.
If you're hunkering down at home for sports-a-thon or at a party where you have to take something, usually so you can drink beer that someone else brought with them, and you want something inoffensive, and that everyone would be happy to drink then this is possibly a good choice.
For someone that enjoys a beer with a flavour then this isn't it. It might be a beer that has a place, and I can imagine a number of places where this would be beer that is served to the masses (I mentioned sports, perhaps also concerts).
For quaffing this is below average, for although there isn't a leading taste or a theme there is a taste that sits in the background thats just a little harsh and annoying, making you stop to think about the taste on the back of the palate. It's pretty persistent too.
So for that the pdubyah-o-meter says 5. A polite beer to keep in the fridge perhaps, or a four or six pack to take and leave some at a party. I wouldn't do that, but if I had to I would take and drink a couple, I might not be the happiest of people at the party but at least it's going to give you a buzz.
Brewed by Gösser (Brau Union) in the style of a Pale Lager and I'm being all continental because they're in Leoben, Austria
A 500ml can, 5.2% ABV which is about 2.02 standard drinks, and this is 156 calories a serve.
[caption id="attachment_6654" align="alignright" width="300"]
This can has lived in the fridge an bears many battle scars from being shuffled around at the back.[/caption]This bottom fermented, light beer tickles the palates of beer-lovers around the world. Its aroma is mildly malty and its refreshingly sharp tang derives from balanced hopping
Is how they put it.
Even paler pour than the Zipfer beer, similar head but not as persistent. Aroma is again that earthy light thing.
Head dissipates quickly though, leaving a pale beer that looks under-carbonated.Oddly ever less taste than other beers that I've had.
Mikey clearly had some intentions when he passed this on to me to try, and dare to write about. Cheers Mike.
Couple of things that might make this better. Splash of Lime, or a splash of lemonade making it a shandy.
Really this doesn't appear to have any redeeming features at all, which is possibly its redemption. They're not a local beer to NZ, so there must be some context.
If you're hunkering down at home for sports-a-thon or at a party where you have to take something, usually so you can drink beer that someone else brought with them, and you want something inoffensive, and that everyone would be happy to drink then this is possibly a good choice.
For someone that enjoys a beer with a flavour then this isn't it. It might be a beer that has a place, and I can imagine a number of places where this would be beer that is served to the masses (I mentioned sports, perhaps also concerts).
For quaffing this is below average, for although there isn't a leading taste or a theme there is a taste that sits in the background thats just a little harsh and annoying, making you stop to think about the taste on the back of the palate. It's pretty persistent too.
So for that the pdubyah-o-meter says 5. A polite beer to keep in the fridge perhaps, or a four or six pack to take and leave some at a party. I wouldn't do that, but if I had to I would take and drink a couple, I might not be the happiest of people at the party but at least it's going to give you a buzz.
Related articles
Beer - #302 - Zipfer - Pils
Zipfer - "Ein Glas heller Freude ("A glass of delightful joy", play on words - "helle Freude" means "delightful joy", but "Helles" is also a type of beer)
Brewed by Zipfer (Brau Union) in the style of a Pilsener and of course they're in Zipf, Austria
500ml bottle of a 5.2% ABV beer, and this is 156 calories, making it all about 2.05 standard dink units.
This was a gift from my very good friend Mike, and I've just got around to drinking it. It is a sunny Sunday and it seemed a good idea. Rugby League is playing on the goggle box and there is cricket on too, although the latter isn't going so well for New Zealand.
Zipfer Original - A glass of bright enjoyment
A beer of the highest quality with a refreshing, finely hopped flavour. The foundation of the Zipfer brewing recipe is formed by carefully selected hops from the finest garden regions, in combination with outstanding malt. The experienced touch of the master brewer and a slow maturation process then gently turn this beer into the slimline, lightly hopped Zipfer Original
I don't have a lot of hope for this, Mike handed it to me with a smirk on his face, and I accepted in the same good grace. But I can't avoid drinking it any longer. So Cheers Mike!
Light earthy aroma on opening, pours a really golden pale colour with a decent and persistent head, looks lively in the glass. Aroma is mostly the dull hops.
mm. This is pretty tasteless to be honest. You'd probably expect some more bite from a beer, a tang, something, anything. This is almost flavoured water.
Not a totally unpleasant drink, this has a pleasant soft and foolish mouthfeel to it, and it is easy drinking, the latter mostly because it's cold and outside the sun is making it warm.
I've managed to quaff this in quick smart time, which is a good and a bad thing.
I laughed out loud, MrsPdubyah asked why, I had to explain that I have many beers that are so much worse than this. This is passable, drinkable and not un-enjoyable. It's not something I'd like a lot of though. The random pdubyah-o-meter says 6 for this. Really it's pretty in-offensive, but you'd be hard pressed to explain what it is about it you actually liked.
While the definition of "pilsner" is open to much debate in the beer community, it generally refers to pale, hoppy lagers, ranging from 28IBUs and up.
Brewed by Zipfer (Brau Union) in the style of a Pilsener and of course they're in Zipf, Austria
500ml bottle of a 5.2% ABV beer, and this is 156 calories, making it all about 2.05 standard dink units.
This was a gift from my very good friend Mike, and I've just got around to drinking it. It is a sunny Sunday and it seemed a good idea. Rugby League is playing on the goggle box and there is cricket on too, although the latter isn't going so well for New Zealand.
Zipfer Original - A glass of bright enjoymentA beer of the highest quality with a refreshing, finely hopped flavour. The foundation of the Zipfer brewing recipe is formed by carefully selected hops from the finest garden regions, in combination with outstanding malt. The experienced touch of the master brewer and a slow maturation process then gently turn this beer into the slimline, lightly hopped Zipfer Original
I don't have a lot of hope for this, Mike handed it to me with a smirk on his face, and I accepted in the same good grace. But I can't avoid drinking it any longer. So Cheers Mike!Light earthy aroma on opening, pours a really golden pale colour with a decent and persistent head, looks lively in the glass. Aroma is mostly the dull hops.
mm. This is pretty tasteless to be honest. You'd probably expect some more bite from a beer, a tang, something, anything. This is almost flavoured water.
Not a totally unpleasant drink, this has a pleasant soft and foolish mouthfeel to it, and it is easy drinking, the latter mostly because it's cold and outside the sun is making it warm.
I've managed to quaff this in quick smart time, which is a good and a bad thing.
I laughed out loud, MrsPdubyah asked why, I had to explain that I have many beers that are so much worse than this. This is passable, drinkable and not un-enjoyable. It's not something I'd like a lot of though. The random pdubyah-o-meter says 6 for this. Really it's pretty in-offensive, but you'd be hard pressed to explain what it is about it you actually liked.
PILSENER
While the definition of "pilsner" is open to much debate in the beer community, it generally refers to pale, hoppy lagers, ranging from 28IBUs and up.
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