Beer - #450 - Garage Project - Venusian Pale Ale

I like the play on words and amuse value that some brewers put into their products. Garage Project Venusian Pale Ale fits that. After a slight dip into the more mainstream commercial beers hopefully this is a bounce back.

This is brewed by the prolific Wellington (NZ) based  Garage Project, in the style that comes under the label of Spice/Herb/Vegetable or might be as an outsider  Imperial/Double IPA.

HAs brilliant art work on the label that my poor attempt at pictures for not do justice, well they might if I got a proper camera out- anyhow check out this link  Dr.Grordbort - it's on the label art....

I have then to entertain me, besides the label, a 650 ml bottle of beer that is 7.3% ABV, so 219 calories a serve, and 3.74 standard drinks in NZ,

Venusian Pale Ale, a precocious little number using some of the more unusual local flora and fauna you find hanging around here in the less civilized parts of the solar system.

Lemon grass, kaffir lime leaf and grapefruit peel that we pinched from rations, meld seamlessly with Venusian Spear Fungus and that funny green stuff the local chappies seem to like licking off the rocks.

Zesty is the word that springs to mind and at 7.5% abv it’s bloody good for morale. Incidentally, it works just like napalm on the natives, which is handy.

Entertaining start to an evening.



Thats a really nice hop aroma on opening,  as it did with a fizz, sweet too, sugary even.

Surprisingly, for me, a very pale pour, I was expecting darker, but this is nice light chestnut brown, with a decent fluffy persistent head to go with it.  Sweet malt and hop aroma blooms in the glass.

Surprisingly, for me, quite bitter, which caught me out, but this is layered with fantastic florals and sweetness that frankly brought a smile to my dial.

This is really quite the quaffable beer, and as it warms a bit I detect a slight spice note, or in my head I did, or didn't but I did really and I'm sticking to that.

Garage Project have come up a bit trumps with this one then, for me. I was taken from the art work, the surprising colour, the fantastic aroma, and that first shock of real bitterness that wasn't puckeringly bitter but was a really nice surprise, then the lovely sweetness, than the unfolding of the spice and different florals in it.

 

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 a of its things from the thing, because arbitrary right.  Having talked it up like a boss it then settles in the "Very Good" because this really is very good.  Not sure why the ABV is 7.5 and not dialled back to a more sessionable level, which might have made this a bigger score.  Not that I pick beers on session or base the score on ABV, but if this has been a beer that you could sit and enjoy a few of then it would make a difference, as it is it makes it a bit in the grey area of strong beers that you need to think about drinking, lest you start singing along to Robbie Williams songs  (the good ones of course)

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? Gosh yes, it's space-tastic


2. Would I have another? I do have another c/- #1 son who brought me one, good lad.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Yes, but with caution as it's not really a drink and chat beer, it's more a drink to forget your tongue beer.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="126" class="zemanta-img"] Cover of OMC[/caption]

Listening to music from OMC - or the Otara Millionaires Club, You'd probably know the track "How Bizarre" this track though is  "Land of Plenty"

I watched a fascinating and enjoyable documentary the other day, and this guy had some rare talent, died early and sadly will be remembered for one song. Still better to be remembered for one than none.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbrbzwLiIfU

Otara, is regarded as a lower socio-economic, i.e. poorer, area of Auckland, and of course this makes the OMC tag more amusing, particularly to locals, who of course all know the lyrics and will sing along quite happy - as well as to this O to the M to the C -- Millionares Club ---  which I say in my white boy voice....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqw-rPRrFtU

Find them on Spotify, for instance at this URL

SPICE/HERB/VEGETABLE

Any ale or lager made with herbs, spices or vegetables. The additive should be distinctive in the aroma. See beer description for flavor. Body, color, hop character and strength vary depending on the type of spice, herb or vegetable used.

IMPERIAL/DOUBLE IPA

Imperial IPA, Double IPA or DIPA is a strong, often sweet, intensely hoppy version of the traditional India Pale Ale. Bitterness units range upward of 100 IBUs and alcohol begins at 7.5% but is more commonly in the 8.5-10% range. The flavour profile is intense all-round. Unlike barley wines, the balance is heavily towards the hops, with crystal and other malts providing support.