Saturday, March 7, 2015

Beer - #555 - Altitude - Mischievous Kea

Altitude, Attitude, Aptitude and a good old party.

Hoppy yet balanced all NZ IPA.We give away a portion of profits from this beer to the kea conservation trust.


This is a 500ml bottle, and it has beer of  5.5% ABV and 58 IBU things, so 2.17 standard drinks, and around 220 calories in the bottle.

Brewed by Altitude Brewing Studio this on is in the style that is India Pale Ale (IPA) and they are in the very picturesque Queenstown, New Zealand

[caption id="attachment_10559" align="alignleft" width="300"]Mischievous you say? Mischievous you say?[/caption]

Much like the parrot that this brew is named after, the mischievous kea is a uniquely Kiwi brew with a cheeky attitude that separates it from all others.

Brewed using all Kiwi ingredients, it is packed with a carefully chosen blend of Malborough hops, that gives us the vibrant and fragrant IPA style with a tropical sweet citrus twist.

The malts are all sourced from the Canterbury plains and are purposely selected and mashed to balance the vibrant hop profile, with a toasty malty sweetness that gives the brew a rich full body.

So what could go wrong?

Not as strong an aroma as I'd expected, but a nice 'hiss'. Aroma is vaguely floral.

This is al of the 56 IBU things and tarty and sharply bitter. Despite that though there is a resounding and strong maltiness about this that fills it's boots nicely.

Mischievous KeaThat though just adds a twist and makes this sharply bitter beer with a strong over-malted back, and leaves it with an oily bothersome coated tongue linger. No pleasing some people.

So I find myself not overly keen on this, which for an IPA surprises me, Not enjoying the aggressive front bitter hops, and the malt is perhaps a tad much.

It does look fantastic in the glass though, rich brown orange with a brilliant white head that is persistent and enjoyable. Looks a picture in the glass.



The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 7.5  random things of its things from the thing.  If I had enjoyed it more I'd mark it higher, but it's as I drink it. I'm not sure I'm too far off the mark with the descriptions and experience, although this profile does appeal to some. Plus and let's not forget that this is a solid effort of the style, and would find a wider audience, and appreciation. I'm talking myself into liking it more as I drink it and would love to find it on tap in a pub somewhere, I should travel more perhaps I would.

The double dip review

  1. Am I enjoying it? I'm not enthusiastic.

  2. Would I have another? I would because it has most of the right things in the right place.

  3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I might, because it has a cracking back-story and it is different as IPA's go in a field where there are a bazillion IPA beers.  Plus it looks great.


So I'm listening to a group called " Mountain Goats" and a rather splendid song "Best Ever Death Metal Band In Denton"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fKcROeuvCI

It is not death metal, all produced or any of those things, but it's just a really good set of lyrics that paint a picture and engage your thinking in a really good way. Go on treat yourself for 3 minutes.




INDIA PALE ALE & IPA


India Pale Ale gets its name and unique style from British brewers who were making beer for export to India. This style has an intense hop flavor which was used to preserve the beer for the long voyage. India Pale Ale has a golden to copper color with a medium maltiness and body. The aroma is moderate to very strong. IPAs work especially well at cutting the heat of chili, vindaloo or Sichuan cuisine.

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