Beer - #608 - 8 Wired - HopWired IPA - a redux

Back to the future, with a beer that made me smile first time around, and since. This is the standard version of  Hopwired. From the keg.

Who has ever smelled a gooseberry??

A  1000ml  growler of about 5.76 standard drinks as it's 7.3% ABV. At 70 IBU it is at the higher end of IPA bitterness. 219 calories a serve size in this. 

8 Wired HopWired IPA. Brewed by  8 Wired Brewing , although brewed at Renaissance Brewing in the style that is: India Pale Ale (IPA) and that's all the thing in Blenheim, New Zealand.

We believe HopWired is the first bottled version of a true new world India Pale Ale made with NZ grown base malt and 100% truly unique NZ hops.

[caption id="attachment_11190" align="alignright" width="300"] Bearded man with a beer[/caption]

We bet you’ll find nothing else like it on the shelves. Although the malty sweetness is there, this beer is all about the hops. Unlike an American I.P.A. which will mainly hit you with a grapefruity-citrus flavour and aroma, the unique NZ hops used in HopWired are more like a tropical punchbowl: Passion fruit, lime, oranges and Sauvignon Blanc to name but a few.

A local Marlborough winemaker said it smelled like gooseberries... Gooseberries? Who has ever smelled a gooseberry??

Decide for yourself or just enjoy it without further complications. Cheers!

So what could go wrong?

Aroma is nothing outstanding, dry grass, dusty, perhaps some tangerine orange?

Pour is lovely it's a hazy orange brown, with a lovely decent firm and white head of some substance.  Aroma in the glass is still muddled.

Mouth explodes with a lovely toffee sugar richness, a lovely subtle bitterness, more caramel and a tang of a finish. Blink

Second sip has less of the sugar and more of the resin bitterness, then that big big caramel bash. It's very interesting.

Focus. Aroma has begun to bloom, but the aroma and the full bitter mouth explosion aren't matched. As it's warmed just a little the grassy hop note is stronger, and I've lost that caramel thing, I miss the caramel thing, I'm going to keep sipping looking for it.

This is a lovely drinking beer, it has bits and pieces that are there if you look for them, and overall it tastes like its well balanced and behaved, draws you in and embraces you.  I really do like that caramel sweetness that is ever present and really does counter the bitterness. Really.

I don't/can't have grapefruit and it's been so long since I had some, and I'm old, so any reference to citrus of course might mean grapefruit, today I chose tangerine as my go-to citrus. It's a thing.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 of its things from the thing. I might not be as much in love with this as I was the first time we dated I drank it. It is many layered and changes as it sits/warms, sometimes really bitter, other times a warm sugar punch, but it is a rewarding and easy drinking beer of some loveliness. The 7.3% ABV thing isn't really apparent and you might get carried away and have more than you thought, enjoying it all, but end up tomorrow a little hazy on it.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? I am fully engaged with this great beer.
Would I have another? I am, and would and will, all versions and variants have been interesting and enjoyable.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I really would, this is more sipping beer though and not something to be quaffed away, but given the sweetness in it it's hard to remind yourself that you've got a long night of telling stories ahead, and the more of this the better the stories.

Music for this. well The Darkness are an English rock band from Lowestoft, Suffolk, England. More Glam Rock really. This is 'Barbarian' from the new album 'Last of Our Kind' which is here on the spotify

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR35pRz7JQ8

Sort of demands to be played loud.

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.

Beer - #607 - Hallertau Liberty - BDSM

Or more correctly Hallertau & Liberty Hopstock 2015 Collaboration - BDSM Fresh Hop Imperial Schwarzbier. So tonight it special beer, special music, special numbers and that special party.

Fresh hopped. Bier das Schwarz Massive.

It's a keg only beer so I have 1 litre bottle of an 8% ABV Beer, so this would be 6.31 standard drink units, this would be around 240 calories a serve size.

Brewed by Hallertau Brewbar & Restaurant in the style that is Schwarzbier or Black Lager, and they're in Auckland.

Hallertau Brewing announce BDSM, a Motueka fresh hopped Imperial Schwarzbier brewed in collaboration with our friends at Liberty Brewing Co. 

[caption id="attachment_11157" align="alignleft" width="300"] A session of BDSM coming up, what's not to like[/caption]

A dark German style lager that balances roasted yet smooth malt flavors with moderate hop bitterness.

Bier das Schwarz Massive was made using 80kg of wet Motueka cones in the hopback. 

Tastes similar to an American style Cascadian  black ale, but it's malts are more European. The wet hops impart a citrus aroma, giving the chocolate a distinctively JAFFA twist. 

So what could possibly go wrong? A beer that I belive won the people choice as the best of Hopstock this year, and on my radar but I thought out of reach. Until today.

I pop the top and I get a rich chocolate aroma mostly, it's enough to make a man smile.

Of course coal black pour, that's not difficult to pick, very lively, and the cup runneth over, all over. I knew this was going to happen and yet so unable to stop it.

Aroma in the glass is still the same dark cocoa chocolate, and the first sip is just something delicious.

Delightful amount of bitterness, lovely amount of the chocolate dark roasted thing, and a great mouthfeel that ends in a sharp and tangy finish.  If anything this is over carbonated, too much bubble fizz action going on on the tongue. Could explain the finish.

Oh and great lacing in the glass as you drink, I like that, just for aesthetics of course.

This is another beer at the slightly her end of ABV-ness and so I might need a safe word, this would be easy to get carried away with.

It is pretty much everything that everyone said, both sides the good and the bad, I lean to the this is a good beer end of the scale, to be honest there wasn't much at the other end, a lack of dissent.

A deserving winner though? Perhaps, but it isn't a common style, and looking back on other dark lagers I've had I tended to enjoy them. I guess this is a different beer that is don't well. I've noticed that as it warms the hop character becomes more apparent, which is really nice. I wonder if I might have voted differently, I picked the Deep Creek/Behemoth Yin, and IPA, as my beer of choice, I guess when you don't take in all the choices you go with what you know.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 of its things from the thing. this is really something nice. I'm burping away in-between singing along to music that seems to be getting louder with each week of the dial. I'm loving the hop 'roughness' that's arrived, as it does just before the roasted burnt notes kick in, and well before the tangy finish. Clever stuff, the safe word appears to 'another please'.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? Gosh yes, it was everything I thought it was going to be and a bit more. For once the expectation and experience gap was non-existent.
Would I have another? 'another please' is my safe-word ford this :-)
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I would and you would beg me for another, or not. I think that this is a beer that would sit well mid-evening if you were serious about it being a talkative evening, because after a few you might stumble into mumbling about love and other things undefined.

Music for this, well it was vinyl night in and there was a selection of things going on, Pink Floyd, Elbow, Jack White, Mike Oldfield, David Bowie, The Police, Dire Straits... it was quite a party, for one.

[gallery type="rectangular" ids="11149,11150,11151,11152,11153,11154,11159,11169"]

In amongst all the lovely was 'Elbow', and the song 'Some Riot'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_kk9WZ2zLw

A friend of mine grows his very own brambles
They twist all around him till he can't move
Beautiful, quivering, chivalrous shambles
What is my friend trying to prove?

SCHWARZBIER

Dark brown to black. Medium body. Roasted malt evident. Low sweetness in aroma and flavor. Low to medium bitterness. Low bitterness from roast malt. Hop flavor and aroma, "noble-type" OK. No fruitiness, esters.

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Beer - #606 - Rocky Knob - Snapperhead

More IPA beer, seems to be the beer of the moment, Rocky Knob, a brewer new to me, and their dIPA - SnapperHead.  So I have New brewers, new bands, new numbers and new guy at a party.

Finishes tropical yet bitter on the palate.

Keg version of this, so 1 litres of a beer that is 7.4% ABV,  that would be 222 calories a serve size, 70 IBU things, and this would be 5.84 standard drink units in NZ.

Brewed by Rocky Knob Brewing in the style that is  Imperial IPA and they are in Mt Maunganui, New Zealand

[caption id="attachment_11140" align="alignleft" width="300"] New brewer, new beer, same old me[/caption]

A blend of Citra and Nelson Sauvin hops mean that this big boy weighs in with a fresh tropical punch on the nose and backs it up with a rich, passion fruit tang.

Finishes tropical yet bitter on the palate.

So what could possibly go wrong?

Well 'big boy' and 70 IBU don't go together, 70 is lowish for a double which normally chyme in at around 80. Anyhoo...

Passion fruit is the big first aroma out of the bottle that hold back what seems to be a well carbonated beer. It's quite sweet at hop beer aromas go.

Lovely pour of the light golden brown beer that forms a lovely persistent head, the passion fruit aroma is there, along with something like grapefruits.

Surprised much! that is a cracking first sip. Lots of up front favours mask the bitterness then a warmth and then the slightly to dry finish.  Definitely a full flavour beer. All of it not just the first or the last this has a lovely profile.

The bitterness is nice, it catches you as the aroma as you are about to drink distracts you with the fruitiness, which transfers to the tongue. Joy abounds.

MrsPdubyah just passed a remark that this beer has a lot of aroma, she's in a different room! I'd call that a result. Of sorts, she won't of course try the beer, it tastes yuk.

It's not all fantastic news though, despite the crushingly good first impression this does, on reflection, and more quaffing, has a lack of real body punch. But I have 2/3rds of the bottle left I've been quietly supping, and I'm really looking forward to drinking it, as the dryness grows at the finish and the citrus mellows at the front and the bitterness just bites you.

I gave myself a pat on the back for buying this, it is after all another IPA, and that is a difficult field.

This is a beer that comes in two delivery styles as far as I can tell, keg/tap or pre-filled 1 litre growlers. I squish tested the bottles in the shop and they were soft, where I would have thought they should have been firm/hard to the squeeze, carbonation and all that, but I'm not prepared to spends coins to test that out though, I'm probably wrong, possibly, but from my days of home-brew an plastic bottles I don't think I am.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 of its things from the thing. I'm having a lovely time drinking this, it is very engaging and entertaining, lots to chew on and ponder about, and to pick where it could be calmer or more aggressive or better.  It's lovely drinking beer, even if the dryness creeps up on the palate and numbs it somewhat, sometimes that is what the doctor calls for.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? Oath! yes I am.
Would I have another? I would so consider a refill tomorrow this has been lovely.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I sure would, you could be lost in this for an evening, of easy going drinking, because it's slightly at the end where too many would make you a bit wobbly.

Music for this 'The Replacements' who are an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota , in 1979, and are considered pioneers of alternative rock. From 'Don't tell a soul' this is "I'll be you' you can find them on the Spotify and all the other places if you look

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6cud1gp4RE

Whilst you're listening you might want to pop over to see what Simon Says about beer and the Athlone Beer club he suggested the music that I'm currently listening to. I'd be honest and say they have some highlights and a some not so good stuff, but hey it's a lot of music and songs over a lot of time, and not every album, if any, is a perfect work of goodness. Glad I listened though, if you don't challenge yourself you can't expect to be informed.

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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Beer - #605 - Panhead - Vandal (Fresh Hopped) keg

2015 and it's that time again, Fresh Hopped beers abound, and this is an old favourite in a current version. so Hop grassy beer, SuperGrass, Super numbers and all-in on party time.

Not only did the Americans invent hot-rodding, they invented hop-rodding too.

This is a 1 litre FYO bottle of an 8.0% ABV beer, and 90 IBU things which is  6.3 drink units in NZ,  This about  240 calories a serve size.

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

In the late 1960's a Tauranga teenager called John Reid threw a kiwi hat in to that ring with the the famed "Vandal", a dazzling green flake 1919 Dodge Bucket.

[caption id="attachment_11129" align="alignleft" width="300"] Fresh, unlike me at the end of the day[/caption]

In his spirit we are rising to the other challenge with a beer named in his honour - a big, bitter APA stuffed with the tropical hit of Nelson Sauvin, Kohatu and Riwaka Hops.

Like any good hotrod, it's built to attract as much attention as possible.

So what could possibly go wrong?

Absolutely immense aroma of wet cut grass, sugars and a hint of a citrus.

Pour is pale, but you could tell, and a giant head forms, mostly on purpose because, hey, I can. Aroma in the glass is lovely.

Initial taste then. I thought this was slightly sour other than bitter, and there is lovely malt sugar thing there that offsets a little that thought, and I don't think this is particularly bitter bitter.

It is very green to drink, raw and insistent hop on the front end, and a finish that is slightly to the dry, the middle is fleeting but carries well.

Grapefruit. That's the one, it's quite tart and insistent.

For a beer that I thought I wasn't enjoying I appear to have sipped my way thought quite a bit of it. But I'm not totally engaged with it, for me this really is too 'green', just a bit raw and unfinished. It is nice to drink, but it isn't as polite or rounded or complete as other big IPA beers that I have had and enjoyed, I don't think it's as good as the time when I gave this a 10 that time I drank it. Seems such a long time ago.

This stands well in the great IPA category, and has, I think enough difference about to be near the front.  I could if pushed name 4 or 5 more rounded and even IPA beers, but this is as it says it is a vandal of immensnessness.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 of its things from the thing.  I don't seem to be enjoying this as a beer as much as I wanted to, and I think that appears to be the case in that the first time was the best and each other time has just fallen short of that strange memory thing where you think you literally had an epiphany.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? I am, and I think I've been clouded by the first experience that you can never have again. Unlike when your wife walks into the room and that's just awesome every time.


2. Would I have another? I would, this is and remains a go-to beer.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I'd hesitate with this version but I'd take it anyway just because it is what it says it is, and I'm all-in on that.

Music. Well it was time to get the old 'in the day' thing going, and so it is time for 'Supergrass', the album  'In it for the money' - listen here on Spotify

Supergrass were an English alternative rock band from Oxford.England.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9xwduPKgnc

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.

Beer - #604 - Harbin - Harbin

To China, and a beer of many labels, this one a 2014 FIFA version. I'm sure it's still fresh though, right?

Two-row malt, European and Chinese “Qindao Dahua” hops, rice, and German yeast

This is a 500ml bottle of a beer that is 3.6% ABV, making this 1.42 standard drink units,  and that would be 144 ish calories a serve size

Brewed by Harbin Beer Company (AB InBev) in the style: Pale Lager and they are in Harbin, China

Harbin Beer, the earliest Chinese beer, brewed in 1900 in the origin of the beer industry in China.

[caption id="attachment_11113" align="alignright" width="300"] I look happier than I probably will be[/caption]

With hundred years of infusion of China’s traditional culture Harbin Beer brings a pure good taste.

Inspired by the Tradition and Culture of China’s Most Northern Province of Hellongjiang.

and so then, what could possibly go wrong?

I picked this up at the local bottle shop, small place, caters to a different audience, or a more specific audience perhaps, and I couldn't resist, and possibly a place to visit again, my overall aim of course to drink beer anyone can buy not just the craft wizardry, but then also to be as honest as I can be,

Malt lager aroma, which is no surprise on opening.

Really is pale yellow on pouring and it has a small head, the carbonation indicate that it could have had more, if only I was better as the pouring thing.

It's quite harshly dry hop bitter is my first impression, and that it doesn't have a lot of substance. It's not sour or sweet it's kind of a bit nothing really. First impressions are not reliable, it wasn't dry, hoppy or bitter.

Had a promise of hops, didn't eventuate, aroma indicated a bit of malts, wasn't there, and this is disappointing in it's lack of pretty much anything.

That said, and being honest this possibly isn't for an international audience, or market, where I'm sure it's as successful as any domestic  lager beer you could name from Bud to Tuborg.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 4 (below average) of of its things from the thing. Apart from a sweetish taste there is nothing in the taste profile of this to write home about, it is a lower ABV beer, and these things happen. I'm not disappointed though, at least there were a few pin pricks of taste sensation to at least make the whole drinkable.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? I'm not hating it.
Would I have another? IF I had to drink another I don't think it would be a tragedy, I wouldn't pay cash money for another though.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Depends on if I liked them or not :-)

Music for this, Left-field, cosmopolitain pop/rock&soul band 'Zulu Pearls', I believe from Berlin, this album "Singles Deluxe"

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

PALE LAGER

The colour of pale lager ranges from light bronze to nearly transparent and the alcohol anywhere from 4-6%. Adjunct usage may be quite high, though in some cases the beer is all-malt. Carbonation is typically forced, though not always. One thing that doesnt vary is that neither the malt nor the hops make much of an impression on the palate. These beers are brewed for minimum character, though faint traces of hop or malt may show through. More likely though is that adjuncts like corn will show through, or you’ll find notes of higher alcohols (fuel notes) due to the use of high-gravity brewing. The body will be thin and watery, and the finish is typically non-existent.

Beer - #603 - ParrotDog - Rarebird Kakapo Wet-Hopped IPL

ParrotDog Rarebird Kakapo. A Fresh Hopped IP, a Wet-Hopped beer.

Also in a limited run of 126 bottles - the same as the total number of Kakapo in the wild!

From the FYO station, of course, 1 litre, and at 6.8% ABV it's not session beer, with 207 calories a serve size there goes the morning run calorie credit I built up, and this is 5.42 standard drink units in NZ.

Brewed by ParrotDog in the style that is best described as  Strong Pale Lager/Imperial Pils and they are in Wellington, New Zealand

RareBird: Kakapo (Wet-Hopped IPL) has left the building for its new habitat - this is to be the first of a new ParrotDog range; a

[caption id="attachment_11106" align="alignleft" width="300"] Rare Bird Beer. Get in![/caption]

series releasing one-off beers inspired by the quirky birds of Aotearoa.

This series is about creativity in brewing and celebrating the strange characters in our endemic birdlife - we'll be working with local artists and conservationists to share their interesting tales of existence.

What could possibly go wrong with that?

Looks great in the bottle,  green hop aroma on flipping the lid, but it is quite low.  Seemed a lot lighter when I was pouring it, but it isn't.

The aroma is a lot stronger out of the bottle, it's now quite an oily grassy thing, which is hard to pinpoint a particular comparison to.

Than I had a sipped and then the world changed. The full explosion of favour and drama, a full on riot of taste. I kid you not.

There is bitterness, but it seems shrouded in a cloak of sweetness that gives this a really full mouthfeel. There's also that oily-ness to it, which is odd but not weird and odd, just odd.

It's very hoppy, the aroma bold on the nose before the taste on the tongue mimics it.

As an aside this has lovely lacing in the glass.

It has warmed slightly as I've been contemplating and somewhat more floral notes on the palate profile are more obvious.

Unlike any other lager type beer I've ever had, which is a bit of a bold statement, considering the number of lager beers I've apparently drunk.  This has that hop edginess, but it has a lovely overcoat of sweetness that gives it a real fullness in the mouth.

The hop harshness, familiar to lager styles, is either there and masked by all the other things,  or missing. It's there, and I'm really enjoying drinking this, it's a bit very good.

As a beer to drink this really is quite 'big' it's a full attention and immersion thing, every sip an experience and reminder, it isn't a shrinking violet, and whilst I probably would like to ti sit in the local and have a few I think it would beat me into a submission and I'd surrender to something less loud and shouty. Locally this might make me a 'wuss'.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 a of its things from the thing. It's all action from the first sip, and does not let up. It doesn't change much as it warms either, it's just all full on.  I both love it for what it is and I'm also foreign at it because I'd like to enjoy it without the full-impact taste explosion.

On balance I think I'd go buy more, a glutton for punishment, and an appreciator of a thing of beauty. It isn't for everyone, but I like the hop thing, and the bitterness, and I like the sweetness, I'd prefer them to be a bit more in synch but this as is, is just a bit special.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? Where has this been all my life....
Would I have another? I would  it is very very good.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I really would, this is a revelation, one of those pivotal beers.

Music for this, 'Little Hurricane' is a Rock/Dirty blues band based out of San Diego. They have an album called 'Stay Classy' it's a covers album. This is z bit of a Bill Withers number. Go have a listen at Bandcamp or download it, it's free!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOEgx8vFYdQ

Strong Pale Lager/Imperial Pils

Most commonly found in Poland, but also in other European countries as well, especially the East. These are essentially stronger versions of pilsners, though the increased malt and alcohol will noticeably reduce the hop accent. Because these are usually all-malt, and comfortably hopped, they are easily distinguishable from malt liquors. Without the malt character of bocks, these are worthy of a style all their own. In the US, a similar idea has been derived and is usually called Imperial Pilsner.

Beer - #602 - Tuatara - London Porter

It begins. Winter. Porters. This one the London Porter from the nice people at Tuatara, and by local FYO station.

A SHOT IN THE DARK

Our Porter has plenty of chocolate and roast malts to provide lots of body and a healthy shade of dark. Best served how the Poms like it; flat and a few degrees warmer

Which is a bit offensive, Poms (English people) do not drink 'warm' beer, they typically drink 'Bitters' that are brewed and served at cellar temperatures, which is colder than normal room temperature and not fridge chilled. Also Top fermented, unlike bottom fermented lagers. Trust me on this.

This is a handy 5%, ABV  and so only 150 calories a serve size, and 33 IBU things, right in the middle of the 20-40 bracket,

Brewed by Tuatara Brewing Company in that style that is a  Porter and they are in Paraparaumu, New Zealand

Making a good dark Porter isn’t just about malt.

[caption id="attachment_11095" align="alignleft" width="300"] Two Jumpers! I got cold out running today.[/caption]

Sure you’ve got your crystal, chocolate and roast malts to provide lots of body and a healthy shade of who-turned-the-lights-out, but balance demands something more than that; specifically, generous additions of hops.

What hops, when and how much? That’s a long conversation, but even when we manage to bail Carl up on the subject we can never pump it out of him.

Best to just enjoy it and stop worrying.

So, what could possibly go wrong? I've had this out and about on my travels and remember enjoying it. Lets see if it was venue excitement.

Big milk chocolate aroma on popping the flip lid, big aroma.

Lovely pour of a seemingly thick beer with a fantastic head of thick mocha white fluff that does fade and leave just a small head, but even that looks nice.

Despite the warning to have this 'warm' i'm drinking this a it from the fridge, room temperature might not be much warmer at the moment.

Aroma in the glass is smokey bitterness and pepper. The chocolate bloom seems to have faded for the moment.

The mouthfeel is a lot thinner, it's not a full bodied beer, lovely amount of bitterness, some tart fruit perhaps and a smatter of chocolateness. It's quite the drinkable drink.

It isn't though big drinking, it's not that complicated, nothing peaky or edgy to distract you or pause over, just a reasonably well put together Porter beer.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 7 a of its things from the thing. I really do think that this is a 'thin' drink, there isn;t a lot of body in this to carry the flavours that this clearly has, so no backbone to play off as it were, the carry. Which is disappointing. Or I don't understand Porters.

I really wanted more of a punch somewhere in this, or a bigger mouthfeel, and this just doesn't have it. So, enjoyment level quite high, disappointment level quite high too. But E beats D somehow.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? I am it's a very drinkable drink.
Would I have another? I have a couple more int he bottle, that'll do me, I don't think it gets refilled though.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I don't know that I could, it's just not party enough, there isn't a thing in to remark on, and it leaves you waning a bit more punch or oomph or something.

Music for this, the 'Palma Violets', listen here on Spotify for instance. A london band Palma Violets, This is  'Danger in the Club'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6il1Wdqwhs

Garage/Indie Rock. Seems a bit unpolished to me though, and I couldn't go the whole album, not in this mood not on this day. I though it was very raw punk rock in its delivery. reminded me of the day.

PORTER

Black or chocolate malt gives the porter its dark brown color. Porters are well hopped and heavily malted. This is a medium-bodied beer. Porters can be sweet. Hoppiness can range from bitter to mild. Porters are often confused with stouts.

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Beer - #601 - Yeastie Boys - His Majesty 2014

An annual beer, the Yeastie Boys His Majesty, of course 2014 year. So, Repeating beers, repeating numbers, repeating bands, and repeating yourself

A decadent dark strong ale

This year His Majesty is a Triple stout porter, in a the big 750ml bottle that has beer of 9%, which is 270 calories a serve size, and 5.3 standard drink units in total.

For Yeastie Boys this is brewed at Invercargill Brewery in the style that is Imperial/Strong Porter and they are in Wellington, New Zealand

[caption id="attachment_11078" align="alignleft" width="300"] I've been leaning forward in pictures, it has to stop[/caption]

This year’s His Majesty is a straight-edge homage to nevaRRaven and The Last Dictator –two very popular strong dark ales we’ve brewed in the past few years.

Without the judicious hopping of the former, or the Botrytised twist of the latter, it’s the beer that showcases the rich Weyermann malts we love so much.

Drink now or cellar for up to five years.

What could possibly go wrong? Well I'm no where near keeping this for 5 years. That would take real willpower. I overcame my willpower.

Dark rich chocolate pungent aroma on opening, which it did with a decent hiss.

And I can't pour a decent beer, this has a head like an milkshake. Aroma settles into a more sour cherry fruit thing, with a chocolate thing that lurks around as well. It's a very dark beer and the head is like foamed ice-cream sundae, it's almost too good to drink.

It's not too good to drink.

That has a lot of chocolate malt in it, and it's bitter and very dry, very dry.

The dark aromas engage your nose before your tongue, one of those forewarning beers, which is nice, but the aroma settles to a more sour note than a steeped or infused fruit one. The chocolate note gone altogether.

The taste though, even though this is barely warmed since opening is already settled into a more mellow and balanced profile with  the fruits presence at the front and a slight bitterness and the dryness abated. It's become very quaffable.

Which raises a red flag, as this is beer to get squiffy to at that ABV, of which there is not a lot of indication. The chocolate and sweetness in the front of this beer just draw you in so quickly.

That and of course I've been looking forward to this for a while now, I waited months for it to be available only to wait months to drink it,  it's not a treasure it has to be drunk of course.

I really do like how this calms down around the edges and just becomes a bit more rounded and whole as it warms. I might have mentioned that already.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 a of its things from the thing. I think is very good, but just doesn't get to great or marry me. It's a very nice beer, and yet again the Yeastie Boys have come up trumps.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? It's a beer to drink into and enjoy more as it becomes less.
Would I have another? I think I would, it's nice and worth seeking out.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? It's a very good Porter and I think that it would open an avenue about the merits of the style and what you could expect. Might take a couple of bottles.

Music for this, well Paloma Faith (born Paloma Faith Blomfield, 21 July 1981) is a British singer, songwriter and actress, known for her retro and eccentric style, Seems fitting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaKr9gWqwl4

Listen on the Spotify, or where you listen otherwise. Some of it is real pop and some is real retro 80's style dance floor dance music. Some of it is nice.

IMPERIAL/STRONG PORTER

Imperial or extra-strong porters fall in between the traditional porter, a Baltic porter, and an imperial stout. They range from around 7.5% upwards, with hefty dark malt character, but lack the overt roastiness of an imperial stout.

Beer - #600 - Renaissance - Enlightenment Series - Sencha Saison

Renaissance - Enlightenment Series - Sencha Saison. 600 Beers. My poor liver. So Strange beer, strange numbers, strange musics and strangers.

French style farmhouse ale brewed with Japanese Green Tea.

In a 500ml bottle, this is 6.5% ABV, 195 calories a serve, and 2.6 standard drink units in NZ

Sencha is brewed by Renaissance Brewing in the style of a Saison and they do that in  Blenheim, New Zealand

A light coloured Saison with hints of spice and a soft malt character.

[caption id="attachment_11070" align="alignleft" width="300"] A bewildered look[/caption]

The hop presence is low, the slightly sour dry finish allows the unique flavour of the tea to shine through.

The use of Japanese lemon, lime, and hibiscus tea give a subtle sweet and sour finish with notes of tea leaves. Thanks to the brewer Matt Dainty and Tea Total.

So what could possibly go wrong? I like tea, sometimes.

Lemony citrus tangerines sugars are when the aroma is.

Pour is honey yellow, aroma is still a Mélange of things fruit and sugars.

Oh larks! It like tea! it really is like tea It's wonderful and entertaining and refreshing. And cold like beer.

It has some of the yeasty things that a Saison should have in the mix, and is sweeter overall than most others of the type, I think.

Fantastically aromatic this gives you far warning of the things to come as you drink, it's quite the end-to-end experience, which I've really enjoyed and would do again.

Is is perfect? I don't think it is, for me a bit sweet, and not yeasty sugary bubblegum enough in the taste, but sensational otherwise.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 of its things from the thing.

The double dip review

• Am I enjoying it? It is quite the thing, and is thoroughly worth it.


• Would I have another? It would be hard to pass up another.


• Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights ? Of course this is the ideal summer evening experience to start a conversation, I think you'd move on to other things after a short stint but what a way to get going.

Musically speaking, Interpol, an American rock band from New York City, this is All the rage back home, you can listen to the album El Pintor here on Spotify and all the other places perhaps.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u6DvRyyKGU&w=560&h=315]

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.

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Beer - #599 - Tuatara - Conehead Air Hopped IPA (2015) (Keg version)

The Tuatara Conehead Air Hopped IPA (2015) from the keg . I know there is a keg version, stand by.  Older new beer, old new music, old number math and oldies only parties.

Enjoy vibrant notes of passionfruit, gooseberry and grapefruit that only the freshest Sauvin hops can provide

A Bottle that is 1000ml, with a 6% ABV beer, about 4.74 standard drinks in NZ, and @ 45IBU things, with 180 ish calories a serving. I think that covers it.

Brewed by Tuatara Brewing Company in the well known style of an American Pale Ale and the are in Paraparaumu, New Zealand

The hops are always greener on the other side, in this case the other side of Cook Strait.

[caption id="attachment_11066" align="alignright" width="300"] Man with a frown who needs haircut waves a beer[/caption]

There's only one way to get those cones to the North Island in prime condition and that's to scramble the jets.

OK, it's to scramble a single engine prop plane with the seats taken out, but be assured that the 800kg of green hops that went into Conehead 2015 were flown direct from Nelson to Paraparaumu in an actual plane, touching down right next door to the Tuatara Brewery.

One short hop for a brewer, one giant green-hopping for mankind.

I've had previous versions of this beer, that I wasn't a fan of, but hey, what could possibly go wrong?This is  the keg version at the FYO. 

"Air Hopped" of course reference to the tiny tiny aircraft they jammed all the hops into, as opposed to the more usual 'Dry hopped' There are pictures on twitter if you can find them.

As you can already see it's chestnut brown in the bottle, from where a burst of hop grassiness bursts on flipping the lid.

Pour is lovely with a nice little white fluffy head . The taste is quite big, a real burst of sticky resinous grassiness bitters with a lovely mouthfeel and still persistent with a grass bite at the back.

This drinks differently to the bottle version, in my opinion, which could be for any number of reasons. The taste not my opinions.

But this seem 'bigger' up front and less bitter in the middle than the bottle, to my recollection.

Lot bigger in the overall sticky resinous hoppiness overall, but less dryness in the finish, it's a funny thing. Now I know this is how it is because I was out in town the other night and had some in an actual pub, for real, it's not all sit at home Noddy-no-mates here I can tell you.

It is a big beer, and with this level of hops not a session beer, without food intervention, it's a really good beer to work towards or away from, lucky I'm at home and can have a couple. Even though this is moderate in the ABV level I don't know that I really could drink a lot of it in one go. be happy to give it a crack if anyone wants to give it a go with me, perhaps.

I really like this beer in the keg, and the glass, it starts all brash and shouty and then it calms down and just becomes a really interesting beer that takes time and patience to enjoy. It is a seasonal and I wait until next time to try again a new spin on an old favourite.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 a of its things from the thing.  As it warms it gets more rounded and less edgy and then more drinkable, despite what I said earlier at the right temperature then this is like nectar (although it still needs a food to keep your palate in check)

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? I really worked my way into this, it was great.


2. Would I have another? Yes, please.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I would so bring this to a congregation and I'd insist on the music which is quite the thing.  I'd have my groove on and be dancing, it'd be embarrassing. It's a thing, right?

Musication was from Milky Chance,  a German folk duo with reggae and electronic music influences made up of Clemens Rehbein (vocals and instrumentals) and Philipp Dausch, the album Sadnecessary, this is Stunner

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHPLi3hW0jU

One of the very few musics to make it to my iPhone as opposed the iPod.  Listen here on the Spotify and all the other places probably

AMERICAN PALE ALE

American Pale Ales are light in color, ranging from golden to a light copper color. The style of this beer is defined by the American hops used. American hops typically have high bitterness and aroma.This is a perfect beer for big fare like grilled burgers or combination pizzas, as well as lighter fare like sushi and green salads.

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Beer - #598 - Baylands - Rock Solid

Gifts of beer! Gifts of music, gift of numbers and gifts for a party.

A wickedly hoppy West Coast APA

I have then a 1.25 litre growler of a beer that is 5.8% ABV,  55 IBU things, that's around 174 calories a serve size, and this bottle contains about 5.72 standard drink units worth.

Brewed by Baylands Brewery this is styled as an American Pale Ale and they are in  Petone in Wellington, New Zealand.

[caption id="attachment_11060" align="alignleft" width="300"] Different background same old hobo looking man[/caption]

A perfectly balanced bold American pale ale jammed full of Amarillo and Centennial hops

Amarillo hops for aroma and flavor, orange citrus characters and  a bit of floral profile, too.

Centennial hops for citrus and/or floral character,  bittering and aromatic characters.

What could possibly go wrong?

This was flown up from Wellington and hand delivered, well it was brought up from Welington by a close friend who was here in business and thought I needed a new experience "from a small craft place" he'd discovered. He has good taste, has just discovered that I write about the beer I drink and has recently moved to Wellington where the craft beer thing is leading the charge. Funny thing is we went to a local pub in Auckland where it was on tap, not usual though to get this in the take-out form here abouts. Winning!

Boldly hoppy and malty sweet on opening. Still winning.

Much darker pour than I would have though, for no reason than again I'm thrown by the 'pale' in Pale Ale. Of course I am. Couldn't pour with a head but you know I;m not an expert in that.

That lovely hoppy aroma and sweetness blooms in the glass.  Lovely level of bitterness, 55 IBU is quite high really.  I do think that this might be just so slightly past best though, it's not as well carbonated as you would like it to be. Not a huge problem though, the beer is good enough to carry itself.

Grassy hoppy note is quite nice, bit peaky, and it has a decent finish and linger in the mouth.

Got a head on the second pour, I still have the gift. This is quite moorish and welcoming as a beer, it's bitterness though would lend itself to a balancing act of some food-thing just to keep the whole thing in check.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 a of its things from the thing. I though the bitterness was high, and that made it uncomfortable as a stand alone beer, and I don't think i should session on it (have a few/many in one go) I think I'd end up with a very dull palate and dryness. But for that it's really nice to drink and brings a smile to the dial.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? Yes it's rather nice.
Would I have another? Yes I am having the whole of it :-)
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? This is a beer that lends itself to conversation and a few hours contemplation so yes I'd bring it if there  was a discussion to be had like who would win a fight between Batman and Spiderman for instance.

Music for this, arguably a  New Zealand icon Don McGlashan, he has a new Album out, Lucky Stars, you can listen here on Spotify

Don McGlashan is a New Zealand musician and songwriter who won fame with bands Blam Blam Blam, The Front Lawn, and one of my favourites  The Mutton Birds, I'd say if you like well crafted songs with thoughtful lyrics you might seek them out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAwJiq_W2wk

AMERICAN PALE ALE

American Pale Ales are light in color, ranging from golden to a light copper color. The style of this beer is defined by the American hops used. American hops typically have high bitterness and aroma.This is a perfect beer for big fare like grilled burgers or combination pizzas, as well as lighter fare like sushi and green salads.

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Beer - #597 - Baylands - Woodrows Veto IPA

Friday means it is time for  Baylands Brewery and their Woodrows Veto IPA, from the keg. I've had this previously from a can I thought it was a bit good then.

A big hoppy IPA packed with American hops as recognition of Wilson Woodrow's hard work

1000ml of a bottle of 7% ABV beer, which makes it 5.52 standard drink units,  and it comes in at around 210 calories a serve, plus  it's a handy 65IBU things as well.

Brewed by Baylands Brewery this on in the style that is  American Pale Ale or IPA as it says on the tin. They are in Wellington, New Zealand

[caption id="attachment_11045" align="alignleft" width="300"] The look of anticipation[/caption]

A big fruity IPA that’s loaded with American hops. 

Named in honour of Woodrow Wilson who tried, unsuccessfully, to veto the Prohibition bill.

So what could go wrong?

Aroma on popping the swing top is more syrupy grass than anything.

Pour is lovely dark orange with a small yet persistent head, it's clearly the beer doing that not me.

In the glass it's only mildly citrus fruity, that persistent head, yeah, na. The aroma is sweet malt, I can't go past that.

The taste though. It is softly bitter with a tang of grapefruit. The grapefruit is consistent with the last time I drank it.  I don't get the high hop content that I did last time though. Funny how different days do different things.

So, bitter, a bit drier on the palate and not so much the sweetness or the aroma.

I think that I'm beginning to overthink these things, my aim is to write what I think not second guess myself, focus!

Sadly though, tonight, at this time, I'm not really into this. I did have two really nice beers earlier in the pub, the Deep Creek Yin- a Sauvin based IPA and their Dominatrix a DIPA. But I've been busy with other things in the last 6 hours and I didn't think that it would have played a part? I'm not an expert.

For all that I've managed to drink a fair bit in no time at all.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 a of its things from the thing. Either I'm off or this is.  Off as in off form not funked or undrinkable off.  I think it's me. I may have had a few IPA beers recently and that might have given me the jaded outlook, I'm looking for the next big hit.

There was a bit of a feeding gap and I came back, it's warmed but hasn't really improved my mood, it's still lovely bitter, but it lacks the other things I remember and fondly recall.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? I am, but not like I want to be.


2. Would I have another? I have another.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I might though, this is a fairly decent beer with no edges for the unwary, bitter, dry, tangy, even if I didn't get the aroma burst, it's still good enough to show off, even if we don't end up talking about it.

Music continued with David Gray, who  is an English indie rock singer-songwriter, so a bit of a throwback day. This is a track Please forgive me that I think is lyrically a bit good. This was off a best of that you can listen to here on the Spotify

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

AMERICAN PALE ALE

American Pale Ales are light in color, ranging from golden to a light copper color. The style of this beer is defined by the American hops used. American hops typically have high bitterness and aroma.This is a perfect beer for big fare like grilled burgers or combination pizzas, as well as lighter fare like sushi and green salads

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.