Beer - #624 - 8 Wired - Flat White Coffee Milk Stout

Stouts clearly a thing at the moment. Sweet Stout, Sweet music, Sweetspot and  a sweet spot.

If you are not a Kiwi, chances are you might not know what a Flat White is. It is pretty much the NZ version of a latte.

This is a 500ml bottle of a beer that is 5.5% ABV, making it 2.2 standard drinks in the bottle, and it's 165 calories a serve size.

Brewed by 8 Wired Brewing in that style that is a  Sweet Stout and that's not a million miles away from where I live in Warkworth, New Zealand

[caption id="attachment_11372" align="alignleft" width="300"] Evening Spcial Coffee[/caption]

Flat White Coffee Milk Stout. The brain child of our new guy, Brian Watts.

Based on a traditional milk stout, we take it up a notch by adding a good amount of freshly roasted Brazilian and Cuban coffee from our friends at C4 Coffee in Christchurch.

If you are not a Kiwi, chances are you might not know what a Flat White is. It is pretty much the NZ version of a latte. I’d say it is the national coffee style of NZ, a title that has finally been wrestled away from freeze dried instant coffee!

What could possibly go wrong with that then?

I've had this on tap on my travels and rated it very well, lots of coffee as I recall.

Memory serves me well as this almost exactly like a cup of milky coffee aroma, and in the glass it's even bigger, pouring a deep dark brown with a small but light brown head of fluffiness.

Twang of coffee grounds too.  I have to say that this is swooningly delicious, it's a wash of  cold coffee sweetness a lovely mouthfeel and a soft gentle finish.

Not as soft as cold brew coffee is, this has some greenness of coffee ground in it, but it carries it well and adds to the light bitterness that this has.

As it warms a bit it becomes deeper and richer too, brining you in again for more, each sip preceded by the coffee aroma.

You might say that I'm really enjoying it.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 of its things from the thing. It's not perfect but it really ticks most of all the boxes in aroma, taste, body and finish. A rare thing to find a beer that from memory on tap and in the bottle are very similar and both totally enjoyable.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? Yes it really is a taste explosion, no hold barred but also quite restrained in the alcohol levels, making a beer you could have a couple of and it will keep giving you enjoyment.
Would I have another? I would, I couldn't wait to try the bottle version and I would easily go again.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Of course, this is a remarkable take on the coffee stout that delivers both at the coffee and a decent beer. Superb.

Music for this, and odd choice but you need to listen to everything. ' Marcus "Boo" Hewerdine' is an English singer-songwriter and record producer, the album ' Open' which you listen to here on the Spotify This will give you an idea

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSGAaPO4eTo

SWEET STOUT

Dark brown to black in colour. Sweet stouts come in three main varieties – milk stout, oatmeal stout, and foreign stout. Milk stouts are made with the addition of lactose, and are sweet, low-alcohol brews. Oatmeal lends a smooth fullness of body to stouts, while foreign stouts are stronger (6.5-8% abv) and have a sweet malt profile and high esters. All of the sweet stouts are noted for their restrained roastiness in comparison with other stouts, and low hop levels.

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• Beer #615 - Townshend - Key Stone Milk Stout

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 - #506 - 8 Wired - Farmhouse Pale Ale

Another of the Fill-Your-Own (FYO) this one the 8 Wired - Farmhouse Pale Ale. So We have Funky Beer, Funky Music, Funky Number and a Funky Groove....

 New year is a good time for a new beer. Our latest keg-only release is “Farmhouse Pale Ale”, a beer shamelessly inspired by the flagship beer of Oxbow, a small farmhouse brewery in Maine, USA... [more]

By 8 Wired Brewing brewed at Renaissance Brewing in the style that could be  Saison and American Pale Ale mix and they  are from Blenheim, New Zealand.

So, my 1 litre (isn't that 34 Fl Oz US) of a beer that is 5% ABV, 150 calories a serve size, so making it then about 3.94 standard drink units in NZ. 

[caption id="attachment_10010" align="alignleft" width="300"] It looks larger than it is, but it is pretty big.[/caption]

An American Pale Ale / Saison hybrid.It’s brewed with a big portion of Spelt malt as well as raw wheat and oats.

For the hops, we have tried to keep the bitterness right down while maintaining a big US hop presence. So hops (Chinook and Cascade) have only been added to the whirlpool and as dry hops.

The yeast is a new dry Belgian yeast on the market made by the homebrew suppliers from Mangrove Jack’s.

A dry, almost powdery, hoppy farmhouse ale. What could go wrong.

Sweet aroma on opening the flip top, and nice carbonation.  Nice hop aroma too making it's way up. It's a fantastic golden straw yellow colour, and pours with a small and light head.  Aroma is still really nice, sweet and lightly hoppy.

So, ok, it is lightly bitter, lemony and it has soft notes, but it is wrapped in that bitterness that is quite pleasing and not annoying. Nice finish and lingering mouthfeel.

It is very easy drinking beer. Quaffed a couple of good sups so far without reason to stop, it's very quenching. Surprisingly so. The brewer appears either to have met their brief or written the descriptor afterwards. The former seems more plausible.

The rise in lower ABV beers does not appear to be slowing, this at 5% is the same as say Heineken, Stella Artois, Becks, et al, that sit at this level. You don't get with them though the cleanness of taste that you get with something a bit crafty and hand made.

What's the worse thing I can say about this? Nothing really, the taste is really intriguing and there is something else in there, something pleasant, floral like violets or something. I like it whatever it is.

Then I got a hop burp :-)

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 10 a of its things from the thing. It is an abundance of things, all of which are promised and delivered. It comes with a story and journey, and takes you along with it, it's got some of that hop roughness, some sweetness, a little kick and some softness, and overall it's just good beer.

However, or the' but' this isn't outstanding or must have, and although tonight and on this occasion this has rocked my boat I don't know that it is a beer for the everyman. I'm going to stick with my 10, based on the enjoyment right now, and because again this is just  a good beer. Not that I rate beer on what you might like, I like to think I'm a bit independent and contrary sometimes, it might be same with this, I'd like to see them have this packaged in 4/6 packs as it should stand up on it's merits against shelf beers - this is only available in tap, in kegs at the moment.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? I am, but not in way that I expected, this is just a good beer, It doesn't set to have any particular quirk or character, it's as it says it is.


2. Would I have another? I am going to get some more tomorrow. Mad not to.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Yes, no way this ends in a fight and more likely to end in some impromptu dancing under the stars.

Music for a hot afternoon... Jungle are a modern soul musical collective based in London, this is " Busy Earnin' "

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcsfftwLUf0

Which is fantastic accompaniment to this. Voted as one of the best albums of the 2014 year I thought I needed to keep up with it, I quite like the midtempo 1970s-style funk.

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.

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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• My House Pale Ale


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Beer - #394 - 8 Wired - Chardonnay Barrel Aged Saeson

Is the season for Saison it seems, and I've enjoyed the ones I've had recently, and might just try this one 8 Wired Chardonnay Barrel Aged Saeson.

For 8 Wired Brewing Brewed at Renaissance Brewing and no points for guessing that this is in the style that is  Saison and they're based in Blenheim, New Zealand.

In a funky bottle that is of 500 ml (1pt 9fl oz), containing a  7% ABV beer , working out to 210 calories a serve, and that would be 2.76 standard drink units (the label says 2.9). This one pops in at 25 IBU on the scale of things - low Pilsner, Porter or Pale ale kind of bitter.

[caption id="attachment_8488" align="alignleft" width="300"] Selfie from a distance[/caption]

Ale aged in chardonnay barrels with Brettanomyces

A saison brewed to what I would expect old world ales to have tasted like, with a new world hop twist. Aged in chardonnay barrels with added brettanomyces for a year, then dry hopped with NZ hops.

Of course at this point I realise that I'm not a big fan of Chardonnay style wine, but I've never let that get in the way of trying something out.

Beer - #346 - 8 Wired - Fresh Hopwired IPA

Not giving up the 8 Wired - so next is this on - the Fresh Hopwired- a limited edition of things  - brewed for 8 Wired Brewing. Brewed at Renaissance Brewing this is in the style of anIndia Pale Ale (IPA) and that trick all happens in Blenheim, New Zealand

A wet hopped version of our flagship IPA, HopWired

A 500ml bottle 7.3% ABV beer, 219 calories, and at 60 IBU, and that would be 2.87 standard drink units in NZ. 60 IBU is the low end for an IPA.

Over the past 2 years, HopWired has more or less turned into the benchmark for all New Zealand hopped IPA. It is a pure expression of NZ “terroir” for better and worse. This year we decided to mix it up a little and make a wet hopped version of this modern classic. So one beautiful morning in March we drove to

[caption id="attachment_7801" align="alignleft" width="300"] Selfie[/caption]

Nelson and picked a truckload (literally) of freshly harvested, “wet” Motueka hops. We went straight back to the brewery and brewed some beer. Two weeks later we did the same thing, but this time the hops was Nelson Sauvin (the two hops mature at different times). The two beers were blended and here it is, a refreshing take on New Zealand IPA.

Today is a very special day. We have just mashed in a batch of Hopwired, but the hops for the beer are still on the bine! As we continue the brew, the good farmers in Motueka will harvest, you guessed it, Motueka hops. We will collect these wet hops in about an hour, drive them over the hill and stick them straight in the beer. In two weeks we will do exactly the same thing, but the hops will be Nelson Sauvin. By blending the two batches, we will have made the first ever "Fresh Hopwired". Good times!

I rated the standard Hopwired a 9 on the scale of things, so I'm quietly hoping that I got that right and that this'll hit the spot.

Sweet mild hop aroma on opening, nicely sweet.

Nice hazelnut brown pour with a minimal but persistent head, Hop aroma more intense, much more grass, but also much more caramel too. Head fades away.

Something sweet citrus in this too.

Lots and lots of pine/grass but at a level that gets you interested and it's layered on a nice sweet note.

Finish is dry but not desert dry just nicely so on the back of the palate, nice decent carry and finish.

Rather classy then, this is very very well behaved and enjoyable,. The freshness of the hops translates into that really resin/grass tang that this has, but it's really well balanced.

If anything this is under-carbonated, but that's picking a fault.  The measure though is the pdubyah-o-meter which rates this easily as a 8 on the scale of things. Despite a few things that this lacks, and it might do to have some more body for instance, and this does have a lot of sweetness in it, which is masking some of the bitterness that you could might enjoy.

I drank this in a hurry, despite my best intentions not to, despite me thinking that this might be a bit tart up front and too sweet at the back, it turns out that this is a beer that I'd have a few of without a problem, which might end up a problem. Conflicted much?

I have no idea how to follow this up and be as happy as I am right now, and whilst I am not ecstatic I'm not disappointed.

The double dip review:

1. Am I enjoying it?  Gosh yes


2. Would I have another? I wish I could


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? This has a lot of really nice things going for it, quaffable and enjoyable without being the centre of attention. Get in!

There wasn't music there was Formula One on the teevee. I should have played some music.  I was listening to the band "Slowly Rolling Camera" before I made that particular mistake, do yourself a favour and give this 3 minutes of your time.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK9VnYb7pIg&w=560&h=315]

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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• 8Wired Hopwired IPA


• Import Craft Beers - 8 Wired Fresh Hopwired IPA

Beer - #345 - 8 Wired - Semiconductor Session IPA

Yes, Semiconductor Session IPA, not the full conductor.

This is brewed for 8 Wired Brewing . Brewed at Renaissance Brewing this in the style of a Session IPA and they are in Blenheim, New Zealand.

A session strength IPA brewed with a blend of American and New Zealand hops. Maximum flavour, minimum regret.

This comes in in a 330ml bottle, and is only at 4.4% ABV which for a beer is only 1.4 standard drinks, also low bitter at 30 IBUs (the low end for English Bitters)  and only 132 calories

IPAs are great but sometimes you just don’t want the amount of alcohol that comes with most of the good ones. In this spirit we brewed Semiconductor. an IPA designed to be drunk by the gallon, if you are that thirsty.

Certainly has a hop aroma on opening, and a noticeable hiss, aroma has some yeastiness too.

Pour is  a really pale yellow, not what I expected, and a head that appears to be persistent in the glass. Nice hop aroma.

Lots of grass in a burst, and a reasonable length but not a long carry, so you taste this and notice this, but there is no second or longing taste on the tongue, or dryness.

So what do you got? An IPA that hints at hops and bitterness, delivers a punch of grass in the front and that is it and the bitterness in one.

So the semi is really the indication that you're not going to get a full. But sometimes that could be a thing, you don't want that dry finish that makes you regret drinking a beer, but you want a bitterness that keeps you interested and engaged with what you are drinking.

Leaves a nice lading in the glass too, sometimes that's important.

The pdubyah-o-meter then rates this as an accomplished 7 better than good beer. Sadly though it's way more expensive than stronger lager beer types in 12 packs, so unless there is a method of getting the price point down to something more reasonable then this is going to be a small volume beer that you might take to a party or gathering knowing you can have perhaps 3 and enjoy your night out. No way you could afford to "session" on this, as a bang for buck proposal unless there was a lot of talking and very little drinking involved.

Perhaps it could be be my idea of "Session" that is wrong, my though was "big night in with the beer, for hours", and for that reason the grinch in me hates this, on price.

The drinker in me comparing this to a domestic beer though loves it, it's lower in alcohol, better taste profile and more enjoyable. Just can't afford it.

I enjoyed the full conductor 8 on the scale of things, by the way, I think I linked to it at the bottom, it was a lot of beers ago, that I drank it, not when I linked it :-)

The Double Dip review

1. Am I enjoying it?  Yes and No. Yes for what it is, and I'm a bit miffed that it's actually so expensive.


2. Would I have another? If I could afford it perhaps, or if it was the same price as other "domestic" beers at the bar


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights?  If they were buying of course, I'd be very protective of my stash if I took these anywhere, so no.

Cranked up the music a bit with Seasick Steve  - You can't teach an old dog new tricks

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-vSZFEWHlo&w=560&h=315]

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 - #325 - 8 Wired - C4 Double Coffee Brown Ale

Okie Dokie. 8 Wired C4 Double Coffee Brown Ale for perhaps the finale of the #PhilsBeerFest14 night in for Saturday

8 Wired Brewing do this of course  and they do it a  Renaissance Brewing, this one is in the style of a Brown Ale and they are located in Blenheim, New Zealand

In my opinion, coffee rivals beer for the title of "greatest beverage in the world". I often say that I would rather give up beer than coffee. So it is only natural that we would attempt to make a beverage that incorporates both. If we were to succeed, surely this would then become the greatest beverage in the world? After years of research and trials in the garage, I have come up with what I think is the perfect marriage of coffee and beer: A hoppy double brown ale, that compliments both the roasty and fruity aspects of the coffee without putting up too much of a fight. The coffee was selected in collaboration with the Christchurch institution C4 Coffee and consists mainly of lightly roasted, delicate and floral, Ethiopian beans. Worlds are colliding and, in my humble opinion, greatness is achieved on the other side. 

• HOPS: Pacific Jade, NZ Cascade and Pacifica (click here, or  here )


• MALT: Gladfield Pale, Crystal, Munich, Caramalt, Chocolate, Oats


• YEAST: Wyeast 1272 - American Ale II

Which is a big lead in.

500 ml bottle of an 8% ABV, beer  being 3.15 standard dink units in NZ , This is 50 on the IBU thingy and  is 240 calories.  50 is around top end for Stouts.

Of course there is coffee on the opening.  But because you read the label.

I was expecting black as a pour, this is a really deep deep brown.

There is a lot more coffee aroma in the glass. The aroma of cold brewed coffee. Very earthy and raw.

But also a sweetness about it.

Nice pour and a decent head too. Onto a winner.

Stand by- this is like coffee infused beer. What!

Despite the knowing of the all of the things about this it comes as a surprise the delivery and the punch that this brings. Coffee coffee and a lovely long finish that isn't bitter or soft.

This is really clever, you get such a burst of coffee that you are completely tied up in that sensation. The bitterness is what you'd expect from coffee, and the finish is what you'd expect.

What gets you is that you are drinking this cold, and that really isn't a way you generally drink your coffee. But this so works.

No idea that this would be 8% ABV or even any ABV on beer. In pdubyah-world this would pass the lips of a coffee drinker without them realising it's alcohol. But probably not in the real world.

Some beers  give you big thing about other things aside from the coffee, like say for instance only, Chocolate. This tells you there is Double Coffee.

Double.

It's possibly got the most Coffee per beer by volume in the world. It's insane,

Such a lovely sweet tasting, full profile tasting beer, a work of art.

The pdubyah-o-meter seems intent on making this a 10.  I can't find a reason not to. Looks great, pours well, delivers grate aroma, taste like the label says it will.

A bit in love with this then, and will probably go get some more tomorrow if I'm not grounded after #PhilsBeerFest14 - one Saturday only.

If you like beer, and you like coffee, then get this, it really is a bit good.

I'm toying with the final bit on this, but they are good questions;

Am I enjoying this? Yes, double yes, I'm enjoying this very quickly.

Would I have another? If it was legal or something I'd go get one.

Would I sit out on an evening telling fibs and making up stories with a friend whilst drinking this? If we each had out own bottle(s) and a supply of  foodage. Because after this is Whiskey or somesuch.

BROWN ALE

Color ranges from reddish-brown to dark brown. Lower in alcohol than porter, medium to full body flavor. Appropriate foods are apple pie, pork with brown sauce, beef vegetable soup and cheddar.

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• Rewired Brown Ale - 8 Wired Brewing

Beer - #263 - 8 Wired - Bumaye

Another beer making it to the front of the fridge after hiding in the back for a while is  a 8 Wired Bumaye - Brewed by 8 Wired Brewing styled as a Imperial Stout and they do this magic in Blenheim, New Zealand

16% ABV beer in a 330ml bottle,  480!!! calories, and it comes in at 50IBU's. Pacific Jade and Chinook hops. This would be an incredible 4.2 standard drink units in NZ.



Sometimes - OK, rather often, actually - I find myself asking, "How far can we take it?" Now, obviously a number of overseas breweries have shown us that 16% abv is by no means the limit, but Keeping in mind that flavour should be the main objective at all time, the conception of 

Bumaye was one of those moments. To make it we started out with the baddest imperial stout we have ever brewed, and then added loads of tasty sugars to the fermenter foe extra flavour. To smooth out the roughness, we allowed the beer to mellow in Pinot Noir barrels for more than a year, actually  16 months in Pinot Noir barrels from Marlborough's Mud House Winery

The name? I have been surprised how few people understand the meaning straight away. It's not "Bum Eye" as many people seem to think, It's BumaYE! As in "Ali, Bumaye!" Lifted from what was perhaps the most famous boxing match of all times, The Rumble in the Jungle, between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. The match was fought in Zaire and quite famously (I thought) the locals were all cheering for Ali, chanting "Ali, Bumaye!" which in English means "Ali, Kill Him". A fitting name for the most agressive beer we have made to date.

I have been looking forward to this, and Friday I'm in love. Hoping for a continuance of the rather good run of beers. I have this and a Stone Ruination to help me cope. That and loads of ham left over from the 25th. Loads.

Music playing in the background is from the artist "Birdy" - Fire Within. MrsPdubyah said so.

Totally intense rich fruit and chocolate on opening as an aroma.  Pours like it's syrup but without a head so it appears flat, although I can see bubbles dancing so all is not lost.

Rich almost throat catchingly intense aroma, chocolate, raisins, and something else, citrus like, or maybe pepper, I'm not that reliable.

Wow that's a lot like dark wines when you taste it, the tannin really gives this a fruity kick in the pants, the pinot clearly standing it's own ground.

What over things are there, I get a bunch of slightly bitter things, and notes of citrus fruits. There is more than a skerrick of sourness and it does have a dry finish, a long long dry finish, this has length like you'd not believe.

I'm having are al internal dialogue about if I'm getting the taste I'm getting because I'm trying to be a wine snob, or if I over-reached myself, or the things I'm tasting are for real and not a remnant imagination of a beer-snob.

Is this a beer, yes. Is this a beer left to do its thang in barrels that had Pinot grapes making wine in them. yes. It is a wine infused beer. In the same way that there are whiskey infused beers, and some darned good ones, like the Ola Dubh, this then is an exercise in fiscal prudence, What else can you do with old wine barrels? You can recycle them to the craft brewer :-)

The beer is warming in the glass, I know it's not been long,  a couple of runs and a wicket at the cricket and a song or two. There is still a great fruit aroma, that's the Pinot. But in my experience this is a sweeter smell than sniffing a wine, and I'm not about to open a wine to check, although I should, and would if this was a paid gig.

It still sits in the glass looking sullen dull and flat, a brown brown colour of little excitement and invite. The carbonation is about right though and this is actually pretty nice. It's also a bit dangerous as because as you poke around on your tongue for the flavours you managed to imbibe slightly more than you thought.

The pdubyah-o-meter says that this is a clever beer, and it's very good and a bit so that would be 8.25, I'm not going to rush out and high 5 anyone because I had one, and I'm actually not sure I'm going to get one as a present for anyone anytime soon. I think this this a beer of a type, where the type is "infuse with".

The great run comes to an end, it's not a disaster I just didn't get fireworks. All that's left is ham......

oh and the Stone Ruination....

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Beer - #203 - Epic and 8 Wired Brewing - I of the Zombie

A collaboration beer - I of the Zombie - a Black IPA,  with an ABV of 9%, or Epic Hop Zombie and the 8Wired iStout in one glass.

See : Beer – #38 – Epic – Hop Zombie  which I gave a 9 out of 10 score and  Beer – #42 – 8 Wired – iStout which I also gave a 9 out of 10 score .

Therefore result! At least in Pdubyah-world (which bears little in common with 'world')

I tried this at the Sky Sports Bar, and I thought gosh this is  unbelievably good.  Luck being what it is the Liquorland in Newmarket store had this "on tap" and also have a new 750ml 'growler' bottle that just shouted out "pick me - pick me!" Which is much more sensible than a 2 litre version, you'd have to agree.So to the store and I brought me some, to sit and savour.

750ml of a 9% ABV makes this something like 5.4 standard drinks. It's not a beer to take lightly.

As it's a Sunday, and there of course is sports on the teevee, I thought I'd take some time to enjoy this, because I don't think I'm going to enjoy watching my winless North Harbour team play the winless Manawatu team in the ITM Rugby. The 0 has to go, as they say. For one team. In Pdubyah-world this would be North Harbour of course. Of course.

The aroma is intensely hoppy, it pours a dark black, and has a fairly decent but receding head. Retains its hoppy aroma.

The taste, one of grassy hop bitterness, but balanced against a nice sweetness. Fairly decent carbonation. Decent length on the taste too, making a full on taste in the mouth.  I note too a decent lacing as I'm drinking this.- indicative of a lot of hops (he said with knowledge and certainty)

You would think then, if you were of the thinking kind that two 9 out of 10's would average a 9 for this, or better. the sum of the whole being bigger than the sum of the parts. I don't quite think it is though.

A delightful beer, bitter enough, different and of a character.  You have to go into this knowing though that a 9% ABV beer, at home, in front of the teevee is still a big ask. Lucky I have assistance from the lovely MrsPdubyah to provide me sustenance  and for those nice computer peeps to give me a spell checker, otherwise this could end badly.

To the arbitrary and random pdubyah-o-meter then, which says that this is a very good beer, although a little rough around the edges of bitterness. and it gets a lazy 8 making a very good beer.  I tip my hat to the Epic and 8Wired boffins who make this possible, and to North Harbour who at least went in at half-time leading.

Beer - #198 - 8 Wired - HopWired IPA

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

7.3% ABV making 500ml about 2.9 standard drinks. And at 70 IBU is at the higher end of IPA.

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. 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!

This has a muted hoppy/grass aroma, which is really nice on the nose. Pours a lovely rimu brown with an understated head.  Aroma is stronger of the grass/hops that you'd be expecting.

This is interesting. I was expecting sharper more acidic taste, and I get a much softer bite than I would have expected or be expecting. It's not nearly as bitter as it could be.

There are some intriguing under-notes to this,  not grapefruit but something similar. It's an all-on mouthful.  Leaves a lovely lacing on the glass too.

So where is this at? It's not abundantly bitter, it's not overly layered with flavours. It's not tart and it's not sweet. It carries ok, but is short of a good length, but that does not make it thin.

Like many others I like this a good deal. The pdubyah-o-meter says easily a 9, which may be over-generous, but this for sure a very quaffable and amiable beer to be drinking. I'm going to enjoy the rest of my evening with this, and I'm listening to Buddy Guy - the  "Skin Deep" Album,  it's a Chicago Blues thing, and just now, just today it's right on the money :-)

Thanks to the nice people at Liquorland In Newmarket for having this "on tap" and available for take-home in a handy 2l container. Hey this one... it's only about 12 standard drink units.... stand by

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Beer - #165 - 8 Wired - Grand Cru 2011

All Poshed up with this then : 8 Wired Grand Cru 2011  - Brewed by 8 Wired Brewing in the style of a : Abt/Quadrupel and as always that's all happening in Blenheim, New Zealand

A Quadrupel!, actually  a Barrel Aged, Sour Quadruple - and I chose it by the label without reading it, a sucker for packaging. I probably would have brought it anyway had I thought it through. On the packaging all the labels are crinkly - they say because of deformed bottles - beauty is in the eye....

So it's an 11%ABV beer  in a 375ml bottle, thats 3 standard drinks worth.

Aged for 16 months in Pinot Noir Barrels with Brettanomyces and Pediococcus.

Grand Cru started out as The Sultan. When we made this beer last year I filled 8 old Pinot Noir barrels and more or less forgot about it. The native bugs in the barrels kept fermenting the beer, making it slightly sour. To further enhance the funky character, I blended it with 2 barrels of a Flanders Red kinda thing, that has also been fermenting funky for about 18 months.

Which screams of  - to minimise a loss we've thrown something together - given it a fancy name, and an impressive looking label, and sell it for a goodly margin. At least they're up-front. I'm not sure that this isn't the whole ethos of 8 wired though - a bit of hit and hope. Unless I'm just being cruel for the sake of it.

Anyway.  Opening aroma is cider apple. It's a murky cloudy pour, with an effort at a head but not a good one, the sour aroma remains. I guess it could be tannin wine? It settles to a red-wine nose though.

So it's fizzy red-wine then. Or is it. It's got a lot of what seems like cherry flavour. And it does have a wine background and nose, but does not carry the roughness of the tannin that get with some red wines.

This is at both times then a bit cranky and weird, but odd and comforting. It's not a hard drink, and you'd forget that this is a strong beer, and being as how it's a large serve you'll soon be squiffy if you take it lightly.

The off-putting thing is the muddy cloudy colour, and to be honest I would have enjoyed more head, well to be honest any head.  The up-side is that this has an understated sourness, none of the tannin rough, no after burn from alcohol and is pretty tasty.

I can see how this might not please either a wine drinker or a beer drinker. It says Quadrupel, and it probably could say anything. I have to bow to their description.

The pdubyah-o-meter is confused as all heck, but seems that an 8.5 is a good score. I like it but I don't love it, It would a fantastic beer to crack out in a bar and impress your less well travelled companions, and as a gift to a wine drinker this might be something to consider.

Would I rush out an get another? Possibly not. Would it get better with age? It's not a wine, it's doubtful. Am I ashamed at dissing them with insinuations of hit and hope? A little, yes.

An update to this : I have brought more, and I really like it, it's clever and a tidy small drink to finish you off for the evening. I should revise my score and be more generous. This really is good.

 

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