Beer - #642 - ParrotDog - BloodHound Red Ale

BloodHound Red Ale. Mighty Ale, Mighty Music, Might count to ten, Might go home early.

A big, malty red ale uplifted with generous amounts of hops.

This is a magnificent looking beer of 6.3% ABV, carrying 189 calories a serve size. the FYO station of 1 litre makes this 4.97 standard drink units.

Brewed by ParrotDog in the style: Amber Ale and they are based in Wellington, New Zealand.

[caption id="attachment_11575" align="alignleft" width="300"] Red like Fire Engine![/caption]

A citrusy NZ hopped aroma featuring a hint of roasted malt is supported by full-bodied, red coloured malt base and a pleasant NZ hopped bitterness to round off.

A big, malty red ale uplifted with a generous amount of hops.

So, What could possibly go wrong?

I confess to having this over two years ago, wherein I was a bit of a  fan, rating it the 8. I saw it on tap and couldn't resist, it's been a while, and it's clearly a brewers standard.

That syrupy rich aroma, with a nice under of hops greets me as I pop the top.

Pour is a deep red brown with a lovely full head, more to my pouring technique I feel as it settles into something a lot more manageable and persistent. You get a lot more of a raw grassy aroma in the glass.

That is really nice a toffee sweet bitterness with a lovely mouthfeel and a lovely finish that isn't either sweet or dry.

The bitterness, well that is about right, it's there, reminds you it's there and then lets the rest of the beer do it's thing.

As it warms, and I had to leave it for a few minutes it's picked up a lovely floral thing, which wasn't expected and brought a smile, still maintaining the welcoming bitterness and lovely not ver-sweet backbone.

This is so much better than I remember. Back to their description though ' Big Malt' 'Full Bodies' this is both of those and very good at them too. Top notch.

I still can't pour and the second glass is a half/half of beer and head. Lucky it's a big glass. I've become a bit enamoured of this as a beer and this hits all the taste points where you want it to, it is a beer for the moment perhaps, on another day you'd be wanting something more or else.

The aroma that you catch just before sup, the wash of bitterness, the slight dip of earthiness, the rise of the sweetness and the finish of hoppy grassness. I think I've said too much already.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 of its things from the thing.This is a great beer, a beer to sing songs too, but not about. I enjoyed the first half with some food, and it made it really special, I'm enjoying the second half post-food and I can see that I might run out of palate or steam for it, although It might take a third to get there.

It's here you get the idea that I've been enjoying it and it's all gone and I already miss it. What a time to be alive :-)

The double dip review

• Am I enjoying it? I am, it rally hit the sweet spot of nicely bitter, nicely sweet, and nicely dry, I feel like one of the there bears.


• Would I have another? I wouldn't hesitate if you could arrange a quick delivery.


• Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I would, and possibly it'd be a long and eventful night of shooting the breeze and of times when it was all good as wood. A man could get emotional at times like this. 

Music for this. ' Girlpool ' and album called ' Before The World Was Big ' of course on Spotify. Girlpool is a punk rock band from Los Angeles, California. Its members are Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad. The band does not have a drummer. This is a track ' Chinatown'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h4CTdIhDF0

Got to say this isn't punk, it's pop.

AMBER ALE

A style without definition, amber ales range from bland, vaguely caramel beers to products with a fairly healthy malt and hop balance. Often the differentiation between a quality amber and an American Pale is that the amber might have more dark malt character, or a less assertive hop rate.

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Beer - #622 - Moon Dog - Mummy Have A Bite

Odd beers, odd music, odd numbers and the odd party or two. BeerJerkNZ  beer club - week 3. Get in!

' ... Biting into a toffee apple..... Barrel aged, toffee apple, imperial amber ale. '

Brewed by Moon Dog Craft Brewery this is in the style that is either an Amber Ale or American Strong Ale and they're in Abbotsford, Australia

The 330ml bottle of beer is of 8.2% ABV and 248 calories a serve, 32 IBU thingies, and overall this is 2.14 standard drink units in the bottle.

[caption id="attachment_11354" align="alignleft" width="300"] New haircut same old squint[/caption]

Belgian brewers have been using candi sugar forever to produce stronger beers with rich caramel notes. Calvados is a type of French brandy made with apples. Perhaps the most surprising thing about Mummy Have A Bite is that no other brewers had thought to combine these classic fairground flavours before.

The solid malt base makes this a well rounded beer which is one to savour rather than swig. It is heavy and sweet but not overly so. It is fun to sip and list flavours, as well as the obvious we noted oak, grapefruit citrus, vanilla & whisky.

So what could possibly go wrong with that? Well I don't know, but I do know that the label is incredibly hard to decipher, particularly with old man eyes, grumble grumble like an old man, none of which has any effect in the beer though, so harden up.

Aroma is like a cider apple, then a wash of toffee

Pour is lot darker than I thought I was going to get, it's the same orange toffee colour that you get on toffee-apples at the fair, and it pours with a small white head, In the glass it's a lot darker, physics of light probably or something.

I still get a predominant cider apple aroma.

What an interesting taste that is, it most certainly is like a Belgium beer with the candi-sugar, then it gives way to a alcohol heavy tartness that is really noticeable and somewhat overtakes everything else.

It's always going to be and to quieten down such a high alcohol, leaving it to warm more brings out the middle flavour and a softness, but it isn't quaffing beer, an easy sipper.

A confusing beer, but an audacious effort that for me is a bit imperfect.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 7 of its things from the thing. A 7 makes it 'good' in arbitrary terms, solid. I really liked the Belgium style candy-sugar hit that was the initial taste, I didn't really like the raw alcohol note, and when it warmed I really like the softer middle, but it still finishes with a alcohol twang that reminds you sip now swill.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? I started really enthusiastic but it wore me out.
Would I have another? I don't think so, but it did remind me I like Belgium beers.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I might though, this is a good test of palate and preferences that explore your perceptions and remind you that it's never 'just' a beer.

Music for this, surprised myself with ' Black Rebel Motorcycle Club'  (often abbreviated as BRMC) is an American rock band from San Francisco, CA. and their album ' live in paris' Listen here on Spotify, or all the other places. This is a track  ' Sometimes the Light '

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S9N7iF2Wy4

AMBER ALE

A style without definition, amber ales range from bland, vaguely caramel beers to products with a fairly healthy malt and hop balance. Often the differentiation between a quality amber and an American Pale is that the amber might have more dark malt character, or a less assertive hop rate.

AMERICAN STRONG ALE

Not a style, per se, but the only logical category to incorporate the plethora of strong, stylistically vague beers coming from American micros these days. Some are related to English Strong Ales, but with more hop, while others are ultra-strong variants on the IPA theme. But no matter how varied their origins or characters might be, all are intense, potent, with generous quantities of hops and malt.

Beer - #612 - 8 Wired - Tall Poppy India Red Ale

I had this ways back when, in a bottle, the 8 Wired Tall Poppy India Red Ale. So tonight it's the same but different, different but the same, same same and same faces.

'designed to have it all, to be the greatest common denominator'

From the fill-your-own this is a 1000 ml bottle of a  7% ABV, beer that makes it 5.52  Standard drink units, and 60 IBU's so at the lower end for, say, an IPA and 210 calories a serve size.

This is brewed for  8 Wired Brewing and is brewed at Renaissance Brewing, this one in the style of a  Amber Ale or American Strong Ale and they're in Blenheim, New Zealand.

[caption id="attachment_11226" align="alignleft" width="300"] The world's smallest Giant hold a Tall beer[/caption]

This is an ale that is not afraid of standing tall among other great beers. The intense, sharp and fruity hoppiness is backed by its complex, caramel-like malty structure.

Big, yet refreshing.

Bold but balanced.

This beer has been designed to have it all, to be the greatest common denominator.

So what could possibly go wrong?

This was a very popular choice amongst the staff at the bottle shop, the aroma on opening rich hoppy, sweet, hoppy, I can see why.

Dark rich read pour that is lively and a head the size of a birthing appears, the head persistent and fluffy.

Aroma in the glass is much of hoppiness/ grassy and a fair crack of sugarness.

The taste is big. dry, big and dry. Full dry big. Lots of bitterness a full mouthfeel and a big dry finish. Wasn't quite expecting that after the lovely and well behaved RareBird beer I had earlier.

ike chalk and cheese.  This is a frontal assault with hops that are I believe Warrior, Columbus, Simcoe, Amarillo, I wonder if they are the 4 horsemen a coming for me.

Lots of linger in the mouth for this, it is a beer that is full noise and fireworks. The bitterness isn't such a big note, for me it's at the level that ticks a box rather than punches you overtime you sip it, the worst is the full dry finish that creeps more forward.

But what an experience though.

'twas my birthday and I took a food stop here, slow cooked ribs, fried and slaw, which I might suggest were wonderful, but only about 8 on the pdubyah-o-meter, the ribs slightly too long on the second warming in the oven, I digress,

Anyway the beer with the food just enhanced the beer. Ideal for the finger feast that I just had. Plus it had the effect to warm the beer more in the glass which brings more of the dryness forward and give you that lip licking moment that we all know we've had and enjoy but don't often get. That might just be me though.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 of its things from the thing. It's a matter of what I don't like or miss then. Which is hard.  In the glass a full aroma hop beer. The drinking is a bitterness without roughness, and a finish that is more towards a really dry dry. Which is annoying to be honest, the back half of the drink more prevalent than the front of palate, which isn't perhaps what you look for.

So a beer more about a finish that a beginning. But what a journey.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? I am enjoying it. It's bitter, it's not rough it's tasty.
Would I have another? I've had enough, it's wearing and beats you in the end.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I would though, because it's loud and annoying and needs a good talking about.

Music for this. well my younger brother suggested 'Low Roar',  which is the self-titled debut album of Icelandic band 'Low Roar'. So instead listened to their album '0', this is 'Dreamer' Listen to it here on the Spotify and probably the everywhere else

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQzdO0ANNxA

AMBER ALE

A style without definition, amber ales range from bland, vaguely caramel beers to products with a fairly healthy malt and hop balance. Often the differentiation between a quality amber and an American Pale is that the amber might have more dark malt character, or a less assertive hop rate

Beer - #591 - Beer Baroness and Epic Brewing Co - Lady Danger Extra Hoppy Red Ale

Beer Baroness & Epic Brewing Co. Lady Danger Extra Hoppy Red Ale.

Long names for beer, long time dead bands, long division and long service parties.

 Extra Hoppy Red Ale which is a collaboration with Epic Beer

I have a one litre growler from the FYO station of course, it's 6.5% ABV, 195 calories a serve, and that makes is 5.13 standard drink units in the bottle.

For the Beer Baroness this is brewed at the Steam Brewing Company  in the style this is Amber Ale or American Amber / Red Ale and it's from New Zealand.

For her second brew, Ava Wilson has partnered up with Epic Beer’s Luke Nicholas to create an extra hoppy Red Ale.

[caption width="300" id="attachment_10963" align="alignleft"] Brewed by a Lady, for the betterment of men[/caption]Nicholas being globally known for his fondness of hops has certainly flexed his muscles delivering a bold shot to the taste buds as well as the olfactory nerves.

For the 6.5 per cent ABV Extra Hoppy Red Ale, Wilson says that she has brought the “sweetness” – working with Nicholas to ensure a balance between the floral notes and alpha levels of the hop mix and the rich red malt used in the brew.

So, what could possibly go wrong?

Aroma is lovely bitterness and sweetness, 'tis  thing of beauty. I thought, but then that's when the problem started, I thought of limes.

Brown as a chestnut pour with a lovely head that is persistent and firm. 'tis a thing of beauty.Aroma is lovely, again I get limes or strong citrus.

Taste is intense florals, like Parma violet, which of course is Violets  not limes. but then you knew that.

This is really very good, lots of really loud florals up front, and a massive sweetness that carries it to a lovely nearly dry finish and a brilliant linger. Phwoar.

A beer to write poetry by.  Lovely up front, lovely middle, finish to make you want to start again and a little early hint in the linger.

Poetry then.... I could probably manage a limerick if pushed, I'm rubbish at Haiku.

Made a mistake and slopped the second serve, so ended up a half-half beer and foam. Showing off because that's all the head I ever get. (I'll get my coat).

This has such an intense in the glass aroma, it doesn't translate so well to the nose when drinking, but if you were to take a sniff of the glass it's quite pleasant.

At this point there isn't a lot of pretence that I'm really enjoying this then, it is however slanted more towards the florals and sweets than the bitters and dryness. Which when you consider it is exactly how they've pitched it.

So like all poetry there comes the angst and the clouds and weights on shoulders. What I've got is a wonderfully lovely drinking beer that suddenly and abruptly hits the stops and tips over into the 'that's a bit of  a mouthful' beer.

Too sweet, too floral, not dry enough at the back, all those things. Didn't stop me really enjoying the way that this changed as it warmed, and I'm now thinking I could well easily go again with this tomorrow.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 a of its things from the thing. This really is a thing of beauty and hidden talent, and you could easily lose yourself in it and become one with everything, like a hotdog. 

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? It really is a bit good, and I'm smiling like I found my happy place.


2. Would I have another? I would and I might tomorrow.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Yes. this is spectacular as a beer that unfolds and changes takes you from a high to a slightly less high and then smacks you and then makes you want to go again. I'm taking up writing Haiku.

Musical notes were provided by "The Zombies" , Here on Spotify, the Album called  Odessey and Oracle from 1967!  This is "Time of the Season"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Gf7ettG5Y8

You'd be surprised at the number of original songs they came up with, I was, and then I wondered how they're not more well known. This was music of a generation that has become a bit more than that.

AMBER ALE

A style without definition, amber ales range from bland, vaguelly caramelly beers to products with a fairly healthy malt and hop balance. Often the differentiation between a quality amber and an American Pale is that the amber might have more dark malt character, or a less assertive hop rate

Beer - #571 - Fat Monk - American IRA

American IRA, or Red Ale. Now colour me stupid but I thought I'd drunk beer from the Fat Monk before now. Seems I haven't. For no reason really.

Dry hopped Red Ale 

Unusual beer, usual music, odd numbers and the odd party.

This is a 500ml bottle of a beer that is 6% ABV,  2.4 standard drink units, 180 calories a serve give or take or 240 ish for the bottle.

Brewed by Fat Monk Brewing this is the in sttyle: Amber Ale or perhaps India Pale Ale (IPA) and they are based in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand

[caption id="attachment_10729" align="alignleft" width="300"] Fat chap has Fat Monk beer[/caption]

Using a American Ale yeast, this is an off-dry style beer with pale and lots of darker malts.

A big fight between malts and hops, creates a big balanced beer.

Centennial (citrus and/or floral character) and Amarillo (spicy orange and other citrus characters.) hops.

What could possibly go wrong? Well apart from a best by date of January 2015 not a lot. I brought this within the last two weeks too, I should check more.

Seems carbonated ok, musty bready yeast notes, not hoppy and something else in there quite nice but I can't put my nose on it.

A rather lovely pour of a bright chestnut coloured beer with a lovely off white almost orange tinged head.

Aroma still a bit complicated, perhaps it is spicy, I can't tell, I'm not so good at this.

Taste is malted sweetness that seems 'fat' to the taste and a bitterness that is second and a muted finish. Left though with a tang on the tip of the tongue. Interesting.

Don't think then with all my best will that I'd say IPA for this, despite being suckered in an using the IPA glass. I'm also going to suggest that this because of the unusual way the flavours are delivered that this is past the best it could be for flavours.

Not that it is awful or undrinkable. Not that it's particularly good drinking either.

I think that this needs polishing, the brewery isn't large or particular significant in size terms, they do brew in small batches, and they brew a fair few beers, so they have a market that evades me, it's not a beer you see around that much.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 6 a of its things from the thing- that's above average though.  Sometimes things just don't work for you and this might be one of those times for me. If I was going past their way I'd pop in and try something fresh up just to prove myself wrong, and I'm always up for that.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? A beer of two parts, I think I could drink a few of these if it was slightly better, but I'm not enjoying it as I have it now.


2. Would I have another?  not like this no.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? It is when all is said a bit of an everyman beer, so no. 

Musicness - well Alamo Race Track took my fancy, their album 'Hawkes' is which you can find here,

Alamo Race Track is a rock band from Amsterdam, Netherlands. This is a track "Young Spruce and Wires"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4rSub22z28

AMBER ALE

A style without definition, amber ales range from bland, vaguelly caramelly beers to products with a fairly healthy malt and hop balance. Often the differentiation between a quality amber and an American Pale is that the amber might have more dark malt character, or a less assertive hop rate

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 - #199 - Garage Projects - L'il Red Rye

I start tonight with a beer that's been in the fridge for a while, because I've been looking forward to it, it's a Garage Projects - L'il Red Rye.

Brewed by Garage Project In the style of an  Amber Ale and they do come from the newly shaky city of Wellington, New Zealand.  Garage Projects say this is an "American hopped Red Rye Ale"

 A 650ml bottle, 6.5% ABV- or 3.3 standard drink units. Only available in bottles in NZ :-)

Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? Humulus Lupulus, the wolf bine can be fierce, but L’il Red Rye, the grain at the heart of this beer, has more than enough character to run with the wolves. Amarillo and Simcoe hops combine with the earthy spice of rye, and the richness of Munich and caramel malts to create a beer that’s well worth a short cut through the woods.

Red or Amber - one means stop one means go faster, no wait that's traffic signals....

Initial aroma is sweet and earthy. Pours a brilliant ruby dark red with a decent full body head, aroma as it is settles to a slight grassy hop note.

And the flavour is fair cracking, a lovely burst of bitter and a wonderful mouthfeel of malty sweetness to follow, the bitterness making a welcome return at the end. Delightful.

As a counterpoint to tonight's music the Jack White Blunderbuss Album this is really nice.

One thing that you could pick on is that seems to be overly carbonated or there are some very active bubbles in the beer. I'm really never sure if I like that or not, I think that on the whole probably not so much.

But the fact is that this is a pretty awesome beer, and I'm going to be miffed if I've missed out on getting this again.  This delivers a hearty amount of subtle bitterness, and a goodly amount of malts to offset it, and it carries itself the whole journey. I think I like that.

The pdubyah-o-meter says easily 8.5 making this just shy of great and better than very good, or to put it another way, get some in you'll not be disappointed. It's a honest beer, honestly delivered and would be a great companion for a long night in watching sports and telling stories.

So far then this might be slightly less than the Red Rocks, or the Pernicious Weed but I think if they weren't available and this was I'd still be smiling and think I'd scored.

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Beer #190 - Deep Creek Brewery - Little Armoured One

Deep Creek Brewery, Browns Bay, a hop skip and a jump from home,  This their "Little Armoured One" in the Style of an  Amber Ale , or American Amber Ale brewed by Deep Creek Brewing Co , Browns Bay  Auckland, New Zealand

I've had this many times on Tap, I even have a a "Creeker Card" loyalty program card there. But it's fair that since it's in bottles I take some time to really say what I think.

 So, a 5.7%ABV beer in a 500ml bottle, (pint) which is about 2.3 Standard drinks

American Amber Ales were born in innovative microbreweries on America’s West Coast. They set out to recreate English style Bitter and Pale Ale beers. Their success was an amber coloured ale, with a caramel, malty flavour, complemented by a strong hop character. Frequent additions of Amarillo hops provide the inspiration for the beer named after the Armadillo, a mischievous and tough little creature who could easily be mistaken for looking like the hop cones. A challenge for the senses; intense floral aroma complimented by a toffee malt character.

[caption id="attachment_4952" align="alignright" width="300"] There was much more head then this before, I drank a little then topped it up, Still excitable[/caption]

There's not much by way of aroma on opening, I was expecting a hoppy burst perhaps, Overly carbonated 1/3 head 2/3 beer in the glass, but it is a firm head. The beer is a dark brown colour, darker than I remember, perhaps pub lights are different. There is a faint aroma of hops.

The taste though, banging!, Lovely balance of malts and bitter with a nice twang, just like being in the pub :-).

From the bottle this is every bit as nice as from the tap. There is a nice richness in the malts that draws you back for more. The bitterness is subtle enough that you know you're drinking a bitter beer but it's not all pucker up and squint.

What I don't get is "Floral" and I wouldn't say this was "Amber" in colour, unless I've been doing traffic lights all wrong all these years.

The pdubyah-o-meter likes this truly local (to me) beer, the equal of many that I've drunk from much more experienced and know brewers. It's swings to an 8.5 on the random scale of things, making it somewhere between very good and great.

It might be over-carbonated and that fizzy distracts you from the game. As it warms in the glass it begins to get into it stride, the stride being your steps back to the bar for another  very rewarding and tasty beer. A very well balanced session beer, and if you're ever in the mood for a craft brewer who is literally on the beach, and offers a menu of great food, and a lively atmosphere, then go on do yourself a favour. And if you do let me know, the first one will be on me.

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Beer #186 - Wigram - Harvard Honey Ale

Early evening, time for a beer that was a gift from my son after a visit to a Honey Farm, a Wigram Harvard Honey Ale. Brewed by Wigram Brewing Company in the style of a  Amber Ale Christchurch, New Zealand.

A 500ml bottle of a 6% ABV beer, making it about 1.9 standard drinks.

This copper coloured ale has a faint honey aroma. This mild, medium body beer has a distinct honey flavour balanced well with a clean crisp hoppy finish. At the end, a slight sweetness stays on the palate.

English ale malt, a top fermenting ale yeast. Don't be fooled, this is no ordinary ale, infused into this beer is certified organic Bush honey, giving a distinctive flavour and aroma,enjoy.

Nothing distinctive on opening. Much much darker than I expected, dark chestnut, with an off white head. The aroma settles to a sweet note.

There's s hoppy rush and a big front note to this, and that ends up to be pretty persistent through the mouthfeel.  Whist this isn't overly bitter in any way it isn't honey sweet either.  It is a nice beer to drink as a drink. The pdubyah-o-meter rates this at the 7.5 lever making it good.

I was expecting more amber than chestnut in the colour, and more sweet than bitter in the taste. But is is a good drinking beer, if you like a bitter, if you were after a honey Amber Ale then you should be looking elsewhere.

Beer - #166 - Mountain Goat - Fancy Pants Amber Ale

Mountain Goat - Rare Breed - in this case the Fancy Pants Amber Ale.m a beer from 'strayer. Brewed by Mountain Goat Beer in the unsurprising style of an Amber Ale and that's in Richmond, Victoria, Australia, (West Island of NZ)

Right, firstly this is an Aussie Beer. Apart from Fosters, XXXX, VB, Carlton and Swan this is the first time I had an Aussie Beer, when not in Australia.

We found some fresh hop flowers down the back of the couch the other day (in their little protective foil bags so they really were fresh), and we all said as one: “Fancy Pants.” Could we do it again? Easy said, only one way to find out. Long story short, its back: Fancy Pants Amber Ale. Stupid name, serious beer. We used Galaxy Flowers through our hop-back to give a full-on tropical fruit/spicey aroma. On top of alot of traditional ale malt we threw a liberal dose of crystal malt, a little wheat and fermented her warm with an American Ale yeast. It’s deep copper/amber with a full, rocky head. 5.2% alc/vol, 35 BU, served in the bar in our fanciest glass.

So 640ml bottle - in itself an odd size, 2.5 standard drink units at 5.3%ABV and with 35IBU this is a low bitter beer. This is part of their "Rare Breed" beers, the one-offs or the as the season takes their fancy.  It appealed because it's label which is far to detailed and in far to small a font to read :-), and because I'm a sucker for packaging.

The opening is promising of a hopiness that made me smile. Dark amber pour and well decent creamy fluffy head, the hopiness aroma in abundance. And it tastes ok. The low bitterness ins't too worried by the malt sweetness that you have.  There's a bunch of floral notes too, all very complimentary.

This is fair dinkum ok. If anything there is too much floral, but the hops and the malts are well balanced and that makes it ok by me.  It's a very good bar beer.

Is it a spectacular beer? Not really. But it rings my bell (at least tonight ) The pdubyah-o-meter says 8.5 but wants to be 9, making it a good evening in my house. I hate to say it but if you were drinking this out you'd be easily persuaded to have another and one for the road, or two. A decent and happy session beer.

You know that thing where if you like Amber Ale and try this and don't like it, I'd probably give you your money back, that. Of it's kind and of this beer it's pretty good.

It's annoying both of high quality, and drinkability. It's a shame that this is a limited edition, I'm sure there is a reason for that that I don't have the inclination to follow.

If I was, in some parallel universe, brewing commercial quantities of beer, that would be a great strategy, but you could only do it from a solid base. Like many commercial craft beers Goat seems to be based around a micro-brewery pub. I'm glad they do enough to get a wider audience. at least to NZ.

A fantastic Aussie beer.And there I was thinking something else. Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi! Oi! Oi!  'nuff said.

Beer - #163 - Garage Project - Red Rocks

Garage Project - Red Rocks - Brewed by Garage Project in the Style: Amber Ale in Wellington, New Zealand

All a bit special. 650ml bottle, 7.5% ABV - 3.6 Standard Drink units.

Red Rocks is a rich ruby red ale with loads of chewy malt character. There wasn’t a lot of restraint shown in the hopping of this beer. We had a fair bit of whole cone Nelson Sauvin hops in the fridge and they all went in. The end result is a nice balance of malt sweetness and bitterness, with some assertive hop aroma and flavour.

These guys party when they make beer, and well this was a bottle I couldn't go past.

Big bang of hops on the aroma, rich dark brown pour, but a poor effort of head. The hop aroma isn't fussy and just is, and it's almost chocolate like, but that might be fanciful.

My mouth is a bit watering with expectation, and that a weird thing. OMG, this is a delightfully rich deep beer. There is a smash of malt sweets and a layer of hop bitter, and it's like a party going on in my mouth! The hops are raw and grassy, the caramels are just on point, and the carbonation is lovely and mellow.

The hops get more prevalent as it sits, but they don't carry a sourness or sour end with them, and they are carried well by the malts.

Love it a lot, the pdubyah-o-meter is 9.25th of a thing, it's a bit good. Lovely balanced beer well put together.

'nuff said.

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Beer - #152 - 8 Wired - Tall Poppy India Red Ale

Back to something from a more established NZ brewery - the 8 Wired Tall Poppy India Red Ale - 8 Wired Brewing which is brewed at Renaissance Brewing, this one in the style of a  Amber Ale
and they're in Blenheim, New Zealand.

500ml bottle, 7% ABV, thats 2.8 Standard drink units, and 60 IBU's so at the lower end for IPA .... stand by for incoming......

Tall Poppy - India Red Ale This is an ale that is not afraid of standing tall among other great beers. The intense, sharp and fruity hoppiness is backed by its complex, caramel-like malty structure. Big, yet refreshing. Bold but balanced. This beer has been designed to have it all, to be the greatest common denominator.

Love the play on words they manage.

This sounds like the business but this is s brewer who takes risks and has delivered a mixed bag, in my opinion.

The immediate hop aroma is really nice, not ones I'm familiar with (Warrior, Columbus, Simcoe, Amarillo) Fantastic dark red colour, reasonable head,  and that fantastic aroma, almost spicy.

There's a mouthful of flavour too, caramel malts, backed with a fair hit of bitterness.

If anything this ends a little "dry" in the mouth, but there isn't a lot to tell you you're drinking a reasonably strong beer by way of alcohol astringent.

In the glass, given a few minutes, this really begins to bloom and blossom. this might be that I'm a bit over average beers in my enthusiasm, but this light up a lot of buttons on the pdubyah-o-meter. It could be that I'm comfortable with the bitterness that this delivers, or the way that the caramel and malt combine with the whole to make a nice.

The pdubyah-o-meter says 8.5, which makes this a fair decent beer. I'm happily necking this like there is no tomorrow, and I'll suddenly realise that there is only the one, and this is it.

For all it's good points I didn't get a head, I get no lacing, and if anything it's under hopped. It's easily drinkable, and if I was where this was on tap I'd be more than happy to pull up a barstool order me some fries and have a another, or two.

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Beer - #139 - Schipper’s - Scallywag

Schipper’s Scallywag - a Rich Amber Ale - From the Schipper’s Beer Company Brewed at Aotearoa Breweries in Newmarket, Auckland, New Zealand

5.5% ABV in a 500ml bottle. (2,2 Drink units) of either an  Amber Ale or ESB ?

This beer has a velvety balance of malt and hops that makes it very easy to drink.

Seems they dropped the premium packaging and went for comedy label ?

Brewery in Newmarket - let me guess..... Lion!

But I had a pif of a day and perhaps a comedy beer will make things better.

So: Light, Amber, no so bitter, and a bit chemical is what I have in mind....

It's actually decently hoppy!, I could be eating my own words (or drinking my own beer), very decently hoppy and has a fair bash of sweet malt note too. a decent off white head and me licking my lips, Seems like a bit of a winner.  Lovely dark chestnut colour too. All round goodly good.

This already has session beer all over it, an IBU of 45 means that you're not going to end up puckering every moutful and a bit looking forward to the next one. And at low/mid strength this will carry you all evening.

There's no hint of the alcohol or any additive that I was afeared of, and I'm refreshed and altogether in a much better place than I was earlier.

The pdubyah-o-meter says 7.5 things good on it's scale of arbitrary, making this a beer to reach for if you have any doubts about the other offerings in front of you .  It could do with a bit more malts and a bit of length on the palate if it was to push through and become a benchmark, as it is though it's a good solid if unspectacular beer.

If only I had another !

Beer - #128 - ParrotDog - Bloodhound

ParrotDog - Bloodhound : Brewed by ParrotDog Brewing Ltd.  on twitter as @ParrotDog  - in the style of an  Amber Ale  (!) and they do that in Windy Wellington, New Zealand And this is odd since the label clearly says "Red Ale"

"A grassy NZ hopped aroma featuring a hint of roasted malt is supported by full-bodied, red coloured malt base and a pleasant NZ hopped bitterness to round off. A big, malty red ale uplifted with a generous amount of hop"

It says.

6.3% ABV in a 330ml bottle (1.6 standard drinks).

A big sell then, but they might have the chops to pull it off.

So despite what I read, saying it was nice amber pour, this is in fact a red ale, and has exactly the right colour for it. Despite it having no head :-(  it delivers a fairly notable hop nose and a sweet aroma that not instantly obvious as to what causes it. But then you get it, it's oranges!

So the aroma settles to an orange syrupy affair, which reminds me of the sneaky cake you get with the coffee on occasion (Don't tell MrsPdubyah).

There is a lively hop taste, restrained and not all up in your face, nicely carbonated, it's goodly good is what it is. The sugary aroma though is obvious and I flinched again before I took more, it's that obvious  and loses it appeal.

The aroma is all there is though, I get no orange note on the palate with this, but that does not make it a bad beer. I would imagine that as a summer beer this would hit the mark.

At a 8 on the pdubyah-o-meter I rate this as nicely hoppy and bitter enough, It loses ground because I don't overly care for the aroma that shocks the nose each time it gets close to it, which can't be a good thing. This would stand up to something hearty by way of a food accompaniment adding to something rather than overshadowing it.

A fine effort from the new boys of ParrotDog, I'd give this another go anytime, and  I've got me a DeadCanary to chase this one, and in the unlikely event they ever read this I'd be happy to review and appreciate any or all the beers you produce, for research purposes of course.

Beer - #107 - Stoke Bomber - Kiwi Pale Ale

McCashin Family Original Stoke Bomber Kiwi Pale Ale :-) brewed by the  McCashin Family Brewery in the Style of an  Amber Ale in sunny sunny Nelson, New Zealand.

"Our Stoke Bomber IPA is a daring formulation designed to excite the palate. First comes the aroma of biscuits and stone fruit, followed by flavours of caramel and marmalade blending with spice and hints of pepper. The zesty, lingering finish of this light bodied beer is a celebration of Wai-iti hops, only grown in New Zealand of course."

This is a5.5% ABV beer in a 650ml bottle, and this one is a little special as it's a gift of love from my daughter who one night needed a roadside rescue from her dad.

That' a yeasty bread aroma, but it's also a bit malty too.  Muddy English brown beer, with a head that tried to last more than a glance. Gosh though that's a bit weird on the tongue. Cunning weird, frown type weird. The aroma nose and the intriguing taste is quite a combination.

(and a burp), and I'm thinking that there was a peach in there. Together this is quote an impressive sum of parts. Young MissPdubyah did well with this, I don't know that I'd have ever got to it on the way things are going, but it's a lovely thing to receive, enjoy and contemplate on.

And a beer that you can think about and mull over is a good thing, sadly it's not a quaffing beer, that nirvana where you are surprised, impressed and enthralled by the taste sensation that you've drunk it all and wondered "the heck".

Whilst the pdubuyah-o-meter things this is a middling 7 things in the arbitrary nature of things, making it a C- level beer that "could try harder" it does what it says on the label, there isn't a pretence in the description that you agree with because you don't get it, but because it is what i is.

This is one of those beers that you'd be a bit disappointed to miss out on the last bottle of, but possibly not one that would be your first choice.

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Beer - #80 - Rogue - Dry Hopped St. Rogue Red Ale

It's about that time of the day when all there is left is a roll of the dice, and this is the last chance saloon (this week) and I usher in the the  Rogue Dry Hopped St. Rogue Red Ale.
Well it's brewed by Rogue Ales Newport, Oregon USA, and they do this one in the style of an Amber Ale.

You might pick from the visage there is hope rather than certainty in this.

I know that Rogue have a fair decent thing going on, having had the pleasure of  some of their output,  please please please....

This then in a brilliantly presented 650Ml of a 6.2% ABV beer, in a way that it's a  thing going on and demanding an attention. Lets get it on.

I know this is the last beer of the night, and so I look forward to A Reddish copper in color, a roasty malt flavor with a hoppy sprucy finish. Saint Rogue Red is made with two-row Harrington, Klages and Munich malts, along with Hugh Baird 30-37, 13-17 Carastan, and Crystal 70-80 malts (44.4% speciality grains .39 lbs grain per bottle); Chinook and Centennial hops.

All of that and the blue cheese, crackers and a bit of A-League averageness.

There's a big hops in this, it's ok, and pours like a real beer, head and all. See I can do it. It's dark like you think a beer should look too.

There's a zinginess on the tounge, and not for the first time this week in a weird way I found turkish delight, which isn't normal, but might be forgiven for the sweetness.

As a learning thought I 'm getting that this is  all about the dry  hops, which  add the sweetness  and the  "green" taste. If you get it you get it. You really have to have this as a lesson, a teaching though, it's not something you could stumble across without a teacher. You have you have to have this explained A v B, And I learnt this from Ian at  the WilliamsWarne shop.

The most of me wants to fly to Oregon, not for the "trail" but just for the this. I realise that in drinking and then thinking about he beer makes you a bit of a twat. That you'd sit here and do the big aroma, length, palate thing in some way that makes you have a real opinion, you drink beer because you like the beer. There's no science in it, except there seem to be.

This is terribly good beer. although the sweetness might have you thinking twice if you had to sit and drink more than a prudent amount.

Not a "red" by any way that I know a "red" beer, and that makes the pdybyah-o-meter get to just a 7 things from 10 things in it's own arbitrary way. It's just too sweet and cloying, it's not bad I'm glad it wasn't my first beer, and I' not upset it was my last

Get some of this, there is a good story in the drinking, and as part of a journey through an evening this would be something you should include, it's nice, it's a bit good, and if you arrived with a  bottle I'd cuddle you like a brother.

Oh I forgot the blue cheese and became enamoured of this beer, which is a good thing said MrsPdubyh. Me not being daft decided she was right and that was all she wrote.  he said.

Beer - #52 - Apache American Amber Ale

Apache American Amber Ale -  Brewed by Golden Eagle Brewery, in the style of an Amber Ale, and is brewed in Rolleston,  Just outside Christchurch, New Zealand.  It delivered in a convenient (pint) 500ml 5.6%ABV bottle.

Pure Canterbury water, barley & American hops are brought together with passion to create an amber ale with Zest!

Been around since 2002 or thereabouts. It's very hoppy and dark for an "amber ale"  which lead me to this discovery since I was really expecting 'amber' and not "dark'....

American Amber / Red Ale - Primarily a catch all for any beer less than a Dark Ale in color, ranging from amber (duh) to deep red hues. This style of beer tends to focus on the malts, but hop character can range from low to high. Expect a balanced beer, with toasted malt characters and a light fruitiness in most examples. The range can run from a basic ale, to American brewers who brew faux-Oktoberfest style beers that are actually ales instead of lagers.

An then I went "ahhh" I get it now. So turning the frown upside down your starter for 10 is "can I pour a beer with a head?" and you'd be right. Not this time.

Crikey that's hoppy. Very hoppy, a loud surprise hoppy- again crickey. That's somewhat pleasant. Wow, I'm totally at peace with the fact that mu ignorance leads to me a red ale, rather than something else. And having just had a "Leprechauns Belle" at the "Deep Creek Brewery" that won a bronze I can tell you the bar must be pretty low for that award. This is hands down a better beer by heaps.

Ok so else I get Hops, of course, and a pleasant malt that adds enough sweet to make this really somewhat a game of two halves. The hops makes you think of a bitterer mouthfeel the underlying malt taste balances that very well.

Lest I talk more nonsense I'll award some arbitrary points on the pdubyah-o-meter, and I can't lie this is 9 from 10. and it's a high 9 not a down-marked 9. If I could pour one with a head, and it had better lacing it's be 9.5 :). This is something of a pleasant and rewarding beer, and I'm really impressed, and for the jaded me that's something I look for.

In the adventure that is craft beer there are never many surprises, often you get too much carbonation, or mis-balance of hops, or malt, a thinness. Today I'm really quite impressed that I had to sit up and pay real attention to a fine beer. Seriously, try this, you'll be impressed.

The lovely people at Liquorland in Forest Hill for their selection deserve a mention.

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Beer – #22 in a series – Hawkes Bay Amber Ale

C/- Hawkes Bay Independent Brewery who talk it up a bit:

"A rich malt body with mild hop characteristic adds complex fruitiness and a pronounced bitterness to this deep amber ale. Batch brewed using traditional methods and cold filtered to give a smooth, crisp finish"

Well it initially smells fantastic, and the initial taste is somewhat pleasing. However, it's fleeting and, for me, has that "pale ale" after burn which that I tend to shy away from. Not to say that it isn't a pleasant beer, but I'd be wary of going back for more.

The taste falls away very quickly with this beer, which is something rather unusual, and not something that I recall happening before. It doesn't sit in the glass well either, and seems somewhat flat and lackluster. Of course the next mouthful I have changed again, which means that this is either very complex or just odd!

They've also changed the bottle shape on this, and the two that I picked up have different labels and lids. Looking at this review. I'm a bit miffed that I didn't get the unique unique bottle and not the pint size one that I have that, although the one I have is very reminiscent of a wine bottle in shape.

I've struggled to find a "good" review for this beer, and that in itself was odd, although to be fair it is a local beer for local people so the quantity of reviews is smaller than usual, however they're all pretty much a much, this isn't a winner.

So, to the pdubyah-o-meter for this, Despite it's 500Ml (pint sized) bottle  of 4% ABV it's disappointingly well average and struggles to make a 4 out of 10 arbitrary stars.

You'll not again that I learnt a bit from the last debacle of being artistic with the tilted glass with a cunningly lit beer, only just though, nearly ended badly and expensively.

Thanks to the people at New World in Albany who have a rather fine range of beers to choose from.

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