Beer - #588 - Wild Beer - Sourdough

Indeed. Wild Beer Sourdough. Strange beer, strange music, strange scores and strangers at a gathering.

Collaboration with Hobbs House Bakery. Sour ale based on a Berliner Weisse.

This is a 330ml bottle,  and the beer is 3.6%ABV, that would be 108 calories in the serve, and it is .97 of a drink unit.

Brewed by Wild Beer in the style that is  Sour/Wild Ale and they are in the fine town of Shepton Mallet, England

Beer and Bread have been showing off the magic of yeast for thousands of years, we decided to combine the two.

[caption id="attachment_10928" align="alignleft" width="300"] Wild and sour.... and that's just me[/caption]

The old and the new, contemporary ideas and historical techniques and ingredients, a very special beer that combines all these things and more. 
6 months before we even had a brewery we started talking to Tom Herbert about the Hobbs House Bakery’s 58 year old Sourdough yeast, and whether we could use it to ferment a beer. Tom was excited, we were excited! 

After a year of trials (each trial took a really long time to develop) we decided to loosely base the beer on a Berliner Weisse style - a historical Sour beer style from Northern Germany, but with a Wild Beer slant to it.

We have used the 58 year old sourdough culture and a little brettanomyces and put the beer straight into oak barrels for its primary fermentation. 
It has been slowly fermenting, maturing and souring for 4 months in the barrels and will continue to evolve and develop in the bottle.

There is a lovely gentle rounded fruity sourness to this beer. It isn’t harsh, and its low alcohol makes it the perfect brunch beer to enjoy with smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on some Hobbs House Bakery Sourdough.

Serve chilled.

What could possibly go wrong with that then? I'm pretty chilled most of the time...

Summer is doing that lurching into Autumn and Winter thing, one day it's shorts the next day raincoats and jumpers. Today was a bit of everything, soaked in the rain and got a 6km exercise in in the sunshine.  Anyway.

This smells of sour, which came as no surprise.

The pour was of clear like lemonade clear, until of course I poured the whole bottle and then it clouds up, it's now cloudy lemonade looking. Does look nice, even if I can't get a head on beers it looks nice.

There is a nose of sourdough bread, of course this could be just me thinking it so, but it is that sour yeasty aroma.

And gosh it's very sour, more so than I expected having read the blurb, i though it was going to be lower is all.

So after that shock, the quick nose and the sudden shock of sour I'm taking stock.

What to think though? The beer itself lacks anything that you could describe as 'body' there isn't a lot of things going on

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 a of its things from the thing. If you like sour beers this is quite interesting, not as sour as some that I've had, and at the same time this is more sour than I expected.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? After the initial shock this is quite a good sour beer and I enjoyed it.


2. Would I have another? I have some of the other Wild Beers to try, I'll come back to it maybe, maybe not.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I don't know, these are very specific beers, and I don't think they're for sharing and being open about, unless you're in a place where they are, if that makes sense.

Musics: Well Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds took my fancy, This is a track called "The Ballad of the Might I"

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

The album is called 'Chasing Yesterday' I've had it on rotate for a few times and it gets better. You can find it   Here on the Spotify and the everywhere else probably

SOUR/WILD ALE

Sour ale is a broad spectrum of wild ales, from the fruity and acetic Flanders Red Ales and Oud Bruins, to the experimental ales gaining popularity in the United States which use lactobacillus, brettanomyces and pediococcus in new and wild ways.

Beer - #587 - Renaissance - Stonecutter Scotch Ale - Tap

This was at the FYO station, so hear we have the  Renaissance - Stonecutter Scotch Ale A beer I had a year ago in the bottle format.

In this post then; Revisiting tastes, revisiting bands, revisit the numbers and the after party visit.

And for those of you who want to know about where the name Stonecutter came from, you will need to know the secret handshake

This is around 210 calories a serve,  it is a 7% ABV  beer and the 1 litre is 5.52 standard drinks,

Stonecutter is brewed by Renaissance Brewing in the style of a  Scotch Ale and they live in Blenheim, New Zealand

This is the big, hearty ’red wine’ of our range. Nine malts are blended to produce layers of caramel, coffee, liquorice, chocolate and roasty flavours and

[caption id="attachment_10912" align="alignleft" width="300"] Wee Heavy[/caption]

these are balanced by a tart, raisiny fruitiness that gradually gives way to a lingering dry finish. Rich, full bodied. warming and moreish. Stonecutter pairs well with venison, roast beef or lamb, or the heartiest casseroles and stews. For dessert try with a creme brulee or, of course, Scottish shortbread.

We use nine malts blended together to produce layers of caramel, toffee, liquorice, chocolate and roasty flavours. These layers are balanced by a tart, raisiny fruitiness that gradually gives way to give this dark beer a lingering dry finish.

Rich, full bodied, warming and moreish.

Multi award winning Stonecutter Scotch Ale is the big, hearty, ‘red wine’ of our range. The Scotch Ale style is believed to have originated in Edinburgh in the 18th century and is colloquially known as "wee heavy" due to its higher strength than its paler siblings. We use nine malts blended together to produce layers of caramel, toffee, liquorice, chocolate and roasty flavours. These layers are balanced by a tart, raisiny fruitiness that gradually gives way to give this dark beer a lingering dry finish.!

What could possibly go wrong?

Has a real coffee / toffee aroma on opening.

Dark brown mahogany pour with a small and decently thick head. Aroma is still that burn toffee / coffee thing very malty.

Smoky to the taste, subtle smoky, complimentary smokey, deliciously smokey. Highly bitter at a really nice level too.

Has a surprisingly subtle and persistent linger too.

Whilst the smokiness is the most noticeable thing about the taste there is a decent amount of warmth and softness in the body of this, and the whole is a very decently balanced dark beer of some distinction.

I think last I drank this I had the sense of 'raisins' which I don't get now, but I get a big bunch of smoke that I didn't before. Odd things beers.

Don't find the pre-nose aroma that tempting as a thing, but it's not off-putting, though it's a strangely welcoming thing, the sort of aroma you'd romanticise about a pub having perhaps.

A very very drinkable and thoroughly enjoyable wee heavy to get my mood straightened up and flying right. A beer of many things, I've sipped and enjoyed it, I quaffed and guzzled, it fits the moment you're in. If the moment you're in is of course for a dark smokey beer of slightly higher ABV than usual.

[inserts some poetry here]. ..[kidding]

Pdubyah-o-meter rating this is 9, making it quite remarkable, well 'great' on the random scale of things. Still 'great' is just worse than 'awesome' that's how random the scale is. I can't believe that the bottle and the tap version could differ so much.  But then it's me and how the thing is at that moment.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? This is rather a good beer.


2. Would I have another? I would and would again a few times.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I so would, you, me, the porch, (it's cold so couple blankets), might light a fire-pit or something, this, the stars and a whole lot of blether.

I like this album, Status Quo, Stripped Bare the Acoustic versions. Listen Here

Status Quo are an English rock band whose music is characterized by their distinctive brand of boogie rock. This is "Caroline"

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

I had boogie around the lounge.

SCOTCH ALE

Scotch Ale was the name given to a strong pale ale from Edinburgh in the 19th century. This was typical of the strong pale ales brewed in Britain at that time - mainly pale barley malt and moderate hopping, and were not that stylistically different to English Strong Ales or Barley Wines. The name however became regionalised so that a strong pale ale from Scotland became known as a Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy. Beers using the designation Scotch Ale are popular in the USA where most examples are brewed locally. Examples of beers brewed in the USA under the name Wee Heavy tend to be 7% abv and higher, while Scottish brewed examples, such as Belhavens Wee Heavy, are typically between 5.5% and 6.5% abv.

Related articles

• Beer Review #37: Squire Scotch Ale


• Case File #41 - Scotch Ale


• Beer - #310 - Renaissance - Stonecutter Scotch Ale

Beer - #575 - Harrington's - Ngahere Gold

Ngahere Gold - Heller Bock? Strong Lager?  Golden Lager? Euro Strong Lager? Going with the brewer here and their label of "Strong Lager' then, but if you look around you'll see confusion.

In the rest of this post then possibly a German beer,  some German precision music, precision numbers and just a party.

To be drunk with moderation!!

This is a 500 ml bottle of a beer that is 7.2% ABV, and that would be 216 calories a serve, 30 IBU and 2.8 standard drink units.

Brewed by Harringtons Breweries (Christchurch) in the style that is perhaps  Strong Pale Lager/Imperial Pils or  Heller Bock  and that's done in Christchurch, New Zealand

[caption id="attachment_10783" align="alignleft" width="300"] A thumb not some weird ear growth[/caption]

A strong lager brewed with locally sourced pilsner malts using Canterbury’s purest artesian water and Nelson’s finest hops.

A Holy trinity of ingredients creating a lager of international quality for Godzone enjoyment

What could go wrong? So the same Lager 3 ways, 4 ways?  Anyway a beer in the 'strong' ABV range of strong.  But I can't shake the idea I've had this beer in different forms from this brewer already.

Bready yeasty aroma on opening. Nothing particular.

A really pale pour, with a small but fluffy persistent head. The aroma reminds me of "everyman" beer, lots of malt.

Taste is interesting, somewhat more fruity than I would have expected, but otherwise this really seems to be leaning on the malt content for flavour, and perhaps the higher ABV.

At this point I realise that I might have over-reached the drink all the beers from a brewer thing. I don't know that drinking the all the lager styles in one go does anyone any favours, I'm confused between the difference in the various 'lager' styles. It might be my problem.

This might have been a Heller Bock except it's way to pale, and it for sure is a well malted beer. It has had confusion in it's lifetime with a couple of different styles tagged to it.

Things are are good: Pour is nice, looks ok, come lacing in the glass. Things not so good: a bit too sweet, and a general lack of hop flavours.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 5 a of its things from the thing. I really wanted something more, something that didn't taste like Euro-Lager.  But if I had wanted something strong and likely to get me to dance to random '70's music wearing a tank top then this might have been the thing, if that was the measure of the beer I was drinking then a lot more random arbitrary pdubyah points. 

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? No, I thought (and that's where the problem started) that this was something else/better.


2. Would I have another? No.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? No.

Note: I was provided this beer by the brewer to try and review, without catches,  this is 1 of 12 should you wonder about the sudden love of a brewer out of the blue.

Ngahere Gold - I looked it up, bemused, it's a local version of something like Elephant Beer, Stella Artois, or similar "wife beater" beer. Else, Ngahere is a locality in the Grey District of the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island, so a Forestry area, and the gold might be a reference to wet milled wood. I'm sure the brewer knows which is right.

Musically it called for something from The Gibson Brothers,  who are a France-based musical group, who had their greatest success during the disco boom of the late 1970s. This a live version of "Cuba"

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_UZXfX7EuE&w=420&h=315]

or not live

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y33HDxn4zM&w=420&h=315]

Well I remember it the first time around.

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.

HELLER BOCK

The Heller Bock is primarily a malty beer from the German brewing tradition with little hop character - neither bitter nor aromatic - though the style typically has a little more hops than the standard Bock. The color is golden to light brown or amber. They should normally pour with a substantial white head. All examples are pale and clear.

Beer- #570 - Harringtons - Belgium Trapist - thRreedux

Same beer new name, Same band same name, same numbers and the similar parties

The 3rd time, a three-peat, that I've drunk this as a beer then. Except this time it's not the same. Or is it? Let's not get ahead of the game.

"...makes this beer big, rich and full of fruitiness. Palate is rich and subtle malty. Full bodied.."

Brewers standard 500ml bottle of beer, this time 60 IBU, and 7.2 % ABV, which is 240 calories a serve size, and it is 2.8 standard drinks. I note that 7.2% ABV is new, that's less. Is it more?

Brewed by Harringtons Breweries (Christchurch) in the style of a  Abbey Tripel from the deep south as far away as Christchurch, New Zealand. EXCEPT not, they now label is as a Saison/Farmhouse. I think they're reaching for a style.

Beer #132  and #32 it was labeled as a "Strong Ale" look at the pictures of the label, blue then, yellow now. It scored a 4 both time I had it before, perhaps I'll be swayed by a new packaging.

Even the brewer can't decide on this, it's listed still on the their website as "Belgium Tempest" and 8% ABV.

[caption id="attachment_10721" align="alignright" width="300"] Multi personality beer, why would you frown?[/caption]

Belgium strong styled golden lager with plenty of malty flavour and rounded awarding characteristics.

Born out of a very old recipe, our Tempest is traditionally brewed with Nelson hops to a high alcohol level that enhances the warmth and vigour of this great beer style.

Brewed using Belgian Ale yeast makes this beer big, rich and full of fruitiness. Palate is rich and subtle malty. Full bodied sweetness dominates most of the palate but dies to a dryer finish with a herbal/phenol crisp hop bitterness.

So, what could go wrong? Based on the conflicting information, notes, the multi-personality labelling and all that, who knows what beer I'm having, Jekyll or Hyde.

So with a clear mind and empty head I venture forth.

Pops like a firework!,  Aroma though, bready, yeasty.

Pour is a lovely rich brown and a lovely head too! Aroma though, not so much, perhaps some orange peel. It looks ok though.

Taste. I can't shake the dull bready yeasty taste that pervades this.  BUT they've improved the aroma and the palate from other iterations of this.

So the you get to a point where either they have some bloody minded old curmudgeon that loves a name and thinks he's a master of style, or I have nothing else, they've clearly been floundering around with this as a beer for at least 3 different versions that I can find.

Based on a name. And this one does appear different in taste from the one's I've had before. Perhaps they should have stuck with Strong Lager?

Nothing at all Belgium. Nothing at all Trappist. Not even close to a Saison. not even. A Lager or Ale, someone in marketing or sucking up to the originator of the beer needs to look in the mirror, man up, and tell the man. today. Honest.

On the other hand, a really really nice drinking beer, that offers up low bitterness, a lovely maltiness, and a hint of a dry finish. If it could drop the bready yeast bit it's be a really good beer, really it would.

Based on my diary notes of the last two times I had this (Beer #132  and way back when #32)  this is hardly the same beer.

As it warms it picks up a sour note, which the maltiness just fails to carry, the aroma still confuses and confounds, and the finish is bitter and not totally pleasing.

This though is a world away from the previous versions, and in the right direction, I wonder if the brewer would be open to leaning further in the same direction because he would have something good going on.

Hey what where did all the beer go, he said, disingenuously, as this is more than sipping beer, nothing that is sharp or discordant to make you put it aside, I might even venture that I'd go again on this version as it clearly is on a journey that I hope they want to continue as the future looks bright if they do. But it isn't perfect and it is a little jaggy and unbalanced, unfinished and a bit rough. For a Brewery staple this should be more polished. Perhaps.

The pdubyah-o-meter - delightful as this is stretches t a 7.5

Lower ABV more enjoyment since when did that happen last? It has because this really is an improve on the other versions.  I'm not going to even pretend to be the voice of the punter or even to know what I'm talking about, should they even care to listen at the brewery but I might be tempted to make this a really strong ale as a 'special' and take it off the standard brew list where I think it's been struggling. I have no idea their consumer test group comes from, if it is friends of the brewer people stop listening to them, really please, this has such potential.

And on that bombshell.....

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? I rather am.


2. Would I have another?  I think I would, I might, I'd think about it. Perhaps. It's complicated.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? No. It's just not up to scratch, yet.

Note: I was provided this beer by the brewer to try and review, without catches,  this is 1 of 12 should wonder about the sudden love of a brewer out of the blue. 

Musically I was listen to Leonard Cohen on Spotify here an album called "Popular Problems"  This is "Slow"

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

I really am betwixt and between on the spoken word as 'singing' and yes I include 'rap' in that, and only John Cooper Clarke or Sam Hunt should be allowed to do it.  Send me a message if you want to discuss this :-)

ABBEY TRIPEL

Like other abbey ales, Tripels are strong, yeasty-malty beers. But they are also pale, and have a notable hop profile. Hop bitterness may be higher than a typical abbey ale, up to 35IBUs. But the finish is where the hops really shine, as tripels should finish fairly dry. Otherwise, maltiness is still essential to the style, and the assertive yeast note typical of all abbey ales will be more apparent in tripels, since they do not have the rich dark malts to distract the palate. Alcohol flavours feature more prominently in Tripels that in just about any other style.

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.

 

Beer - #526 - Hinano - Ambrée

Exotic Beer, Exotic Music, Exotic Numbers and Exotic Parties.

But there is more!

I had to look Tahiti up on a map!

This is a 330ml bottle of beer, 5.5% ABV, 1.43 standard drink units, and 150 calories a serve.

The labelling is great and is very attractive.

Brewed by La Brasserie de Tahiti (Heineken)  This is in the style that is Amber Lager/Vienna and they are in the well exotic and wistful sounding Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia. Right,  "Amber Beer" covers a lot of things. This is a lager style, and is malted up. We agree on Vienna style. 

Hinano Ambrée is not only made from unroasted malt, which is used in all beers, but also from slow-roasted malt, giving the beer its unique character.

[caption id="attachment_10205" align="alignleft" width="300"] It's sunny what could go wrong[/caption]

But there is more! The aromatic hop used strengthens the intense flavor of Hinano Ambrée.

In the Hinano range, Hinano Ambrée is a unique amber ale combining quality, crispness and innovation. Thanks to its specific manufacturing process, Hinano Ambrée offers a refined and full-bodied taste as well as a color made of shades of yellow and red ochre.

The use of aromatic hops strengthens the complex flavor of Hinano Ambrée.

So there you go, it's all on in the pacific. Whats the worst that could happen. Vienna Lager though, that's very specific.

That is a familiar dark malt aroma on opening.

That really does look blindingly good, dark chestnut brown, decent head, a 10 for appearance!

Aroma is fairly malty, it's quite nice, has a sort of pepper thing going on, might catch you out.

Well that unfolds pretty quickly doesn't it.

This is a tad sweeter than it needs to be, really. I like a sweet beer and that this just has a bit too much candy in it.

I enjoyed it for what it was, got distracted finished it and therefore have to conclude that it was easy drinking beer, ideal for a holiday destination, but not really ablate stand up against a Vienna Lager from perhaps Europe or Vienna.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 of its things from the thing. It's not bad, you need to drink this as the beer it is, without distractions as although it's not brilliant it's not really that bad.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? Clearly yes I drank that in quick time.


2. Would I have another? I would love another, your beach umbrella or mine.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Sunny afternoons with a cheeky cocktail this would be welcome, come on over.

And I was listening to an LP from 1979, "Elvis Costello" and his "Armed Forces"  Lp of which there are many great tracks (and a few shockers). Of Course "Olivers Army"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow1S4DJtLOk

I was dancing in the garden, I was sent back inside to dance in the comfort of the lounge.

AMBER LAGER/VIENNA

Your typical macrobrewed Dark Lager, often rendered dark with either brewer’s caramel or black patent malt, but each brewery will have a different approach. Aside from caramelly notes, these beers will not typically resemble other dark lager styles so much as they do the lighter styles, due to low amounts of hops, malt and body. Vienna as a beer style was theorized by Michael Jackson, but his oft-cited example was Negra Modelo, which is a macro dark lager like all the others. Some beers have taken on the idea of a Vienna lager as a distinct style, loosely based on the 1840 Anton Dreher beer, and these can be expected to be all-malt, with a fuller body and more character than the average macro dark

Related articles

• It's the most wonderful time of the year, for beer


• December 10 is National Lager Day

Beer - #456 - Rogue - Chocolate Stout

I was called out on not having had the Rogue Chocolate Stout, or to be exact the Double Stout version, which I do have in the fridge and was hoping would make it to the 500 mark.  I decided though to test the water first with the tame version.

HISTORY
The recipe for Rogue Chocolate Stout was created several years ago for export to Japan. The exported twelve ounce Chocolate Bear Beer bottle label is in Kanji and features a teddy bear with a pink heart on his belly. Chocolate Stout was released for Valentine’s Day in 2001 in a twenty-two ounce bottle for the US market. The label features a Roguester (Sebbie Buhler) on the label

Brewed by Rogue Ales in the style defined as a  Sweet Stout and they are in coastal Newport, Oregon USA

This might be higher in IBU than the double version at 69,  and this is a 22 OZ or 650ml bottle that has beer of 6.3% ABV, which means 189 calories a serve, and 3.2 standard drink units in the bottle in NZ.

Ebony in color with a rich creamy head. The mellow flavor of oats, chocolate malts, and real chocolate are balanced perfectly with the right amount of hops for a bittersweet finish. Chocolate Stout is brewed with 10 ingredients: Northwest Harrington and Klages, Crystal 135-165 and Beeston Chocolate Malts, Cascade Hops, Rolled Oats and Roasted Barley, Natural Chocolate Flavor, Free Range Coastal Waters and PacMan Yeast.

So it also says...  An earthy flavor of oats and hops that gives way to a rich chocolate truffle finish.

Truffles!

Beer - #430 - Pelican - Imperial Pelican Ale

I stopped by a new (to me) place Brothers Beer in town today and brought me some "Pelican Imperial Pelican Ale" that was in tap to take home in a growler.

"Huge Cascade hop aroma, the subtle malty sweetness, and the spicy, citrusy flavor of this robust, gold colored ale."

This is brewed by Pelican Pub & Brewery in that well travelled style that is India Pale Ale (IPA) and they are in Pacific City, Oregon USA

I have to drink this evening a beer that is at 8% ABV, and that is of  85 IBU things (which is low end for a dIPA, but high for an IPA), this has 240 calories a serve, or about 850 in the bottle I have, and works out to be that I brought 7.89  standard drink units worth in the 1250 ml growler I brought  (42 fl oz).

 Our mascot, Phil the Pelican, has recreated the flavor of the British Empire with his own

[caption id="attachment_9156" align="alignleft" width="300"] Imperial Pelican Ale - which is an Indian Pale Ale, why quibble..[/caption]

American twist. Enjoy the huge Cascade and Centennial hop aroma, the subtle malty sweetness, and the floral, citrusy flavor of this robust, gold colored ale. This brew began life as a seasonal beer during our first year and was so popular while we had it, and so frequently requested when it was gone, that we turned it into our fifth regular beer style our second year.

or... .

Our mascot, Phil the Pelican, got this Imperial IPA recipe from his long-lost Indian cousin, and has recreated the flavor of the British Empire with his own American twist. Enjoy the huge Cascade hop aroma, the subtle malty sweetness, and the spicy, citrusy flavor of this robust, gold colored ale.

Get in! Oh and Phil is a great name for a mascot...

Beer - #407 - Garage Project - Château Aro

Poshed up name this one - Garage Project - Château Aro.

Brewed by Garage Project in the style that could be called Fruit Beer and they are in the windiest of Wellington, New Zealand

Their standard delivery of a 650 ml bottle, this one has beer of 8.5% ABV,  making it 255 calories a serving, and containing  4.36 standard drinks

‘Never mix grape and grain’ – we’re breaking the cardinal rule again for our second grape harvest beer. Château Aro, a dark rubescent lager, conditioned on the freshly crushed juice and skins of pinot noir grapes from the award winning Escarpment Winery. And the result of this unholy union? Rich, complex and surprising. Remember, beer then wine, you’ll be fine.

Indeed, they seem to best at the beers at the edge of the boundary rather than the middle,  I'm hoping that this is nearer the edge.

Beer - #310 - Renaissance - Stonecutter Scotch Ale

A beer that was a gift - Renaissance - Stonecutter Scotch Ale

Brewed by Renaissance Brewing in the style of a  Scotch Ale and they live in Blenheim, New Zealand

This is the big, hearty ’red wine’ of our range. Nine malts are blended to produce layers of caramel, coffee, liquorice, chocolate and roasty flavours and these are balanced by a tart, raisiny fruitiness that gradually gives way to a lingering dry finish. Rich, full bodied. warming and moreish. Stonecutter pairs well with venison, roast beef or lamb, or the heartiest casseroles and stews. For dessert try with a creme brulee or, of course, Scottish shortbread.

We use nine malts blended together to produce layers of caramel, toffee, liquorice, chocolate and roasty flavours. These layers are balanced by a tart, raisiny fruitiness that gradually gives way to give this dark beer a lingering dry finish.

Rich, full bodied, warming and moreish.

Multi award winning Stonecutter Scotch Ale is the big, hearty, ‘red wine’ of our range. The Scotch Ale style is believed to have originated in Edinburgh in the 18th century and is colloquially known as "wee heavy" due to its higher strength than its paler siblings. We use nine malts blended together to produce layers of caramel, toffee, liquorice, chocolate and roasty flavours. These layers are balanced by a tart, raisiny fruitiness that gradually gives way to give this dark beer a lingering dry finish.

210 calories a serve, 7% ABV and 2.8 standard drinks, in a 500 ml bottle. Get in!

Heavy yeasty bready aroma on opening. Pours a lovely chestnut brown with a smallish off white head that seems firm and persistent.

More fruits and raisin in the aroma than indicated from the opening.

This is a full beer, by which it has a nice set of tastes from the tip the finish. There's a nice bitterness and a nice amount of caramels throughout this.

The raisin fruits play their supporting part too, adding to the whole enjoyment of this.

But, and isn't there always a but? I'm not actually sure that this is as full as I think it is, you can mistake a better beer this time than the last beer you had as being a step change.

This is really easy drinking, there are no hard edges to trip you up, and there is no unusual flavour or notes to distract you.

Pdubyah-o-meter rating this is 7, making it better than good. I could have started the afternoon with this and been happy to keep spending the afternoon with it. But let me not get carried away.  I'm not in love.

Yes I'd session on this (drink this a bit), but it could end up cloying and full of the caramels and sugars which would make it heavy weather after a couple.

Musically, because this is important. I can't help but like the Smiths and Morrissey - this one is  Everyday Is Like Sunday.  MrsPdubyah and me went to see him in concert recently, frankly he's a bit of a dick. Aside though I do like the musics

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27yyCVC1UvI&w=560&h=315]

SCOTCH ALE

Scotch Ale was the name given to a strong pale ale from Edinburgh in the 19th century. This was typical of the strong pale ales brewed in Britain at that time - mainly pale barley malt and moderate hopping, and were not that stylistically different to English Strong Ales or Barley Wines. The name however became regionalised so that a strong pale ale from Scotland became known as a Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy. Beers using the designation Scotch Ale are popular in the USA where most examples are brewed locally. Examples of beers brewed in the USA under the name Wee Heavy tend to be 7% abv and higher, while Scottish brewed examples, such as Belhavens Wee Heavy, are typically between 5.5% and 6.5% abv.

Related articles

• Beer Review #37: Squire Scotch Ale


• Beer- #309 - Townshend - Kings Landing


• Case File #41 - Scotch Ale

Beer - #277 - Behemoth - CHUR! NZ Pale Ale

Indeed - a quick dash to the shops and I picked me up a  Behemoth CHUR! NZ Pale Ale.  From the  Behemoth Brewing Company who Brew this at The Twisted Hop in the style of an  American Pale Ale.  And they are in Wigram of all places.

[caption id="attachment_6030" align="alignleft" width="300"] Chur![/caption]

chur : -  kiwi for thanks, cool, sweet etc

'that was choice eh bro!'
"chur"

A standard 330ml bottle of a beer of 5.2% ABV,  being 165 calories,  which all adds up to 1.4 standard drinks in NZ - 35 IBU Things.

Huge tropical aroma and light and refreshing New Zealand Pale ale is New Zealand hops in a bottle, not too bitter, not too sweet just delicious easy drinking fruity NZ Pale Ale. Chur!

A lovely floral hop note on opening. Nice carbonation , no head, my run has ended.

Really pointedly grassy, but it's a very short note.

There isn't a lot else in this though, the up-front hops are great, and they're fairly soft and I like the way they taste.

There is also some fruitiness in this, again fairly pleasant and enjoyable.

However there isn't a lot of malt/caramel sweetness or body to asset this. What you get then is a thinness in the drink, which for me means that although I'm enjoying this I may not be so keen on another.

Disappointing as this is, in and of itself is not really to bad an effort. I'd rather it had more body, but I'm really enjoying the hop notes that this has, it is fairly easy drinking.

Despite all that the pdubyah-o-meter says that this would be a 7, making it good on the scale of things.  I don't think it's going to set the beer world on fire, or gather around it a coterie of fans, but it isn't off-putting, tasteless, or without any redeeming features. As a warm up beer for a couple of other fuller stronger beers this wouldn't be a bad choice.

The sun has made a late appearance, making the day a bit brighter, however counterpoint to the poor form England are shown in the cricket it's not helping.

September 14 Update to this: I've had this out and about, on tap, at the 16TUN bar on the Auckland Viaduct, and again now in a bottle.

I think that I might have been a bit harsh as this is a fine drinking beer that is actually better than I might have let on.

If I was redux writing I would rate this possibly 8 or 8.5.

 

As if to  compliment my drinking tonight in the background I have the really long version of Autobhan playing, the first track from the Kraftwerk album from 1974

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-G28iyPtz0

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.

Related articles

• Beer # 272 - Hot Water - Kauri Falls Pale Ale


• Beer - #269 - Coromandel - Easy Rider


• Beer - #260 - Panhead - Supercharger American Styled Pale Ale


• Fat yak pale ale - the review


• Beer Review # 1: Tuatara APA (Aotearroa Pale Ale)


• Beer Review #5: New Dogtown Pale Ale

 

Beer - #258 - Tuatara - Dubbel

a Dubbel, from Tuatara, Brewed by Tuatara Brewing Company in the style of an  Abbey Dubbel in the mystical Paraparaumu, New Zealand

A seasonal beer, so something a little special perhaps.  650ml of a 7.5% ABV beer, of 3.6 standard  drinks, and maybe around 25 IBU's which appears normal for this type and style. Also, and it's important, 225 calories.

Perhaps it’s time to discuss putting beer down. No we’re not insulting the object of our love and livelihood, we’re talking cellaring. With the different malts and house-made Belgian candy sugar, this classic Dubbel could benefit from 6 to 30 months of repose in a quiet, cool place. If you can bear the wait you’ll find the plum and raisin characters, the characteristic phenolics and the hints of dark chocolate reconciled to perfection. ABV from 8.5% to 7.5%.

The aroma is disappointing , but it settles to something like chocolate. I'd best pour it as sniffing a bottle seems weird.  Poured thinner, perhaps paler would be a better, or less thick than I thought it might, with a smallish head, that like my hopes and dreams faded away. All of which is nonsense as it's quite a nice rich deep red-brown colour.

A nice fruit aroma. And it drinks really nice, a really familiar palate of mustiness, and a little sweetness and a bang of astringent alcohol.  Which doesn't sound as good as it tastes, and it tastes great.

I'm easily impressed, this is really easy drinking, and, does it for me.

A reality check though says that this perhaps doesn't have as much upfront sweeteners, doesn't have a lot of middle carry and might be a bit thin, but the alcohol tang isn't a thing as it warms up a bit. However you can put this into it's category as a Belgium beer, it's jolly good stuff

The pdubyah-o-meter says, get in!, and makes this a very very good 8.5 arbitrary stars.

Hopped With Pacific Jade, Styrian Goldings neither of which appear a mention on the hops list  I forlornly copied 

How to sum this up then, Nice. I'd drink it again. It's of it's style, and if you like the style you'd probably be ok with this. It's not strong on any points, there's no over-riding element, and if I had the patience I'd put one on the cupboard for ageing.

Like that's ever going to happen. Cheers!

Related articles

• Beer Review # 1: Tuatara APA (Aotearroa Pale Ale) (lamontagneraymond.wordpress.com)


• How to be a beer snob (or not) (arfwit.wordpress.com)


• Fig and dubbel pork tenderloin (enzomarceau.wordpress.com)

Beer - #245 - Green Flash - Le Freak - another redux

I have to stop doing this, however in my defence this was in tap and not in a bottle, so I ware sore tempted and couldn't resist.  I had this over a year ago, and I wasn't overly impressed with it, to start with, which might explain why I've forgotten about it. It was a over ago and I've been drunk since.

So, it's a trip back back to  "Le Freak", which is  Brewed by Green Flash Brewing Co. in the style of an Abbey Tripel, and they make that in San Diego, California USA

I have a, from the tap bottle of  1 Litre of a 9.2 % ABV beer -  which makes it I have there equivalent in NZ of 7.2 standard drink units. In going back to the previous review it might be a long evening.  But I do have Pork ribs sitting in a marinade of some Moroccan concoction and so the evening might turn out alright.

“Le Freak is a modern ale created by converging two beer styles, BelgianTrippel and American Imperial IPA. The use of two yeast strains further marries the styles and American hops give thebeer its modern flare…”

I said a bit "game of two halves, neither of them relevant to the other", sort of, because I changed it to be a much better beer than I thought once I and dwelled on it a bit, and that doesn't happen often. Mostly I get remorse about being too kind. This of course based on I've spent my own money and therefore have to enjoy it. I don't always enjoy it, but always feel bad about a low score.

Anyway to the beer.... and hopefully I'm focussed and paying attention.

In some weird universe I got the aroma of bananas on popping the top, Hazy cloudy in the bottle .

Nice pour has a head that we persistent but faded. Cab't however shake the banana thing, what is that about ?  The taste is of course the familiar Brlgium style yeast, but there is a the hop edginess , and it finishes a  bit like the astringent alcohol burn.

However no way at all of telling if you're drinking a local domestic strength or this barnstormer.  It really is quite a thing, and it could end badly.

Nice balance, nothing to shouty and arrogant in the glass, and all a bit sedate and behaved.  I really do mean a strong aroma, and seriously I thought banana, I said it again, therefore must be true, probably isn't.

This is an interesting beer, it's not one thing or another, and I think I said before that both together don't equal the sum of the parts in some way. I get the holiness, even chucked in a hop belch there, and I get the Belgium style yeasts in this. I love the cloudiness, I like the soft fluffy mouthfeel, this really is a beer that you need to be paying attention to as it is quaffable and therefore going to end badly, if you're not a bit paying attention.

I think I marked this an 8 before, I think from the tap this is better than a bottle version it's less edgy and there isn't a two face thing going oh, it's more an equal partners enjoying a thing.  The from the tap in the take-away "growler" rates. according to me, a a very good 8, straight off the bat. I know shut-up, but this is a very good beer. It is well behaved, has enough of a presence for you to interact with it, teases you to go back to it and have a little more, and rewards you by being just a bit nice.

at 9.2% ABV this really is a quiet achiever, there isn't any taste clues that you're being made incompetent and incoherent by the mouthful, as you can with some beer, taking your clues from the very bitter grassiness, or the alcohol astringent burn, it's just not there with this. Dangerous much?

A real gem that would  enjoyable but a wide range of drinkers, if only they'd take a chance and a punt.  I am so not disappointed that I brought this, despite my frail memory, even though I keep a list, it's kind  of made my weekend (so far) a good thing.

Related articles

• Beer - #235 - Tuatara - Belgian Tripel - Redux (pdubyah.com)


• Beer - #244 - Rogue - Yellow Snow IPA - a Redux (pdubyah.com)


• Green Flash Brewing Tap Takeover at Twenty Tap (beerismypassion.wordpress.com)


• Three Styles to Rule Them All (impossibrew.wordpress.com)

Beer - #222 - Firestone Walker - Double Jack IPA

The highly rated Firestone Walker Double Jack IPA Brewed by Firestone Walker Brewing Co. in this the Style of a : Imperial/Double IPA and they hail from Paso Robles , California.

Double Jack IPA is our first ever Imperial IPA. It features a big malty middle to cloak the high alcohol and mouth puckering hop bitterness. Huge tangerine, grapefruit and juicy fruit aroma blossom over the herbal blue basil and malt earthiness of this aggressive beer. Best enjoyed in moderation.

A small 355ml bottle of a monster 9.5% ABV beer,  which would be 2.66 standard drinks, a pocket rocket.  At 100 IBU this should have a power punch, being at the top end for the IIPA/DIPA style. Bring it on

A dangerously drinkable Double IPA.  Double Jack opens up with bright grapefruit and tangerine American hop aromas. Beautifully crafted undertones of stone fruit are revealed upon first sip, followed by the essence of blue basil and pine. A sturdy pale and crystal malt backbone brings balance to high hop intensity. Complex and aggressively hopped, and flawlessly balanced.

The bottle I have was bottled early June, and should be in the window of 120 days the brewer says you have to enjoy this in.

Huge hop note on opening, pours orange golden, with a small head, the huge hope aroma not lingering. settles more towards the malt.

'k there is a mouth full of what you could describe as sugary bitterness, I'm not sure I had a beer before that was by the reading something that would pucker and then delivery something that made me smack my lips in enjoyment. Hard to drink and smile.

As it sits the hop layer doesn't change, the malt gets warmer and together they party a little. The Alcohol makes itself known, reminding you that this isn't a quaffing beer, and I'm trying hard not to, because as usual I have the one bottle.

The pdubyah-o-meter thing of things says that this is an ok beer. Ok at 8 - which arbitrarily is very good on the scale of arbitrary.  I like it, but it's not go find MrsPdubyah and tell her to add it to my ever growing list of beer for christmas .

Is it good?  yes. Is it enjoyable?  very much yes. Is it a pack leader? I think that of late there are many new young turks aiming for this level of quality and craft, some of them are close and snapping on the heels.

If this was representative of the brewer then they have a ways to go, and I have many happy glasses of beer to look forward to.

Beer - #215 - Funk Estate - Funk’nStein

So to the second of the beers from the Funk Estate people, this one the Funk Estate Funk’nStein. this on though Brewed at Massey University Microbrewery and in the Style of a : Black IPA, and the brewer is in Wellington, New Zealand.

Funk’nstein’s lineage began at our first experiment, an adored black IPA that packed pubs and pipped popularity contests. Being scrumptious and gorgeous was never enough, so we continued to chop, tweak, shock and reassemble her. When you two merge, you’ll experience her vivd, velvety and voluptuous body and soul of a tropical grapefruit punch. Embrace her, she’s tasty.

330ml of a 7% ABV beer, making it 1.8 standard drinks, a lot for a small package...

Bittery hoppy nose on opening. Well carbonated, dark black pour with a tan head, that like all my beer before fades away yo a film. I might be over-obsessed with heads on beers. Lovely Hop nose in the glass too.

Delightfully bitter, but might be just a tad sharp, and with a reasonable softer carry too, which in fact delivers a really nice balance to this..

As always it comes down to my arbitrary take on things, with the pdubyah-o-meter. The Funk'nStein would have you enjoying this at 8, making it a very good.  I'm keen to think that this was the second of the brewers beers, and it is brewed at a different facility to the Oh Lordy! which might account for differences in the profile.

I know , yes, one was an AIPA and this is a Black IPA but this has much more pronounced hoppiness and happiness. It also retains some of a head, and doesn't look flat and uninviting.

I like this a lot and am glad I had another, I enjoyed this with some, to boast, magnificently barbecued lamb chops, and a salad, and I'd do it again. Redemption delivered in some way then for the Funk people, this is the Jive Talking, and based on my two beer, linear progression of like the next one should be a doozie.

Related articles

• Beer- #213 - Funk Estate - Oh Lordy! - The Redux (pdubyah.com)


• Beer - #211 -Stone - Cali-Belgique IPA (Cali-België) (pdubyah.com)

Beer - #195 - Chimay - Triple / Blanche (White) / Cinq Cents

Chimay Triple / Blanche (White) / Cinq Cents, Brewed by Chimay and this one in the Style of an  Abbey Tripel in Baileux, Belgium.

The final in the group of three, Blue, Red and White.

Chimay Tripel, with its typical golden colour, its slightly hazy appearance and its fine head is especially characterised by its aroma which results from an agreeable combination of fresh hops and yeast. The beer’s flavour, as sensed in the mouth, comes from the smell of hops: above all it is the fruity notes of muscat and raisins that give this beer a particularly attractive aroma. The aroma complements the touch of bitterness. There is no acidity, but an after-bitterness which melts in the mouth. This top fermented Trappist beer, refermented in the bottle, is not pasteurised.

This is in the big 750ml bottle, and at  8%ABV beer makes it about 4.8 standard drink units. Presented in a cork and cage, in the standard bottle this is as much a performance as a beer, and today being a Wednesday it seems like a good time as any to get enjoyed.

Lovely fizz taking the cork out, and a burst of sour aroma to follow (not a bad thing) Pours a lot darker than I expected, and much more hazy, but it does have a nice foamy head. The slighly sour aroma remains, but again it isn't a bad thing.

This has a nice fluffy mouthfeel, but lacks a high note in the palate, and doesn't have length. This is nice and 'dry' though, and is vey drinkable. This is very soft tasting, there aren't strong notes of fruits, and yeasts, it's all a big muted really.

As it warms the yeast begins to be heard a bit more, and the warmth releases a few more base notes in the taste.

The pdubyah-o-meter is biased at 8, because I knew I'd like this. I gave the Red and 8 and the Blue a 9 on previous drinkings. I think on reflection that this is better than the Red, bit still isn't as good as the Blue.

For a Wednesday, this is a good beer. As a Abby Triple it's a nice beer. This would be a good starter if you wanted to try Trappist style beers.  It's made me smile and forget all my worries, and I don't have a problem with that.

Related articles

• Chimay White (Cinq Cents) (morebeerforme.wordpress.com)


• Trappist Month Round Up (morebeerforme.wordpress.com)


• Chimay 150 (Spéciale Cent Cinquante) (morebeerforme.wordpress.com)


• Chimay Première (Red) (craftbeerhaven.wordpress.com)

Beer - #117 - Moa - Imperial Stout

The Moa Imperial Stout is something I've been thinking about having for a while. Brewed by Moa Brewing CompanyIn the style of a : Imperial Stout
Blenheim, New Zealand.

This is making a second appearance in the list I panned it in review 71  which I re-read after I'd written this.

A 375ml bottle of a 10.2% ABV beer (2.8 standard Drink units) awaits me, and being honest I brought two of them, because I just couldn't help myself.

" Moa Imperial Stout Barrel Reserve is a very strong, upfront and rich offering of this famous Moa style. Aged in oak Pinot Noir barrels, this beer not only displays coffee and mocha characters but also some sweet and savory notes unique to Moa Imperial. This award winning Stout is seasonally produced and available for short periods each year "

It says.

It also says "Moa Imperial Stout is a very strong, bold upfront and rich offering of a famous beer style. Aged in Pinot Noir barrels, this beer not only displays coffee and mocha charters but also some sweet and spicy notes. A tannin like finish and an oak induced mellow bitterness makes it a serious stout. Moa Imperial Stout is best served just below room temperature in a tulip glass"

So they're giving you a fair warning up front about what's held within, all cork and wire cage enclosed. Very fancy.  I guess if you charge a premium price you get to dress it properly, which is very nicely done. A performance beer.

A sour aroma, dark rich chocolate head, deep dark colouration, and a reasonable carbonation. Quite the smokey first taste and a lovely chocolate tone. Head dies away. The taste moves to fruits and an indication of roasted or burnts. And call me a liar but there is a pinot note in there. It's not half bad.

Not half bad but not alarmingly good though. Close but no cigar. Actually it's closer than that, like I said this if fairly nice. If I'd thought it through I would be having some cheese with this, because I think that they'd both be drawn out more.

As it is though there are a few nice things in this that keep you involved, there is a slightly sour note, and a heady overnote of red wines. I could get to like this in moderation.

The pdubyah-o-meter likes this 8.5 things worth on it's arbitrary and unknowable scale of things.

I'm not a terribly big fan of the range of Moa beers, the St.Jospehs is a head over the others, and this sits besides it as a being a bit good.  I'm glad I brought two, I get to do it all over again.

I was surprised that I marked this a 5 arbitrary things the first time, surprised that I couldn't remember drinking this in October, but not surprised that I was drinking it with a cheese accompaniment, because it needs it.  I am surprised that I think it's that much better then when I first had a go at this. And you know what I'm pleased I did, since with age this may have improved, unlike my memory of such things. 

Related articles

• Beer Nerdistry: Narwhal Imperial Stout Review (nathanmeunier.com)


• Learning about beer: Standard Reference Method (SRM) (queencitydrinks.com)


• Limited release draws hundreds of craft beer connoisseurs to NC (charlotte.news14.com)


• Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout (bretherenbrew.wordpress.com)


• Barrel Aged Beer: Worth the cost? (bayareabeers.wordpress.com)

Beer - #92 - Dale’s - American Amber Ale

Dale’s -  American Amber Ale by  Dale’s Brewing Co. Brewed at West Coast Brewing in the Style of an Amber Ale, and we're back on local soil sort of in Nelson, New Zealand. Oh and it's unpasturised, so not to be kept in the light.

Brewed using a range of European malts, a trio of American hops and an American Ale yeast, this beer combines smooth caramel and toasty notes with suggestions of ripe stonefruit and aromatic pine resins. It finishes with a brisk and appetising bitterness.

So that's a bit different to the last beer in no way at all.

Deeply hoppy, sweetly malty aroma and a deep brown pour from the 500ml bottle of  5.4% ABV beer.

It's nicely bitter too, just about the right amount that offsets the sweet malt. It's good.  This would be a fine session beer, a beer to stock in the fridge and to sit with and tell lies to mates with. There's nothing offensive or challenging with this, the hops stay as the hops, they don't get excitable and as it warms it does not get more bitter, if anything the malt pushes through to seduce you.

If you want a NZ beer that is a lot like a good English Beer, even though this is the American Amber style this is a pretty good choice. It's a lot sweeter than an English ale, and that might be a local preference.

The pdubyah-o-meter says an easy 8. Well played Dayle and your brewery. An easy to drink beer that make me smile. It's a good beer, but it's not spectacular spectacular, solid enough and quaffed with much relish, which is a pity because there was only the one, bugger!

Related articles

• Travel | Craft brewing reaches new heights in Portland, Ore. (kansascity.com)


• Tasting: Baltika #6 Porter (aka Porter for the Poor) (beerdrinkerssociety.com)


• Malt Monday's Beer Review of the Week: River Horse Special Ale (gigglesgobblesandgulps.com)