Beer - # 540 - Weezledog/Behemoth - Whinging Pom

Mixed beer, Mix-tape music, mix up the numbers and a mixed soiree.

A solid malt backbone and English yeast provide the base for this IPA with a Kiwi twist.

A Fill-your-own bottle (1 litre) that contains beer of 6% ABV, this bottle contains about 540 calories in total, and about 4.73 standard drink units.

A collaboration between Behemoth Brewing Company and Weezledog Brewing Company  this is a beer in the style of an English India Pale Ale (IPA), and they're based in Auckland.

[caption id="attachment_10331" align="alignleft" width="300"] A New T-Shirt ![/caption]

Solid English style malt base with a hefty dose of Kiwi hops, fermented with an English yeast strain

This beer uses NZ Malt and Hops and a English Yeast strain It has a big malt and  big hops, solid bitterness and finishes nice and dry.

Not your average English IPA but hey we had to give the Poms something to whinge about.

So being an Englishman I'm happy to cast my eye over this, and what could go wrong with that ?

Looks great in the bottle, orange brown goodness.

Aroma is of a nice hop, and a strongish hint of the English yeast.

Pour is without a head which I didn't expect.

My initial and first thoughts are, lemons, thin and the bitterness is nice. But that was all I thought, I wasn't rushing back to grab a second quaff.

Short sentences give away that there is a conflict going on in my head. I'm all fine and dandy with extending a style, or pushing a limit, but when you try to maths styles together then there is going to be a break point. I don't think I'm the only one that thinks that this is a bit muddled and under delivers for what it is supposed to be. I don't recall English beer being thin in the middle they always seems to talk load them somehow, sure they could be short on bitterness but never thickness, in general.

This collaboration, did brewer [A] have ingredients for something missing and brewer [B] have an idea and some things but no plan? As a way to monetise things fair play, this is a keg only beer, not quite upto bottle and shelf standard whereas I'd try a new beer on tap because, well, that's the done thing and you sometimes buy on a whim and prayer and promise of delivery.

I know this to be true because I've experienced the highs and lows of trying new tap keg beers. Not that I'm an expert.

Another review then when I waffle on about the reasons for the beer rather than the beer.

Back to the beer then.

It has a malty sweetness that carries the light bitterness, it doesn't have a middle but the finish is short and somewhat dry but not arid on the tongue. It is a pleasant and enjoyable beer, but it isn't a thing, it's not wowing me or making me have a revelation. It is a nice summer evening in the sun beer though, very easy drinking, mostly probably because the sweetness appeals to me rather than the hops or bitterness lighting up the palate.

As an Pom I don't feel I'm whinging when I say that this isn't the best beer I've ever had.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as a 7 of its things from the thing that is uses. I don't really know about this, it's not tragic but it is a bit boring and dull, against my own measure of fun and exciting that is, I don't want to disparage the brewers, they make some well good beer in general.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it?


2. Would I have another?


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights?

It came to pass that Concrete Blonde had an outing on the music machine, and their album "Bloodletting" the third studio album by American alternative rock band.

Try this version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFc2Qs49VkA

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.

Related articles

• US based brewing company sells beer named after Mahatma Gandhi, Indo-Americans upset


• Trends in India Pale Ale (IPA) with Mitch Steele - BeerSmith Podcast #96


• Brewery Sorry for Gandhi Beer

Beer - #503 - Epic - IMP

Low beer, low-fi music, Low numbers and on the down low

Epic IMP is a beer that appears to be raising eyebrows locally, I had to get in.

Significant citrus & piney aroma, light body with hints of sweet malt, and citrus hops, and a firm bitter finish

500ml bottle of beer that contains beer that is 4.57% ABV, making this 1.85 standard drinks in the bottle, so that's about 141 calories a serve size. It's listed as having 35 IBU things. 35 is like English Bitter or perhaps a Porter bitter.

IMP is brewed by Epic Brewing Company (NZ) and it is brewed at Steam Brewing Company in the style that is either/and/or American IPA,  Session IPA, or just IPA, and that magic happens in Auckland, New Zealand

[caption id="attachment_9959" align="alignleft" width="300"] IMPY[/caption]

After years of craft beers getting higher and higher in alcohol content, the new trend is for lower alcohol beers, but still with the high levels of hopping.

These beers are now being called Session IPA’s. (IMP has more hops than Armageddon IPA)

Small and mischievous, causing trouble, but in a playful way. Only found by the most interested and observant people.Contained within, summonzed by a master when needed.

Possibly with the ability to grant wishes, but you must be prepared for the consequences.

Uncontrollable.

Which is a big lead in....also ... When poured the aroma hits you with sweet ripe summer stone fruit and citrus as you look at its brilliantly polished pale copper colour. The flavour is of fruity citrus peel intertwined with a juicy caramel note, which finishes with a sharp but brief slap of bitterness.

Something to lead into a muggy evening then, the clouds have been over, the warmth and humid are high, sort of thunderstorm weather, but it'll blow over, and I'll be out on the BBQ cooking.

Wow that really is hoppy aroma on opening, no disappointment there, at all, taking am moment to enjoy that.

That is seriously pretty as a picture pouring beer, golden bright orange with a lovely off white head that is firm and persistent. So far they've walked the walk after the big talking.

Fill nose of all the things, mostly grapefruit for me but certainly citrus peel. And that really is a cracking beer. Lots of hops and bitterness up front, and a nice slightly to dry finish, only let down a bit by a dip in the middle.

Still had another smell of the aroma and all is right in the world.

As it sits for just a while the warmth in this comes through, but not to the detriment of any of the bitterness or the aroma, but it's still not quite enough to lift this to giddy heights. Not a difficult beer to enjoy and enjoy it I am, however as is pointed out in other articles this could do with a bottle downsize to a 330ml can or bottle to make a 4/6 pack an option for a night out and fridge favourite.

As craft beer goes the trend certainly was to higher ABV and hop overload which has been achieved, the next frontier is all that taste, bitterness, mouthfeel and aroma in a 'domestic' level ABV beer. Next after that would be of course the price point.. but sometimes you need to go the premium price for what is a premium product, and yes volume, etc etc.. I know all that.

All that aside - just this, it's a bit good.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 a of its things from the thing. I wanted more middle, a bit more body, I love the  grassy/citrus bitterness and aromas, I like the finish, it's the real deal.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? Yes, immensely.


2. Would I have another? Yes, if only they had them in 4 packs...


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? You could happy go a lot of these and not reach boredom I think, it would stand up well to foods, musics, strenuous games of say, pool, or croquet on the lawn.

Music was the Lo-Fi band, the band is "Boards of Canada"  the track  "Reach for the Dead" and that is on their LP  "Tomorrow's Harvest'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jTg-q6Drt0

Boards of Canada are a Scottish electronic music duo consisting of brothers Michael Sandison and Marcus Eoin. The music can be found on Spotify, iTunes and all good music places probably.

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.

Session IPA

The term Session IPA describes a category of beers marketed for their hop-dominant flavor profiles at "sessionable" levels of alcohol. While this is typically 3.2 - 4.6 percent alcohol, a few have stretched the definition. This class of beers arose in 2010 out of the Craft Beer Tradition as a reaction to the trend of increasingly strong beers and greater public appreciation for hoppier profiles around the globe. It is differentiated from American Pale Ale by typically being lower in alcohol and usually having more hop-dominant profiles. While hops used are typically American Pacific Northwest and New Zealand, proprietary/experimental and South African and other hops may also factor into a Session IPA hop bill.

Related articles

As well as this from Buzz and Hum

• Sonnet 43 Brew House reveals its Christmas gifts for beer lovers


• Moosehead forces craft brewer to drop 'Moose' from beer names


• Sierra Nevada Introduces a Wildly Different IPA


• Carlsbad's Pizza Port Expanding Beer Sales to Nevada


• Hoppy Hour panel: Brewers' favorite beers, the IPA craze and the craft beer bubble (Photos)

Beer - #501 - Liberty - C!tra - A redux

New territory, old beer, New music, old friends.

I make a return to a beer that I really liked and found on tap so I could take it home with me as I'd drink it out on my travels.

An imperial IPA showcasing a unique hop combination.

Liberty C!tra, is brewed by Liberty Brewing in the style of a  Imperial/Double IPA in New Plymouth, New Zealand

Tonight I have a 1 litre, 1000ml, of a 9% ABV beer (that's about 7.2 standard drinks), 99 IBU things, and all this in a a simple bottle that I filled at the fill station at Liquorland Newmarket, early night much?

What is in a name?

[caption id="attachment_9916" align="alignleft" width="300"] Big beer, big bottle[/caption]

Under conventional language guidelines you would expect to find any number of consonants, and to a lesser extent, you will find the odd noun.

But if your have a look at the name of this beer, you will find that it has an exclamation mark right in the middle of it.

What’s that all about? Doesn’t that just seem a little unusual? It’s definitely not a typo - and if you’re reading this, then I guess it’s done it’s Job.

The next step is to take this bottle home. Go on. You won’t regret it.

I had this beer as #133, march 2013, so it's been a while. MrsPdubyah was out and I was home alone, and up to no good.

As you can see, in the bottle, as it will be in the glass, looks like a polished chestnut brown.

Huge burst of grass aroma, sweetness and sugars, it really does give a full aroma experience.

Fantastic pour to a decent a persistent full and foamy head. And a large noisy mouthful of grassy bitter sweetness with a decent carry  that finishes towards dry but not parched follows. And again as I went in wonderment to the well again.

This has real bitterness in it, and if anything too much caramel at the bottom.

Nice amount of things like perhaps Mandarin, grapefruit (more aroma) but this delivers quite a hit of complex but raw favours, it is a bit lop-sided or uneven.

So, unbalanced then perhaps, a lot of bit notes, all very nice in and of themselves, but some of them are discrete. Not that I'm not liking this, it has a great presence and a is a lovely hop heavy high bitter IPA.  What is doesn't carry is a big aroma, so you don't get a nose before you get a taste.

Despite being hop heavy this does not deliver a harsh grass carry, and the aroma, as it warms does being to come to the fore. I mean that the particular hop/grass thing isn't all of it. As it warms the sweetness in this begins to bloom in the aroma, and this adds to the whole.

This beer is a showcase then, and has been a staple on the brewers list for at least two years. Highly and correctly. for a NZ comparison this is like The Epic Hop Zombie, which I rated (10), on the random thing (and was on the tap today but I went with this).  The IPA selection is as broad as it is long, and there are some stunning beers in there, I've had a few. I'd like to make two observations (1) IPA is a standard for a brewer, and therefore there is a wide selection of interpretation, most brewers go the more hops and bitter, because just because (2) Some of the interpretation hits the exact spot of an audience, could be sweetness, bitterness, dryness, but not all 'well rated' IPA are good IPA's for the 'everyman'.

Where does that leave me on this? Well C!tra is malt and sweet heavy as it is hop heavy and the sweetness and associated weight that gives to the beer is the more predominant of the things you experience as you drink this, that is you get the malt hit then the bitterness, it could almost be cloying. It is a 'sticky;' beer, it coats the mouth, dominates your taste, and becomes  loud and persistent.

I actually quite like it, despite being all over the place like a mad woman's hair on the favours, layers, length, notes, and delivery.  It really might just be me picking. This beer C!tra was 2nd= in the recent New World Beer awards thing -  The Liberty Yakima Monster - won, and that's a beer that I've rated as 3rd after the Hop Zombie and the C!tra, but then (a) I'm not a judge and (b) it's about accessibility of the beer. No point in picking something that leaves your mouth like a desert after a bottle, you have to get close to the edge for the everyman, but not too close to the sun.

Again, Where does that leave me? Well I haven't yet found anything that would make me change my mind on this, it's a cracking beer, heavy bold annoying cloying and in your face, at the edge, not for the faint of heart and stands up without shame as being a bit of a bully.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as a 9 on of its things from the thing. Remembering last time was a 9, and that was from a bottle, and so long ago.  This is, as taken, an IPA that is loud and brash and punchy, for that it's really should be recognised. It's not the pinnacle best,  there is something missing, or short of whole, there is a lot of sum, a lot of chorus all singing, at the end of the day, a bit loud and out of sync.

But I finished the bottle and sat and grinned on the lounge furniture like it didn't matter.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? I really am, on a night when you wanted a big IPA this was a good choice.


2. Would I have another? I had two pints, and that made me reach for the phone to drink text someone, perhaps I should have another .....


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I really would, if it was a contest of what's the best you got, and I brought this, a gun to a knife fight....

Music was interesting. Although not the album I was listening to I'm compelled to share this track 'Pink Frost' from a band called 'The Chills" as to the "New" part of this the particular album I'm listening to has tracks that are all new to me, hey it works.  You should enjoy this though.

Beckoned by John Peel himself, the first time The Chills entered the BBC studios in Maida Vale it was a dream come true for the little band that could from New Zealand. Exporting the kind of unique pop smarts that only emanate from Dunedin, they were only too happy to graduate to the fully stocked studio and show the UK what they really had to offer. Removed from past budget restrictions, but pushed forward by the time constraints of a one day recording, the results produced a rush of superior recordings of their early material, without losing any of the charm so vital to their appeal. This was the real sound of The Chills.

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

They're from New Zealand, and this is pretty much a Kiwi standard at a party.

IMPERIAL/DOUBLE IPA

Imperial IPA, Double IPA or DIPA is a strong, often sweet, intensely hoppy version of the traditional India Pale Ale. Bitterness units range upward of 100 IBUs and alcohol begins at 7.5% but is more commonly in the 8.5-10% range. The flavour profile is intense all-round. Unlike barley wines, the balance is heavily towards the hops, with crystal and other malts providing support.

Related articles

• Beer - #489 - Karl Strauss - Big Barrel Double IPA


• Here's the Best Beer from Every State. Hold onto Your Livers.


• Just in time for the holidays, Sprecher releasing Imperial IPA, CitraBomb

Beer - #453 - Badger - Fursty Ferret *A redux*

MrsPdubyah has been buying me random beer at the supermarket, this time Badger Fursty Ferret, which was beer #6 on the list of beers that I've been writing about so far, it seems so long ago. I rated it then a 7 on my newly made up and arbitrary scale of things.

Brewed by Badger (Hall & Woodhouse)  in the style that is  Bitter and they are in Blandford Forum, England

A 500ml bottle of beer that contains 4.4% ABV of beer, making it about 132 calories a serve, and 1.74 standard drink units n NZ.

Bottle: Pasteurised.

[caption id="attachment_9398" align="alignleft" width="300"] Nice looking beer in the bottle there[/caption]

Named in honour of the inquisitive and extremely “fursty” ferrets of the Gribble Inn, a celebrated golden brown ale, full of character.
At the heart of many a countryside village can be found an inn. A place where locals go to relax after a long day. At one such inn, rumour has it that inquisitive ferrets would sneak to the back door to cheekily sample the local brew.

A sweet nutty palate, hoppy aroma and a hint of Seville oranges, give this tawny amber ale its distinctive personality. Recommended with smooth and creamy West Country Cheddar or indulgent pork pies and mustard.

I wonder what it's like so many beers and tastes later?

Beer - #339 - St. Austell - Tribute (Bottle)

Going the double then - St. Austell Tribute - obviously brewed by St. Austell this one however in the Style of a : Bitter and they are in the romantically named St. Austell, England.

500 ml bottle of a 4.2$ ABV beer - 120 calories in the bottle -  in NZ this is 1.66 standard drinks.

Of course being Tribute I did my own tribute and  Googled it - St Austell named for  Austol - a  6th-century Cornish holy man who lived for much of his life in Brittany.

He was a companion of Saint Méen in the foundation of the Saint-Méen Abbey in Brittany. Meven is said to have been his godfather. The parish and town of St Austell in Cornwall is named in his honour. He is regarded as a saint, with a Breton feast day of 28 June and a Cornish one of the Thursday of Whitsun.

St. Austell’s most sought after ale is available as a 500ml bottled beer. It’s perfectly balanced flavour retains much of the cask versions unique hoppy palate and citrusy nose. An ale to savour and a real Cornish ambassador. Rapidly becoming “the” Cornish Premium Ale, this great beer can now be enjoyed outside of the county of Cornwall. Many supermarkets take Tribute, enabling those who enjoy drinking at home to enjoy the true taste of Cornwall.

This has a strong bready note on opening,  Pours more orange yellow and not what was I expecting which was perhaps a dark beer (dark label therefore.... )  Head fades away quickly.

Aroma just british bitter yeasty bread.

Underwhelmed is what I am, aside from this having more malt in the backbone there isn't anything that you'd tip your hat to.

The pdubyah-o-meter says again 5. Average.  But that this makes commercial sense must mean that they know their market.

I wish I'd picked something else in my fridge to be honest.

• Am I enjoying it? Not at all


• Would I have another?  No.


• Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights?  No, not even for it's inoffensiveness.

BITTER

A gold to copper color, low carbonation and medium to high bitterness. Hop flavor and aroma may be non-existent to mild. Great to drink with steak and lobster.

Related articles

• St Austells dominates Beer of Britain festival


• St Austell Ales brewery and museum visit.


• Dish of the Day: A visit to St Austell brewery


• Things to do in Cornwall - Pubs

Beer- #291 - Townshend - Hollandale’s Premium Best

Something a bit more mainstream, a Townshend Hollandale’s Premium Best. Brewed by Townshend Brewery in this style of an Premium Bitter/ESB and that is the mysterious Upper Moutere, New Zealand.

500ml bottle, that's just shy of a 'pint', of a 5.3% ABV beer, making that 2.1 standard drink units. Whopping 159 calories a serve

[caption id="attachment_6328" align="alignleft" width="300"] Look it's a Selfie ![/caption]

Dales Brewing Co produces an award winning Belgian Ale that we here at Townshend's thoroughly enjoy. As fans of Dale's brews, we approached him to ask if he'd mind letting us use his exact same recipe but with a cheeky English Ale yeast instead if his Belgian choice. Here is the result: A smooth, malty ESB. Thanks Dale. You are a star.

Very lively on opening, grassy hoppy, the top runneth over.

Pours a lovely dark chestnut brown, with a lovely amount of foamy and persistent head. It is very lively in the glass. IT really does look magnificent and if only it was based on looks I'd be hooked.

I could't help myself I took a goodly mouthful of this, and I thought, this is very British beer like. Which isn't abad thing

The flavour profile is all in the middle.

It's all grassy hops.  The carbonation gives your tongue a tickle and there is a nod to a caramel finish, but if you drew a bell curve you've pretty much drawn the flavour hit for this.

This isn't overly bitter, and it's not offensive, although the hopiness note does scream bit in the middle.

The pdubyah-o-meter says that this is solid and 8's for your mates. Very good.

This looks great, pours great, had a great head, leaves a decent lacing, is light, refreshing and easy easy to drink. But the bitterness and the loud hop in the middle is a bit off-putting and may stop you after a couple of making this a session beer. I'd happily sit with a few of these, couple of mates and some inconsequential sport on in the background and tell lies like a boss.

But it's not memorable despite being very good.  Bit like the choice of music I have on,

Speaking of the music, I have on for this is the toe tapping Arctic Monkeys Album, AM - and this is the track that has no relevance to me at all - Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High? The style and delivery is their own and you couldn't mistake them for any other band. They might be taking themselves a bit serious, perhaps they need the money.

PREMIUM BITTER/ESB

In England, many breweries have a number of bitters in their range. The style that has come to be known as Premium or Special Bitter generally includes the stronger ( 4.6%-6.0%) examples. These are mostly served in the traditional way from the cask, but some are also found in bottle form where the extra malt allows them to stand up better than the more delicate ordinary Bitter. In the US, the designation ESB is common for this style, owing to the influence of Fuller’s ESB, the London brew that was among the first to be exported to the States. In the US, some ESBs are made with American hops and a clean yeast, but the alcohol range is the same, as is the range of bitterness, usually between 25 and 35 but occasionally creeping higher.

Beer - #218 - Townshend - Toppa’s Hadd’n Full On Pale Ale

The strangely named : Toppa’s Hadd’n Full On Pale Ale - Brewed by the  Townshend Brewery in the style of an English Pale Ale and they hail from Upper Moutere, New Zealand. This is a collaboration with those magicians at the Brewaucracy 

Classic English Pale Ales are not pale but rather are golden to copper colored and display English variety hop character. Distinguishing characteristics are dryness and defined hop taste, but more malt balance than what youll typically find in an American Pale Ale. Great to drink with all sorts of meats including roast beef, lamb, burgers, duck, goose, etc. Note that the term pale ale is used in England to signify a bottled bitter, and in that way there is no such thing as English Pale Ale to the English. The style is a North American construct, borne of the multitude of pale ales that pay homage to these bottled bitters - Bass in particular - and therefore the majority of true examples of the style are found outside Britain.

It's a lesson in beer every time.

A 500ml (pint) of a 5.2% ABV beer, which is then two standard drink units.

Just the trick before the BBQ goes on for the Lamb, and a lead up to the F1 race from Korea.

Bittery hoppy nose on opening, very inviting, Pours a hazy orange yellow with a head that is  then suddenly isn't, reasonable carbonation. the really nice aroma on opening has gone missing too.

Shame that.

But then you get a wonderful mellow bitter taste, with a mix of sweeter fruits, and a reasonable length.

The pdubyah-o-meter likes this as a 8, arbitrarily making it "very good" on the arbitrary scale. A beer to be pleasantly surprised and rewarded by,

You're not going to give  virtual high-five to anyone after drinking this, nor are you going to regret buying it.

Related articles

• Shiner Wild Hare Pale Ale (365brew.com)


• Tuckerman Pale Ale (365brew.com)


• Australian Pale Ale # 1- Review (wemakehomebrew.com)


• Anderson Valley: Poleeko Pale Ale (tobysbeerreviews.com)

Beer - #206 - Zeelandt - Pale Ale - a redux

It's a revisit again - this time to the Zeealant - Pale Ale - although slightly differently this time from the Tap c/- Hopscotch Beer Company in Mt.Eden.

Still Brewed by Zeelandt Brewing Co in the style of an  English Pale Ale and they still do that in Napier, New Zealand.

A classic pale ale that delivers a glass full of hoppy flavour. This bright, copper coloured beer has a malty backbone, wonderfully balanced with citrus hop flavour and a clean, refreshing finish.

I've noted that I've done this before as Beer - #151 -  in a bottle, wherein I was not overly impressed and the Pdubyah-o-meter rated it a 7 (good) and a B- must try harder.

Having had a tempter in the store I was taken by the hoppiness that this has, which was absent in the bottle that I had previously.  So in I went.  Time may have cured all that ails me with this. Fair to say that I'm keen to like this more, as it did show a lot of  promise.

I didn't get a burst of hop on popping the swing top, but it poured ok with a head that settled back but didn't totally dissipate.

Is it better? Whilst there is more hop bitterness in the front this meanders to a bit soapy and sweet finish. It's still very pleasant and enjoyable, and I have a whole litre to get through - and at 5% ABV that's about 3.95 drink units. 5% ABV is around and about the strength of an imported lager beer, such as Stella Artois, Heineken, Becks, Corona, and locally Steinlager.

Given that list I know that I've done the right thing and this is going to give me so much more enjoyment than they would. A session beer of the first order then.

They've done a bit better, but it's not a leap an bound better than it was in the bottle. It isn't full of hoppy flavour, nor will it ever be, but it is a competent and well presented beer.  Using this as a baseline the brewery should be able to build some success and produce some great beers,

The pdubyah-o-meter still only gets to the 7 it got to before.  Being the case I rest my case. Something you should never go back to, this possibly isn't one of those things, I'm enjoying drinking this and I shall enjoy the next couple of glasses equally as much.

Beer - #204 - Ringwood - Boondoggle

Ringwood Boondoggle - in a bottle - Brewed by Ringwood (Marstons plc) in the style of a Golden Ale/Blond Ale and they do that in Ringwood, England, where ever that is.

I think I was seduced by the "Deliciously Fruity Blonde Beer" thing on the label. I'm such a sucker for cheap advertising.  Or the strange Hairy Rat motif.

500ml of a 5% ABV beer 2.5 Standard drinks in the UK,

Boondoggle is an American term first coined in the 1920’s. Boondoggle is a word meaning 'work of little value' which we have interpreted to mean 'Jolly' or ‘any excuse for a pint’.

A hoppy aroma with a citrus punch. \ A well balanced moreish fruity taste \ A blonde and luscious ale – the perfect excuse. Brewed with the finest English Pale Malt, First Gold and Fuggles Hops.

The English Importer Shop, whatever it's called, there are so many now, in Wairau Park in G'Field is to blame for this, and the various English Beers that are in my fridge and for review.

In the bottle this looks cloudy, and on reflection a bit unappetising.  Remembering now that thing about best before? This one was 31 August. So best I get to it now.

The aroma on opening is one that reminds me of English Pubs from the 80's, its a dull english bitter aroma. and I went again to make sure, and it's not that, it's settled to a bland acidic note. I hold my breath for this. the outlook is cloudy.

Yeasty bready flat is what I should have said. It pours like it looks. with a finger of head that persists at 1/2. It doesn't seem over carbonated or excitable.

Moment of truth: I'm dreading this for no real apparent reason. The bready yeasty aroama reminds me of that banana beer thing I had once, it's not a thing that you'd be able to sell as an girly attractor.

Might be that I built myself up into not enjoying this, given that  it's at it best before date, give or take, I'm dismissing that. This is just a sour tasteless bland disaster. There is no citrus, there is no aroma of citrus, this is a snake-oils salesman pitch of what he thinks.

When you've spent your own money on things it's hard to be harsh, but this is atrocious and down there on the pdubyah-o-meter at 3 - Avoid this and buy a can of Tizer or Iron Bru. You'll thank me.

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.

Related articles

• American Amber Ale (dangerousmanbrewing.wordpress.com)


• Rogue American Amber Ale (tobysbeerreviews.com)


• Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale (tobysbeerreviews.com)


• Virginia is for craft beer lovers (Photos) (examiner.com)

Beer - #189 - Robinsons - Build a rocket boys!

I found this  - Robinsons - Elbow -  build a rocket boys! a beer in the style of a Style: Bitter that's Brewed by Robinsons in Stockport , England.

1. It's and English Bitter


2. It's a beer that the band Elbow helped to create.

FTW

Multi-platinum selling Manchester band elbow designed their ‘build a rocket boys!’ beer after a series of tastings at Robinsons Brewery in Stockport, a stone’s throw from elbow’s Manchester heartland.
Band members sampled a range of Robinsons’ ales to shortlist their preferred style of beer, taste and colour before deciding on a golden ale with a rich rounded body, smooth bitterness, subtle tang of malt and fruity aroma. elbow’s ale is a premium session bitter at 4.0% ABV, available in cask and bottle.

500Ml bottle, (a Pint) of 4% ABV beer, making it about 2 standard drinks. Confusion perhaps between a golden and a bitter beer. but I'm looking forward to it.

Aroma seems "thin", but pours a lovely golden colour, with a fluffy head.  Aroma is confusing me, something metallic, I hope not, perhaps it'll come to me later.

And thin is a way to describe the body on this, although there is a nice finish of bittery. The metallic might be hops I'm not familiar with, like I know a hop from a skip or jump.

There's also some caramel sweetness in this, which you could confuse with "fruits" but it's not, and overall I'd have to confess that in my opinion that it's not an accomplished beer, it's possibly not even a good beer.

Certainly not compared to some beers of the same genre. Again it's thin in body, short in length and doesn't hit any note at all. The bitterness, what there is of it, if a side note.

The pdubyah-o-meter mopes to a 4 , making this a below average beer. There isn't much redemption and if you were a hardcore fan of the band Elbow, and this was comparable to their music then you'd soon switch to something else.  Sadly though they've associated themselves with this disaster, but they probably made a few compromises and as a collaboration it just not work.

Stick to the music, praise the beer,  you'd  never invite a  brewer near your music, I'm sure on reflection that you're probably thinking you should have avoided a foray into brewing.

Or horrendous as it sounds, perhaps you think you did a good job of defining yourselves in a brew, in which case you need to get out more. You'd have to drink a bucket of this to get squiffy, and that's no way to begin to wax lyrical about anything.

p.s. seems Robinson are quick to hitch their name to rock bands, which leads me to think they have no confidence in themselves, and are sharp at the co-marketing.

http://youtu.be/doBsblSJMHE?t=2m25s

Related articles

• Robinsons' Iron Maiden is brewing with success (manchestereveningnews.co.uk)

Beer #188 - Hallertau - Stuntman

So Liquorland in Newmarket have the old school fill your own going on, and they rotate through beers of the week. This week the pick of them seems to be the  Hallertau Stuntman. Brewed by Hallertau Brewbar & Restaurant in the style of  Imperial/Double IPA and they do that in Auckland, New Zealand, well more Riverhead really, but in the wop wops if you want to be precise.*

An 8.5% or a 9% ABV beer (depending on who you believe) which makes a 500ml "pint' about 3.3 to 3.6 standard drinks equivalent, and this is described as "Best not attempted by the fainthearted. Ten top additions make this an utterly rambunctious thrillseeker of an ale. Brace your senses for the ride.."

The Stuntman is all about pushing boundaries and testing limits of human endurance. This is a very hoppy beer! Some might say too hoppy, but you “hop heads” out there are in for a real treat. Ten hop additions create a tsunami of flavours and textures that explode across the poor unsuspecting palette. Taste buds are left reeling, stunned, like they have been eleven rounds with “The Green Machine”. If you find all the hops a bit much, remember, It’s not to hoppy, you’re to soft!! HARDEN UP. The Stuntman is stupid beer for brave people………….so get brave stupid!

It's a nice hoppy aroma, but a murky golden pour, and sans head, but this might be my technique over anything else.

It's a hoppy bitter beer, and the hops are a nice tart note. Which is stating the obvious perhaps.



After even one sip (generous sized sip, almost a gulp). I'd suggest that this is a top notch IPA bitter beer , and I'm instantly enjoying both the bitterness and the slight caramel sweetness that this has.

Shame that I couldn't get a head and then an amusing amount of lacing.  But I have more so I can give it another crack.

The Hops dominate the profile, the pine\spruce\grass thing but there is a nice kick of citrus, perhaps grapefruit in the back end of the palate.

As it warms the profile seems to flatten a bit, a nice hope front and grapefruit finish, it's ok.

The cloudiness is a bit of a worry, but it seems to be its thing. It obviously it's thing to be cloudy.

A nice thing about this is that you don't really get a alcohol hit, and that you'd be sucked into to having more of these than is prudent to have. And so I shall have another.

Of which there was a head, but it was desultory and a bit thin, almost looking oily. But I take any victory.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this an easy 8.50 and only that because the murky didn't really impress me,  and made me wonder if it was going to be ok. But it is a bangingly good IPA that hits many high notes, and you should if you have the chance get one. You'll like it.

• Wops Wops a localism meaning "in the sticks", "the back of beyond", "Off the beaten track"

Related articles

• Beer - #172 - Rogue - Brutal IPA (pdubyah.com)


• Beer - #178 - Garage Project - Pernicious Weed (pdubyah.com)


• Beer- #179 - Left Coast - Hop Juice (pdubyah.com)


• International Bittering Units (IBU's) (randysveranda.com)


• Fish And Beers: Double Post (boodandfeer.com)

Beer - #183 - Galbraith - NZ Pale Ale

Brewed by Galbraith Brewing Company in the style of a  India Pale Ale (IPA) and they do that right here in Auckland, New Zealand. Galbraith's pub, also known as meeting Room G, we went there that often :-)

A 330ml bottle of a 5% ABV beer, thats about 1.3 standard drinks.

Pale in name, but not in nature. This is a full bodied beer, with a unique malty flavour balanced by New Zealand Southern Cross hops.

Hop bitter aroma, lovely deep amber golden pour, and a reasonable head from a well carbonated brew.

The aroma settles but remains hoppy but on a sweet malt base.

It's softly bitter, and there is a lovely dash of maltiness in this. Although a reasonable range of tastes this isn;t overly long.

It's ok, but then it should be, and based on my previous experience of the brewery this is on point for them. This is neither too bitter or to sweet,  there is a lot of carbonation, and it's very well rounded. I do like the hop spiciness in this, it's a pleasant note.

The pubyah-o-meter rattles to an 8 making it a very good on the scale of randomness.  It's a shame I have only the one as this would settle me for the evening and go well with some honest food, like chips.

Beer - #168 - Queenstown Brewers - Steam Brew

Another new find - Queenstown Brewers - Steam Brew - Brewed by Queenstown Brewers in the Style of a California Common and not surprisingly they do this in Queenstown, New Zealand.

330ml bottle 5.9% ABV (around 1.3 standard drinks) and an IBU of 33 - which is low end English Bitter . Califonia Common - Style originating in 18th century California, where brewers without access to refrigeration produced beers using lager yeasts and warm temperatures. These still retain some of the rounded character inherent in all lagers, but with a dose of ale fruitiness.

During the Otago gold rush, miners brought with them a thirst for a beer that originated in the Californian goldfields called Steam. It was a highly charged brew that let off a good head of steam when the barrels were tapped. The brew had the smooth richness of lager, combined with the fruity bitterness of ale, much like the beer you are drinking now.

Bready yeasty aroma to kick off with.  It is a really nice brown colour beer, and has a decent head to go with it. Aroma on the pour moves more to hops.

This is decently bitter, but instantly I'm thinking it lacks body. There are grass notes on the palate, but there isn't a lot of length in the taste to linger over it. There's not a lot of swee under notes either. A bit one dimensional.

It is decently carbonated and as it sits for a bit the floral note is more evident. But it's not really enough to move this forward. It is another new brewer doing something safe and middle-of-the-road, which for a commercial enterprise is dandy and fine. But this isn't going to ring any bells and as a result the pdubyah-o-meter says that this is a middling 6 of it's things on the scale of things.

If I'm in Queenstown again I'd be sure to look up the brewery and be in awe of the enterprise. This though as a beer is drinkable, enjoyable and would carry you a night of merriment and good company, but it wouldn't be remembered for it's presence. And that's a pity.

Related articles

• Don't be a lager snob... it can be alright! (citysuppers.wordpress.com)

Beer - #162 - St Peters - Suffolk Gold

Change of pace again , this time to a St Peters Suffolk Gold in the style of a Premium Bitter/ESB - Brewed by St Peters (UK)  in Bungay, England

500ml bottle, 4.9%ABV,  2.45  Standard drinks. And the Bottle is a magnificent thing in itself.

"Suffolk grown First Gold hops provide the bitterness and aroma for this well hopped premium beer. This is brewed with Suffolk malt to produce a full bodied ale with a lasting hop aroma"

And there's me doing my best Wurzel Gummidge impression.

Because it's a friday, and I am looking forward to this. Beer that is, not necessarily this beer.

English bitter aroma, golden brown pour, a bit cloudy, reasonable head. The aroma is light and faintly grassy hoppy, the taste is somewhat soft too, and there is a hop kick in a long tasting mouthful. Nice lacing too.

I like the hoppiness in this, they taste fairly green, but aren't sharp or annoying, there is however not much else you can say. I'm sure there are malts but they all part of a thing and not individual players.

Pretty inoffensive and not a lot to write home about, the pdubyah-o-meter says a lazy 7 on this.   When you have a wide selection of bitters it's not easy to be different or stand-out. This is a beer you could easily share with friends, and drink a lot of without getting all rowdy.

For a Friday it's probably a good thing.

Beer - #151 - Zeelandt - Pale Ale

The second of the two beers- this one the Pale Ale - Brewed by Zeelandt Brewing Co of course in the style of a English Pale Ale and that's in sunny Napier, New Zealand.

500ml Bottle - 5% ABV bottle conditioned beer (thats about 1.97 standard drinks). It claims 35 IBU's which is near the upper end of bitter for a Pale Ale

A classic pale ale that delivers a glass full of hoppy flavour. This bright, copper coloured beer has a malty backbone, wonderfully balanced with citrus hop flavour and a clean, refreshing finish. This pale ale leaves you wanting more.

Copper brown, headless, and an aroma of mainly citrus and malts. If there are hops in this they are the silent types.

There is carbonation though, but it didn't translate into head. And it's very light on hops. Very. The mouth is dominated by the carbonation, a sweet note, and a slight finish of bitterness. There's no lacing either.

Frankly it's a bit meh. The pdubyah-o-meter says 7 and be happy.

Meh as in nothing outstanding, or rewarding in this, it's not particularly flavourful, aromatic, or alcohol heavy.  A safe beer from a new brewery.

A report card might say B- Must try harder.

Related articles

• Beer - #150 - Zeelandt - Helles (pdubyah.com)


• Pale in comparison (zombiebrewhouse.wordpress.com)


• Beer Shopping (citysuppers.wordpress.com)

 

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 - #133 - Liberty - C!tra

Liberty C!tra, Brewed by Liberty Brewing in the style of a  Imperial/Double IPA in New Plymouth, New Zealand

500ml of a 9% ABV beer (thats about 3.6 standard drinks) in a simple bottle.

What is in a name? Under conventional language guidelines you would expect to find any number of consonants, and to a lesser extent, you will find the odd noun. But if your have a look at the name of this beer, you will find that it has an exclamation mark right in the middle of it. What’s that all about? Doesn’t that just seem a little unusual? It’s definitely not a typo - and if you’re reading this, then I guess it’s done it’s Job. The next step is to take this bottle home. Go on. You won’t regret it.

at 9% ABV you might regret it, is what I'm thinking. This is beer that has nothing but good reviews though, so I'm not expecting any regrets, except if its only having one bottle.

Double IPA, so Hoppy, bitter (99IBU bitter) and a full noise nose is what I'm expecting. A head on the pour would be a bonus.

Before I pour there is an abundance of hop aroma, this is something you should bottle, it's pretty o for owesum. It's hoppy but sweet. Its chestnut brown and pours with a nice settled head. MrsPdubyah agrees with me , a first, that this has an aroma to die for. Grapefruit,  citrus, a little grass. I may have gone on a little bit about the aroma, it's worth it!

There's a banging amount of hop bitter on the taste too, not lip puckering whince but a fair goodly amount of 'gosh, how fine and subtle that is', and how fabulous the length of the taste, I'm sitting here grinning.

There a lovely sweetness to offset the bitter in this, the whole experience is something to savour and if you're drinking to enjoy you're unfolding a many layered thing.

After a bunch of average this stands shoulders above many many beers, and leaves you wondering what  the others might be up to, or what they missed on their journey.

As it sits the grassiness begins to take hold of the taste, the length remains the smile still lingers. They've really crammed the hops into this, and managed at the same time to keep them in check. I can see why this is well liked.

The pdubyah-o-meter likes this too. It's a solid 9 things on the scale of things. Not a 10, there just aren't enough things to keep you looking for the next thing, but as a thing on and of itself this is the thing!

One of those beers where if you like an IPA, then this would really ring you bell, and if you brought this and didn't like it I'd offer you the money back. Quite spectacular, quaffable and a beer that would get you wobbly in short order should you forget that this i a big hitter 9% abv beer. Would easily stand up to some strong taste foods, would easily make grown men start waxing lyrical about the 80's, 90's, and confess many things.

Hats off to you Liberty, I'm a bit in love.

Related articles

• Beer - #116 - Liberty - Yakima Scarlet (pdubyah.com)

Beer - #131 - Badger - First Gold

Change of innings at the cricket and Im into a Badger- First Gold. 500ml of a 4% ABV beer (2 standard drinks). This, then, is Brewed by Badger (Hall & Woodhouse) and it's in the style of a  Bitter and they create this in Blandford Forum, England.

"It has taken us over two years to develop this golden brown country ale. Badger First Gold is a country ale from Dorset using a single English hop for purity and character."

And as I write Cook makes a pigs ear and get's himself out. Oh well hopefully the beer is going to make up a bit for that.

I was surprised that this is only a 4% ale, that's really at the bottom end of the scale of things.

Wet cereal aroma, small but persistent head, chestnut brown in colour. The wet cereal aroma fades to bring through a bittery hop, which is altogether better, but it's neither strong or able to put aside the other aromas.

Plenty of carbonation, I don't think I'm a big fan of fizzy, which gives aside to a pretty disappointingly disappointing flavour combination. There's precious little maltiness in this, and the hops are a passenger.

Thin, inoffensive, and masquerading as something it's not. Ha! but it does say "Single English Hop" which accounts for the lack of taste in this, he said jokingly.

This is as bad as is gets for something I thought was going to deliver, not the first time I've been disappointed with a beer, but the first time since I've been disappointed with  one from the UK, in a long time.

At about 4 on the pdubyah-o-meter you'd be well advised to avoid this, I'd be more scathing but it is a 4% beer and suitable for a session of beer, but not a beer you'd like a session with, if that makes sense. I

It's not improving either with sitting, and I'm rather hoping to get to the end rather quickly so that I can get on with something more in line with making me smile. I live in hope.