Restaurant Critic #6 - The Foodstore - Auckland Viaduct

Occasionally I get the opportunity to be taken out to dinner, for work purposes.

Happened that this happened on Tuesday this week.  We'de been sitting in the SkySport bar Grill having some of their fine craft beers when it came time to eat. Now we could have had the burgers and fries but since it was only the two of us I suggested something else.

So The Foodstore it was.

Based at Auckland's Viaduct Harbour, is New Zealand's first unique live food entertainment experience. With the country's only true "open" and "interactive" kitchen you will get up close and personal with NZ's best chefs as they create their culinary magic

Indeed they have the kitchen based in the open in the restaurant for all to see, and there is even a camera training on one station so that you might catch a glimpse of you dinner being served on one of the TV screens dotted around.  Seems kind of odd to have a quality restaurant and TV's playing.

It was a quiet night out at the Viaduct, even though the weather has been fantastic and so sitting wasn't a problem and we sat outside under a heater.

Wait staff were attentive and there were a lot of them around.

Drinks. Well I'd been on beer, and I'd had enough so I had a cranberry juice that wasn't very pleasant, thin and watery. The Whiskey wasn't available either that my visitor wanted, so he opted for something generic.

Starters:

Them :  Goat's cheese ice cream and beetroot salad. Served raw with fennel and balsamic dressing.

Me: Crispy pig's head terrine, with shallot, sultana and caper dressing on a a celeriac puree

Theirs was visually stunning! Mine was nice, but not spectacular.

Mains:

Them: pumpkin gnocchi, with roast pumpkin puree, char-grilled peppers, goat's feta, red onion and chilli

Me: Fiordland crayfish linguine, with a saffron and cream sauce.

Theirs was very orange, and "not what I expected" but they ate it all. Mine was served in what I thought was a strange way, in like a dessert bowl, and the portion seemed small.  Seemed a little undercooked, but wasn't, really moorish and took me no time to polish it off.

Dessert:

I think I won this with : The Pineapple Lump. Dark Chocolate marquise with honeycomb and pineapple sorbet.

They had chocolate hazelnut cheesecake, with Frangelico ganache, sour cherry compote and creme fraiche.

Mine was visually stunning, the sorbet was astounding and this was the dish of the night for me

Their's was served in a glass, again something I thought might have been strange

We were there a couple of hours chatting about this and that, I finished the night fed and happy, not over full, and not wanting to stop of a maccas on the way home.

Would I go again? Yes I think I'll take MrsPdubyah there.

Should you go? Well of all the places on the Viaduct this is near the top of the list of places you should stop at, it's interesting there is a lot going on and they know their stuff.

 

Beer - #330 - Hallertau - Hopocalypse IIIPA 2014

Well it's a Friday so Hallertau Hopocalypse IIIPA 2014 it is! Four Horsemen Of The Hopocalypse -

Four Horsemen of the Hopocalyse – a collaboration with four of the most hop driven brewers in New Zealand. Joseph Wood from Liberty Brewing, Steve Plowman from Hallertau, Kelly Ryan and Luke from Epic. Could you add anymore hops to one beer.

This is listed as brewed by Epic Brewing Company (NZ) in the Style: Imperial/Double IPA, and they are in Auckland, a ways up the road in Riverhead. I could visit anytime I like. Or I can drink at home :-) They have a fine restaurant. 

I brought a 1 litre  growler (1000ml) of this, which is 12% ABV 180IBU's,  This might contain near 1,000 calories if my maths is up to it converting Ml to US Fl Oz. That's a bit extreme.  A Standard serve is 12 US Fl Oz, or about 355ml., this contains a whopping 9.4 standard drink units when calculated by ABV. Golly.

It's almost sweet smelling on opening, there's not much giveaway if this is a hop monster beer.  Aroma really kicks in on opening though, pours fantastic burnt orange and with a fluffy head that dissipates but seems to persist a bit.

This is a lot sweeter than you could expect it to be, seems to have a lot of  caramel malt thing going on, which is interesting.

There is the alcohol that you can pick on the top, it's pretty obvious if you were wondering, and it lingers and finishes a bit tart. But hey it's a big IBU beer and these are things that you could be expecting to happen it shouldn't be a surprise.

This might not be the most sensible thing I've ever drunk, particularly pre-dinner.

The Pdubyah-o-meter ticks up a tad, makings this a 7.5 which is better than good but not  on the podium for medallists.

Watching the Formula 1 practice on the teevee. These new V6 cars are like sewing machines compared to the thunder and lightening that was last year. You can hear the tyres squeal and the turbo chirp. I guess that's a good thing, but I prefer the noise. Someone should invent an app.

I know it's important to round this off with a couple of things.

Am I enjoying it?  Yes I am, it's both sweet and bitter, and a bit quaffable despite the misgivings about the alcohol astringent
Would I have another?  I do have another, and I'm looking forward to it. I may have the munchies later though.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Yup.

On the drive home I was listening to Muse, loudly. I'm sure I look odd in the car with this dialled up to 11

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_sBOsh-vyI&w=420&h=315]

 

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.

Restaurant Critic #5 – One3One Bar Kitchen Cafe - Paeroa

We had dinner at one3one in Paeroa.

131 refers to it's street number

It was on the site of  a pub called "The Fathers Tavern" and let me tell you that used to be an experience. The last time we went their with some friends we walked in, and in the wild west cowboy style the bar went quiet as strangers walked in, true story, we ordered a couple 'jugs' of beer, brought the barman a drink and everything became sweet-as. True Story.

Wind the dial on a few years, there is now a Maccas in town, but there isn't a roundabout and nor is there traffic lights. Something shouldn't change.

One3One. A modern establishment. Central island bar set up, to the left high tables, the right 4 top tables, a couple of booths. Wallpaper like wooden fence paling, menu's kept in beer crates.

Let down by the industrial quality carpet on the floor to be honest when wood or polished concrete might have been better.

In a major change the one beer garden has been sacrificed for more floor area, and the smokers and other outside dwellers get a concrete corridor. I don't smoke so no loss to me.

Dinner:

Two people chose the  CHICKEN BREAST 
Oven roasted chicken breast stuffed with basil & wrapped in streaky bacon, served with herb roasted potatoes and topped with a tomato & herb sauce

I had  LAMB SHANKS
Slow cooked tender lamb shank on creamy mashed potatoes with a rich gravy & kumara wafers

And one of us had  LAMB AND FETA SALAD 
Sliced marinated lamb rump with feta, cherry tomatoes, caramelised pumpkin & salad greens, dressed with minted yoghurt

Lets cut to the chase and critique this.

The biggest biggest problem by far was that the main meals had no seasonable vegetables on the plate.  OK if you  colour me me stupid that the menu description din't call this out, but you know that the whole experience would have been magnified to great if the plate had a carrot or a floret of broccoli on it.

Sides are called out on the menu, but these weren't offered up by the wait staff.

Specifically calling out the lamb shanks that I had, these weren't browed before cooking. One of them stringy and tough, the other soft and fell off the bone. The gravy was watery and insipid.

Calling out the lamb salad as looking awesome!

One3One has a couple of things going for it, and in no particle order:

• The RailTrail Cycleway that passes by


• It's very new, clean and tidy, and will have broad appeal to the locals


• The pricing isn't outrageous


• The menu has something for everyone


• It'll do a cracking trade on the battle of the streets motorcycle racing weekend

They could improve things here and there of course, to suit me, but this sets a new standard in Paeora and the others need to take note.

Beach Life – Summer 2013 – #9

I write this the day after the day before.

Yesterday, the weather was average, cold and a bit showery.  But I was made to go for some exercise with MrsPdubyah, as you can see it wasn't as flash as it could have been in the morning

We got to the beach, Matarangi, didn't have it to ourselves in the distance you can see another romantic couple braving the elements

Some of the locals are more hardy, these oyster catchers for instance

To be fair there were far more people on the beach than I'm making out, they're done the more built up area where all the beach houses are. Brave souls.

As reward I brought me two beers, one which was good the other was ok. They are local beers, so I am in a way supporting local artisans. I am not however convinced they are brewed locally, but brewed to a recipe, which isn't unusual. I'll need to do more 'research'.

And then to bring it all back down we opened a bottle (gifted) of Sauv Noir, a horrific mixture of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir from Chile.  It's as bad as it sounds. It's not like that don't have a decent wine trade in New Zealand. As it was a bit mardy we had a Thai Red Curry for dinner which was outstanding, and the remains of the Focaccia bread. Which now reminds me that I was supposed to make some bread for lunch. 

Today, Which I think is Thursday the day has dawned much brighter. There are many more boats on the seas going fishing and gathering, and MrsPdubyah is talking about a walk around the point at Matarangi to the Harbour, and I can buy more beer :-)

Related articles

• Beach Life - Summer 2013 - #10


• Beach Life - Summer 2013 - #7


• Beach Life - Summer 2013 - #5


• Beach Life - Summer 2013 - #3


• Beach Life - Summer 2013 - #2


• Beach Life - Summer 2013 - #1

• Beach Life - Summer 2013 - #8 (pdubyah.com)

 

Beach Life – Summer 2013 – #7

It's still really nice here, weather is behaving itself by and large.  To be honest I don't know how I haven't got a tan going on, it's been mostly sunny.

Although some things have changed at the beach it's always pleasing to note that the sign in the front garden of the neighbours house is still as vibrant as ever. I'd have to check if anyone has stopped to ask if they are open today, it has happened.



I was pleased with yesterdays efforts at bread making, so I'm giving it another crack today. Focaccia style, again. Bread rolls are the other go-to recepie but they get snacked on and grazed over to easily, best not let temptation get in the way of a good intention.



The Focaccia was really nice with the barbecue chicken that I cooked last night, toasted a bit of on the barbecue,added some stuff,  just the thing. Chicken was in a lemon and herb dressing, I'm told.



I just do the cooking.

We had an impromptu drink thing with some of the neighbours last night, those are the best type of evenings. Tonight being New Year Eve we're off to a communal drinking party, or gathering, after dinner, so everyone has eaten, less catering and faffing about by the hosts. Tonight it's at 'diggers' place, he's the self-appointed 'Mayor' of the beach. I'm sure he's more diligent and trustworthy than the one we have in Auckland, although he does like to put it about at bit, but that's not a secret.

In other news  was made to brave the 'big smoke' we all know as  Whitianga. Didn't seem to be busy or full of touristas as it has been in the past. We didn't stay long.

Did however stop of Kuaotonu for a coffee at the always excellent black jack coffee place.  Hasn't really improved my mood though. Woke up today with a sore calf, and sore ankles. Exercise on the unmade roads is really a bit tricky for an old fella like me, so I have to take a day off. On the plus side did buy two local beers which I'll enjoy (hopefully) a bit later.

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• Beach Life - Summer 2013 - #6 (pdubyah.com)

 

Restaurant Critic #4 – Flavours of India - Browns Bay

Well what an eye opener this was when we first came here. We'd been used to having Indian food take-away and Dine-in from Chand in Mairangi Bay , where the service was always prompt, the price was always cheap and the food was passable.

Then we, on whim, went to Flavours of India in Browns Bay .

It's not swanky, flash, or opulent and in no way is it a fine dining experience. It's small, stark and functional modern. It's more cafe than restaurant. They claim to be able to seat 50. That'd be a busy night.

Then there is the food.

The kitchen is in eye and ear shot of everyone, with the obligatory glass window over the Tandoor oven so that you can see chef in action.

And what he produces is top quality.  It's not an extensive menu by comparison with other establishments, the standard items are there, and a couple of specials and unique dishes.

To be fair they don't need to have an extensive menu as the quality and taste you get from your choice should make it your favourite.

5 of us. We had a vegetarian and a meat version of the entrée platter.

There was the obligatory butter chicken. and the Saag Goshst (Lamb in Spinach), and a Shajahani chicken (Chicken in Cashew, saffron and coriander) and two of the special items,  a Lamb Stir fry, and a real Goat Curry, which was an off-menu item.

The Lamb and the Goat were amazing, succulent, juicy, tender, but somewhat spicy.

Oh and Garlic and Plain Naan.

It was too much, way too much food, and a doggy bag accompanies us home.

This isn't a chain or franchise menu, it's a small operation, and they're happy if you're a first time or return customer, and they remind you that word of mouth is their best advertising. 

I'd suggest - Get in!

 

Beach Life – Summer 2013 – #4

Still not quite at the beach, but 'tis the day before christmas.

8:45 MrsPdubyah sends me a text, she has to work today, at the local mall. Text reads "Car park full, Supermarket full" It'll be a long day.

Daughter has spend the last 1/2 hour squeezing and rattling the presents under the tree playing a guessing game. I wouldn't mind but she is 18.

Anyhoo FIL was out of the house at 7:58am to go to the local hardware store, to buy some urgent things.

and MIL is now setting about making a trifle. Something which I personally can't abide.

I was up at 7 doing my 5km exercise, it's called getting into calorie deficit early, there were quite a few others doing the same thing, but I doubt it'll catch on.

MIL also has a fanciful idea that she's going to 'pop' to the shops and get some cream.  Good luck with that.

For this evening though we're planning to take them out to Browns Bay, and have a dinner, which is easier than thinking about what to cook, and since tomorrow is going to be all-you-can-eat day it's possibly wiser.

Still to come:

• The Glazing of the ham


• The baking of the bread

 

Beach Life – Summer 2013 – #3

The weather forecast says that it'll be rain on 25th, this isn't in the plan.

This will mean that we're inside, instead of outside in the sun.

This could mean that 'm cooking the barbecue in the rain, under an umbrella held by a brave assistant.

But the menu hasn't changed as far as I'm aware, but it does mean we'll have to be more organised and aware of where glasses, plates, and other things are placed around.

Having said nothing has changed of course it has. The nibbles are now going to be Bilini  with cream cheese and Salmon, and MrsPdubyah is going to make some miniature quiche things, she says.

Which leaves me only to make fresh bread in the morning.

The World Tour of Taupo - The Romantic Getaway

Surprisingly I've been married 25 years. To celebrate this milestone MrsPdubyah and me took off for a couple of days holiday.

We chose Taupo. More correctly I was told we were going to Taupo. Two nights.

I took some photo's. Admittedly on the iPhone.  I think the one that is most representative of Taupo is the one of Huka Falls.  Not sure the view from out room without the beer is much to look at.

Oh and the frozen margarita, strawberry, was mine. Sometimes you don't need a beer.

The Gentleman’s Fishing Club - October 2013

The Seahorse Kontiki torpedo has been in the shop for maintenance.

Had new deeper rudder fitted, and had the wiring replaced as well as the batteries.

Does not seem to have done it much harm with this 5  fish haul from the sea. The small fish are all > 30cms long, the biggest one at the top 59cm in length, Who knows how much it weighs, we've misplaced the scales. We did put one back that was under-sized, and we lost one hook/trace.

The biggest fish smoked up a treat in the smoker on the BBQ, and made a nice lunch time, the sun shining, I made some bread and there was a cold beer, It couldn't have been a nicer hour.



[caption id="attachment_4063" align="aligncenter" width="300"] SeaHorse Kontiki[/caption]

For previous adventures see here:

The Gentleman’s Fishing Club Summer 2012

The Gentleman’s Fishing Club

Beer at the beach house (Bach) Yeastie Boys + Firestone Walker + Panhead - Englebert Pumpernickel

Yes indeed a collaboration between the nice people at Yeastie Boys + Firestone Walker + Panhead , to bring you the Englebert Pumpernickel.

A ridiculously pale beer with an immense hop nose and presence. Weighing in at 9.2% ABV I have e idea that in standard drink units that this is 'lots'

Pours with a decent head too. Crashing grassy hops with a really mellow tone, delivers a complete mouthfeel.

The in-laws are wittering on about nothing and all gossip that isn't worth the effort. It took me just over an hour from arrival to get drinking. Possibly a record.

I'm sitting here then hazing out the blether, with the sound of waves in the background.

There is fresh caught fish c/- of the Gentleman's Fishing Club for dinner, it has it moments.

Beer - #144 - Rogue - Imperial India Pale Ale (I²PA)

omg omg omg - A Rogue - Imperial India Pale Ale (I²PA), which even without opening it looks like a work of art, ceramic covered glass with stopper. Brewed by Rogue Ales In the style: of a  Imperial/Double IPA Newport, Oregon USA.

And double up I've yet to be disappointed by a Rogue beer.

Above and beyond an India Pale Ale--I2PA is radically hopped with an intense aroma and hop bitterness. Unfiltered and aged for 9 months before it leaves the brewery--not for the faint of heart. I2PA is brewed with two-row Pipkin Pale malts, Saaz, Cascade and Northwest Golding hops.

a big 750ml bottle of a 9.5% ABV beer, which is 5.8 Standard drinks - in one bottle. 74 IBU's which is fair to middling.  BarleyWine and Standard IPA tops out at 70 on a good day. I should share it. I won't but I should.

A PDF of an IBU guide you can find here .

Magnificently hoppy on opening, pinegrassy, light orangey golden brown in colour, decent head, and carbonation. The aroma isn't carried though and it settles down to noticeable but not strong. It's full of body, has a citrus content, long mouth of hops and finishes nicely.  The pine/grass taste is pretty evident though and leads this charge.

The alcohol strength is well hidden, but that's not hard when the dominant taste is the bitter hops and not a lot else. Disappointing that there isn't a softer back-note or feel with this. Not that I want a sweet and sour beer, but it would add a dimension that could be nice.

I was hoping that as it warmed in the glass that it would change the impression, but the hops just get hoppier, but they're, in my opinion, just a tad on the harsh side. The malt warm does begin to get a hold, but they get a bit slammed, and the alcohol astringent gets a toe hold too.

Would I share it? Heck yes, there is enough in this to carry a conversation on it's merits. The pdubyah-o-meter says this would be 8 from 10, because I want to like it more than I do. I love the bottle and delivery, I hate the way that suddenly you've had nearly 6 drinks worth of beer: -), I love the hoppy aroma, it's just nice,  but I would have liked some lacing in the glass.

Party in a bottle? No. It's not as likeable as it could be, there could be a softer edge somewhere, this is pretty much a one dimension beer. Am I disappointed, yes, and no. It's a fine beer, I drank a lot of it too quickly, and I'm going to wish I had another, mostly to try and figure out if I was right or wrong about it.

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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.

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Beer - #127 - Rogue - Morimoto - Black Obi Soba Ale

Morimoto - Black Obi Soba Ale  - Brewed by Rogue Ales in the style of a Specialty Grain Newport, Oregon USA

It's a pint of a 5.3 ABV beer (thats about 2.7 standard drinks),

"A darker version of our Soba Ale. Roasted malts provide a rich nut-laced flavor, while the 3 hops blend to provide a refreshing zest. 10 ingredients: Roasted soba, 2 row pale Munich, c-15, c-60, and Weyermann malts: Horizon, Sterling, and Cascade hops, free range coastal water and top fermenting Pacman yeast. 12.05 Plato, 30 IBU, 75.2 AA, 36.0 L"

I was opening this and Auckland had a 4.0 earthquake, unusual, which I hope portends the beer time come.

It's a very dark brown beer, with a monster head of light brown, well carbonated, decent aroma of malts, but also some yeastiness. Head lingers too. All good so far.

It soft on the with a little bitterness, not an awful lot of body in this, and the pleasure is all derived from the flavour. Whilst it's not challenging it avoids being bland and meh by having quite a lot going on on the palate, all very quietly going about what they do.

The darkness of this beer might put some off, and it's colour doesn't really match the taste delivery, this is a bit of a paradox in some respects.

The pdubyah-o-meter says 7.75 would be about right, it stumbles to achieve a greatness but quirky gets your attention and makes this an enjoyable experience.

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Beer - #125 - Moa - Five Hops

Brewed by Moa Brewing Company in the style of a  Premium Bitter/ESB  brewed in the Marlborough region , Blenheim, New Zealand

Premium! none of the riff-raff. All cage and Cork too , you get a premium delivery for such a small bottle 330ml of what is described on the label as a winter Ale of 6.2% ABV beer.

Moa Five Hop winter ale shows the unique signatures of traditional North European bottle conditioning. Displaying a Nelson-dominant hoppy nose with a subtle oak character leaving extra smooth and creamy, honeyed characters on the palate. A well-balanced companion to eastern style spiced foods. Traditionally served just below room temperature.

Nelson Dominant?  Moa Five Hop Winter Ale utilises pilsner, Vienna, Munich and crystal malts to produce a distinctive mouth feel and flavour. New Zealand grown B Saaz and Hallertau aroma hops are used.

To me this says "We have a few bags of a few things left over let's just chuck them in"

I have no idea why Moa beers carry a cachet of quality, taste, and remarkable, but I fall for it every time.

And back to earth this has nose-full of hops, which is somewhat re-assuring, it's well carbonated, carried a decent head, which tinges orange coloured. and is decent beer orange colour (they're not related I hope.)

The aroma portends a sour taste... here goes.... and ..... that's interesting. It's quite lovely, the hoppy combination is a bit of a joy, nothing that it going to shock you, and as a taste it's not at the extreme end of the scale.

I like beer, and although I enjoy the sweeter beers, getting back to a hoppy taste is something that makes me smile, and somehow resolve to have more of it. I'm entranced by this small bottle of apparent magic. It's quite mellow offers up a slight bittery finish and does not crease the brow with a difficult combination of things. It's alright by me.

After the sweeter Belgium beers this is a welcome and remarkable beer,  lots of tastes despite the apparent initial  lack of aroma, which arrives as it warms, and in that weird way matches the taste that you get.

This is good enough for an 8 on the pdubyah-o-meter, I could get carried away and say that it's as good as your money back, but it isn't. It's nice, very nice, nicely delivered, sense of occasion and does what it says. Impress your friends and get some, it'll  be expensive and you should have a stand-by or alternative to go to.

For me it leads me back to the hoppy beers... and when you start to think about the types of beer and how they fit on sliding scale should bring joy to the heart.

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Beer – #124 – Mc Chouffe

Mc Chouffe. That's it's name. Brewed by Brasserie d’Achouffe (Moortgat) in the style of a  Belgian Strong Ale and that's all done in Achouffe, Belgium

750ml bottle of an 8% ABV dark beer - the Mc CHOUFFE is an unfiltered dark beer, which is re-fermented in the bottle as well as in the keg. Behind its fruity flavour a slight hint of bitterness may be found.

I have an expectation of a toffee coloured beer, with a similar taste, malty, sweet, and fruity.

It's a lot darker than I expected, but it is a "Brune" beer so that's not such a surprise, the head is nice foamy and dark, and stays with the beer. There is nothing in the aroma to give away what is to come, if anything it smells of musty yeast.

There is a fair whack of carbonation that surprises the palate and this seems to mask the taste of the beer that you're drinking. The malt isn't very strong and you can get the alcahol bitterness of this beer. It's not wholly unpleasant just surprising.

So where am I at with this. I think like the Le Chouffe this is a beer that isn't a leader, or setting a mark that others have to get to. It's a middle of the road offering,  nothing to see here, move along.  This isn't a beer that I'd share with others, it's not something that I'd be trying to impress you with. As a beer this lacks the sugary malty front taste, has too much carbonation and doesn't carry very well to a finish.

However! for an 8% strong ale this is guaffable and could get you into trouble if you let it get carried away with you. The pdubyah-o-meter says 7.5 is a good mark to give, and at that mark there are a lot of beers that I wouldn't dink in favour of this.

Given the beers of a similar  type that come to mind, such as Duvel, Chimay, Leffe or Maredesous this doesn't fare as well.  It's a likeable beer, well made and rounded, but it's not a "A" student

Beer - #121 - Yeastie Boys - His Majesty 2012

I stopped in at my local bottle shop on the way home, a particularly weird day at work that was pretty frustrating on a number of fronts, and I picked me up a Yeastie Boys His Majesty 2012.

Yeastie Boys beer is  Brewed at Invercargill Brewery  and His Majesty 2012 is in the style of a : Belgian Ale <strong>

His Majesty, The Fourth, is a Belgian-style strong pale ale. A gentle (yet dangerous) giant of a beer featuring an interplay of sweet bready German malt, a hint of kiwi hops and a delicate spiced fruit from use of a Belgian Abbey yeast.

750ml, 8.5% ABV beer - that's about 5.3 standard drink units.

I'm only disappointed that this doesn't have a cork and cage,

Belgium beer then, Sweet, Dark Amber, Heady, Malty, slightly bitter under note. Oh I'm looking forward to this .

Beer - #119 - Hallertau - Maximus Humulus Lupulus

Hallertau Maximus Humulus Lupulus. Brewed by Hallertau Brewbar & Restaurant in the styleof an American Strong Ale, in Auckland.

Strong Ale? It says Pale Ale on the label.

The fiercely floral and fragrant hop, known as the Earth Wolf by the Ancients, has been cunningly tamed with a soft, rich maltiness. Please drink respectfully

India Pale Ale – The Gladiator of Hops of 5.8% ABV in a dinky 330ml bottle, not the larger 750ml size.

The fiercely floral and fragrant hop, known as the earth wolf by the ancients, has been cunningly tamed with a soft, rich, maltiness.

So again a beer with mixed messaging from the intertubes. Again I'll go with the source on this. This has been re-packaged to the smaller bottles and toned down from a 6.8% ABV offering. That's not always a bad thing.

Hazy muddy cloudy golden pour with a rapidly disappearing head, fantastic flush of hop aroma. Not the prettiest beer I ever poured. Bittery hops but with a short length finishing. Lots of grass, and what you'd have to put down as an overall dry taste.

An interesting beer this, it's the most complicated named, the ugliest looking and it delivers a mixed bag of taste. I didn't really like the Hallertau 1,2,3 or 4 beers, and this was somewhat a last chance saloon, and because I'd heard a whisper that it might be heads above those.

There's not a lot of body in this, and adding to the dry I'm therefore also going to say thin, which is usually a sign that they've given up on something and left out the bite.

Given the trick packaging you could be lead to think that this was going to deliver something of an adventure.  It doesn't

The pdubyah-o-meter just says 7. Making this a beer that sits in the pack, it's bitter hoppy facade really does mask the shortcoming that this has. This has not made me a bigger fan of the Hallertau beers.

Related articles

• Beer - #114 - Hallertau - 1, 2, 3 and 4 (pdubyah.com)

Beer - #118 - Coronado - Red Devil

The Red Devil they say an Imperial Red Ale -  Brewed by Coronado Brewing Company in the style of an  American Strong Ale, in of all places Coronado, California 'merica.

Talking it up Coronado says that The Red Devil is a "double dose of our "Mermaid's Red Ale"  We simply doubled the ingredients (double the malt, double the hops) and created an award winning Ale. An incredibly balanced and smooth beer with a strong finish."

Worries me when they say "simply" did something, which might be code-word for this one time we had a new kid and he didn't pay attention and threw a second helping in the pot, which we had to sell, and it  turned out ok, so we carried on with it.

This is a 8.5% ABV beer in a 650ml (pint) bottle, the attached label says however 10.7% abv which is about 5.5 standard drinks, the plot thickens somewhat. Is there a US and a Foreign ABV rating that I'm not aware of? I'm picking the lower number since it's on the bottle and in other places. Weirdly though the original Red Devil appears to be a 10.7% ABV beer. Perhaps it's mellowed in it's age?



So a mixed start to start. They've changed the label and so they may have changed the mix for this and that is what I'm going to go with. Clearly their own information has to be taken as gospel.

So many words without any action then. And I've built up an expectation of having my thirst quenched because I've been making rib marinades this afternoon, and that's time in the kitchen, that I have to balance up with a beer. It's the law.

The alternate description is this This robust, roasty, aggressively hopped imperial red is an amplified, more sinful version of our flagship Mermaid's Red™. Heaping additions of Amarillo and Simcoe hops provide clean, botanic bitterness to slice straight through a well rounded caramel sweetness borne of chocolate malt.

There is definitely a load of hops on the aroma, and it's dark dark red on the pour with a faint and disappearing head. It's a lovely aroma, I could sit here enjoying just that, but I dither. Enjoying it though I get a lovely sweet fruits note too, like soaked raisins.

and it's initially as pleasant as any beer I've drunk for a long time, lovely soft bitter and overtones of a sweet malt and caramel, but it finishes on the bitter. Not that it's a bad thing, This isn't a beer that's going to leave you reaching for an elusive taste that's on the top of your tongue, it's fairly well all up front. The caramel is lovely and balanced with the bitterness, which after sitting takes a less dominant position. All in all a bit good.

The pdubyah-o-meter has this at 8.75 things on the scale of the way things work, which isn't shameful and makes this a beer that I'd reach for if I had my pick of things. So for a simply doubled up on a few ingredients they've managed to retain a marvellous balance of tastes, Good work.

 

4th Annual Rings Beach Food and Drink Festival

The 4th Annual Rings Beach, Coromandel, Food and Drink Festival, Saturday January 26th.

A new beach tradition, originally started to honour a birthday, has now taken a life of it's own. Hosted at one of the beach homes this is purely a fun affair. Entry is free, and optional.

The rules, where there are any, are that dish is either a "sweet" or a "Savoury" and has to have a matched drink to go with it. It also has to be "Foreign". So for example you could enter Sushi and Sake, if you dared.

Some things you need to  know about "Rings Beach Life" is that you can't enter something that you'd reasonably expect to have, so Crayfish, and Scallops would be considered a bit of a no, since they are regularly dived for by various residents.

Similarly there are some traditional things that you shouldn't enter, a smoked Salmon for instance, as this is one of the centre pieces at the Rings Beach Christmas day gathering, along with Scallops, and Crayfish.

Everyone attending gets to make one vote in each of the 4 categories.

The prizes are awarded in the categories

• Best Dish -  Savoury


• Best Dish  - Sweet


• Most Original


• Best Overall

It was decided that there would be a new category next year, best cocktail or matched drink, which might turn into a best matched pair award, I hope it doesn't since the Sangria served with one of the dishes was singularly brilliant!

There were three "Sweet" desserts, A Danish Trifle, a Strawberry gateaux and a Blueberry tartlet. Competition in that category is fierce.

The winner was the Danish Trifle, possibly due to an alcohol content, but it was really tasty

The "Savoury" category had a lot of entrants, in no particular order, and from my poor memory;

• Marinated Smoked Mussels, matched with a Stoke Smokey Ale


• Chinese Chicken and Corn Soup, matched with a Scrumpy Punch


• Lebanese burgers, matched with a vodka cocktail


• Lamb Tagine, matched with an "El Morocco" cocktail


• Cucumber Soup and Naan, matched to a Sauvignon Blanc


• Fish Pie, matched with a Chardonnay


• Cheese sticks and Sauvignon


• Jambalaya, matched to a Sauvignon


• Buffalo Beach beef bourguignon, matched with a Red Wine


• Pickle Dogs, matched with Budweiser


• Meatballs and chorizo, matched to a Sangria


• Possum Eye Pie, matched with a Red Wine


• and page 45 of the Donna hay cookbook, and a strawberry cocktail

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The Winners;

The Jambalaya won the best savoury prize, the Beef bourguignon won the best overall, the possum eye pie won the most original

I ate some of everything and the Possum eye pie was spectacular, the Beef dish was divine, the Danish Trifle was a treat. And whilst I didn't think the Jambalaya was the best dish there it was very special and tasty and did deserve to win.

The prizes consisted a selection of tiaras, wands and beads from the $2 shop, and there was a special award of a wooden spoon to one voter for being vocal :-)