Beer - #600 - Renaissance - Enlightenment Series - Sencha Saison

Renaissance - Enlightenment Series - Sencha Saison. 600 Beers. My poor liver. So Strange beer, strange numbers, strange musics and strangers.

French style farmhouse ale brewed with Japanese Green Tea.

In a 500ml bottle, this is 6.5% ABV, 195 calories a serve, and 2.6 standard drink units in NZ

Sencha is brewed by Renaissance Brewing in the style of a Saison and they do that in  Blenheim, New Zealand

A light coloured Saison with hints of spice and a soft malt character.

[caption id="attachment_11070" align="alignleft" width="300"] A bewildered look[/caption]

The hop presence is low, the slightly sour dry finish allows the unique flavour of the tea to shine through.

The use of Japanese lemon, lime, and hibiscus tea give a subtle sweet and sour finish with notes of tea leaves. Thanks to the brewer Matt Dainty and Tea Total.

So what could possibly go wrong? I like tea, sometimes.

Lemony citrus tangerines sugars are when the aroma is.

Pour is honey yellow, aroma is still a Mélange of things fruit and sugars.

Oh larks! It like tea! it really is like tea It's wonderful and entertaining and refreshing. And cold like beer.

It has some of the yeasty things that a Saison should have in the mix, and is sweeter overall than most others of the type, I think.

Fantastically aromatic this gives you far warning of the things to come as you drink, it's quite the end-to-end experience, which I've really enjoyed and would do again.

Is is perfect? I don't think it is, for me a bit sweet, and not yeasty sugary bubblegum enough in the taste, but sensational otherwise.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 of its things from the thing.

The double dip review

• Am I enjoying it? It is quite the thing, and is thoroughly worth it.


• Would I have another? It would be hard to pass up another.


• Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights ? Of course this is the ideal summer evening experience to start a conversation, I think you'd move on to other things after a short stint but what a way to get going.

Musically speaking, Interpol, an American rock band from New York City, this is All the rage back home, you can listen to the album El Pintor here on Spotify and all the other places perhaps.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u6DvRyyKGU&w=560&h=315]

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.

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Beer - #593 - Renaissance - Grandmaster Fresh Hop IIPA

Renaissance Grandmaster Fresh Hop IIPA. Reminds me of some disco things. Anyway, memories, reminiscing, remainders and reunions.

Somewhere between a Barley Wine and an American Double IPA... So we thought we would tweak it…

a 9%ABV beer, at the fyo station, so I have 1 litre of beer, that's about 260ish calories a serve size,  and this would be 7.1 standard drink units

Brewed by Renaissance Brewing in the style: Imperial/Double IPA and they're in Blenheim, New Zealand

To brew this special Ale we have used large amounts of freshly harvested hops, and for that we have selected one of New Zealand sexiest hop varieties, Wai-Iti.

[caption width="300" id="attachment_10995" align="alignleft"] Doing my GrandMaster Flash and Melly Mel impression.[/caption]We drove over to Motueka early one March morning and got the hops fresh off the vines, then drove back to Blenheim and brewed with them in the afternoon.

Wai-Iti is part of NZ ‘Hops with a difference’ breeding program Wai-Iti bursts with mandarin and lime zest and leaves the ale with a smooth finish.

The huge soft bitterness is balanced by the malt sweetness of the base beer yielding a very drinkable heavy ale.

So then, what could possibly go wrong with that?

This is loudly hoppy aroma on opening, as you might expect, I didn't get a background sweetness, just a hop dash.

Grandmaster pouringpour gets the lovely orange brown beer with a lovely cloudy fluffy head that is all bubbles and just nice.

and.......Wow!

That is just spectacular, a gorgeous stop and gasp amount of malt sweetness a really gently and fantastic wash of bitterness and a finish as soft as a kiss.

[caption width="224" id="attachment_10996" align="alignright"] A picture of a divine creation[/caption]What a tickle up for the tastebuds this is, I've stopped to think, and I don't recall having a beer that has been this good for a while. It is really remarkable that it has such a soft and accessible palate for a beer that is a DIPA and 9%ABV.

As it warms, in the few moments that I've managed to stop sipping, this is developed a bit more and there is a real faint citrus tang, like limes, in the mix. Oh a joy to behold.

Another day when I should have learnt how to write a Haiku.

I love the lip smacking dryness the linger in the mouth of the faintly but persistent dry grassiness, the idea that I have another glass to drink and that I can buy more, in limited supply in the keg and thereof FYO,  but it's in bottles too.

I'd buy you this as a gift.

In the break between the first and second pours I went and had some dinner, as you do. Lamb Shanks. Anyway, the beer warms and the dryer end of the palate gets to the fore, which isn't such a bad thing. Still such a good beer.

What I'm really surprised about, is there is a #HopFresh15 thing going on at the moment, and my local "The Deep Creek Brewing Company" currently have three beers, called Yin, Yang and YinYang. They are made with Sauvin, Motueka and a combination of both. I really like the Yin (Sauvin) as it it's pretty aggressive and hoppy and bitter, the Yang (Motueka) is softer and calmer and I thought less, the combination was very very nice.  Anyway long story long, is that the GrandMaster Fresh is based around Motueka hops which are, by my experience, softer and rounder.  I learnt something today. Well yesterday, and remembered it today. I like the Sauvin hops, appears I like the Motueka ones just as much.

Who knew?

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 10 a of its things from the thing. I'm not even going to mess about trying to score it down and make light of the poetry, this really is a bit spesh (as the yoof might say). Lovely caramel malts, amazing bitter that isn't puckering, but more a wash, and a finish that is a bit of a kiss and an explosion (I might not have mentioned the explosion).

Not often that I get to the end of a beer and realise that it taught me something.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? I proposed to it, it didn't reply but I'm sure it's thinking about it.


2. Would I have another? I am for sure going to go again, this is far to good not to.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? This is spectacular, and just the ducks nuts, and if you didn't like it we couldn't be friends is how much this beer is good for the porch and the stories in my opinion. Bring a friend it's that good.

Musically, for a change, Kings of Leon, an American rock band that formed in Nashville, Tennessee. This from 'Mechanical Bull' is  -'Supersoaker;  you can listen to the album here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izzY55ACUQo

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.

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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


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Beer - #517 - Renaissance - Abundance Baltic Cherry Porter

I was just out with MrsPdubyah at a pubic house and had some Renaissance  Elemental Porter Ale, which reminded me how much I like that style, and I had something in the fridge that made me smile.

So, back to smiles, smiling music, smiled at the math and smiling with friends.

Abundance is a Baltic Porter brewed with cherries. 

1pt .9fl oz, or a 500ml bottle that has beer of 8% ABV, which makes the bottle 3.2 standard drink units, there would be slightly more than 320 calories in this bottle

Brewed by Renaissance Brewing in the style that is  Baltic Porter and they do that in Blenheim, New Zealand

[caption id="attachment_10120" align="alignleft" width="300"] I remembered I had this![/caption]

Brewed for Christmas in NZ, this beer is full bodied and smooth with rich malty flavours. There is roast coffee and subtle hops on the nose, with a light bitterness on the palate finishes with a hint of cherry sweet and sour.

Full bodied and smooth with rich malty flavours that blend harmoniously with the cherry notes. Roast coffee and subtle hops on the nose, lush mellow malt with a light bitterness on the palate finishes with a hint cherry sweet and sour.

So what could go wrong?

Strong chocolate and coffee aroma on opening. Pour is a flat and dour affair, and naturally don't fill a 'pint' glass, particularly as there is no head worth mentioning.

Aroma is still chocolate but also dusty hops, and it's bitterness is quite muted and mellow with a lovely math middle that carries it well.

I'm surprised that I don't feel the cherries or get any of the tartness or bitterness that I might have looked for.

This is though kind of sweet and level through the middle and finish which could be a clue as to where that went.

I checked the label and the beer is 'in date' so that's all good. Lucky in checking the label this is good with the BBQ that I'm off out to do next, some home made burgers with yesterdays left over focaccia bread.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8.5 a of its things from the thing. I remember how much I love the deeper beers and their associated raisin, chocolate, fruits.  I like the up from bitterness, and the aroma is really nice, but then it seems to waver.

It's been pointed out to me that the cherry should add bitterness. I love the way that beer plays with you like that, for me one thing for you one thing. I got all the bitter up-front, and I found the bitterness to be short on distance, but crashed over the rest of the beer, so that in the end, in a contradiction, there wasn't a lot of middle and the finish was just a bit 'meh'

But I did enjoy it though and I did dance about the lounge a bit.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? Yes, but I'm a bit reserved as to being enthusiastic.


2. Would I have another? I think I could, I'm sure they've made this beer in a number of variants, I should do more research.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I'm not so sure. The aroma is nice, the initial bitterness is great and then it gets a bit lost.

What made me smile though was the music, This afternoon from "The Stingrays" and their particular brand of music, this is "Don't fear the reverb"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPUXYA1Au3U&spfreload=10

BALTIC PORTER

The historical remnants of the 19th c. Baltic trade in imperial stouts, Baltic Porters are typically strong, sweet and bottom-fermented. They lack the powerful roast of an imperial stout, but have an intense malt character. Alcohol ranges from 7-9.5% abv. Though they are typically lagers, there are a handful of top-fermented examples.

Beer - #383 - Renaissance - Enlightenment Series - Bière de Garde (a redux)

This is Brewed by Renaissance Brewing in Blenheim, New Zealand, and of course as a  Bière de Garde. and I've had it before of course. I had the draft version,  this is the bottle. I thought it was a bit good then.

A 500ml bottle of a 8.4% ABV beer and that translates into a 3.3 standard drink units thing of  something like 255 calories a serve.

[caption id="attachment_8323" align="alignright" width="300"] I know right[/caption]

Brewers would craft this beer in the winter months, but aimed to make a style that could be enjoyed for the rest of the year. As beer was often used as payment for farmhands, they had to be refreshing in the hot summer months. Bière de Garde (Beer to Keep) became the name for these unique, rustic ales. This is our take with a different aging technique. This fine ale is aged in chardonnay and gerwürztraminer barrels for four and a half months. This beer is dry with honey biscuit characters and a finish of the fine flavours with a hint of French oak. Thanks to Matt Dainty for this interesting beer.

So I'm ready are you ? (he said to himself).

Aroma is lemony sweet,  candy.

Beer - #332 - Renaissance - Bière de Garde

Indeed from the tap to the growler - Renaissance Biere de Garde

This s an 8.5% ABV  beer - that's a Barrel aged French style farmhouse ale, I have the equivalent of 6.71 drink units 680-700 calories worth....

Mysterious little number though, not a lot about it on the inter tubes. So anything I make  up is all my own work.

This is Brewed by Renaissance Brewing in Blenheim, New Zealand, of course as a  Biere de Garde.

It looks cloudy and chestnut brown. Fruity sugary aroma on opening, slightly sour.

(you can tell I'm making it up).

Actually you know that's really interesting to drink. It hints at sour but delivers something altogether sweeter and caramel rich, not bursting rich just sweet and pleasing.

Oaky roughness, citrus notes, this is really a drinkable drink, nice yeasty notes too.

The Pdubyah-o-meter likes this a lot at 9. Really an unusual beer to be drinking in NZ, The last one I had was a complete nonsense, and not from around here. I like the refreshing taste of this, the way it offers up sweetness, and the a little sourness.

The worst you could cruelly say is perhaps this is like home-brew. But it really is chuffing good home brew if that's the case and show me the way and I'd make this.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it?   Yes, I actually am enjoying this more than I had thought


2. Would I have another?  I have lots of other in the bottle.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Yes, this would be a beer I'd take to a place of deep discussion and pondering, or your lounge or kitchen to outside in the evening air.

It seemed like an Elton John kind of evening, I was rocking the Bennie and the Jetssssss on the way home

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vLlpJc9mW0&w=420&h=315]

Biere de Garde

A traditional classification for the farmhouse ales of France and their sometimes-untraditional new-world counterparts. Bière de Garde is today generally a warm fermented strong pale ale - sometimes blonde, sometimes amber, and has much in common with Belgium ales. Medium bodied with hints of caramel or toffee. Cellared smell and flavor are characteristics. The name means "beer for keeping".

 

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Beer - #312 - Renaissance - Voyager India Pale Ale

So the last of the christmas beers. A Renaissance Voyager India Pale Ale.

Brewed by Renaissance Brewing in the style of an India Pale Ale (IPA) and they are still in Blenheim, New Zealand

Familiar 500ml bottle of a 6% ABV beer, making it 2.4 standard rinks units, 180 calories a serving too.

Designed first and foremost to be served on beer engines and in the future as a cask or bottle conditioned ale, this beer is inspired by the boldly hoppy Ales of old that were exported from Britain to the furthest corners of her vast and glorious empire, Voyager I.P.A. is a rich satisfying Ale with an emphatic hop bite. 

It is brewed with pale ale malt from Canterbury, and small additions of European specialty malts to yield a malt base on which to build its hop edifice. 

We generously hop it with two Kiwi hop varieties for bitterness then finish it with Fuggles (as a nod to I.P.A.’s British origin) and New Zealand bred Riwaka hops for a spicy floral finish.

Righty.

Burst of hop grassiness on opening

Pours, well, like a volcano. It's really really really over carbonated and hasn't settled or looks like settling. What's with that?

Colour of the beer you can see it orange golden, the head is 2/3 of the glass and fully aerated and bubbles. It's just bubbles. Who wants to drink bubbles, and not the champagne ones either, I like those.

So I get sourness, and oliness as taste sensations. The Sourness I can put to a hop characteristic though. The beer  is cloudy and doesn't settle, it's like there is a party going on in the glass for bubbles only.

I don't like the sourness, but that's not it's not a character of the beer, I'm sure it is, it's not one that floats my boat in this instance, because you can also pick grassiness in the tastes.

The pdubyah-o-meter unconvinced says 5 - making this arbitrarily average on the scale of arbitrary things.

I wanted to like this more, which seems a common thing, but it fails to deliver, for me.  I'm going to have to check but now I think Renaissance are a bit up and down, hit and miss, or more precisely unreliable as a choice of beer in a panic, and that's not a good thing.

Spotify chose for me "Interpol"  the band, and that's ok with me.

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

INDIA PALE ALE & IPA

India Pale Ale gets its name and unique style from British brewers who were making beer for export to India. This style has an intense hop flavor which was used to preserve the beer for the long voyage. India Pale Ale has a golden to copper color with a medium maltiness and body. The aroma is moderate to very strong. IPAs work especially well at cutting the heat of chili, vindaloo or Sichuan cuisine.

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Beer - #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 - #292 - Renaissance - Discovery American Pale Ale

This is one of the christmas beers I received - Renaissance Discovery American Pale Ale.

Brewed by Renaissance Brewing in the style of an  American Pale Ale and it's made in sunny Blenheim, New Zealand

This is a 4.5% ABVbeer in a 500ml bottle (1 pt 9 fl oz), 1.8 standard drink units in NZ  and around 135 calories a serving.

We’ll bet you can remember your first glass of Sauvignon Blanc, all those racy, up-

[caption id="attachment_6344" align="alignright" width="300"] Of course a Selfie ![/caption]

front fruit flavours and that bracing punch of acidity. Allow us to introduce the beer world’s equivalent from the home of the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc.

Pioneered in the American state of California, American Pale Ale, or APA for short, was designed to showcase the unique resiny fruitiness of American hops. Here at Renaissance we have given this style a truly New Zealand flavour by using Cascade and Willamette hops that are grown over the hill in Nelson.

Great hops aroma on opening. I pour into a glass and it goes bonkers! all hiss and road and mostly foamy head really really foamy, really all over the table, and it shows no sign of slowing down, it looks like a maelstrom in the grass!

So I wait for it to subside before I can try.

Patience be damned, I tried though the foam and got what I felt was an unpleasant bitterness, sour bitterness, and not a hop bitterness that I was expecting. But it s a great orang golden pour and the head is a magnificent fluffy white to be enjoyed. With a spoon perhaps.

This is a pity because I had, I think, 16 new beers when I was travelling, mostly Australian,  mostly good, but I digress, because this is disappointing when I think back and compare my memory with what I have in front of me now. Not really comparable.

The pdubyah-o-meter says that this nudges just  7, there are a number of things floating in this bottle that makes me think that I didn't get a good one, I don't recall a pale ale having a sediment to be careful of. I don't get crisp, I get sour, and for all the excitement in the glass I get a flatish beer.

I'm sure that my recollection of Renaissance beers is better, and I'm going to forgive this as an aberration. The aroma indicated promise, but the delivery of taste didn't come anywhere near that

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Beer - #228 - Renaissance Enlightenment Series - Fresh Hop Benelux Ale

So to the fridge he dashes, and grabs for the Renaissance Enlightenment Series Fresh Hop Benelux Ale.  Brewed by Renaissance Brewing in the style of a : Belgian Ale, and they do that in Blenheim, New Zealand.

Fresh Hop Benelux Ale. You see, it is not quite a Belgian style, but kind of in that region. We based this on a Blonde and brewed it with a mixture of yeasts and a large portion of freshly harvested Wakatu hops. The result, a bright straw coloured ale with a fruity nose and creamy palate. Notes of spice, earth, tropical fruit, and hop resin.

500ml bottle, of a 7% ABV beer, making it 2.8 standard drinks.

After a long drive home from the beach house I was looking forward to sitting down and relaxing with this. However it didn't happen.

Instead i waited, and Wednesday was big night in, and after a more then acceptable curry from my new favourite restaurant I got to hankering.

Intriguing fruit laden aroma, Rich brown poor, but not much of a head,  and that really interesting almost chocolate (this time) aroma, and then it settles to a familiar Belgium beer aroma. It's a thing.

An interesting mouthful that, sort of thin and lacking in depth, but also with a reasonable back of sweetness.  It's a thing.

This isn't so much muddled as confused. I like it. It doesn't have that sharp alcohol burn that you get with some Belgium beers, but it has the aroma and the colour.

It has a sourness, but it's fairly soft, and I may have mentioned seems a bit thin. The Pdubyah-o-meter thinks this is about an 8 - very good - on the arbitrary scale of things, and I probably would buy this again. Yes I would, despite it not making it higher on the scale of things.

Recapping then, Smells like Belgium, looks like Belgium, has a nice caramel things going on, lacks the alcohol note, is a bit thin, doesn't carry. Other than than, it's a bit good :-)

 

 

Beer - #174 - Renaissance - Enlightenment Series - Scotch on Rye 70/- Ale

For a Friday then, the Renaissance Enlightenment Series Scotch on Rye 70/- Ale.

..it means ’70 shilling’ (sigh, OK, I will tell the whole story). We were asked to make a big malty beer that is lower in alcohol than a Scotch Ale so we went to the source and brewed another Scottish style, the 70/- Ale. Malty and satisfying without too much kick. Oh and we brewed this one with Rye... because Rye not! We also used oats and wheat in the mash for flavour and mouth-feel and then left the brew to age on Oak until it was smooth and mellow.

Brewed by Renaissance Brewing in the style of a  Scotch Ale in the most unlikely of places - Blenheim, New Zealand. A  500ml, 4.8%ABV bottle of beer. (2 standard drinks worth).  and an IBU of 17 - which is in the range for Scottish Beers. Best drunk at between 8-10 degrees C. Well it's pretty cold out so lets try it.

Light bready yeast on opening, surprisingly dark brown colour, plenty of carbonation fizz, and a meagre head.  the aroma settles to a sweet fruit.

There is a lovely maltiness and balanced bitterness, with a pretty long note. You know you've had a mouthful of beer. Surprisingly multi layered and very entertaining!

I like it but there is a 'tang' in there somewhere, perhaps the Rye? it's sort of in the middle, might be mistaken for "rubber".  I'm not saying it'll put you off, but it's something you might need to be aware of that is a character of the beer.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this 7.5 of things - making it a better then good beer.  It's a quirky beer, and it might be a one shot deal. It is different, it isn't "strong" in terms of alcohol content, and therefore relies on a taste profile. Not sure that it hits any of the marks well, but close enough is good enough.

Beer - #173 - Renaissance - Enlightenment Series - The Age of Raisin

AND it's back home to NZ and ironically a Belgium style beer - Renaissance Enlightenment Series The Age of Raisin. of course Brewed by Renaissance Brewing in the style of a  Belgian Ale and that's in a place I haven't been - Blenheim, New Zealand

A Belgium Ale being lower in alcohol than other Belgium beer styles (Typically under 7% ABV).

This one a 500ml bottle of 6.5% ABV beer - which is 2.8 standard drinks- IBU might be 17.5

Age of Raisin is aromatic, spicy, light brown Belgian style ale brewed with raisins and passion (27% passion by volume). Raisins were added to the boil and fermenter to yield a subtle background flavour to this rich and flavoursome brew. The passion was added using our own secret method....

So for a start "Secret Method" I hope they don't mean succussion or 'added syrup', and bejeebus 27% passion? What happened did someone forget or not know what "passion" was?

And who are Enlightenment Brewing ? And why do they have the same beer in the same packaging ?

In brewing this ale we added jumbo raisins from California [to our mind the best kind] to the brewing process, both before and after fermentation. We also used Aromatic malt from Gladfield in Canterbury and Abbey Malt, Belgian Special B, as well as CaraBelge malt from Europe.

The beer was fermented with a special Belgian yeast to impart spicy notes and then filtered and infused with even more raisins.

Which is less scary than "Secret Method"

and....... back in the room .......  On opening there is a fruit aroma (go on I'll say raisin) This is a dark beer, with not so much of a head as an effort, and the aroma settles to a big raisin base. It doesn't seem overly carbonated, and looks a bit flat and wine like in the glass.

There is a huge amount of raisin note, a lot of fruit and caramel at the front, but a back note of something burnt that settles on a fairly tart and bitter end. The aroma meanders away from raisin and I'm going to be unkind and suggest wavers towards rubber glue.

This is trying to be fruity and clever, it isn't and it isn't. It's an odd mix of something and another that doesn't quite hit a spot that it might be aiming for. It's clever in the way that it's clever, but it's not clever in a way that makes you wonder why no one thought of it first. And then you get why.

It's not actually very pleasant.

The aroma wanders around from raisin and that of rubber glue. There is a tart under note that lingers around being a nuisance, it pours like it's flat with little carbonation.  As to 'passion' that might have been the 'angst' that the brewer had and not a reference to a fruit. But then I might not be enlightened enough.

The pdubyah-o-meter hates this a 27% passion at 5. And that's all I have to say. except :- Average, not a lot of redeeming features. Nothing to write home about.  Too fruity, too tart, bit tacky. Not good.

I'm disappointed Renaissance are a real swing and a hope and the variance in the delivery and quality of beer makes it hard to remain a fan. Their Barley Wine is awesome,the Stout and the Punkin are very good,  their White IPA is a tragedy, as is the Raisin.

As someone that likes a good Belgium style beer I've had the unfortunate experience of having nothing a good Belgium beer. I might have a love-hate thing going on, and it's true you can't please everyone all of the time.

 

Beer - #149 - Renaissance - Tribute Barley Wine (2011)

Renaissance - Tribute Barley Wine (2011) , at 10.8% ABV in a 330 0ml bottle (2.81 standard drink units) this is a bit of a finisher. Brewed by Renaissance Brewing in the style of a  Barley Wine  from Blenheim, New Zealand

Tribute is brewed by hand using an Elizabethan ‘DoubleWort Mashing’ process that yields very high gravity wort.  In this process the mashing and sparging process that yields a normal beer is repeated a second time.  The second mash and sparge is done using the wort collected from the first mash instead of water.

Tribute is an intense and rewarding vintage ale, made to be sipped and savoured slowly, preferably after a few years maturation in the cellar. 

Crikey, they call for matching this with Rich venison dishes, Hearty beef stew, Belgium truffles, or even Crème brûlée.

I think I mentioned previously, or not, that my youthful experience with Barley Wine (I'm talking 18 years old) was on a Sunday in the public bar of the Blythe Tavern in Catford, having Guinness for lunch session and finishing with Barley Wine added to it just before closing for the lunch.  (I may not have mentioned that before)

Anyway. Expecting full body, full malts, heavy, layered, dark beer.

You get a very dark, somewhat cloudy pour, and for me, no head, but you know I'm a novice. VEry low on carbonation, it's not flat but it's very under-stated.

Fruit aromas, I get cherry (!)  chocolate from the roasting, more fruits, - raisins? Strawberry? You could probably just sit and inhale this and be happy.  I went to taste it. smelt it, smiled and put it down again.

Taste is heavy, dark treacle, sweet, syrupy thick, stunning! Lots of length to go with the body too.

I'm not going to let the pdubyah-o-meter dither on this it's a 10. Straight up.  Dead set fair square this is a bit special in a bottle.  There's a lot of drinking in a such a small bottle, this is sipping beer :-) Perfect for a strongly matched food, end of an evening, not something you should take lightly or drink quickly.

You'd probably find the intensity of the overall taste that would stop you quaffing this. Which is a good thing, it hides the alcohol easily, and you'd be wanting to pay attention when drinking this, as you could get it all wrong, and  that leads to you saying things that you either didn't mean, or things that end up with you declaring love unbounded. Enjoy it.

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Beer - #143 - Renaissance - Enlightenment - White As Wheat IPA

Renaissance - Enlightenment - White As Wheat IPA. A most unlikely beer Brewed by Renaissance Brewing In the style of a  Wheat Ale in Blenheim, New Zealand.



Unfiltered beers are prized by artisan brewer worldwide who relish a pint that’s cloudy and hazy with nothing striped away. We do too, so at Renaissance, our White IPA is packed with unmalted wheat and doses on NZ grown American hops. Aromas of dried tangerine and fresh citrus. A luscious body with a lingering evergreen finish. Think of it as a beer made, and served the way way nature intended, "cloudy as."

500ml 74% ABV (2.8 Standard drink units), of which I'm expecting something nice.

Cloudy, golden yellow, fruity citrus not to astringent. All of that.

It's cloudy, smells musty, seems to pour flat, and I got nothing by way of head. It's also darker brown than I'd expected.

It tastes ok though :-), syrupy, malty sweet, and just a touch of alcohol on the back. It's not half bad. There is however a bunch of grassy notes in this too. Bit of a melange of things. And that's not half good.

A confusing set to deliver, not as quiet and settled as a traditional wheat beer, and not an IPA either. Soft of a half/half and in doing so not quite making a whole one.

So, the pdubyah-o-meter says 5. and that's just because I want to enjoy this more. As a beer for the evening this has left me a bit empty and I might struggle to finish it, but I will, and mumble under my breath about each moutfull. It might be that  I just don't get the Wheat/IPA thing, but there is possibly a good reason that  this isn't a thing. Perhaps I should have thought it through some more.

Not for the faint of heart, and this might just ring your bell, but this is not for me

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