Beer - #113 - Wanaka - Brewski

Honest it's called Brewski. Brewed by Wanaka Beerworks in the styleof a Bohemian Pilsener and they do that in good old Wanaka, New Zealand, where they have a lake!

A 330ml bottle  of 4.8% ABV beer (1.3 standard drinks), and according to the label good to go until December 2013. Crisp. Expect the  floral hop aroma with a rich malty sweetness that is beautifully balanced by its spicy hop bitterness, it says .

Brewski is very popular with the truly discerning beer drinker, it’s saaz hop give it a very distinct flavour. Brewski was judged New Zealand’s best beer when it won the supreme award at the NZ international Beer Awards.

I'm a bit scared by the "best beer" label, I would have heard about it before now surely? That's a big thing right ?

I'm in kind of a bad mood, having been drinking low alcohol beer this afternoon, so I'm expecting then this to pick me up and raise me to a new level of awareness and love .

This is a pale almost translucent beer, no head, bit hoppy on the nose, very low carbonation. This is an incredibly "thin" beer. There is no discernible taste, no length and no depth. It is pretty insipid if you've built an expectation up of having something that is the "best" about to explode on your tongue.

I don't quite know how to voice my disappointment with this, let me make an observation. Based on the description and the pitch as to what this this as a beer, then this is woefully inept and misleading. Compared to a commercial beer though this is pleasant, if not remarkable, workmanlike. The pdubyah-o-meter dismisses this as a 5 on it's scale of things, making this a poor choice.

There is no redeeming this, I'm not sure age would make it better, it certainly hasn't improved my mood. I'd avoid this given a choice, it's not even a beer that you could make up nice things about in polite company, in the unlikely event the brewer is reading this "sharpen up son" is what I'd say.

Related articles

• Wanaka Love (adventuresofmona.com)

Beer - #112 - Rogue - Yellow Snow IPA

Rogue Yellow Snow IPA which is Brewed by  Rogue Ales in the style of an India Pale Ale (IPA) and they do that in of all places Newport, Oregon USA

6.2% ABV (3.2 standard drinks) in a 650ml Bottle - and it's (according to the label) Beeston Stout, Chariot Pils, Melanoidin, & Cara Foam Malts, Amarillo Hops. 15.5º PLATO, has a rating of 70 IBU, 76 AA, 14.2ºL.

Alrighty.

I like the Rogue Ales, and I've got a hope for this one too. But the name..... so here's the list : Pale golden in color with a hoppy fruity aroma. Big hop flavor up front complemented by medium body and hoppyness mid-pallet. Finishes with a characteristic lingering bitterness. Which is a bit of nothing. 70 IBU's should give it a nice bittery taste, there's not a lot of other hints "fruity" isn't much is it?

And yes, it's the colour of yellow snow, hazy almost cloudy rimu tone golden and has a good two inches of powder top. Hoppy Aroma too.

It's mildly bitter too,  but there is an uncharicateristic  harsh note, blunt almost. Not like a grass note this is a bit more base, noticeable, almost chemical.

The pdubyah-o-meter flails around and settles at 8 from whatever the scale is, making this average. For me the flavour is just a bit one-dimensional, there's nothing to offset, enhance or mull over other than the impressively bitter finish. The body isn't as complex as it could be, a bit thin.

A brilliant name, but not my favourite Rogue beer.

 

Related articles

• Rams Head IPA Is Coming (eyeonannapolis.net)

 

The Less of Me

There is this athletic me inside this hulking body that would like to get out. I've goaded myself by buying some trick gear that fascinates me, starting with the Nike+ GSP Sportswatch. It's essentially a GPS receiver device that tracks where you go. Tells you how far you been, how long it took, how fast you went and guesses some calorie usage.  You can also link it to a Nike Sensor thingy that either slips in your Nike+ Shoes or you can attach it with a little pouch thingy to your laces, Like a flash pedometer. Watch was on sale, Shoes c/- a generous employer who gives us a 'push/play' allowance yearly.

 



December 26th



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January 4th

Beer - #111 - Liberty - High Carb Ale

Liberty Brewing Co - High Carb Ale, a New Zealand Strong Ale. Brewed by the Liberty Brewing in the style of a English Strong Ale and they do that in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

This 2011 seasonal release showcases an extremely rare hop variety: whole NZ grown Chinook flowers. The flavour of these hops blend nicely with the ridiculous amount of carbohydrates put to use in this limited release ale.

A Bottle of 750ml, @ 7.3% ABV (about 4.3 standard drinks) and listed as being 70 IBU and it has 45g of carbohydrate!

Intriguing what?  Comes with a completely unnecessary ZORK closure. However once you wrestle that contraption off it  does have a pleasant hissy carbonation.

A fruity aroma, hiding what seems to be an overly yeasty base but it is somewhat sweetly pleasant, more malts than hops.  It's a dark rich english beer colour too, I was expecting pale, this is the opposite. Also has a pleasant head on the pour.

Slightly bitter but really really pleasantly sweet with a lovely balance of malts.  The second mouthful reveals it's bitterness, but also how it carries the fruits.

This is shapes to be a mildly bitter, creamy smooth ale, with bitterness that does not overshadow the delivery of tastes. And I would invite mates around and session on this without any problems at all.

As a showpiece beer this is quite clever, and brings a smile to my face. It's understated and yet also has a presence. I'd easily go this again, and the pdubyah-o-meter gets to a 9.4 arbitrarily on its scale of arbitrary. Top work.

Related articles

• High ABV Beers: Natural Carb or Force Carb? (beaconhillsbrewhouse.wordpress.com)


• The Beer Nut: Looking ahead to the beer year (metrowestdailynews.com)

Beer - #110 - Mike’s - Organic Single American Pale Ale

Mike’s Organic Single American Pale Ale. 500ml of a 6.7% ABV beer that needs drinking, and just because I can. It's Brewed by Mike’s Organic Brewery  in the style of an  American Pale Ale and they do that in Taranaki, New Zealand.

The all American (hops) hero, real West Coast AIPA, but more refined (thats real. AIPA, not the real West Coast that would be Taranaki) Pours rich golden amber with a coppery tinge, and a creamy white head lacing beautifully. The aroma is complex with tropical fruit including passion fruit, pineapple and melons all vying for attention. The flavour is complex, with the tropical fruits now balanced out by the layered malt flavour and intense hop bitterness. Mouthfeel is rich but crisp and clean without being dry, and then the aftertaste is deep with a solid lingering bitterness.

I'm frowning because this is the first beer for the evening, and it's the equal of 2 1/2 units. So best I make my resolutions now as I might have a strong ale lined up.

Straight off you can tell this is hop-tastic but there is a nice mellow fruit undernote that takes the sharpness off. It's a lovely golden coloured beer, like rich Rimu, and a nice headsworth of froth. That nice hopiness is still with it.

Mike certainly has a thing going. I know that Pale Ale is a stock beer for craft brewery places, but this is a bit good. This is quaffingly good beer, I almost forgot to sit and mull over the range of flavours that this has. Almost. It's crackingly good.

So then, I get a grassy taste (expected, not unpleasant not harsh at all), The malt is doing it's job and adding a smooth note along the way, and there is a depth and length to this that I'm enjoying. You might have guessed that. And it made me burp. I've no idea about the burp though, I might mention it only because it was there, I should pay more attention in future and mention if it's ever there again.

The pdubyah-o-meter is 9's on this, it delightfully drinkable, tasty and looks great.

Related articles

• The Beer Nut: The best new beers of the year (metrowestdailynews.com)


• Twelve beers of Christmas: Tree Serendipity No. 6 (blogs.vancouversun.com)