New Releases

I haven't talked about any of the more commercial breweries in a while, focusing on craft beers is a full time job, and with so many incredible beers around I have my work cut out for me! But both Mac's and Monteith's have quietly (or not so quietly in the case of Mac's) slipped new brews onto the market... and those brews have made their way to me...

It's always quite strange to reflect of the parallel paths of these breweries - both were once independents, bravely forging their way into beer drinkers hearts and minds through innovative and invigorating brewing. Mac's is widely credited with bringing back all malt brewing to New Zealand and a compelling case could be made for both breweries reviving interest in craft beer in our fair land.

So it's perplexing to see that both have just released brews cashing in on the recent wave of Pale Ale popularity. And while its great to see them putting their own spin on the style I can't help but feel that something is missing. Once the innovators they have become the imitators.

My pick of the two would be easily Monteith's Pacific Pale Ale. They've made more of an American style and combined local and US hops. All the elements are their, and very well balanced at that, but the end result is slightly... well, for want of a better word "commercial". Now in saying that, this isn't and drop at all, and twice in recent weeks I've been perusing the selection at the supermarket looking for an easy drinker and this has been my pick. Which is to say that on it's own merits, amongst a selection of global brand lagers, it's a clear winner.

Next up, Mac's have, with their usual and charming brand personality, launched their own Pale Ale, nicknamed "Shady" (sic). Unfortunately the colour is the only real resemblance to Pales Ales you might recognise - the hops are so far down in the mix that all you're really left with is what seems like a top-fermented version of Mac's Gold. Which once again isn't to say that this is a bad beer, just somewhat disappointing. And once again this is quite palatable as a session beer, but if you're expecting something similar to an Epic, Boundry Road or Fat Yak you'll be wanting something with a bit more character.

Great White on their other hand is something to consider next time you're browsing the aisles. Aside from Hoegaarden, we don't tend to get a lot of White/Wit styles in the country and that is a shame. Perfect for summer drinking, a decent Wheat beer is the perfect choice. Great White delivers and more importantly, puts Macs ahead of the curve. Now I'm not sure if I'm picking up on the "rose petals" or "turkish delight" but this does bring all the right characteristics, and with a slice of lemon it's delicious. Mac's proves that they still have the spirit of innovation and that is a great thing to see by a brand once recognised as being cutting edge.

Moa and shares in the brewery.

Firstly, let me fess up: clearly my posting schedule needs some attention and for that I am sorry. With that out  of the way, on to bigger and brighter things - namely beer! Beer wonderful beer to be precise! There is an old joke about drinkers "owning shares in the brewery", but recently via a very slick marketing campaign Moa launched "own a brewery".

Feelings about slick marketing campaigns aside, if there ever was a case for putting your money where your mouth is, it would have to be this! Moa make splendid beer, quite outstanding beer in fact, and what's more, they make a whole range of it. I've written about Moa here and their wonderful beer here so with news of their IPO fresh from the tap (excuse the bad puns!), it seemed like the perfect time to go back and review another of their incredible brews.

Moa 5 Hop is touted as a Winter Ale but this delicious brew would be fantastic any time as far as I'm concerned. Made in the ESB style, it has a lovely amber, almost red colour. Floral and herbaceous on the nose as well as a bit spicy, it almost reminds me of Gingerbread.

Credit goes to the fantastic beer blogger Philcook for the image.

The taste? Utterly delicious, sweet around the edges marks this as unmistakably Moa. Complex malt base, perfectly balanced bitterness and flavourful hops giving a distinct kick on the finish. A great example of craft beer working to style but with its own personality. A great brew for sure!

So wacha want (to drink?)

Having just discovered a supply of Yeastie Boys beers I thought it best to give some of their most famous brews... and while I was there I grabbed another couple to sample. Yeastie Boys beers have so far proven to be excellent beers, so I was expecting good things from my selection.

First up, the famous Digital IPA. Containing a nearly ridiculous amount of hops I was expecting an overpowering bitterness. Thankfully the guys at Yeastie Boys are craftier than that and the hops mix and balance provide some pretty impressive aroma and flavour. Golden amber and about the clearest beer imaginable the first whiff reveals a wonderful floral and sweet aroma. The first sip. WOW. There really is an impressive harmony between the hops and malts that finished with telltale pacific jade bitterness. A well rounded fruity and floral beer and definitely one of the best beers I've ever had the pleasure of drinking.

Then it was Rex Attitude. The beer they said couldn't be made. Crystal clear amber again and with a sharp smoked twang sitting on top of the rich malt aroma. Theres a smokey over-the-top flavour but an incredible silky mouth feel with lovely carbonation. It's almost sickeningly sweet and smokey so I couldn't really describe this as my cup of tea, but an adventurous beer none the less.

The interestingly named Gunnamatta IPA. Slightly darker than the other two but still impressively clear, theres a heady tea flower aroma mixed in with the fruity and floral malt and hops. Very smooth and fine bubbles means this beer glides down my throat - its so smooth it almost drinks itself. And the flavour! Beautiful rich and complex it almost threatens to overwhelm but the balance between the bitterness of hops and the sweetness of malts is perfectly complimented by the late addition tea leaves creating a unique and impressive beer.

Three Pale Ales and One DJ

I was feeling quite thirsty on Saturday, so I decided to have my own little beer tasting. I've spent a lot of time with the darker ales of late so it seemed like time to explore something different. Enter the "Three Pale Ales and One DJ" tasting. OK so there wasn't really a DJ.

First up, Epic Pale Ale. I can still remember being blown away when I first tasted this. It was one of the first craft beers widely available in supermarkets and back then as an uneducated Lager drinker it rocked my world. This is quite possibly the first Pale Ale I ever tried. Wow. The label doesn't lie - it does indeed just taste bigger.

The nose is all citrus with a bit of caramel, the colour is the most appetising of bright gold, then the taste. BANG Hops. Fruity Hops. Crystal sharp taste and that lovely lingering bitterness. Yes, Epic Pale Ale is all good.

Next out of the gate, Wigram Mustang Pale Ale. It might be that I did this tasting in the wrong order, but I kind of expected more from this. Granted, the style is intended to be American Pale Ale, but to my mind the differences should only be in the hops flavour and Epic uses US hops.

So maybe it's me but first whiff and a distinct something missing. Nice chocolate malts, but not really any hops up front. Not to be put off I pushed on. Colour was slightly muddier than I like a Pale Ale, but again, nothing too amiss and the colour is easily representative of a clever malt mix right? On to this sipping. There they are! The hops flavour starts coming through, unfortunately instead of the crisp fruity American hops I'm expecting, I get the earthy subdued flavour of UK Fuggles or something fairly similar. This might have been a passable bitter, but as an APA I feel a bit let down.

Now comes the stars of the show. I recently discovered that a local bottle shop stocks a fine, fine range of craft beers, including a couple that I've been hearing about for a long while. Last years Epic Hop Zombie was high on my "must sample" list.

What to say: If Wigram didn't meet expectations, Hop Zombie blows them out of the water. I almost think this is something beyond beer, except it most definitely is. Aroma is like the undead, earthy, musty, fruity sweet floral and honey, incredibly pleasant and already promising succulent fluid within. Lovely colour again, gorgeous, light golden as you'd expect from Epic. The taste, it's like they've resurrected hops from the dead, really just unbelievable. It's alsmot sweet but the sweetness doesn't seem to come from the malts - theres really something special about this hops (it's classified) and I'm not at all surprised that Epic are keeping this one close to their chests. Simply put, this is a beer unlike any other and highly delicious.

Slam Dunkel

Water, Barley, Hops, Yeast. The ingredients list for beer is short but the variety that comes from those four things is vast and inspired. We are told that to make great beer we need the freshest ingredients, the best ingredients. The best beers much like the best meals, are made with attention to these details.

In order to preserve the purity of their beers the Reinheitsgebot was established in one of the birthplaces of beer, Bravaria in 1516. Reinheitsgebot, or "German Beer Purity Law" for short, initially excluded yeast, because it wasn't until after Louis Pasteur revealed the role of micro-organisms in fermentation in the 1800's that yeast was revealed to be an essential part of beer.

German Beer Purity Law, or at least the tradition of it has inspired beer makers ever since and particularly German/Bravarian beermakers which brings us to today's beer: Flensburger Brauerei Dunkel.

Right here we have a classic German Dunkel, which is just any mid strength beer made with darker roasted malts. Made in the classic pop-top bottle giving it a real european feel the beer is a warm reddish brown and much warmer in colour than many northern European Dark Ales. Wonderfully deep aroma with cereal and dough. The taste is rich warm and nutty with a nice light carbonation, a very pronounced cereal with a lingering bitterness.


More balanced than many of it's English counterparts for sure, and the colour is just so inviting on a cool winter's evening. 


It's sparked some interest on the role of yeast in certain beers which I'll look at another time.

Hopping Hare and the fine art of correct serving temperature.

I was first turned onto Badger Ales while living in London - available at most of the supermarkets and many pubs their extensive and reliable range quickly becoming a go to brand for great beer. Brewed in Dorset since the late 1700's Badger championed a back to basics approach that has since become popular with craft brewers worldwide. Combining the traditional Malt, Hops, Yeast and Water into delicious beer seems to come naturally to them and their approach earned the attention of Hugh "River cottage" Fearnley-Whittingstall who joined forces for a special brew.

Badger are probably most well known for Tanglefoot or Fursty Ferret, both good examples of English Ales, but this cool autumn evening it was Hopping Hare that caught my eye. Up at Speakers Corner in Browns Bay there is a good range of beers, including a couple of Fullers range on tap. The pub is decent, and probably only one of a few around New Zealand that capture the English pub feel properly (possibly because it's run by ex-pats!).

Anyway, having warmed up on a London Porter it seemed that the new Badger bottles were getting some attention and ever inquisitive I decided to check out the offering for myself.

The verdict? Pretty good, if slightly misleading. For a beer calling itself highly hopped I thought it was more balanced and malty, but perhaps I've had too many IPA's lately? This isn't to say it's an unpleasant beer, quite the opposite: there are some very nice notes of fruit and bitterness, even if they're more subtle in the mix but there is also a lovely bread aroma in there. The flavour is very nice, rewarding and full with a rather enjoyable effervescent hops fruitiness at the finish. Despite being an English pub, in typical New Zealand fashion the beer was served just a touch above freezing, and it was fellow beer-enjoyer Matt that noted it would be better at room temperature.

As luck would have it I was in a room, so it was only a matter of time before I was able to enjoy even more of those delicious rich malty flavours in the manner which their maker intended.

Yes, I know that Lager needs to be cold. But Ale isn't Lager, it's about letting the subtle flavours come out rather than refining them to a crisp perfection. When too cold Hopping Hare fell slightly short of expectations, but came to life when allowed to warm.

There's a lesson here, for optimum enjoyment (and that's what it's all about, right?) it's best to serve appropriately. You wouldn't have Fish and Chips cold? Yes, we've all heard (or experienced) Ale's poorly cellered: flat, warm, bad. But the right temperature can bring a beer to life!

No, It's not salty, but it is Zythos.

Epic Beer make a lot of incredible beer. They have stood as beacons of great beer for a fair while now, and just keep getting more and more inventive. They have informally specialised in IPA - Indian Pale Ale, a fact for which I completely understand, and am very grateful for. Armageddon IPA has been turning heads for a while now with it's potent hoppiness, and the latest in that line of thinking (or drinking) is Zythos IPA.

There is apparently a hop shortage (but don't panic). Back in 2006 a glut in the US hops market forced prices down, and in response farmers pulled up their hops in favour of more profitable crops. The saving grace is that this primarily effected US Hops varieties. It's a cycle of boom and bust, and pretty much a classic example of supply/demand economics. Things were looking up in 2009 when Epic started making Hop Zombie, a tribute to the big American Pale Ales and American IPA styles. But (gasp) disaster struck again and we're back into the "shortage" part of the cycle. 

This presented an obvious problem in the production of Hop Zombie. Not to be dissuaded (and obviously happy to craft up a hoppy beer at a moment's notice) - head brewer Luke Nicholas whipped up Zythos using some hybrid hops and some good old fashioned kiwi ingenuity.

The result is spectacular.

Much has been made of the name - no it's not the Greek name for the salted Egyptian brew. Much has also been speculated on the exact hybrid and blend of hops that goes into this masterpiece. I don't know that (though I would love to hear!). 

What I can say is that this forging of flavours is truly something to get your lips around.

Satisfying deep red to amber in colour with a lovely light amber head, it's easy on the eye but offers some surprised for the palette. The nose is all warm citrus, there is something herbaceous almost christmassy about it, and there might just be a pinch of fresh bread in there too.

The taste is crisp and bitter up front, softening to rich fruits and citrus and maybe a hint of woodiness. These are all incredible things. It tastes like so much more than the sum of it's parts, I almost to find out that this is more than just the usual combination of malt, hops and water. It has a lively carbonation with light bubbles and a full malty mouth feel.

It's good. Bloody good. It might just be better than Armageddon if that's even possible. I have heard that this is in fairly short supply, so I'd get out and get some quick if I were you...

A Tale of Pale Ale

Pale Ale is one of the most popular Beer styles, produced using predominantly light (or pale, if you will) malts and brewed with top-fermenting yeasts. It's one of the most traditionally innovative styles of Beer and Pale Ale and to this day brewers are making winning Pale Ale's in a variety of ways.

Typically a Pale Ale does indeed derive it's name from it's light hue - before Lagers, it was the lightest beer style. it came about because roasting malts is a tricky business, especially in the pre industrial days when brewers relied on fire kilns to do their roasting. As you can imagine, roasting little bits of barley over open flame produced more than a little darkening of the malts - and hence at the time (this is the late 1700's) Ales were usually of the darker variety.

Anyway, today a Pale Ale is considered to be golden amber through to copper in colour, leaving plenty of room for brewers to experiment with malts to obtain subtle sweetening and complexity of malt flavours. Pale Ale is a broadly encompassing style of beer, including English Bitter, American Pale Ale, Irish Red, Blond and many more, but today I'm going to look at two.

I'll talk about Boundary Road brewery later, but for now lets consider the merits of this beer. Because of the flexibility of the style there is no one Hops profile typical to Pale Ale, and being a man who enjoys a lot of Hops in my beer, The Flying Fortress Pale Ale does not disappoint. There's a certain distinctive tangy frutiness to the NZ varieties of Hops, and Flying Fortress is rich with hoppy goodness. A lush but not overwhelming mix of Pacific Jade and Motueka provide wonderful fruity aroma and just the right amount of bitterness. What most impresses me with Flying Fortress is the beautiful mouth feel - delicate carbonation that could almost pass for bottle conditioning and an impressive almost creamy texture. Boundry Road are quickly establishing themselves as winners in the rapidly growing craft beer market and Flying Fortress is the cornerstone that grounds their excellent range.

I'm not particularly familiar with the craft beer market over the ditch (something that I plan on rectifying as soon as possible) but a little Pale Ale from Victoria is making inroads here. Matilda Bay have made a great Pale Ale with a strange name: Fat Yak.

It's a great contrast to Flying Fortress - this is made in the American Pale Ale style, making it more golden than amber, but is liberally hopped with the American staple: Cascase, with a little Nelson Sauvin for added depth. It's good - delightfully fruity and crisp on the palette, this beer practically screams "Summer Afternoon".

These two Pale Ale's offer a fantastic exercise in hops comparison - both are boldly hopped in different ways. Both are excellent. Enjoy!

Too Early for a Beer?

Sometime last year, those wonderful folk at Moa Brewing Co. crafted something quite unusual. The called it "Breakfast Beer" and styled it after Belgian Wheat's. It was released to much wailing and gnashing of teeth from the media, worried that a beer in the morning would lead to widespread alcoholism.

Well, thankfully a year later the end of times hasn't arrived, and our society hasn't crumbled into a drunken wasteland. I can't help but think that at $8.50 a bottle, this is priced into the beer connoisseurs market, rather than the dedicated morning drinkers, but that's a different story.

What I can say is that this is delicious! On the nose it's all hops and fruit, it's a lot like a good wine in that the aroma is so alluring that i'd almost be happy just to smell it all day (but I wont because I know what wonders lie within! )A real treat to drink with a lovely full wheat mouth feel and a crisp slightly hoppy flavour, with only hints of cherry sweetness. Hugely rewarding and refreshing drinking, and I can't think of a comparable local Wheat Beer.

It really reminds me of a good European Wheat Beer, and a good Fruit Beer, my closest points of reference would be Hoegaarden Wheat Beer and Verboden Vrucht Strong Ale, but it's much more complex that the Wheat and less work than the Verboden Vrucht.

It's definitely not a "session" beer, a couple of these would be plenty. Moa have a reputation for crafting fantastic beers and this lives up to expectation. I don't know if I'd call it a breakfast beer, but I'd be up for 11sies!

Mac's Hop Rocker Review

The "go-to" beer.

Mac's is a kiwi institution, famously pipping the two big guns (Lion and DB) and starting a trend by being the first microbrewery in the country. Unlike the main brewers who use sugar to speed up fermentation, Mac's started by using just the traditional beer ingredients, malt, hops, yeast and water. It reminded us what beer was supposed to taste like.

Hop Rocker is good... damn good. It's full flavoured, loads of NZ Hops - the label says Motueka - adding aroma and bitterness. It sparked a trend of highly hopped beers in NZ. This is my go-to beer, it's awesome summer and winter, refreshing and full bodied.

Now as I said, I love this stuff, but Pilsner? It's like they've never supped the crisp clean flavour of a Budvar or Urquell. It might be made like a Pilsner, but this is one hell of a lot of hops flavour for a Pilsner. It's had the effect of convincing the beer drinking public that Pilsners should be hoppy. Perhaps that why they mispelt Pilsner? Other notable brewers have even replicated the style.

So, a reliable favourite, consistent with the quality of Mac's even if it's not true to style.

EDIT: I rechecked the label last night (what can I say? I'm a thorough researcher) and it's not Motueka hops as stated, but Nelson Sauvin and Cascade hops. Traditionally Pilsner is hopped with Saaz.