Stop the Press, this here is a bargain!

With one of my frequent visits to the lollylanddreamworld whilst trying to decide which craft brew to buy to wet the whistle, I spied upon perhaps what I thought an incorrect price note on a particular brand of beer.  Now here’s the thing, the price for this imported lager beer from Belgium in a 500ml can was only 2 dollars! But wait there’s more, the abV of this bargain is a whopping 9%! I’m thinking either it is a bargain or this brew has got a funny taste. Two bucks, worth a try!

Get home, open the can, into a glass, nice white foamy head, clear straw colour, nothing wrong so far. Into the mouth, hey not bad, in fact, it’s good! Wow, this is very drinkable much like a commercial lager only this has the mouth feel giving away its high alcohol content.

For two bucks, this is the bomb.  For you late night clubbers fill yer boots with this before you go instead of that synthetic smokey stuff. For you Chiefs supports, drink this whilst watching the semi and you still won’t be disappointed.

I’ll give this beer a nine out of ten cause I put value in my ratings.

New Zealand Brewed Imperial Stouts.

 

With winter starting to give a decisive kick in the down under, a comforting stout seems the obvious choice. Imperial stouts were brewed originally in England as porter beers but were brewed extra strong so that the beer could be transported without deteriorating on its journey to the imperial court and Empress of Russia, so hence the name. And here I’m thinking that Russian imperial stouts were named that way because the beer was brewed by imperial Russians, what a mistaka to makea. So if anybody can brew an imperial stout without having to be a Russian, how well do the New Zealand craft brewers go at it?

Here’s my tasting of two Imperial stouts from two different NZ craft breweries.

The ‘Nokabollokov Imperial Stout’ from ‘The Twisted Hop’ abv 8%

The blurb on the label indicates that the Nokabollokov is styled as a Russian stout and these stouts were brewed by English breweries and made extra strong to keep from freezing when being transported. So this is should stop me from freezing by drinking one of these on a cold winter nights right?

I always have a sense of excitement when trying a new beer, like a Pom awaiting a royal birth, and after quickly whipping this stout out of the fridge and opening the bottle to get into the experience I then read that it should be served ideally at 10 – 12degrees, hmmm, I’ll wait a bit for it to warm up then have a taste.

60 seconds later I’m sipping on what looks like a coffee crema headed beer that smells of raspberry and dark chocolate. Initial taste and it has a smoky almost burnt flavour but after some moments swirling the brew around in the glass warming it with my hands, the flavour takes on whole new dimensions. The flavour mellows and tastes way smoother with a rich malty bite and dark chocolate overtones and now no hints of any overcooked malt.

Who needs a cold beer? Drinking an almost room temperature stout is my comfort food this time of year and the Kokabollobov is definitely something worth chewing on and gets a 7.5/10!

‘Bumaye’ Imperial Stout by 8 Wired Brewing Co.

These guys are great brewers and specialise in seeing how far they can take it, with flavour being the main objective and I know they make a superb IPA so their imperial stout with a humongous 16% abv would be rude not to try. Yes you read right, 16% abv, I had to get out a magnifying glass just to confirm that I was reading the label right. In other words, 4.2 standard drinks in a 330ml bottle, phew, a new personal best for alcohol content in a beer!

Extreme alcohol never seems to raise a head but instead when poured you can see a beautiful red halo around the edge of the glass that surrounds a deep dark colour. Smelling somewhat of a coffee porty aroma it tastes of a rich maltnificence with strong ruby port overtones. You can lick your tongue around your mouth after a sip and wipe off a chocolate sensation. After the swallow there is a huge taste explosion and with so much malt coming through and is somehow not sweet but counterbalanced with a truckload of hops for a resounding smack of bitterness. This baby has got some boot and is at the extreme end of the dark beer continuum and should be applied very carefully, ideally just before bedtime. 9/10

 

Taste Off,The extremes.

The Epic ‘Mosaic’ versus the Wells and Young’s Brewing Company’s ‘Courage Imperial Russian Stout’

Winter being the perfect time for a comfort stout, I had a particularly good stout stored in the fridge just in case of emergencies and it happened to be the ‘Courage Imperial Russian Stout’ from Young’s Brewing Company. However, on my weekly long run all I could think about to get me through the arduous cold run was consuming a big dose of hops at the end of it all. I think it may have been the similar smell of pine needles that some varieties of hops have, and the forest that I was running through, that drove this craving.  Either that or I’m just a plain old hopaholic?

Previously I’ve enjoyed big doses of hops from Epic’s ‘Mosaic’ so this was the obvious choice for me to settle those cravings. I’m quickly down to my local lolly shop (Fresh Choice Nelson) for the purchase then back home but somehow in the meantime the stomach becomes a bit unsettled from the after effects of the run and I ended up storing the Mosaic next to the Stout and that’s how this formulated the taste off.

I always start a multi taste going from light to heavy, colour that is, for no other reason than it’s easier to see a darker colour when the alcohol starts to take effect, so the Mosaic was the first to be sampled. This brew is chocka full of fruity citrusy hops and with not much else. With a slightly thin mouth feel and no discernible malt or even sweetness it leaves a dry but satisfying taste. This brew just crackles and hops on the palate and is as sparkly as its label.  It would be enjoyed by serious hopaholics and so should be placed at the start of the craft brewers hop malt continuum.

On the other hand, the exact opposite of the Mosaic would be the Imperial Russian Stout, this brew has history originally being brewed for Catherine the Great of Russia (whoever she is?) way back in 1795. It’s an intense dark brew with a quickly dissolving espresso crema head. Flavoured with malt for miles, a somewhat sweetish marmitey, coffee, fruity, creamy thick complexity and a slight hoppy finish. One of the richest and smoothest stouts I’ve ever had the pleasure and should be placed towards the malt end of the hop malt continuum.

So, two beers each at the extreme ends of the beer taste continuum and when both are consumed back to back result in unequalled burp flavours. What a combination!  This would be my perfect beer if someone could brew one beer that tastes like this???

'Mr Mistoffelees' and 'Lando Kardashian' both from Moon Dog Breweries

Two new beers to try and a game of rugby to watch probably don’t go together as neither experiences would get the full enjoyable attention they both deserve so as it turned out a wet miserable dark day the next day turned out to be the perfect occasion for new taste sensations.

 

First up was the ‘Mr Mistoffelees’ from the Moon Dog brewery which was crafted as a single keg only release for the 2012 Great Australian Beer Spectapular. (True, that’s how they spell it. Like I’ve said before, these guy’s are quite mad.) now I have no idea what Mr Mistoffelees is but the name must mean something so a quick Google search informs me that he is a character in a poetry book called ‘Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats’ which means nothing to me but this book is what Andrew Lloyd Webber’s popular musical Cats is adapted from. Once again a factoid from beer drinking. What this actually has to do with beer is still a mystery so the best clue about what to expect from this beer is actually right there on the label  ‘passion fruit and mango wild ale’.

 

Fruity beers wouldn’t be my first choice however, this 6.2% abv aged in Hungarian oak barrels for 6 months with mangoes and passionfruit,  and with four yeast varieties to chew on four kinds of malt does sound intriguing!

 

Crack open the bottle to a reassuring psssst releases many bubbles which stir up plentiful supply of floaty bits from the bottom of the bottle. Pouring into a glass however formulates zero head and a cloudy light amber clarity with a very strong aroma of passionfruit. Hmmm, dunno about this, it might be an alco pop that’s suitable for a teenagers party?

 

Quick swig and quite the opposite from what I was expecting. This has a sour, almost tartness to it with a loud passionfruit flavour. It does have a bold body with discreet earthy biscuity flavours in the background maybe as a result of the oak barrel and those different malts. With enough back breathing through the nose you can even detect a slight hop flavour.

 

This stuff grows on you the more you drink it and I can see myself partaking this brew  in a swim up bar on a hot tropical island as a pre beer beer. It may also appeal to those ladies (or men) out there who enjoy a dry cider or ginger beer and would like to have another alternative of a hop variety.

 

Points out of 10, I’ll give this a 6 because even though it’s not really my definition of a beer, it does have a complexity about it that makes you want to drink more.

 

Having just drunk The Mr Mistoffelees I was having some hop withdrawal symptoms and the next beer to try offered an exciting prospect. Called ‘Lando Kardashian’ once again from Moon Dog,  and labelled as a triple IPA.

 

Now I’m sorry if you think like I once did that tripel was a misspelt word for three times as much, in this case IPAs in one bottle, then you are sadly mistaken. If this was right then the Lando should be hovering around the 15% abv instead of its lowly 11.5!  The word tripel is a term used way back when, to describe a strong pale ale. The strength of the tripel was denoted by a series of crosses on a cask, X for the weakest and XXX for the strongest beer. This factoid fits it all together for you now doesn’t it?

 

Now the name of Lando Kardashian has me a bit confused, but the guys at Moon Dog will probably be pleased to hear this. I assumed it was a cosmetic Doctor from the popular Kardashian show on TV judging by the latex gloves prominently pictured on the label but a Google search only revealed some freak with a twitter account, hmmm, so could actually be some friend of the Moon Dogs, so once again the name has nothing to do with the beer?

 

So that’s why you have me.

 

This baby has the biggest head I’ve uncounted from the Moon Dogs and yet still only a slight head. However it does have a clear clarity with a dark amber colour. Swirling the brew around the glass and you can see good body and does release a pleasant but not strong  hop aroma but more of a pronounced malt and beer barrels aroma. First taste and ‘my oh my’, this is beer! The taste has taken me back to when I first discovered beer all those years ago when I nicked one of the old man’s 4%er commercial bottles (at which there were only the two big Breweries at the time) and drank it in the garage. I remember thinking to myself, wow, so this is beer, now I can see why it causes so much trouble. Well after drinking a Lando those same feelings have returned, only on a whole new level. A much more stronger hoppy bitterness and sweet malt flavours with subtle whisky notes. This is a powerful beer and yet not so strong that you couldn’t drink another, or at least I think I could have. Let the teenagers have that other stuff, this is a real grown-ups beer.

 

Points out of 10, I’m giving this a 9 simply cause it brought back some great memories for me.

 

The 'Nordic Saddle Buffer' from Moon Dog

Well the Mrs has got a life and has gone out for the night, so I’m left home alone, great, perfect time to try the ‘Nordic Saddle Buffer’ from Moon Dog. With such an array of beers to choose from in Fresh Choice Nelson the blurb on the bottle’s label is very important for picking the ‘chosen one’ and the 14.6 abv on the side of this bad boy did it for me. This amount of alcohol is three times more than the big commercial brands and more than most wines, so even if the taste is not up to scratch, I can always hold the nose while drinking and still have a good night right?

Cap off, nose in, then immediate aromas of butterscotch and pear that is almost palpable. First pour produces no head whatsoever. Its amber colour has a slightly murky clarity but without any floaty bits and there are a few bubbles managing to weave their way upwards. This baby has got some body!  Indeed, swirling the beer around in the glass could almost be mistaken for swirling modern day high viscosity engine oil.

 
As soon as the brew hits the lips you detect the coolness of evaporating alcohol and you realise it’s a seriously strong brew. The liquid oozes over the tongue revealing a complexity of flavours. The viscosity of this brew is such that it lays a lingering blanket of flavour that stays for moments making small sips completely satisfying.

Whilst it doesn’t have a unique hop character, it does have a bitterness that is proportionally offset by strong malty butterscotch flavours and hints of molasses. Definitely a beer for savouring after a special occasion dinner, however don’t forget that this brew packs a big punch which might impact on any romantic after dinner thoughts!

Points out of 10, I’m giving it 9 because not only does this beer have a Schwarzenegger body and a myriad of enjoyable complexities, it also has the unique attraction factor of being the highest alcohol beer I’ve ever enjoyed and so resulted in me having a great night home alone.

 

 

 

 

‘Oh Lordy’ from Funk Estate

Well, having just come back from a beer tasting weekend in Wellington “the microbrewery capital of NZ?” I’m pretty well hopped out with new knowledge in that NZ small breweries can make some excellent ales and England can make terrible ales and this might be why England is more regarded for her bitters and stouts? So therefore first cab off the ramp was the ‘Oh Lordy’ from Funk Estate.

Once again I don’t read the cool label so as not to be influenced by any of their blurb on what they think they have created. Having said this, I always read the label before purchasing a beer, as the picture and writing are the only clues I get as to what I’m buying and it’s always the picture that will grab my attention and certainly, the Oh lordy label ‘will’ grab your attention.

On first pour I’m always careful as I don’t know whether the brew will instantly froth-up and spill over the top of the glass or what, however on this occasion there is very little reaction from the beer at all. No worries, I never worry about whether it’s got a head or not, it’s only the taste that matters. Well maybe a few bubbles as well, as this does something to the back of your throat whilst drinking which enhances the experience but very little effervescence here. It does however, have a beautiful clear amber colour which looks very appetising.

First smell and instantly I get a subtle hop smell that I would expect from a pale ale and thankfully do get a mild hop flavour upon first mouthful. This hop flavour is not like the usual Moutere sharp citrusy bitterness but almost an orangey mellowness with a pleasant malty milo hint. This is when I read the blurb on the label to see Funk Estate’s opinion… Munich malt, biscuity passion fruit, citrusy grapes, oh well, close enough.

For me, this brew is very drinkable, not overly powering like some of the boutique breweries products, yet has much more flavour than any commercial brew. Depending on its price, I would be happy to buy a half dozen to drink whilst being entertained with a good old England NZ rugby test!

Out of 10 score, 6.5

Could have been a 7 if it wasn’t so flat.

 

Townshend’s Thunder Drum.

 

I only looked at the main label without reading the small print so that I wouldn’t be influenced by any of their comments and it was the first beer of the night so that the palette was clean.

I also used a glass to maximise any fragrance that would help with the taste.

First pour and the glass was immediately engulfed with foamy white head that needed several minutes to disintegrate back down to a drinkable liquid.

I quickly took a sniff from the foamy head and noted a pleasant smell of a light malt ale with a hint of hops. The label did read an ale so I’m thinking this could be quite nice.

I didn’t quite have the patience for the head to dissolve, so took an excited swig from the bottle. Goodness me, it’s a wheat bear with that tarty yeasty taste nearly gags you like unripe rhubarb. This is when I read the fine print to see if it is a wheat bear, and there is no mention of wheat, only the world’s finest malt and hops. O.K so I go for another swig of the bottle just to confirm my first impression and although still rough on my palette maybe not as much. By this time the head in the glass has settled into a liquid and I’m seeing a very cloudy pale amber colour with a few floaty bits. My worst home brew has looked clearer than this concoction.  I very carefully pour more beer into the glass so that I can drink from the glass and smell some of the hops in the hope that this may improve the taste which on the next swig seems to be a bit more mellower. This is definitely a strong beer and because of this any tastes not to your liking makes it a beer that is hard to gulp so takes a while to get to know it.

This brew does have an excellent  mouth feel which is what I would expect from a 7.6 percenter and for me seems to have an after taste of whiskey. I remember drinking an early Moa Noir with similar flavours and colours so never tried it again until recently when I had a much more aged Moa and it was way better. I’m thinking that the Thunder Drum may be another such beer and a couple more months of ageing would let the finings settle smooth out the rough edges and let it’s real taste come through.

All in all I’m giving this beer a 4/10 today and maybe 7/10 in two months time.