“The arrival of hops to brewers in England in the 1500’s led
to a moral panic. Hops were condemned as a ‘wicked and pernicious weed’,
one which would lead to the erosion of social and moral standards. Thank
goodness they were right!” Quoted from the label on Garage Projects ‘Pernicious
Weed’ and endorsed by every red blooded human in godzone.
So here’s the thing, how does this brew, abundant in NZ hops,
compare with Garage Projects other catahopic IPA monster, ‘Death From Above’,
which is totally full of American hops?DFA has a sweet fruity malt aroma and a rich browny orange liquid beneath a non-caring white head. Tasting of mango, apricot, grapefruit and a cutting hop intensity of lime, is truly hop heaven. It leans on a malt background resulting in a rich smooth mouth feel and a bitter sweet finish.
PW however, has an even more intense hop aroma than DFA but a lighter more straw colour liquid. On taste there is more bitterness straight up but then sooths out into a roar hop flavour like you’ve just consumed hop flowers, branches and the entire vine root to stem, then subdues into an afterglow of earthy white grapes.
Both brews deliver in aroma when nose meets the glass and then performs in flavour when gulp meets the gullet. These two beers illustrate the flavour effect different hops can have. For me, DFA is slightly better simply because of the richer smoother mouth feel as she goes down. Consequently, if you’re not a hop head then you must have old pommy ancestors.
Just a suggestion at what malt can do to an IPA is
illustrated in Garage Project’s latest creation, ‘Pan Pacific’, brewed for
autumn. Made with NZ and Aussie hops, it’s aptly based on Anzac biscuits and is
amazingly like a biscuit in a bottle but with a hoppy edge. Non sweet, subtle
bitterness, comes either from the hops or,,,toasted coconut, perfect for cooler
nights.
Death from above via a pernicious weed, that’s the way to
get to hop heaven!
Denis beerly alive Cooper
