Ah-Ooooh Werewolves of Taupo

He’s a hairy-faced fellow, a craft brewer from Taupo, doing things with hops that will make you feel mellow. That is James Cooper, founder of Lakeman Brewing and he styles himself as a mythical beer drinking beast, as would 90% of the NZ male population. James aims to produce easy drinking flavoursome beers from premium malts, hops and the crystal clear waters of Lake Taupo.

His range includes Pilsner, Pale Ale, Lahar, Hairy Hop IPA and Taupo Pale Ale and all have a howl of a lot of hop forward flavour. In just two years brewing, he’s already tasted instant success. At the 2014 New Zealand Beer Awards Lakeman Pale Ale picked up a bronze medal in the British-style ales category and Lakeman Taupo Pale Ale won bronze in the US-style ales class.

And lately he’s been overheard at Beervana. Lakeman’s stand was the first to run dry and his foray into darker ales with ‘Jack Black Stout’ ranked third on the people’s best-rated beer list. It’s not on the shelves yet so keep a big eye out for it in the beer fridge at Fresh Choice.

Four of Lakeman’s line-up are in the pale ale style and craftily demonstrate the nuances of what different hop varieties can do to the flavour profile without rippin your lungs out.

The ‘Taupo Pale’ 5.7%, is my favourite, laden with a forest of hops with notes of blackcurrant, pines, grasses and lime complemented with an underlying maltyness.  Scarily satisfying.

Another equally good pale ale only different, is the ‘Lahar’ 5.6%. It exudes a tropical fruity aroma and overflows with smacks of blackcurrants and lashings of lychees with a touch of grapefruit. Monstrously good.

The ‘Pilsner’ 5.2%, had an intriguing complexity not often found in a pils. It has a sharp vanilla-like taste with a cutting bitterness, robust body and earthy woody hops. Huge bite in this brew.

For hop forward ales this guy is the beast. Pick up a Hairy Box Sampler for your hairy-faced feller for Father’s day and he’ll go Ah-Ooooh!

Denis ♬who loves brew the most♬ Cooper