A night in with the boys

The boys have released another couple of dark horses from the stable, so we purchased a few from the shop (Wanaka Fine Wines) and had a little tasting session of our own.

We began with Hud-a-wa' Strong, named after a tough Scottish ancestor, apparently. It pours a rich amber colour and looks like one of the 'ales' you get in the local pub, but it tastes a lot better. The hoppy character and the tart citrus flavours are balanced by a malty warmth that matches the caramel hue - almost with a hint of butterscotch. It's sweeter than I usually like, but ultimately refreshing and satisfying.

Pot Kettle Black is actually one of my favourite New Zealand beers, and once again, it didn't disappoint. This smoky, smooth, licorice and dark chocolate flavoured drop with a dry hop finish is utterly delicious. Like a treacle toffee that doesn't stick your jaws together, it would be perfect for bonfire night, or a winter night by the fire when it's snowing outside. Who am I trying to kid; it's practically perfect any time at all.

And then in the weird and wonderful world of beer, there is Rex Attitude. The boys should be commended on an excellent experiment. I am an unashamed smokehead (as I believe lovers of the Islay malts are called) so I was as keen as anyone (if not keener - just call me Colonel Mustard) to try this one out. It's made with 'heavily-peated distilling malt' - apparently Stu Yeastie was told that 5% was probably the most he could use and still make this beer palatable. So he went with 100%, and, guess what; it's still palatable. Intriguing and frankly quite startling, but palatable. And certainly memorable.

'On the nose' (if I may be permitted to use such a term), I get TCP - very heavily. This would be a drawback if the smell didn't immediately take me back to my childhood. Smoky/peaty whiskies and dry hops also evoke pleasant memories so we are in luck. I imagine that if this were aged it could change in taste so I suppose I will just have to keep trying it and happily creating new memories. Although at 7% I suspect they may remain vague. I also fear that the overwhelming punch of this beer may prevent me from tasting anything else for a while. But I am prepared to face that fear and drink it anyway.

We'll be up at Beervana in Wellington this weekend. Hope to see you there?

Beervana 2009: Tasting Notes (Part Two)

I am able to try an IPA from Nøgne Ø, of which we have never heard before. I find it has notes of varnish and isn’t overly drinkable – I can just taste alcohol rather than beer. Him Outdoors claims it’s ‘flowery’ – maybe jonquils then, as their fragrance gives me a violent headache. He has got an Imperial Stout so we swap – this is very, very nice; black with dark brown froth.

The boys turn up with a none-too-fresh-looking chilli in a beer glass. It’s a gimmick lager which bites your tongue from Mussel Inn. Why would you do that to a beer? It’s just silly. To be fair, when the Weevil arrives (two hours late) and wants to catch up, she aims immediately for something she knows she likes, the Monkey Puzzle Extra Strong Ale from the same place, which she announces is ‘a good starter’.

There are talks throughout the evening on such topics as ‘beer and cheese matching’, ‘brewing organically’, ‘the right glass for your beer’ and ‘women and beer mythbusters’. An announcement over the public address system keeps reminding us that these talks are on, but although I would like to listen to Neil Miller and Martin Bosley talk about food and beer, I don’t feel that now is the right time to do so when I am too busy sampling the delights myself – I’ll get a curry later; that will do for food and beer matching tonight.

I am bought a random beer which turns out to be an IPA from the Twisted Hop. My notes at this point read ‘Lovely. I like it. More of this sort of thing’. I am finding it increasingly difficult to balance my pen, programme and camera, and also to write coherent notes evidently.

As Him Outdoors talks to strangers he finds a long-haired ale-lover from Stockport. He actually lives in Auckland and has come down this weekend especially for the beer festival. He is in raptures over the Great End ESB at the Peak Brewery. We try it and I can see why. It is cask conditioned and served via a hand-pull it tastes like something I would expect to find in Coniston. It claims to be ‘extra strong and extra bitter’; my notes read ‘very strong, very fruity and a little bit extra.’ The Weevil reckons it tastes like a Scottish Cal 80, Bellhaven; she’s all for her comparisons.

When we try the Old House ESB from the Townshend Brewery, she decides it is like a Tetley's Mild from Haddon Hall. Just in case I don’t realise how high praise this is, she adds, ‘This is the best beer I’ve had in New Zealand’. The brewing chaps are a little concerned when she asks for ‘more of your finest flattest beer please’ until she bats her big brown eyes and tells them she loves it. I’m impressed too (by the beer rather than the eyes – I’ve seen them all my life) and although it smells slightly of cabbage, it is flat and fulsome and English-tasting.

We head back up to the Arrow Brewing Company for Some Wee Heavy Scotch Ale which is pleasant and sweet and, well...heavy. The chaps provide tasting notes which claim it contains flavours of toffee and orange brandy’. At this stage I think we should probably take their word for it. The Weevil notes, ‘Another flat one – but more fruity Kiwi style’. Him Outdoors has finished noting things. In fact, I think he has misplaced his programme but he has appointed himself chief photographer, hence lots of blurred shots of drinkers’ feet.

We save the best until (nearly) last and savour a drop of Pot Kettle Black from Yeastie Boys. It is still the best beer in show, and they have pretty smart t-shirts too. It’s like a Terry’s Chocolate Orange with hops and alcohol: very tasty indeed!

The adjacent stall is the Green Man Brewery apparently trying to save the world one beer at a time. We join them by starting with an IPA, which is reminiscent of bananas and cloves in a totally nice and tasty, and finishing shortly afterwards with the Strong, which is strong and tasty. I must admit to trying this last time round and not remembering a whole lot afterwards. After a couple of sips of this blend of Dopplebock matured on whisky barrel wood and blended with Best Bitter, a similar thing seems to happen. Is this déjà bu?

So in summation, my top 5 in no particular order are:
Tobin’s Cask Ale – Arrow Brewing Company; Tricerahops Double IPA – Ninkasi; Old House ESB – Townshend Brewery; Great End ESB – Peak Brewery; Yeastie Boys – Pot Kettle Black

Take (at least) two at bedtime

A couple of months ago I began hallucinating about the perfect beer to drink after a long walk. It would be fair to say that all of the pints that sprang to mind were English and most of them were milds.

I believe, however that I may have tracked down a Kiwi tipple to suit the purpose. Kid Chocolate by Yeastie Boys is an immensely sessionable 3.6% and has a satisfying thirst-quenching taste. The boys describe it as ‘chestnut coloured with a little autumn fruit on both the nose and the palate’.

It is heartily enjoyed by Him Outdoors in Bar Edward where he retires with his running club after they have thrashed their legs up and down the hills. Admittedly he is from Lancashire (I may have mentioned Burnley recently…) and he does possess a flat cap but you don’t have to own one (or stuff ferrets down your trousers) to appreciate this fine English-mild style ale. It’s champion and certainly not lightweight.

Which brings me conveniently (and perhaps contrivedly) to the name; apparently Kid Chocolate was a Cuban boxer who enjoyed ‘wild success both in the boxing ring and in society life during a span of the 1930s’. Thanks Wikipedia. He was the world lightweight champion and the inspiration for the character Chocolate Drop in Clifford Odets’ play Golden Boy – the Yeastie Boys 2008 offering. Do I detect a theme?

Meanwhile, we attended the launch of their newest brew – Pot Kettle Black – last night at the Malthouse. This is the new version of the American style porter that so impressed at Beervana last year. And I’m pleased to announce it doesn’t disappoint. Judging from the tasting notes on the Yeastie Boys website, at 6% ABV it is both stronger and bitterer than the previous year’s offering. It certainly packs a punch. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

It’s dark, bitter and hoppy and tastes like iron and chocolate. It’s a tough no-nonsense drop with a malty finish that makes you sense your haemoglobin levels rising by the mouthful. Vampires might drink this as a socially acceptable draught. It just tastes like it’s beneficial. Just what the good doctor ordered – if you had a particularly good one who was not averse to prescribing alcohol, that is.

This morning as Him Outdoors bounced out of bed he remarked, ‘I should drink that every night. I slept well and my legs don’t hurt.’ This may sound like a random recommendation until put into context – he has erratic sleep patterns at the best of times and had done an intensive track session before heading down t’pub. Ye gods, Yeastie’s good!

Long Weekend highlights

It is Labour Day here today, so here are the highlights from my long weekend:

• Friday night drinks in the Malthouse - Yeastie Boys' Pot Kettle Black is on tap - Him Outdoors and I have a couple of pints each but it is now sold out. Sam and Stu have diligently gone to Invercargill to brew some of their latest release - to be called Golden Boy. I'll let you know as soon as I hear it's available, or check out their blog link above.
• In the interests of keeping the holiday alive for as long as possible, we visit the Mediterranean Food Warehouse in Newtown. Not only can you get fantastic pizza (made in their wood-fired pizza oven), coffee, and gelati here, but you can stock up on a great range of pasta, olives, and chianti - we can keep eating the food even if we can't enjoy the culture.
• The weather was rubbish so we got a video out and curled up on the sofa to watch Michael Clayton, a really enjoyable Saturday night film. George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson and Sydney Pollack are excellent - Tilda Swinton won an Oscar for best supporting actress and the film garnered another six nominations (in the top categories). It's a fabulous suspense drama and may sneak its way into my top 10 favourite films, but what would I leave out?
• Despite the fact that the weather was still appalling, the hardy souls at the Waitangi Park Market were still selling their fresh produce. We battled with the wind and filled our canvas bags with courgettes, carrots, eggs, peppers, asparagus, lettuce, leeks, broccoli, spring onions and ginger for $20. We get to be healthy, green and smug all at the same time.
• Went to visit my siter and her family for my nephew's first birthday. My other nephew has just learned to ride his bike without stabilisers and he was anxious to show off his abilities, so we went to the park to see his new-found talent. I remember riding a bike as one of those childhood achievements up there with swimming my first length in a pool and singing my first solo for the school choir. I also remeber my bike-riding progress was hindered somewhat due to the 'help' of my brother. Anyway, my nephew has no such hindrance and he's a little dynamo on wheels whizzing about underneath his safety helmet.
• Our cat is starting to forgive us for going away for a month and is back to being as normal as it is possible for a pedigree Burmese to be, pouncing on our feet, curling up on our bed at night and purring. We missed him and it's good to have him back. Cats are what make a house a home and he makes our little flat into his own feline palace.
• It was worth getting up in the middle of the night to see Liverpool beat Chelski at the Bridge. The Mighty Reds are now at the top of the table where they belong; long may it continue. I know I say this every year, but I really think this could be our season.
• Not letting the name put me off, with my huge aversion to hills, we walked up Mt Climie in the Rimutakas. It's a pretty steep slog up a 4WD track (It's 860m and you start at 200m - the track is 6km so you can work out the incline if you can be arsed), but the views from the top are worth the effort. You can see out to the South Island - including the highest mountain in the Inland Kaikoura Range, Tapuae-O-uenuku which is capped with snow - and back the other way over the Wairarapa. It's sweaty on the way up, massively windy up the top, and I fall in a bog on the way down and lose both of my shoes, but it's actually a good day out - although I daren't mention this to Him Outdoors, or he'll make me do it again.