What is England?

Wells & Young's advertise their Bombadier as the drink of England and they have some fantastic posters featuring all things English from bowler hats to pantomime horses. I particularly like Les Dawson dressed as Queen Elizabeth, although the Kiwis might get a bit upset about the rugby ball. It made me think about - What is England? What represents it? What do I miss about it? Apart from the people - it's the pubs, the football, the scenery, the history, the drama, the music and the humour - not necessarily in that order.

Wells & Young's have been campaigning to have St George's Day declared a national holiday for the past 15 years. So far they have had no luck, but their beer is still quite nice. I shall be sure to have a pint, and partake of a few other English ales on my national saint's day. Bottoms up!

Thanks to Neil Miller at The Malthouse blog for drawing my attention to these posters.

Hug a Brewer!

Today is International Brewer’s Day! Is that cool or what? I will be performing in Twelfth Night at Khandallah so will unfortunately not be able to get along to the Malthouse to celebrate – but would just like to say a big hearty ‘cheers’!

The theme seems to revolve around hugging brewmasters in recognition of the fact that they have “given so many of us the pleasure of their artistry and enriched our lives with their beer since civilization began.” Apparently (Neil Miller’s blog is my beer-drinking Bible, as you can see) this day was chosen because it is the feast day of Good King Wenceslas. He did more than troop around in the snow bidding folk to stand by him and bring pine logs hither; he was also the patron saint of beer. A damn fine thing of which to be patron saint, say I!

Raise your foaming tankards high and salute the mercurial majesty that is beer. Hug those brewers – even the shy and retiring types. Actually, I don’t know any shy and retiring brewers. But who am I to talk; I shall be acting, and we theatre folk are not exactly known for our shy retirement either, but we do generally love beer – it’s a wonderful combination!

Indeed, Twelfth Night is known for being a feast of merriment with much singing, drinking and carousing. So I'll no doubt be doing some of that.

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!

Brand new beer

Last night I was drinking the freshest beer in a pub in Wellington. I know because Dion Page, one of the brewers of Tuatara’s latest drop said so.

He also said that they move slowly – like a tuatara – and they haven’t released a beer in seven years. This latest is a cracker. (No, actually, it’s a beer.)

It’s called Tuatara Helles which is apparently a German style of beer that is very easy to drink. I find it to be so.

It seems that some people find Pilsners too bitter and hoppy (I’ve yet to find a beer that is too hoppy, but that’s just me) so the chaps at Tuatara have presented them with this sweeter, brighter version, which is described by the Malthouse staff as ‘more commercial’ but not in a bad way.

Made with New Zealand-grown Hallertau and Saaz hops, Tuatara Helles makes good use of what are termed the noble hops – I love that expression and I love the aroma they give off. Dion tells an amusing anecdote about trying to add them at just the right moment but being foiled by a gust of wind and a boiling geyser - I guess you had to be there.

The beer has ‘a decent burst of early malt sweetness and then late crispness for balance’ – so says Neil Miller and he knows about these things. I thought it has a slight flavour of banana bubblegum, but again, that could just be me.

It is light gold in colour and so clear as to look like it has nothing to hide. However, Dion warns that although it purports to be 5% abv, it is considerably more than that. He won’t say how much more.

We’re driving home, so we have to regrettably leave the beer behind, hopefully for another day (unless it all gets drunk, which is possible). I could go a session on that stuff. Cheers!

Happy Birthday Him Outdoors

By a quirk of serendipity (does serendipity have quirks? Or is that just fate?) today is my last day of work before the Christmas break and Him Outdoors officially gets another year older. This means there will be much rejoycing - hurrah!

And by another quirk of coincidence... I found a fabulous post on the Legends of Beer blog exploding 10 common beer myths. My favourite is myth no. 6: beer should be served ice-cold for best flavour (except it's an American site so it actually says 'flavor' but I'm prepared to overlook that in the spirit of all things festive).

"This is an unfortunate myth perpetuated by the major commercial breweries - especially for their lite beers. The fact is, flavor typically diminishes when beer is served ice-cold. It may make for a thirst-quenching, refreshing beverage, but often bears little resemblance to traditional beer. Several beers are, in fact, best served much closer to room temperature or slightly cool and are considered undrinkable when icy cold - such as Guinness and many of the traditional English ales."

Thank you Legends of Beer; In future, I shall direct all the Kiwis who refer scathingly to English beer (or any boutique New Zealand brew with taste) as 'flat and warm' to your website. In the meantime I shall go and drink some close-to-room-temperature-and-totally-delectable ales in celebration of/with Him Outdoors at The Malthouse - where they know how to serve a good drop. Cheers!

'Tis the season...

... for the office Christmas party. This time of year is frantic with parties and drinks and get-togethers. The papers are full of helpful articles about how you should go to your partner's party if you suspect he or she may be having an affair with someone at work; not revealing too much personal information that can be used against you at a later date; how to avoid making a total prat of yourself in front of your boss and colleagues by throwing up on your new shoes or snogging someone entirely inappropriate just because you got bored and drank too much. Thanks for that. If you got past all that, you might even go to a work party or two; some are decidely more fun than others.

We had a departmental one. Someone from work organised it - a meal in a pub, which we paid for ourselves. We went and had a few drinks beforehand and did the $5 secret santa thing. It was fun. although some people complained about the cost ($40) and pulled out at the last minute. Unfortunately the caterers didn't know this - it was really last minute - so we still had to pay for them. The fairest way to do this was to share the cost among us all, which we did. One of the people still refused to pay, so everyone else had to stump up the cash for them as well. This has created some tension in the office, as you can imagine.

We had another 'do' for the entire national office. There was a talent quest at which we had to perform some skit or other. This was held in an old church hall without any stage facilities and peeling paint murals informing us that God directs us in all our ways - not in the skits though I should imagine. Some of them were dreadful. I can say that, because we won, and we were pretty dreadful too. Then we went for a sit down meal (free to staff; $35 for partners and you paid for drinks on top).

I also make some contributions (by way of book reviews) to Radio New Zealand National. I was very kindly invited to their place one evening for drinks and nibbles. We all stood around in an office room for a couple of hours with sticky lables attatched to our shirts and glasses of wine in our hands, introducing ourselves to people we didn't know and striking up various conversations. Everyone was very nice there, and it was a pleasant evening, apart from trying not to dribble sauce and flaky pastry all over the place whilke looking polite and interesting. And how do you eat canapes, shake hands and hold a glass of wine at the same time while standing in the middle of a table-less room?

Him Outdoors had a 'do' for his office to which partners were invited. This was held at Mac's Brewery Bar on the waterfront. We had the set menu - I can recommend the enormous bowl of green-lipped mussels gently steamed in garlic, white wine cream for entree, and the glazed pork belly with red wine jus, roasted gourmet potatoes and a medley of vegetables for main. I think this was $60 per head, there was a tab at the bar and it certainly proved that the boss really could organise the proverbial.

Last night was the Stagecraft end of year bash. People brought a plate or contributed money and there was food to be had. You brought your own booze and those who wanted to performed pieces of theatre to the rest of the audience. After a couple of awards and speeches, there was dancing in the theatre and discussions in the green room. We did our own washing up. It was fun.

This sort of thing happens every year, but I mention it here because this year there is much hand-wringing and talk of cutting down on costs due to the current economic situation. Some companies are apparently getting their staff to volunteer at some community organisation instead of having a 'do'. Others are cancelling parties and gift-giving all together.

One lady told me that her company had decided to hold a picnic and simply invite all the workers' children - the workers provided the food and there was naturally no alcohol. Although she has two kids herself, she was furious at this news - 'You mean, I've been working hard all year and you want to give my kids a party? What have they done for you to deserve it?'

And therein lies the problem. What is this end of year bash about? Is it about the bosses thanking the workers and showing their appreciation for the work they have done all year? They might say there is no need - they pay them and that is appreciation enough. Is it so the workers can get together themselves and let off steam, in which case how much is healthy and when does it turn into a hothouse situation? Is it to impress clients, in which case a tatty old church hall isn't going to do much for you, although displaying your heart on your sleeve through some public display of charity might.

Before one of the 'do's we went to the Malthouse with a couple of friends. We drank the fabulous Golden Boy, the latest offering from the Yeastie Boys. It's incredibly like a true English summer ale and has a slight citrus taste. They use Maris Otter malt (the same as used in the fine-tasting Emersons' Maris Gold) and hops from Nelson. The colour is golden and the experience refreshing and delicious. I wore my t-shirt with pride for the rest of the weekend. I digress.

But this is the 'do' I remember most. Good friends; good beer; good venue; no need to provide any sort of entertainment or pressure to make conversation; and you could leave any time you liked or eat whatever you wanted. In fact, it was just like any normal Friday night. But it's at Christmas. It doesn't have to be big and it doesn't have to be clever, but it does have to be enjoyable.

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.

Beervana: Tasting notes (Part 1)

Well, my head has almost recovered after a night of hedonistic beery pleasure, and this morning’s run along the Eastern walkway with occasional glimpses of the inland Kaikouras (they were just there!) has cleared the mental decks so that I can write up some rather illegible tasting notes from this weekend’s Beervana.

Him outdoors was like a boy in a sweetshop, or indeed, a bloke in a beer shop, and was barely restrained from leaping about trying everything at once. Methodically enough, we began at the beginning, handing over our first beer tokens in exchange for some Mike’s Mild from White Cliffs Organic Brewery. You don’t often get a good (or actually, any at all) mild in New Zealand, but this is excellent. I’ve had it before and enjoyed it, and I enjoyed it again tonight – a great start to the evening.

We moved on down, or up depending on your viewpoint, to the Renaissance stand where I sampled the Perfection Pale Ale, which is a great name for a beer. Again, I have had this before and liked it – most notably after the Grape Ride where I collapsed after cycling 101km around the Queen Charlotte Sound and the vineyards of Marlborough. Re-hydrating with plenty of water and some very tasty wine from Forrest Estate , I also refreshed myself with some of the local ale and I have been a convert ever since.

I really like the balance of the bitter hops and the creamy toffee notes. At the risk of sounding incredibly girly, I also really like the label. I think the design and the shape of the bottle makes this one of the best looking beers on the market.

Next stop was Peak Brewery from Taratahi, and I tried their Monkey Point India Pale Ale. Apparently Monkey Point is the name of the first brewery in India. The chocolate notes rang out loud and clear but it was slightly too sweet for my taste. I am always impressed with breweries in the middle of wine regions and I wish Mr. Morgan well with his range of German and British style ales from his relatively new (three years old) brewery. He sells them at the Farmers’ Market in Masterton and also has a hectare of sauvignon and pinot noir vines planted on his property. I think that might just be greedy!

We couldn’t pass the Epic stall without having a taste of their Pale Ale – just to check it is as good as we remember – it is. This is my tipple of choice at The Malthouse . I believe it won gold and best in class at the awards. The trophies depicting a mash tun are very cool and those who had won them were proudly displaying them on their stalls.

We first had Epic Pale Ale two years ago when there was a beer festival beneath the Old Bank on a Saturday afternoon. We emerged blinking into the pale sunlight with a feeling we had just tasted the best beer we’d had in New Zealand since we arrived ten years previously. I loved the Armageddon Ale that Epic released recently, but sadly that wasn’t on offer, or not that I could see anyway. Does this mean it’s all gone? Bring it back please – I love it! I love hops, which may explain it. In the meantime, I will happily drink the Pale Ale.

And now for something completely different – Waituna Brewing Company from Rewa are promoting their TaaKawa Ale as New Zealand’s first indigenous beverage. Apparently it incorporates the Kawakawa herb and spring water into a beer, which sounds very clever. The marketing people have just sold a line into Tesco’s in the UK and are hoping to ‘place TaaKawa competitively at the top of the National and the International market’. It’s clean and crisp, refreshing the palate.

For old time’s sake we sampled some of the ales from Brew Moon . We used to live in Christchurch and a trip home was always completed with a stop off at the brewery in Amberley. We were asked if we wanted the hoppy or the very hoppy and subsequently I tried the Hophead IPA while Him Outdoors had the Amberley Pale Ale. A delicious drop!

One of the great things about beer festivals is the opportunity to talk to the artisans who make the stuff, and Mr Bennett himself was manning his stall of Bennett’s Fine Beer and Ale . He is a man of boundless enthusiasm, and when he is not brewing beer or running supermarkets, he makes artwork out of toast – yep, that’s right, toast, but they’re actually really good!

We tried his Belgium Strong, which was interesting and different. As the name suggests, it is made to taste like a Belgian golden ale (Leffe Blonde springs to mind) with a taste that is slightly sweet and fruity. It is also strong (7%), but you don’t really notice the kick until later. Mr Bennett claims that he wanted to make this style of beer because ‘this is what the beer gods favour.’ He could well be onto something…

To be continued...