I haven’t written a blog entry in a while, partially because my creative energies have been focused elsewhere, and partially because I haven’t had cause to do so. On Saturday, that changed. I spent the day eating pie and drinking beer while helping out at Emerson’s beer and pie competition. Not only that, but I got the chance to hear food and beer experts discuss the finer points of food and beer pairing as they judged the various entries. While the whole day certainly ranks as one of the high points of my stay in New Zealand, there was one part of the day that was particularly memorable. That was when Richard brought out some 3 year-old (I think) Bourbon Porter.
Emerson’s Bourbon Porter is a beer I knew of before coming to New Zealand. Namely, because one of beeradvocate’s Alstrom bros, gave the beer an A rating. This beer is not for the faint of heart, coming in at a sizeable 9.2% alcohol, a good deal of which comes from the bourbon cask aging. The strong influence of the bourbon came through straight away on the nose with a big hit of bourbon and the accompanying vanilla and oak from the casks. As you would expect, there was also a sizeable amount of heat, but age appears to have softened the alcohol from what was probably (I do not know what the beer smelled like fresh but can guess it was pretty hot) a harsh smack in the face, to a gentle, pleasant component of the aroma. There was also an interesting savory soy sauce or marmite like note to the nose from autolysis of the yeast, a smell that could perhaps be seen as a flaw, but which I found added to the complexity of the nose in a positive way.
The palate was much more subdued than the nose. The malt backbone has held up well over three years, lending structure to the body, and a brown sugar like sweetness across the palate. The finish was super dry (probably from the beer sitting on a pile of yeast for a long period of time) with yeast and a bit of bitterness at the back and a pleasant warming sensation down the throat.
Other beers of note that I have tried in the past weeks:
Harrington’s Wintertide:
Style: Winter Warmer
ABV: 6.8%
Pours a clear dark reddish brown with a two inch tan head. Smell is banana like sweetness with faint cloves. Taste is sweet upfront with a spicy kick from cloves and coriander and a bit of oily bitterness at the back. There is a nice balance between sweet honey and malt flavors and the spices and hops. Sweetness deepens and becomes more dark-fruit like as the beer warms. Body is medium with light carbonation and a slick finish. Honey presents itself on the palate, contributing to a slick tongue coating like quality. Overall an interesting beer, that employs spices and honey in a restrained enough way to preserve balance while keeping things interesting.
Harrington’s Big John Special Reserve:
Style: Wee Heavy
ABV: 6.5%
Pours an opaque near black with big foamy tan head. leaves significant lacing down the glass. Smell is whisky and oak upfront followed by dark fruit/brown sugar sweetness. Just a hint of alcohol as the beer warms. Taste is caramelized sugar with some oaky/earhty notes through the palate. Closes with a gentle roasted bitterness and a slight kick from the alcohol. Mouthfeel is almost creamy but comes up a bit thin. medium body and low carbonation. Alcohol and mouthfeel are weak for the style, but otherwise a solid brew.
Emerson’s Harvest Ale:
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5.3%
The beer pours a medium amber with two inch foamy head. Smell is big resinous pine and citrus hops with a detectable sweet malt underneath (level of hop aroma reminds me of home). Palate is more subdued, probably because the beer isn't super fresh, with sweet passion fruit coming first, followed by gentle malt sweetness that lasts until a subdued but oily hop bitterness at the end. Body is a bit thinner than I would like, with low carbonation and an oily finish.
Moa St. Josephs Tripel
Style: Tripel
ABV: 9.5%
Pours a ruby/orange with big fluffy slightly off-white head and noticeable carbonation bub bling through the beer. Leaves patches of lacing down the glass. Smell is cloves and heat from the alcohol at first. When the bottle is emptied, yeast becomes a component of the nose. A little bit of banana or sweet fruit comes through as well. Taste is sweet upfront followed shortly by peppery spice that lasts through the sip until hot alcohol at the end of the sip and down the throat. Again, sourdough like quality comes through form the yeast when I empty the bottle, acts to balance out some of the heat. Overall not an overly complex flavor profile but well balanced and quite enjoyable. Fizzy carbonation but relatively low carbonation. Yeast dries out the finish.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
How a Beer Geek Kills Three Hours in South Dunedin
Several days ago I found myself faced with what seemed an impossible task. I had just finished conducting an in-store tasting at the pack n’ save in South Dunedin and had three hours to kill before heading to the All Blacks rugby test against France. Naturally, my first thought was to find a spot to enjoy a few beers. I quickly realized, however, that I did not know where to find a decent beer in south d. What I did know, was that the Dunedin Malt House homebrew shop was just a short walk away and figured someone there might have information on a pub.
The answer I received upon inquiring about a pub was a glass of Invercargill honey pilsner. Not exactly what I was expecting, or searching for, but a nice drop nonetheless (I won’t post a formal review but the pilsner had a wonderful biscuit-like quality on the tongue with a hint of residual sweetness from the honey). I did not find any information on a pub, but I left having also tasted a lovely one-year-old SN Bigfoot clone, and with an appetite
I put beer drinking on hold long enough to have a kabob, and while eating, I met two travelers from Montana who joined me for dinner. Eventually we did find a pub, I had a very large bottle of Speights, after which I parted ways with my temporary companions and headed to the stadium. After the rugby match, I realized that I learned two things from my strange experience.
First, that things usually have a way of working out, although sometimes not in a way you could ever predict. The second thing I learned is that mass-produced beer in New Zealand is actually not that bad. The Speights I drank at the pub, and the Steinlager I enjoyed form a strange plastic bottle at the ruby match were both decent beers. They were nothing insanely tasty, but easy drinking: good for larger than average consumption. I would venture to say that New Zealand has an edge on the states in that respect, in that the equivalent mass-produced options in the states are flavorless and frequently riddled with off-flavors.
More serious beer reviews to follow in the next week.
The answer I received upon inquiring about a pub was a glass of Invercargill honey pilsner. Not exactly what I was expecting, or searching for, but a nice drop nonetheless (I won’t post a formal review but the pilsner had a wonderful biscuit-like quality on the tongue with a hint of residual sweetness from the honey). I did not find any information on a pub, but I left having also tasted a lovely one-year-old SN Bigfoot clone, and with an appetite
I put beer drinking on hold long enough to have a kabob, and while eating, I met two travelers from Montana who joined me for dinner. Eventually we did find a pub, I had a very large bottle of Speights, after which I parted ways with my temporary companions and headed to the stadium. After the rugby match, I realized that I learned two things from my strange experience.
First, that things usually have a way of working out, although sometimes not in a way you could ever predict. The second thing I learned is that mass-produced beer in New Zealand is actually not that bad. The Speights I drank at the pub, and the Steinlager I enjoyed form a strange plastic bottle at the ruby match were both decent beers. They were nothing insanely tasty, but easy drinking: good for larger than average consumption. I would venture to say that New Zealand has an edge on the states in that respect, in that the equivalent mass-produced options in the states are flavorless and frequently riddled with off-flavors.
More serious beer reviews to follow in the next week.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Cold Weather and Beer
Cold weather has an interesting effect on craft-beer drinkers. It inspires them to seek out cold-weather beer: the spiced holiday ale, the rich imperial stout, or maybe the barley wine that has been aging in the cellar for a year or two. I do not have a cellar from which to grab a barley wine, nor do I have access to an imperial stout, but it has been cold recently and I have adjusted my beer-drinking habits accordingly.
The first beer I purchased in this seasonal spirit was Emerson’s Taieri George Ale, a spiced ale of the sort usually found in the States around the winter holidays. While I prefer to keep my love for all things spiced (cakes, pies, breads and the like) separate from my passion for beer, I thought I might as well give this one a taste.
Taieri George Ale: 6.8% ABV
The 500ml bottle indicates that the beer was released on March 6th, and that it is a 2009 vintage. At 6.8% alcohol, and with a malt-dominated profile, this beer is a potential candidate for aging. Served in a snifter, the beer pours almost pitch black with a one to two inch creamy tan head. There is a strong aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg with a vanilla-like sweetness behind the spices. Tastes of spices upfront, with a firm malt-sweetness throughout the sip, and a bit of dry bitterness from the dark grains towards the back. There is also just the faintest bit of alcohol heat. Mouthfeel is smooth, a bit thin, with a medium body and light carbonation. Certainly an interesting tasting beer, maybe a bit too spiced for my liking (a feature which could mellow out with a bit of aging).
The second beer to find its way into my glass was Emeron’s Dunkelweiss. The dunkelweizen style is simply a hefeweizen (German, unfiltered wheat beer) to which dark grains have been added. I like hefeweizens and enjoyed my only other experience with the dunkel variety (Weihenstephaner’s Hefeweisbeer Dunkel), so I was excited to crack this bottle open.
Dunkelweiss: 6.3% ABV
I would have preferred to pour the 500ml bottle into a wheat beer glass, but given my limited glassware options, I settled for the snifter. Beer pours dark brown with a large tan head. Smell is chocolate, banana, cloves and bread (smells like chocolate banana bread). Taste is spicy clove upfront, followed by a dry bitterness and subtle malt sweetness. Body is medium to full with a dry finish. This beer smells outstanding, tastes good, and drinks easily.
The first beer I purchased in this seasonal spirit was Emerson’s Taieri George Ale, a spiced ale of the sort usually found in the States around the winter holidays. While I prefer to keep my love for all things spiced (cakes, pies, breads and the like) separate from my passion for beer, I thought I might as well give this one a taste.
Taieri George Ale: 6.8% ABV
The 500ml bottle indicates that the beer was released on March 6th, and that it is a 2009 vintage. At 6.8% alcohol, and with a malt-dominated profile, this beer is a potential candidate for aging. Served in a snifter, the beer pours almost pitch black with a one to two inch creamy tan head. There is a strong aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg with a vanilla-like sweetness behind the spices. Tastes of spices upfront, with a firm malt-sweetness throughout the sip, and a bit of dry bitterness from the dark grains towards the back. There is also just the faintest bit of alcohol heat. Mouthfeel is smooth, a bit thin, with a medium body and light carbonation. Certainly an interesting tasting beer, maybe a bit too spiced for my liking (a feature which could mellow out with a bit of aging).
The second beer to find its way into my glass was Emeron’s Dunkelweiss. The dunkelweizen style is simply a hefeweizen (German, unfiltered wheat beer) to which dark grains have been added. I like hefeweizens and enjoyed my only other experience with the dunkel variety (Weihenstephaner’s Hefeweisbeer Dunkel), so I was excited to crack this bottle open.
Dunkelweiss: 6.3% ABV
I would have preferred to pour the 500ml bottle into a wheat beer glass, but given my limited glassware options, I settled for the snifter. Beer pours dark brown with a large tan head. Smell is chocolate, banana, cloves and bread (smells like chocolate banana bread). Taste is spicy clove upfront, followed by a dry bitterness and subtle malt sweetness. Body is medium to full with a dry finish. This beer smells outstanding, tastes good, and drinks easily.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Hockey, Emerson's, and Brown Ale
Today, I went to Eureka Café and Bar to watch the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately they did not have any Molson or Labatt to quaff while watching the game, so I had to get creative. I took the opportunity to begin my education on Emerson’s range of beers. Emerson’s, for those of you reading from outside of New Zealand, seems to be the largest, most successful, craft brewery in the country. Their beer also seems to be widely regarded as some of the best that the country has to offer. In particular, their pilsner is surrounded by a noticeable amount of buzz. So, that is where I began:
Emerson’s Organic Pilsner 4.4%
On-tap at Eureka Café and Bar. Served in a nonic pint glass.
A: Pours a clear, golden straw with active carbonation bubbling from the bottom of the glass. A half-inch white head remains even after the beer settles. Leaves substantial lacing down the glass.
S: Sweet citrus pretty much dominates the nose on this beer, quite nice and quite unexpected. As the beer warms the grain comes through a bit, but not much.
T: Sweet citrus and malt upfront, balanced by a firm bitterness at the back and biscuit-like/dry grain around the edges.
M: light to medium body with crisp carbonation and a clean/dry finish.
D: Super drinkable. Clean, refreshing, and light enough to put back easily.
I decided to follow up the pilsner with a more elusive offering, their current Brewer’s Reserve (a rotating style, produced for on-tap consumption), Very Brown Ale. Before I begin my review, I would like to take a moment to muse on the brown ale style. The brown ale, in my experience, is a brown colored ale, with a medium body, subdued (almost no) hop presence, and a firm caramel sweetness. I find the style to be quite drinkable, but rather unremarkable and unbalanced. Emerson’s version of the brown ale, however, is a much more interesting take on the style:
Emerson’s Very Brown Ale 5.5%
On-tap at Eureka Café and Bar. Served in a nonic pint glass.
A: Pours a deep brown with hues of red peaking through the glass. Thin off-white head remains after the beer settles. Almost coats the glass, leaving a sponge-like lacing.
S: Smell is subdued, with gentle roasted sweetness the only aroma really coming through.
T: Taste is very nice. Much more balanced then other brown ales I have had (which are always a bit too sweet for my liking). Caramelized sweetness is balanced by a significant coffee or dark chocolate-like roasted bitterness. Very enjoyable flavor profile.
M: Mouth-feel is quite light for the flavor. In my opinion, this is what keeps it from being a porter. Medium body with light carbonation and a lingering bitterness.
D: More interesting than the usual brown ale, which makes it enjoyable to drink.
Emerson’s Organic Pilsner 4.4%
On-tap at Eureka Café and Bar. Served in a nonic pint glass.
A: Pours a clear, golden straw with active carbonation bubbling from the bottom of the glass. A half-inch white head remains even after the beer settles. Leaves substantial lacing down the glass.
S: Sweet citrus pretty much dominates the nose on this beer, quite nice and quite unexpected. As the beer warms the grain comes through a bit, but not much.
T: Sweet citrus and malt upfront, balanced by a firm bitterness at the back and biscuit-like/dry grain around the edges.
M: light to medium body with crisp carbonation and a clean/dry finish.
D: Super drinkable. Clean, refreshing, and light enough to put back easily.
I decided to follow up the pilsner with a more elusive offering, their current Brewer’s Reserve (a rotating style, produced for on-tap consumption), Very Brown Ale. Before I begin my review, I would like to take a moment to muse on the brown ale style. The brown ale, in my experience, is a brown colored ale, with a medium body, subdued (almost no) hop presence, and a firm caramel sweetness. I find the style to be quite drinkable, but rather unremarkable and unbalanced. Emerson’s version of the brown ale, however, is a much more interesting take on the style:
Emerson’s Very Brown Ale 5.5%
On-tap at Eureka Café and Bar. Served in a nonic pint glass.
A: Pours a deep brown with hues of red peaking through the glass. Thin off-white head remains after the beer settles. Almost coats the glass, leaving a sponge-like lacing.
S: Smell is subdued, with gentle roasted sweetness the only aroma really coming through.
T: Taste is very nice. Much more balanced then other brown ales I have had (which are always a bit too sweet for my liking). Caramelized sweetness is balanced by a significant coffee or dark chocolate-like roasted bitterness. Very enjoyable flavor profile.
M: Mouth-feel is quite light for the flavor. In my opinion, this is what keeps it from being a porter. Medium body with light carbonation and a lingering bitterness.
D: More interesting than the usual brown ale, which makes it enjoyable to drink.
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