Hopful Thinking

Hopful Thinking

I Drink, Therefore I Am.

  • Beer Recipes
  • Beer Reviews
  • Brewery Spotlight
  • Home Brewing
  • Hopful Thoughts
  • Showcase
  • Travels
  • Book Reviews
  • Featured
  • About
  • Featured

Internet + Beer = AWESOME : Epic Orcon Pale Ale

Posted in Beer Reviews by Dan
Aug 03 2012

I do love writing about beer, but it doesn’t exactly pay the bills.  Not so far anyway.  And so, like most beer enthusiasts, I have a day job. It just so happens that my day job is at the very awesome Orcon.

And it just so happens that Richard, a like-minded team mate, suggested that Orcon should do an Awesome beer; with none other than our local hop-head, Luke Nicholas of Epic.

I guess the powers-that-be liked the idea because the next minute we were hanging out with Luke at Steam, laying down a mash, designing a killer label, and making a youtube video about it. I gotta say, we had a great time, and I reckon we’ve done a pretty good job on the beer too.

Epic Orcon Pale Ale pours a bright golden hue and just a little white head.  The subtle aroma of passionfruit greets you and from the first sip, caramel malt characters fade out to a bitter hop finish.  The mouthfeel is velvety with just a hint of effervescence to remind you it’s there.

At 5.6%, Epic Orcon ale makes for a refreshing session beer, perfect for a late night gaming session or just a quiet afternoon, you know, checking Facebook.

Epic Orcon Ale wants to be your friend – you should totally accept this request.

epicorcon.co.nz

  • Tweet
No Comments yet »
Tagged as: Awesome, Epic, Internet, New Zealand, NZ Beer, Orcon, pale ale

Spruce Beer – Wigram Brewing Company

Posted in Beer Reviews by mekiwi
Apr 16 2012

After sampling some of Wigram’s beers at the 2012 New Zealand Beer Festival I was happy to spy a bottle of their Spruce Beer at New World Victoria Park.

This beer is based on Captain’s Cooks original recipe as first made in Dusky Sound, New Zealand, 1771.

Was this recipe developed by Captain Cook and his men in desperation upon their arrival in New Zealand? With no hops or barley to be found?

(more…)

  • Tweet
No Comments yet »
Tagged as: Ale, captain cook, Christchurch, clove, manuka, New Zealand, nz, NZ Beer, potpourri, spruce, spruce beer, Wigram Brewing Company

Epic Brewing Company – Larger (via 64BottlesOfBeerOnTheWall)

Posted in Beer Reviews by Dan
Apr 03 2012

Because it is …

Epic Brewing Company – Larger

Couldn’t agree more…  in fact I warmed up with one before the Beer Fest.  But definitely not a session beer (unless it’s a very, very serious session!)

Anyone try Larger for the first time on Saturday?  Mind blown?

  • Tweet
No Comments yet »
Tagged as: imperial pilsener, Larger, reblog

Brewery Spotlight: the Coromanel Brewing Company

Posted in Beer Reviews, Brewery Spotlight, Travels by Dan
Mar 07 2012

Nestled in the natural beauty that is the Coromandel Peninsula, just a few short hours drive from Auckland, there is a brewery known simply as the Coromandel Brewing Company. Neil Vowles has been brewing beer since his student days.  In the 80’s good beer in the UK was hard to come by; this combined with a student budget made brewing his own an attractive option.  His passion for brewing carried on as a hobby until moving to the Coromandel in 2008, and finding a lack of craft beers in the area.  The solution was obvious – start a small brewery and fill the void!

(more…)

  • Tweet
No Comments yet »
Tagged as: Bock Lager, bottle conditioned, Coromandel, craft beers, Dark Lager, Good as Gold, microbrewery, nz, pale ale, Pilsener, the Coromandel Brewing Company, Travel

Pink Elephant Golden Tusk Special

Posted in Beer Reviews by Dan
Feb 08 2012

20120208-212907.jpg

7.0ABV, 330ml glass bottle, Blenheim NZ, purchased from New World Birkenhead

Sweet toffee on the nose, turning to a malty, bitter toffee on the palate. The Golden Tusk Special comes across as a traditional british ale in similar style to Old Speckled Hen and it’s ilk.

Despite the 7% heft, the alcohol is barely detectable and this is supremely easy to enjoy.

Recommended session beer, at least, if you’re in the mood for a big night!

  • Tweet
No Comments yet »
Next page »

Get updates by Email

RSS Feed RSS - Posts

Twitter

  • Drinking a Stone Free by @8wiredbrewing @ GABS2018 — https://t.co/IiOBlZ3eS7 02:39:54 PM June 30, 2018
  • Drinking an Iron Dragon Waving Cat by @outliercartel @ GABS2018 — https://t.co/TbrsLJysgb 02:39:33 PM June 30, 2018
  • Drinking a Shake Your Mangos by @BrewingBones @ GABS2018 — https://t.co/LIdFaTMwj1 02:38:36 PM June 30, 2018
  • RT @justinbaragona: Rachel Maddow chokes up and cries on air as she struggles to deliver news that migrant babies and toddlers have been se… 07:53:13 PM June 20, 2018
  • RT @tarbard: I made a device that checks the council website and lights up to show you what colour bin to put out. I call it the Bindicator… 06:07:00 PM June 02, 2018
  • Drinking an Electron by @SunshineBrews - https://t.co/T95QYsHlqo #photo 06:16:47 PM February 09, 2018
  • Drinking an Avgas Pilsner by Pilot Brewery @ Giraffe by Simon Gault — https://t.co/Go7ZLtO8pk #photo 05:33:07 PM February 09, 2018
  • Cold beer, cool jazz, warm food. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.... (Hopitoulas) https://t.co/JYlP7jFIpe 05:29:34 AM October 27, 2017
  • Drinking a Ragin' Cajuns by @BayouTecheBiere at @willajeannola — https://t.co/7GXNEWypC0 #photo 06:05:24 AM October 26, 2017
@hopfultweeting

Archives

  • October 2014
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • March 2013
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011

Recent Comments

  • hopfulthinking on New Zealand’s Answer to Munich
  • hopfulthinking on New Zealand’s Answer to Munich
  • Dave on New Zealand’s Answer to Munich
  • Jager Tron on New Zealand’s Answer to Munich
  • Dan Capper on New Zealand’s Answer to Munich

Other Guff