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?
7.0% ABV, 330ml glass bottle, Blenheim, New Zealand, purchased from New World Birkenhead
The Pink Elephant brewery is widely known for it’s distinctive, English style ales. No surprise then that it was founded in 1990 by an Englishman from Kent, Roger Pink.
Having won several awards since that time, to this day Pink Elephant stays true to the art of brewing, using only traditional ingredients and methods. Given such an illustrious history, we expected a lot from Mammoth, their flagship Strong English Ale, and were not disappointed.
Into the glass it goes… the Mammoth pours a deep mahogany hue, the head dissipating quickly to leave a moderate amount of lacing.
Dark malts evident on the nose with complex fruity overtones, smooth tasting with subtle bourbon characters on the palate, leaving behind a slightly salty and bitter finish, strangely reminiscent of soy sauce.
Mammoth is definitely strong on flavour, and a taste that’s slightly boozier than it’s little brother the Golden Tusk, despite having the same alcohol content.
If you enjoy a good English style strong ale, this is a great example of the style, and brewed right here in New Zealand. Highly recommended.
Imagine my delight when I open the fridge, seeking the “surprise” that my wife had promised me after a hard day’s slog. There in the door was a bright red label, standing out amongst the dullness of assorted condiments and half-empty milk bottles.
Invercargill Brewery Men’n’Skurrts
Peaty Scottish Ale, 330ml, 7% abv, $5.99 from LiquorLand, Forrest Hill
Sweet malty nose, smooth malt taste with a subtle peat finish.
Chris: Appropriately Peaty.
Very smooth drinking and tasty.
Aside from tasting 10 different beers from their range, in fact everything listed on their website, we learned a lot about Beer and the history of Moa in particular. How Josh came from a family of Vintners, for example. And the influence of that history comes through — the use of wine yeasts, and the clean and crisp finish that is a real signature across the range.
The care that has gone into each Moa is clear. In each case, the ingredients are selected specially for that one flavour, something is different in each – the malt, the hops, and even the yeast varies between varieties.
