4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Garage Project, New Zealand, Stout

Garage Project Aro Noir

Thursday, 14 April 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Garage Project
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 7%
Style: American Stout
Other Notes: Brewed with roasted barley. Hops – Columbus and Summit.

Brewer Description: (from can) Aro Noir is a pitch blak and full flavoured stout. At its heart is a blend of four malts, with Columbus and Summit hops, creating a citric bitterness and aroma that marries nicely with the roast malt character. Yes, it is inspired by the darkness of a Wellington winter in Aro Valley, but truly it is a stout for all seasons. Join us on the dark side.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.07
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 330ml can with a best before date of 10th August 2016 and poured into a Moonzen teku glass.
Appearance: It poured a pitch black colour with a big almost three finger dark tan head that stuck around for a while and left nice streaky lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, coffee, light char and bittersweet chocolate.
Taste: Starts with a light roast, coffee and light char followed by a bitter espresso and citric finish.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with medium to high carbonation.
Overall: This was good with nice coffee flavours mixed in with some smoky char and a bitter fruit finish. Light enough to be a stout for all seasons.

4 - Good (buy), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, USA

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp (2016): Tropical IPA

Wednesday, 13 April 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 6.7%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: Beer Camp is the perfect way for us to experiment with new flavor directions in beer. Each spring, we feature our favorite collaboration from camp. This year’s selection blends intensely aromatic hop varietals to create an IPA filled with fruit aromas of mango and papaya.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This new equatorial IPA features intense hop varietals bursting with aromas reminiscent of island fruit, including notes of mango, papaya and bitter orange, for a tropical take on the IPA.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.77
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with a packaged on date of 13th January 2016 and poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear copper orange colour with a tall fluffy three finger+ off white head with good retention and lots of sticky lacing.
Aroma: Orange candy sweetness with citrus lemon, lime and pine with maybe a hint of pineapple and bready malts.
Taste: Starts sweet-ish pineapple, before turning bitter orange peel, mandarin, lemon and grapefruit pith. I suppose there is a hint of mango there in the aftertaste, but its really lingering far in the background.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with medium carbonation.
Overall: This was pretty good. The lasting lingering bitterness is nice. However if I’m thinking Tropical IPA, this is completely not what I would think of. Yes there was pineapple and some mango here and there but they were mostly in the background. It’s an IPA for sure, but I don’t think it’s a Tropical IPA. Having said that, I’d give this another go.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Birra Toccalmatto, German Berliner Weisse, Italy

Toccalmatto Dr. Caligari

Tuesday, 12 April 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Birra Toccalmatto
Country: Italy
ABV: 6.3%
Style: German Berliner Weisse

Brewer Description: (from bottle) An expressionist raspberry nightmare. Our own take on the traditional German style: slightly sour and loaded with lots of fresh raspberries.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.23
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of 1st June 2016 and poured into a Duvel tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a slightly hazy pinkish orange colour with pretty much no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Tart, sour, lemon, then a strong candy raspberry jam.
Taste: This was nice. Like the aroma it starts with some tangy and tart lemon followed by raspberries. Hints of cherry and lime.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with some medium prickly carbonation.
Overall: This surprised me as recently I’ve been having some pretty poor Berliner Weisse. This was so much better and was very refreshing. With no head and lacing, it was very juice like too. I would look out for this one again.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, USA

Sierra Nevada Ovila Abbey Golden – Pomegranate

Monday, 11 April 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 8.5%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Other Notes: Specialty Ovila series brewed in collaboration with the monks of the Abbey of New Clairvaux in Vina, CA.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Pomegranates have been treasured since ancient times and used as symbols of fruitfulness and prosperity. In the modern era, they are prized for their unique sweet-tart flavor and intense red color, which acts as a perfect counterpoint for the spicy Belgian-style golden ale. This collaboration beer features pomegranates grown at the Abbey of New Clairvaux.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.86
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 12.7 fl oz corked and caged bottle packaged on 9th September 2015 and poured into a Duvel tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a hazy but bright copper colour with a one finger slightly off white head that dissipated fairly quickly but left nice lacing.
Aroma: Belgian yeast, banana, honey and fruity cherry tartness.
Taste: Sweet Belgian yeastiness, ripe banana and apple followed by some fruit tartness and only light pomegranate. Hint of pepper on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with light to medium carbonation.
Overall: This was the fourth of the Ovila series that I’ve tried and the best one so far. I think it would have been even better if I could taste more pomegranates though.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Bøgedal Bryghus, Beer Reviews, Denmark, Old Ale

Bøgedal No. 326 Gylden #2

Sunday, 10 April 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Bøgedal Bryghus
Country: Denmark
ABV: 6.2%
Style: English Old Ale (Bøgedal says Golden Caramel)
Other Notes: Hops – Cascade, Perle and Tettnang. Malt – Caramel.

Brewer Description: A golden beer with a scent of caramel and cane sugar. Has an aromatic taste of caramelized sugar, cappuccino and chocolate, without being too bitter. The head is thick and creamy. Enjoy it on its own or pair it with slow food or cheese.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.49
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.4

Intro: A 750ml bottle brewed on 15th November 2012, bottled on 27th November 2012 and poured into a Moonzen teku glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear deep amber red with a one finger off white head that dissipated quickly and did not leave much lacing.
Aroma: Sweet dark fruits of plum, prunes and raisin with caramel and vanilla.
Taste: On the sweet side with mainly caramel, toffee and brown sugar plus dark fruit sweetness of plum, apple and raisins.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with medium carbonation.
Overall: Admittedly, I’ve probably held on to this for too long. This was ok but too sweet for my palate. I’m glad I tried it, but it certainly took a while for me to finish this 750ml bottle.

words of another dreamy traveller

Monthly Archives: April 2016