Category Archives: Moonzen Brewery

3 - Indifferent (buy if no other choice), Beer Reviews, Belgian Saison, Hong Kong, Moonzen Brewery

Moonzen Money G.O.D.

Tuesday, 6 March 2018 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Moonzen Brewery
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 6%
Style: Belgian Saison
Other Notes: Brewed with kumquats

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Happy Chinese New Year! This ‘God of Wealth’ Kumquat Saison is brewed with fragrant kumquats for a delicate citrus bouquet. A collaboration with Goods of Desire. Wishing you ‘A house full of gold and much prosperity’!

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.77
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 330ml bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden straw colour with a two finger white head that had ok retention while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Belgian yeast, clove, Pilsner malts, honey, citrusy kumquat and citrus peel with light pepper spice, floral and herbal elements.
Taste: Similar to the aroma with Belgian yeast, clove, pepper spice, kumquat, citrus peel and floral.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice relaxing Saison with flavours of kumquats. Worth a try.

Moonzen Flaming Mountains

Thursday, 4 January 2018 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Moonzen Brewery
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 6%
Style: Bière de Champagne / Bière Brut
Other Notes: Muscat Bière De Champagne

Brewer Description: (from bottle) In Journey to the West, Monkey King encounters an impassable flaming mountain. Too busy fanning out the flames with his magic palm to continue his journey that he missed this tasty creation. Turpan, Xinjiang is a fertile land of delicious fruits, with a unique desert climate and mountain water oasis. In this unique collaboration, Moonzen journeyed 3000km to harvest muscat grapes from Puchang Vineyard for this provincial beer. With an enchanting aroma, it drinks like a beer at warmer temperatures and a sparkling white wine at cooler temperatures.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.11
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 330ml bottle with no bottled on or best before date. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A cloudy dark straw yellow colour with a one finger white head that dissipates slowly and settles to a thin layer while leaving only sparse lacing. Very lively with lots of bubbles throughout.
Aroma: Nice citrusy lemon, lemon zest, white grape and light malt. Floral and perfume-y on the finish.
Taste: Green grapes, vinous, white wine, grass and a touch of lemon. Like the aroma, finish is floral and perfume-y.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, dry, light to medium bodied with spritzy moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: Nice aromas and taste which made it refreshing to drink.

2 - Maybe (wouldn't buy, but will drink), Beer Reviews, Belgian Dubbel, Hong Kong, Moonzen Brewery

Moonzen Golden Gourd Ale

Monday, 4 December 2017 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Moonzen Brewery
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 8%
Style: Belgian Dubbel
Other Notes: One-off release

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Moonzen’s Golden Gourd Ale, a double mushroom dubbel (8%ABV, 330ml) brewed with Golden Tremell and Russulaceae vinosae, essential ingredients that nourish the blood. Concocted to celebrate the release of Moonzen’s Golden Gourd beer glass.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.19
My ratebeer.com rating: 3

Intro: A 330ml bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date. Poured into a Moonzen Golden Gourd glass.
Appearance: A dark amber red colour with a big three finger tanned head that had good retention while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Dark fruit raisin, plum and prunes with a hint of banana and toffee in the background.
Taste: Some prunes to start but it goes away real quick to be replaced by watered down plum and dates before a finish of light savoury mushrooms, which I was not expecting.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium to light bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: This one was strange for me. The aroma of lots of dark fruits was actually great, but the flavours didn’t match up to the aroma and disappeared quickly. Everything was just kind of abrupt. All that said, I do really like the design of the Golden Gourd beer glass.

3 - Indifferent (buy if no other choice), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Hong Kong, Moonzen Brewery

Moonzen Rose Oolong Session IPA

Thursday, 12 May 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Moonzen Brewery
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 4.5%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: Spring seasonal.

Brewer Description: (from facebook page) Introducing Moonzen Rose Oolong Session IPA (4.5%), with a luscious body and an enchanting aroma of hops and roses. Unbeknownst to all there existed a fifth Chinese beauty, 玫琳, who legend has it was so beautiful that the heavens would cry in admiration.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.69
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 330ml bottle, bottled in March 2016 and poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a hazy golden orange colour with a puffy two finger white head that had great retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Tropical fruits of mango and pineapple with flowery rose, grass and tea.
Taste: Iced tea, grassy, herbal and flowery rose. Lightly bitter.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: This was nice and easy to drink as its very tea like. Perhaps a bit too herbal and flowery for me though.

5 - Excellent (must buy), American Imperial Porter, Beer Reviews, Hong Kong, Moonzen Brewery

Moonzen Yama Sichuan Porter

Saturday, 16 April 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Moonzen Brewery
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 8%
Style: American Imperial Porter
Other Notes: Brewed with Sichuan peppercorns

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This beast of a porter, with wafts of smoked caramel malts and Sichuan peppercorns, will set your senses on fire as you await King Yama’s judgement. Pairs well with Sichuan dishes like 擔擔麵 or 棒棒雞.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.48
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 330ml bottle, bottle numbered 172, with a best before date of 1st June 2016. Poured into a Moonzen teku glass.
Appearance: It poured a dark dark brown colour with a one finger beige head that dissipated quickly, but left some light lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, crushed Sichuan peppercorn, ginger, sweet brown sugar and light caramel.
Taste: Dark roast malts, Sichuan peppercorns, light smoke char, black coffee, chocolate, caramel and a light lasting spicy tinge on the tongue.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: A very good Porter especially if you like spicy Sichuan peppercorns. The peppercorns really come out in the aroma and taste of this beer and mix well the roasty malts, coffee and chocolate flavours. The spiciness is there and lasts but is not overpowering. I would definitely buy this again. I also think aging this would be very interesting.

words of another dreamy traveller