Category Archives: New Zealand

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

Garage Project Random Acts Of Kindness

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Brewery: Garage Project
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 7.6%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Wild Workshop

Brewer Description: (from bottle) The first in a very special series of beers that capture the essence of Wild Workshop. Two parts New Zealand grown pilsner malt to one part raw wheat go through an extended brewing process to yield a wort that is rested in a traditional open coolship, then fermented entirely using the wild yeast and microbes present in the air. This first release is a special blend of one year old barrels producing a unique and beautifully balanced beer, a true expression of our inner city terrior.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.06
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, bottled on 15th August 2019. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A slightly hazy golden colour with a two finger white head that eventually settled to a rapidly replenishing fluffy cap that left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Funky, straw, oak, Champagne grape, honey, with notes of stone fruit and citrus zest.
Taste: Sour, funky, stone fruit, apricot, peach, oak, and a hint of honey and lemon zest.
Mouthfeel: Dry-ish, medium bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: Very nice and enjoyable Wild Ale with good funk and fruity notes.

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

Garage Project Omne Trium Perfectum – Guava, Coconut, Makrut Lime

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Brewery: Garage Project
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 5.8%
Style: American Wild Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Three, it’s the magic number. OTP – a special series of sours, each batch combining a trio of unusual ingredients based on the perfect principle of three elements. This batch we’ve combined a hand-picked selection of 12-18 month oak-aged mixed fermentation beer with guava, coconut, and makrut lime to create a blend bursting with juicy, sour, tropical flavours. Omne Trium Perfectum, no more no less – for some reason things just work better in threes.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.39
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 750ml bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy yellow orange colour with a half finger white head that disappeared immediately and left no lacing.
Aroma: Tart, guava dominates, with notes of pineapple, lime and coconut.
Taste: Tart, sour, guava, lime, with hints of coconut.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A very enjoyable and balanced sour, with lots of tropical fruit flavours.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Bière de Champagne / Bière Brut, Garage Project, New Zealand

Garage Project Pas De Deux

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Brewery: Garage Project
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 11.6%
Style: Bière de Champagne / Bière Brut
Other Notes: Garage Project + Nautilus. Methode Aro Bière 2016

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A duet of perfect unison – strong blonde wort and the finest clear pressed pinot juice from Nautilus Estate’s sparkling vineyard. First blended and fermented together using a mixture of Belgian beer and champagne yeasts, then bottled and allowed to condition ‘sur lie’ for 18 months before being riddled and disgorged in the traditional method. The result of this intricate, painstaking process is a seamless union of beer and sparkling wine. A true pas de deux.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.91
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A corked and caged 750ml bottle, Methode Aro Bière 2016, poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly to a thin ring around the glass, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: White grape, grape gummy candy, with ice wine notes.
Taste: Moderately sweet, vinous, white grape, candy sugar, with notes of apple, caramel and booze.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to low spritzy carbonation.
Overall: This was interesting, maybe more of a sipper for me, as the sweetness and booze combo is not my favourite.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Garage Project, IPA - New England / Hazy, New Zealand

Garage Project FRESH IPA (Jun 2020)

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Brewery: Garage Project
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 7%
Style: New England / Hazy IPA
Other Notes: Malts – Pilsner, Oats and Spelt. Hops – Simcoe, Centennial Cryo, Motueka and Azacca. Yeast – Wyeast 1318 London III

Brewer Description: (from can) Fresh IPA, a rolling, ever-changing monthly series of one-offs, brewed in small batches and available only from our brewery outlets, and only while stocks last. Each batch is an opportunity to try a new, brewery fresh IPA – unfiltered and unfined, showcasing a unique combination of yeast, malt and hops. Just fun, fresh hoppy beer at its best.

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

Intro: A 440ml can, canned on 4th May 2020 (maybe… it’s not too legible). Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A hazy orange yellow colour with a three finger white head that had good retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Strong citrus pith, orange and lemon zest, with notes of pine and grass.
Taste: Juicy, papaya, melon, mango, citrus zest and pith, lightly bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation and a dry finish.
Overall: Easy drinking IPA with enjoyable aroma and flavours.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Garage Project, New Zealand, Sour Ale

Garage Project Beyond The Pale – Off-Piste

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Brewery: Garage Project
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 4.2%
Style: Sour Ale
Other Notes: 30 years at the Fringe

Brewer Description: (from can) A Garage tradition celebrating New Zealand’s own fantastic fringe festival with a very special avant-garde offering. This year our favourite festival turns 30 and to celebrate we’re going off-piste. It’s a very fringe affair – kettle-soured, spiked with beetroot juice and infused with blood orange and mint; a unique combination creating a startling crystal pink beer with a refreshing citrus palate and delicate lifted aroma. The perfect way to celebrate 30 years of fabulous fringe fun.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.91
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 330ml can, with a best before date of 21st November 2020. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A nice clear orange pinkish colour with a two finger white head that had pretty good retention while leaving only some sparse lacing.
Aroma: Citrusy, blood orange, lime, sherbet like.
Taste: Sour, tart, blood orange, citrus sherbet, lime, candy.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Light and refreshing citrus sherbet notes. The beetroot and mint did not come through as strongly as I hoped though. But it still did make for some good easy drinking.