Tag Archives: 8 wired

4 - Good (buy), 8 Wired Brewing Co., Beer Reviews, New Zealand, Stout - Imperial

8 Wired iStout Double Espresso

Leave a comment

Brewery: 8 Wired Brewing Co.
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 13.5%
Style: Stout – Imperial
Other Notes: 15th Birthday. Imperial Stout brewed with coffee

Brewer Description: (from can) Søren has always wanted to brew an espresso imperial stout, so for 8 Wired’s 15th birthday, he finally got around to making one! We’ve taken the base recipe for the iconic iStout, and cranked the ABV right up. Using an intense, rich, espresso blend from our friends at Rush, this is truly one mighty coffee experience!

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.33

Intro: A 330ml can, with a best before date of July 2027, poured into a Bokke tasting glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown to black in colour, with a half finger brown head that had good retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Roasty, freshly ground coffee bean, espresso, chocolate.
Taste: Roasty, espresso, coffee, dark chocolate, with a nice bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Rich, full bodied, with soft carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable sipper with old school coffee Imperial Stout aroma and flavours. Nice strong roast, coffee, and a lasting bitterness that compliments and rounds it all off.

4 - Good (buy), 8 Wired Brewing Co., Beer Reviews, Lambic - Gueuze, New Zealand

8 Wired Oude Imperiale

Leave a comment

Brewery: 8 Wired Brewing Co.
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 8%
Style: Lambic – Gueuze
Other Notes: Spontaneous fermented sour ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A very special “Imperial Geuze” inspired blend of selected barrels from our library. One third each of spontaneously fermented 8, 6 and, 4 year old barrels create a perfect marriage of funk, fruit, acidity and Sherry-like aged flavours.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.17
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 500ml bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen gueuze glass.
Appearance: A clear golden orange colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly to a nice fluffy cap while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Funky, musty, damp wood, oak, vanilla, with notes of orange, and citrus zest.
Taste: Light sour, tart, apricot, orange, funky, musty, damp wood, oak, with light citrus zesty sweetness.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: It was enjoyable while being oak and funk forward.

4 - Good (buy), 8 Wired Brewing Co., Barleywine - American, Beer Reviews, New Zealand

8 Wired Lord Of The Atlas

Leave a comment

Brewery: 8 Wired Brewing Co.
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 12%
Style: American Barleywine
Other Notes: 2016 vintage. Oak aged barley wine ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) American style barley wine, brewed with New Zealand malt, Australian hops, English yeast and aged on French oak. A true globetrotter, a mighty Lord of the Atlas.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.31
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 500ml bottle, 2016 vintage, with a best before date of 14th December 2019, however I believe it’s still good. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A dark orange brown colour with a thin half finger beige head that had decent retention but left only sparse spotty lacing.
Aroma: Hoppy, herbal, sweet dried fruit, caramel malt, raisin, coconut and oak.
Taste: Sweet, herbal, medicinal, pine hoppy, dried stone fruit, dried coconut, oak, caramel malt, with a bittersweet finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable sipping barleywine with nice aroma and flavours.

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), 8 Wired Brewing Co., Beer Reviews, New Zealand, Sour Ale

8 Wired Lamponi

Leave a comment

Brewery: 8 Wired Brewing Co.
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 5%
Style: Sour Ale
Other Notes: Raspberry sour with oregano, basil and thyme

Brewer Description: (from can) Who doesn’t like a fresh raspberry sour!? This one is brewed with freeze dried oregano, basil and thyme. Fruity, complex, effervescent and very refreshing!

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.36
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.2

Intro: A 330ml can, with a best before date of 8th November 2021. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy pinkish orange colour with a two finger white head that dissipated quickly and left no lacing.
Aroma: Tart, mixed berries, lemon zest, oregano and thyme.
Taste: Tart and sweet, oregano, mixed berries, with hints of citrus zest and thyme.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: The oregano flavour was too strong and I felt that it overpowered everything else including the raspberry. Not sure it really needed the oregano and thyme. I would’ve preferred just raspberry and basil.

4 - Good (buy), 8 Wired Brewing Co., Beer Reviews, New Zealand, Stout - Imperial

8 Wired iStout Unchained Imperial Stout

Leave a comment

Brewery: 8 Wired Brewing Co.
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 12%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 3 year wine barrel aged. 2016 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Our highly rated imperial stout, iStout, aged for 3 years in Pinot Noir barrels with added brettanomyces. Roasty and boozy as the original but also funky, dry, wild and unchained.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.19
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 500ml bottle, 2016 vintage. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown to black in colour with a big two finger tanned head that had pretty good retention and eventually settled to a thin layer, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Light roast, cocoa, leather, brett, oak, lightly vinous and a touch herbal.
Taste: What you’d expect from the aroma, light roast, cocoa, funky, brett, tart, vinous, and oak.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Nice aroma and flavours although the Imperial Stout parts are probably overpowered by the brett and vinous aspects. This is really drinkable but I’m unsure I’d still call this an Imperial Stout.