My ICB buddy Duncan -- carpenter, brewer and all-round good guy -- went to South Africa in November on the annual Niall Mellon Building Blitz, when over a thousand volunteers built 203 houses in a township outside Cape Town. Resourceful individual that he is, Duncan found the time to try a few beers and was kind enough to bring me back two bottles of Windhoek, a Namibian lager not commonly found in Dublin outlets.As one would expect from a hot country, this is a light quaffing lager, but it's no vapid gassy yellow affair. Windhoek is dark gold and has a very tasty malty profile, similar to the north German style, but not overpowering or musty as this sort can sometimes be. Well-balanced, moreish and the sort of thing that, in Europe, would be considered unremarkable but passable, but is stand-out for Africa.
I have been fortunate to sample quite a few Windhoek and I agree that it is great for South Africa, and a passable beer here in Europe. However, if you picture the scene of quaffing this tipple in 30+ degree heat, the beer is seen in a different light; refreshing, and reviving.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's my excuse. :-)
Yes, isn't it interesting how one's opinions on beer can vary according to climate?
ReplyDeleteThe Ur-Bock is better.
ReplyDelete