5.7% ABV and a perfectly clear gold colour, this stuff is New Zealand in a glass. It has all of that spicy, peppery hop blast that switches over into ripe mango mid-sip and continues in this binary fashion -- spicy and juicy -- all the way along. The firm body helps the hop flavours do their thing, but it's so clean it could still pass for being a much lower-strength beer. I got a tiny touch of butane or diesel in the finish, those crazy kiwi hops again.
More than anything this is an entertaining beer. I'm guessing from the supreme freshness it was actually brewed somewhat closer to home than Wellington -- I understand some of that work happens in the UK these days (at BrewDog, say my always-reliable commenters below). But it certainly does a great job as an ambassador for its purported country. I'd love it if a beer could taste so unmistakeably of Ireland as this does of New Zealand.
Bottle beer brewed at brewdog !
ReplyDeleteGo where the Nelson is, I guess.
DeleteThat's an intriguing final thought....what would Ireland taste of I wonder?
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about this since yesterday. I think there is only one uniquely Irish flavour: Tayto Cheese & Onion. I'll need some Summit and whatever the oldest hops in the fridge are.
DeleteDigital, Gunnamatta & Pot Kettle Black are all brewed at Brewdog. Anything else you come across in UK & Ireland imported from NZ. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteThanks Stu!
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