What are you drinking ?

[jt]

Ok, so What Are You Brewing was a hotty, as topics go.

Now I'm 15 pints into a keg I only filled on Tuesday and wondering if anyone else has a favourite at the moment ?

It's my second brown with US-Oh05 and it's better than the forst, maybe Ikept the temps down a bit during the scorcher we had in januray

[Ian Marriott]

JP 2010 and loving it!!!

[Martin Bridges]

A lovely night at the Malthouse last night, although my head was not so good this morning:

Mr Cherry's Coconut Porter (yes I know Steve P had some input in the brewing process but when you're drinking it with Mr C, it's Mr C's beer!). Beautiful, beautiful beer. Excellent balance of the coconut with the rich porter.

Maximus - mmmmm, citrustastic.

Armageddon - drier, gruntier than the Maximus

Apocalypse - if I'd drunk it with my eyes shut I'd have not picked it as a dark beer. As it was, my eyes and tastebuds got very confused.

Liberty Summ!t - Awesomeness in a glass. Sadly it was a pint glass, so everything after that was a bit hazy.

Stingo - this really suffered by being drunk after all that hop madness. I'm sure it's a really nice beer, but I just couldn't do it justice.

I'm flying back to AKL tonight but have 3 competing invites for beer at Hashigo, Regionals & the Malty before I go!

[Martin Bridges]

Managed to squeeze in 3 quick pints at Hashigo Zake before heading for the plane:

Motueka Monster on handpump - oh yes. ohyesohyesohyes. Man I love those NZ Hops and the handpump lets them sing out.

Invercargill Saison - very nice, a little richer than most Saisons I've had and all the better for it.

Twisted Hop IPA - the pinnacle of English-style IPAs for me. As good as ever.

Plane was delayed but didn't quite have time to call in at Mojo for some Tuatara. I'll be back again in a month, then again for Beervana. Can't wait!

[Matthew]

Had some cracker beer recently.

8 Wired Red Dwarf
Saison and Bling IPA - Can't remember the brewery but it was Australian.
Yeastie Motueka Monster - for NZ hop heads this is to die for
Taster of Maximus - Usual top quality
Taster of Epic Apocalypse - Showed some real potential. I love the Cascadian dark ales, I hope Luke keeps working on it.
Liberty Summ!t IIPA - Wowser! Fell in love with a new hop today thanks to this beer. Not sure you can get too much closer to a session beer at 8.3%. I could have supped it all arvo long.

Well done brewing chaps.

[jt]

Yeastie Motueka Monster - for NZ hop heads this is to die for

Liberty Summ!t IIPA - Wowser!

yes, absolutely top beers.
tried some YMM a few weeks ago at Chris's and Summ!t tonight at the malthouse
I could go a few of the YMM, but the Summ!t got me with passionfruit - I had this vision of tip top passionfruit icecream all pint long .. just couldn't do the second in the same sitting. I'm sure I'll be over it for my nex tpint and be less distracted

cheers, jt

[JoKing]

It's good to read reviews like this. I really wanted to make a "full on" hop assault, but on the flip side have a beer that you could roll on all night with. I wanted to prove that massive beers can still be drinkable. I'll never forget drinking my first pint of Pliny the Elder... 8% and it lasted about 2 maybe 3 minutes.

Cheers fellas - sounds like batch 2 might be getting underway ahead of schedule...

[Glynn Foster]

I had a Pliny on tap today. I may have had an off day at the Rose and Crown in Palo Alto, but it was nothing, *nothing* close to my first tasting of Motueka, Yakima or Summ!t last week.

[Andrew]

Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale - Great ale with moderate hoppiness, could drink lots of this

Anchor Liberty Ale - A bit caramelly with some Diacetyl on the nose but good hop flavour. I'd love to taste a clean version with no VDK.

Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye - Rival to Kiwi beers like Maximus and Armageddon. I could drink loads of this stuff, oh yeah its 8%, maybe I could try but not likely to succeed at that abv.

Flying Dog Horn Dog (Barley Wine, 10.2%) and Stone Old Guardian (11%) are next up. Don't expect a coherent post after those!

[JoKing]

Old Guardian is one of my favourites (2009 vintage anyway) I haven't had the 2010 - but I doubt it could be worse...

[Andrew]

Flying Dog Horn Dog was pretty good, really caramelly and sweet. Would be awesome with a chocolate fudge pudding just before bed. After I had this bottle I was just about done in. Slept like a baby.

[Ron]

Hi all
Has anyone heard of a new brewery in Christchurch called "Cassel's and Sons Brewery" at The Tannery, 3 Garlands Road, Woolston.
I have just come home from the Lyttelton market where they were selling their wares. Free tastings of a Dunkel, a Pilsner and a Lager. All very very nice. Served in very stylish brown swing tops with a $1 return on the bottle.Apparently their kettle is wood fired, will be worth a visit to check out I reckon.
Speaking to the boys at the market their plans are to have a brew-pub set up in Woolston at the brewery.
Sounds great to me, get your hands on some of their beer if you can as it is good.

[Nigel Mahoney]

They now have an E.S.B., as well as two different Elder beers... a 6.3% Schwartz called "Medicinal" brewed with Elderberries, and a 3.9% light honeyed ale made with Elderflowers called "Elder-Ale" (something for the ladies?)