Beer Icons & Who needs hops

[jt]

I've been passing by AHB on a regular basis for a few years and Coopers Pale Ale keeps coming up regularly as one of THE beers to clone.
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/index.php/?autocom=recipedb&a...
It's as if there's a national pride in it, like it's an icon.

Do we have such a beer in New Zealand ?

I know we have icons in the marketeers beer world, the yea right, red like a fire engine, export yourself beer, but you know I don't mean that.

What's the beer that we all accept as a good one, not swill, not boutique, not a one off or seasonal.
What's the accepted good beer out there that always draws us in ? Is there is one beer that has almost universal acceptance ..

I'd suggest that there's been a few possibilities over the years .. Mac's (which one though), Hopsmacker, Bookbinder .. Any more ideas chaps ?

Now the next part.

If you can decide what this beer is - why not brew it for the next case swap - or maybe a seperate class in the SOBA homebrew comp - an ANZAC day brew day ?

I think the interpreation and the results could be quite fascinating

cheers, jt

[Greig McGill]

That would be great, thanks. I looked at craftbrewer, and was going to order, but thought I'd ask you first in case somebody local did them. 90g bags are annoying though!

[JoKing]

Tell me about it! You'll need to order two lots of 450g bags to make it cost effective. I recommend Colombus and Simcoe. The other hops in the recipe, are easy enough to get in NZ: Cascade, Amarillo. They use Centennial aswell - but you can sub that with a combination of Amarillo and Cascade. Although the recipe doesn't call for much, you caould still get a 90g in at the same time.

If you cant justify getting a kilo of hops from Oz, I'll go halves with you for that extra motivating factor.

I'll get that recipe to you when I have my laptop hooked up.

[Reviled]

Id be keen to go in on a US hop buy to save postage?? Bulk buy anyone????

[JoKing]

I'm keen on some Colombus and Centennial... and Simcoe!

I shouldn't get anymore... I have to use my current stock!

[denimglen]

Keen as well. Prices/bank balance depending. But most likely keen.

[Tony]

Today, I would go for an Epic, hoprocker or Emersons. Traditionally, NZ beer was the strong (flavoured) ales. Before WW2, our mainstream beers were quite different, and a lot stronger and flavoursome. It wasn't until the Yanks turned up, couldn't handle our beer and told the breweries to tone it done, that we ended up with the slop we have today.

Anyway, my point is, an iconic NZ beer would have to be a good, hoppy, flavoursome ale. What exactly that equates to today, I am not quite sure.

[denimglen]

Not an NZ beer (well that could be argued) but seems 4 out of 5 times I'm at Brewer's Coop someone comes in asking for a kit tha's 'like heinken'.

For most real beer drinkers I'd say something like Epic, not an NZ style as such but what else is, sweet amber lagers? Nah gee.

[Stu McKinlay]

If you are looking for a hoppy pale ale to brew, this link to 666's Gabriel might give you some ideas...

[Reviled]

Gaah typical, that site is blocked for me at work :o( Must be some naughty beer on the site ;o)

[Stu McKinlay]

Style: APA (Aotearoa Pale Ale)
Vitals: OG 1050
4.8% abv
Bitterness = 30 IBU (est.)
Colour = 8 SRM
Flavour/Aroma = lots
Malt: Golden Promise, Vienna, Wheat, Carapils, Caramalt
Hops: NZ Rakau, NZ Pacifica, NZ Nelson Sauvin
Yeast: English Ale

[Reviled]

Interesting hop combo, looks tasty!

[Tony]

I agree, that does look like a good beer. Interesting combo.