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

[Stu McKinlay]

Green Flash Hop Head Red - very bitter but pretty nicely balanced, I'd love to try it fresh.
Cooper's Sparkling Ale - such a delicious estery treat for someone who gets bored with hoppy pale ales all the time.
Harrington's Rogue Hop - was really impressed with this at the Consumer tasting late last year, the most balanced beer all day... it lived up to my hopes last night.

Three very nice beers... all completely different.

[MrC]

Cooper's Sparkling Ale - such a delicious estery treat for someone who gets bored with hoppy pale ales all the time.
I agree Stu. It's not something I want a whole keg of but I do enjoy the occasional bottle.

[Michael]

I need to try Harrington's Rogue Hop, as I was quite pleased with their porter, 'Wobbly Boot.'

Is the Rogue Hop 'citrusy?'

[Stu McKinlay]

Not citrusy... quite hard to define. Nicely balanced. Nothing jumps out, it's just an easy drinker. A little tropical, a little spice, a little this and that.

[MrC]

Finished off my keg of B-Sharp last night. I really enjoyed that beer. I won't change the recipe much but will probably step it up a little next time just see... Sad to see it go but I need the keg for next beer.

[JoKing]

I'll be looking forward to trying this next week mate.

[MrC]

I find that some days it's great and others days it's a little "meh". Not sure whether it's temp or mood related. I hope you catch it on a good day.

[Stu McKinlay]

I know that feeling Mr Cherry. That's life, isn't it?

[Reviled]

Matsons Lager - At first I thought this was Mata but with a changed name, the packaging looks like a complete rip off of Mata's designs, but Matsons is from down in Christchurch and is being sold at my local New World for mega swill prices at $11 per 6 pack, I just got a single bottle for $2.50 cos I didnt want 6 of them lol

Its in a green bottle and is skunked so badly its hard to tell what the beer would have been like, allthough nothing flavoursome really pokes its head out at me.. Thats all there is to say really...

[Martin Bridges]

Yesterday I put my Belgian pale through the handpump, which worked pretty well. Nice spiciness in the background there.

Also cracked a bottle of Nerdherder from Beerstore. Tasted D-ish to me, very very nice. I preferred the non-carbonated handpump version from the Ellerslie beer fest last week though.

Then a bottle of 8 Wired Rewired - man that is a wonderful beer. Makes me want to go and brew another American brown to try and get close to it. Lovely chewy malt but with excellent balancing hoppiness.

Finished off with a dram or two of Highland Park 18-yr old single malt. Oh yes, that's the stuff. That bottle is not going to last long.

Today I faffed about with my Belgian stout and drank the hydro sample - alcoholic black treacle! Also had a drop or two of my Saison for next week's WBC. I'm starting to think it might have a chance after all.

And with the cheese course tonight I have a half bottle of 2007 Hallertau Porter Noir to look forward to.

It's all good.

[Michael]

Epic Armageddon

Hahaha...A full all-out-assault on the taste buds. I love it! :)

Darn shame all I have available that is cold after this is Mac's Sassy Red. I actually liked this beer the first time that I had it, but it seems like it is only half as good as it once was. I wonder why.

[vdog]

On the weekend, in the interests of educating some mates' tastebuds:
- Mata Feijoa
- Invercargill Boysenbeery
- Tuatara Hefe
- Bookbinder
- Little Creatures pale ale
- Twisted Hop IPA
- Armageddon
- Hopwired
- Emersons London Porter
- Coopers Best Extra Stout
- Plus a few home-brewed examples (pseudo-pils, pale ale and porter).

A day of contrasts - I had the best and worst beers I've ever tasted, all in one sitting.

A few standouts - the Mata for being the worst beer on the day, or ever. Complete balls (and not in a good way). Tuatara Hefe for being smooth as anything, and so drinkable. Armageddon as good as always, but the surprise package of Hopwired just blew everything else away. Soren, you're a legend - best beer I've ever had! The home-brewed Porter also took away a medal, which was gratifying. And mostly, having a bunch of guys who up until a year or two ago thought the pinnacle of good beer was Heineken, drinking and enjoying and discussing good beer.