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

[Reviled]

Last night, a bottle of Mehana Brewery Volcano Red Ale - Very meh, I was expecting a nice hoppy US amber ale, but was greeted with a malty, overly sweet and boring beer, definately would not reccommend!

Followed up with a pint of my CS5 brown ale, was quite impressed, the 1469 has completely stolen the 30gms of Cascade I threw in at 0 but overall im pretty happy with it, nice malt character, good subtle hop flavour and a decent bitterness, slightly dry finish but the best part is the esters from this beautiful yeast, yum!!

[Reviled]

Went to Monsoon Poon for lunch and to my surprise saw both Kaimai brewing beers on the menu, so i got a Golden Rye ale, I dont know why but I really like this beer, and its one that alot of people say "meh" to (are you reading this stu?). Its crisp, clean, slightly spicy, slightly hoppy, well balanced and went awesome with my curry!

I guess I was also extremely happy to have at least some craft variety on offer as opposed to the usual slop, maybe Auckland is slowly getting better??

[Beer_ledgend]

Last night I had an 8wired iStout. Hey David it was't infected, he he. Is very nice big current and rasin flavours, just a bit oily. But very pleasant.

[Matthew]

Just had a Tripel Karmeliet. Lucious light orange both in colour and taste. No hint of the 8.4% abv which is pretty scary - I could easily have done a pint :D

[Simon David kelly]

Drinking James P's case swap beer ... nice and clean and clear with a great hoppy flavour.

[Patrick]

First taste of my second IPA effort. Bittered with NZ goldings, then 50:50 imp fuggles/motueka for flavour/aroma. It is nice, more bitter than the first one which is to be expected, had a lower OG with this one even though I used the same malt bill, maybe different crush or something. Doesn't have the candied citrus flavour of the last effort (50:50 nz cascade/nelson sauvin) but more of an earthy thing going on.

I *may* have killed off a 6 pack of haagen before opening this so I suspect my palate is now even worse than usual - will post again upon a sober tasting.

[Matthew]

Another excellent Northern Welly beer catch up today on top of some brewing.

8 Wired iStout - Yikes! 10.n% and you'd never know ;-) Luscious roasty drop.
Tawa Pear Cider - It's getting better. The pears have finally turned up.
Welly Collaboration APA - Top drop for a no-recipe-use-whatever-ingredients-are-available. No joke, it was a baby Firestone Walker Union Jack!
Welly Collaboration Hoppy brown - not too hoppy but a very accessible session brown.
Belgian blonde - Thought this was the perfect session beer until Michael mentioned the 12% ABV! Don't remember much after that :P
American Brown - AKA Imperial Mild - Another great example of a session beer.
RIS - Still a pretty big roasty,dark dark chocolate beer. Similiar to iStout but half the ABV.

There is more, but sleep quickly approaches like a thief in the night...

[jt]

I think the standout was the Raro aroma'd sample from the bottling before I arrived ..

[MrC]

Belgian blonde - Thought this was the perfect session beer until Michael mentioned the 12% ABV! Don't remember much after that :P
I know what you mean! I have a keg of Belgian Blonde (8%) and a keg of Tripel (10%) at the moment and I REALLY need to pace myself. Who brewed the Belgian Blonde?

[jt]

Ah, that was Brother Michael

[Michael]

I am the culprit.

Used the yeast that Mike was kind enough to give to me some number of months ago. I only have 3 bottles left, so I better find a way to get one to Mike.

[jt]

I missed the start and the end of the brewing and tasting afternoon, having family to deliver places.

The iStout had all but disappeared when I arrived, was the TPC before that ?

There was still Chris's Blonde and another beer of Michaels to go when I left (just as you bought the RIS out)

I was feeling pretty good and managed to enjoy Cascade Ale, Bitza Brown, Big Kid Brown and Late Hopped brown at home. And with all that talk of Brown, makes me feel like the stocks are a bit lop sided in the darker department at the moment