Regular monthly Auckland-area SOBA meetings

[Martin Bridges]

We had a very successful initial meeting at Galbraiths on Saturday. Many thanks to the people who made the effort to come down (we had about 10 in total). A very interesting discussion was had, and some very good beer was drunk. It was really nice to meet a few people I'd previously only communicated with by email, and a few others who were totally new to me!

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss whether or not there was merit in the idea of regular Auckland-area get-togethers, and if so to talk about what form these might take. I'm pleased to say that there was unanimous support for regular meetings. Indeed it was felt that
this was exactly what was needed to get SOBA moving in the Auckland region.

In summary, we decided:
- monthly is the best frequency for the meetings
- Saturday afternoons are as good a time as any
- we should rotate the venue around different establishments (a few suggestions were mooted, and more are sought)
- each meeting should have a theme (e.g. a semi-formal tasting, homebrewing, beer guides etc.). Lots of good ideas were talked about.

There are a few things for future discussion (particularly whether or not we can do something jointly with the Hamilton-based folks) but I think a lot of progress was made.

I volunteered to come up with a date for the next meeting and after careful consideration I've come up with the following suggestion:

SECOND SATURDAY = SOBA!

My proposal is that the Auckland-area meetings should be on the second Saturday of every month at 2pm. That would mean that the next meeting would be on Saturday 10th May at 2pm, venue and theme to be confirmed (suggestions welcome).

Hope this works for people. I'll send a reminder out nearer the time.

Martin

[Tony]

Hope you don't choke on your Southern Cross Stu. ;)

Full nelson coming your way buddy!

Nice Dan, like your thinking. Some food for thought Luke?

[jt]

Nelson might be ok for those in the know, otherwise they'll probably think of the one eyed Admiral and the pigeon crap encrusted column in Blighty .. go Pacific or expand on the New World theme ... it won't smack as blatently of cheap advertorialism

[Nigel Gregory]

I'm enjoying the discussion.

For me the name needs to be as understandable to the wider public as possible - I think full nelson is extremely vague, doesn't even hint at a style. The category winner is going to have a heck of a time explaining it to non-beer people - and I'm not saying that all other categories are crystal clear, am more saying lets not make it any more difficult than necessary.

I like the simplicity of NZ Pilsner - but the fact it isn't being discussed suggests it mustn't be able to be used...??

[nzbrewer]

I think it is going to come down to educating the public about the new style and its name. After all the Pilsner style became the name of the style after all the beers brewed in Pilsen.

Most beers got there style name based on the influences of the style.

India Pale Ale
Lager
Weissbier
Stout
Porter
Kolsch
Dortmunder
American Pale Ale

We need to reflect in the name the key influencing factor that makes this style unique, and that is the Nelson grown hops.

Yes education is hard, and takes time, but it an opportunity too to have a point of difference and celebrate the uniqueness of our local hops.

Made it is just as easy as New Zealand (?) Beer

I think Plisner is a copout, and reflects the poor naming choices of the NZ hops over the years, such as NZ Hallertau or B & D Saaz. They should never have been called these names, it was pure marketing to the world. They are now being changed to reflect there uniqueness.

[Doug]

I can't see why it shouldn't be New Zealand Pilsener seeing how that's what we're already calling it (well some of us anyway) American Pale Ale exists as a style for the very same reasons. For those who don't know the New Zealand Saaz Triploids are now known as Motueka and Riwaka to remove any confusion with the genuine article, should probably point out as well that there is no "r" in Saaz and that the Germans do not make Pilsener.

[Brendon]

Hi Doug,
Slight segue - I notice that Jamil Zainasheff and John Palmer have created a hop flavour wheel which has a significant NZ influence. Do you know of any research/information available on the aroma and taste profiles of your hops other than what is on your website? i.e. publications on the flavour profiles (I think JP did some work a few years back but I don't know if it ever got published).
Would love to know a little more about our hops.
Cheers,
B
http://realbeernz.ning.com/photo/photo/show?id=1500433%3APhoto%3A9580

[Doug]

. Hello Brendon,

I'll have a dig around and see what I can uncover, I know there has been considerable sensory evaluation work carried out over the years through the Hop Research Committee. This type of research however is really fairly objective, so much so that the real science lay in the statistical evaluation of the results with the raw data usually being treated as secondary and anecdotal. I feel this type of work creates an excellent educational tool and is extremely useful in gaining consumer insights, however what makes a brewer select his hops initially is, as you would know........ generally more subjective.

Cheers,

Doug.

[Stu McKinlay]

I agree Luke - I'm sold on leaving Pilsner behind.

B&D Saaz!!!
How about a new beer Luke - Dominatrix.

[Tony]

Excellent, I am all for originality. I am sure we can come up with an original NZ name that defines our style of brewing and the local ingredients we use.

Right you are Doug, there is no R in Saaz, my German gets mixed up sometimes. As for the German's not brewing Pilsner, I don't know where you get that from. I could introduce you to several German brewers who might take offense to that statement (to say the least). It was a German brewer that developed the Pilsner recipe originally (he was actually Bavarian, some of whom take offense to be called German in the day). I'd love to debate that with you sometime?

But lets see about getting a cool, original name for a good Kiwi beer. Dominatrix? great think of the add campaign:
' what you're dong while you're having one of our beers' :0

Love your work

[Dan]

I was just thinking! where is this going, are we going to create new styles off original styles, is it gonna end at the pilsner? I.E:
New zealand, american india pale ale (NZAIPA) which ive got fermenting right now! nz hops, nz malt, only thing thats (possibly) american is the yeast, its brewed to the aipa style but nz ingredients.
Well if that’s the nz (type) pilsner on the cards, how many more styles do we need to make names for if we are using nz hops?

Imagine if every country did that, there would be a zhit load of styles and I wouldnt like to be the judge.
I do think beers brewed with NZ ingredients can be unique, but what if every country or regions in the world that grew hops started to create styles, I:E slovenia pilsner, slovenia apa, east kent dry stout, English pilsner, or original names there would be 100's of thousands of styles,
It would be great if we had a native yeast, do we? then we can really claim a beer of our own!

Why not keep it simple, 'NZ Lager' winner takes all
I don’t think robbing the name pilsner is a good idea, so I guess the nelson name is going somewhere, but the name should maybe hint as to what it is, but then again as luke said, time, education!

Looking at the world hop shortage lately, maybe everyone will be making full nelson’s in the future, LOL
Just my thinking, I dunno, I should shut up now!!!

[Barry]

I like the idea that "lager" is named after a process which applies even to beers made with New Zealand hops, and they must use that process to be successful. Pilsner is named after a place.

It's true that the NZ hopped beers we're talking about are more pilsners than lagers (balanced at the hoppy end of the scale rather than the malty end). But again, a name not derived from a overseas geographic location I reckon is more appropriate.

In my opinion NZ deserves to have it's own styles - especially the hoppy styles - as our hops are that unique. Arguably other nations growing hops don't have such strong characteristics - the citrussy passionfruit flavours that ours are renowned for, testament to the breeding programs undertaken by our experts. When these flavours come to the fore, in our pale ales and "pilsners", they are their own unique style aren't they.

[Tony]

No Dan, I think you raise a valid point. It was my idea that we weren't trying to define a new beer style or create one, more that we were trying to come up with a Generic name for our style of brewing a 'Pilsner' or 'Lager' style of beer. Given my previous views on Plisner (or whichever style), unless we are being true to that style, I feel it would be dishonest (for want of a better word) to call it such. Lager is a very Generic style that is less specific, and could easily fit into our style.
As could: NZ ale, depending on what you are brewing.

In the domestic market, this of course doesn't matter, I think we are talking about taking this offshore and defining a NZ style for the foreigners?