Do I need help?

[Stu McKinlay]

Hi I'm Stu.... Sometimes I feel alone, here's a little story that might help explain:

 

Last night I tasted the most fantastic new New Zealand beer - Invercargill Brewery's Sa!son. Up until now, the new New Zealand beer this year that had really got me excited was Epic Oaked Armageddon... a great beer, that caught me by surprise a bit, but the Sa!son was another step above them in both the "wow!" and drinkability factor. I mentioned the Saison to a few people and had one response from someone that had me thinking about my choices of great beers.

 

Earlier this year I'd recommended NZNBC's Deliverance Dortmunder to a few places (one of my "wow" beers of last year). Superbly drinkable and an amazing showcase of the importance of water in a beer's balance. The beer seems to have been met with a pretty ho hum attitude by most.

 

At Marchfest I fell in love with Moa Resurrection - I don't remember anyone else waxing lyrical about it anywhere.

 

I've stated for quite sometime that Townshend's Cathcart's NTA is the best beer in the country (personal opinion, I'm not proclaiming it "Champion Beer of NZ'). To me it has absolutely everything that a beer should have, in the same way that Galbraith's Bob Hudson's and Bellringers do. A good malt backbone with malt flavours rather than just sweetness, low alcohol for sessionability, superb and quite unique hop flavour, perfect water character, just the right amount of bitterness to have you begging for more, and (maybe most importantly) a fantastic fermentation profile that ties everything together in a way that means nothing sticks out (most importantly the "hole" that I sometimes find in beers that are just a little too clean).

 

A few weeks back I tried Rogue American Amber alongside 8 Wired Red Dwarf... the latter was nice (though a little too fresh, I'm looking forward to another try) but the former was stunning. As many people know I'm a staunch advocate that fresh is most certainly not best and I think the age on the Rogue really made it shine through (even if it may well have been picked as a fault by some). The hops (Cascade and EKG) were stunning but didn't have any of the big "new world" character that people expect these days - the hop flavour could proably best be described as ice tea. Again, nobody thought it was much chop.

 

Does anyone else feel out on their own sometimes? If so, what are the some of the beers you love that nobody else seems that fussed about? Or the beers you could take or leave that everyone else loves.

 

* Disclaimer 1: Take these thoughts as you will, they are purely personal. Most people here know that I have a strong personal and professional relationship with Steve Nally at Invercargill. I also know Martin Townshend fairly well, everyone knows Luke ;-), Soren, Keith Galbraith and David Nicholls a little bit, but I've never met Ben Middlemiss or anyone from Rogue.

 

** Disclaimer 2: I tried so many amazing homebrews in the last three years, most of which were big-to-huge, that it really does take a lot for a big beer to impress me. Big hops, loads of alcohol, smoke, spice or coconut is not enough to wow me any more... it has to be the complete picture and I seem to get this a lot more in beers under 6% (not that I don't love big beers!).

[JoKing]

Yeah - I think you're in trouble mate.

Mind you... having said that, I haven't many one of the beers you speak of in this. Only Galbraiths - and I think I had a sip of deliverance which definately was meh to me.

So who is the one with the problem then? The one who gets to drink all the good stuff and complain about it... or the one who doesn't have the privelage to drink them and complain about that?

[Stu McKinlay]

the one who doesn't have the privelage to drink them and complain about that

you have a good point there!

[Reviled]

Interesting read Stu, everyones pallet is an individual and I sometimes proclaim a beer to be absolutely awesome just to have everyone else try it and say 'meh' - Renaissance Paradox being one of them of the top of my head..

But I have to agree with ya on the Rogue Amber, that was my go to beer when I was in the USA and one I think I liked the most!! So much in fact I brought the glass to go with it ;o)

[Stu McKinlay]

But it's shaping up like ALL the beers I'm loving are receiving "meh" responses.
Even Oaked Armageddon, which I'd expect everyone to be raving about, has had a pretty muted response so far.

[Reviled]

Im still waiting to try Epic Oaked Armageddon, but Luke doesnt seem to care about his dedicated Auckland fans enough to tell them where they can get some :o( Otherwise im sure I would be jumping on that bandwagon with ya Stu!!

[Simon David kelly]

I had a glass (or three) of the original version out of the 20 liter barrels ... not a "meh" beer at all ...

shoot anyone who says otherwise as their palate is obviously gone and you'll be doing them a kindness putting them down :o)

[Simon David kelly]

You're not alone Stu. I always had Smiles Best in the UK as my beloved drink of choice. Always well made, never over powering and beautifully blended flavours from start to finish. No one particulary hailed it as the greatest thing since sliced bread but it was always just right for me.

I do notice that peoples tastes rarely match up. I've had beers that have been raved about and found them good but not worthy of the hype. Then I've had ones that are shrugged off by other that I'd quite happily marry (if it was legal to marry a pint).

One thing I'll say though, it's always nice to read your forethright thoughts on beers. Always makes me want to try them, regardless of whether you like or loath them.

[Stu McKinlay]

there ain't many i loathe!

[Andrew]

Hi Stu,
As I understand your a bit of a music man, as am I. What I find about discovering a great beer, is; its like discovering your new favourite band, or your new favourite album. You go to work, rave to your mates about it, talk about it online. But no-one seems to feel the same way. Like I feel when my Mum starts showing me holiday pictures!
But I say keep raving, I'll keep talking about crap bands I love, great beers I love and if people choose to listen. I've saved a life, if not thats more beer for me to drink while I listen to my new favourite band.....

[Simon David kelly]

I don't think I've met a beer I wouldn't drink ... actually make that "any drink" I wouldn't drink, atleast once :o)

[JackoNZ]

Does anyone else feel out on their own sometimes? If so, what are the some of the beers you love that nobody else seems that fussed about? Or the beers you could take or leave that everyone else loves.

Yep! Right now it seems that big hoppy beers is where it's at, for me they are usally just too bitter for my enjoyment. I love Mayhem but find Armageddon a bit too much, I tried an oak aged Armageddon and found it not to my taste, not sure why, just didn't do it for me. I love the Epic/Thornbridge stout but can't say I've seen much on here from others saying how good it was. I thought it was right up there with PKB remix, there's something about those two beers in the malt profile that just blows me away.

I had a NTA on the weekend and found that a lovely drop, similar to you Stu I love the sessionability of this beer and poured through the hand pump is yum. I was actually going to post something on here about getting some tips on how to brew something similar to Townshends beers, I've tried the NTA, bitter, ESB, sure there have been others (Dinner Ale, is that Townshend?) and I love them all. Real drinkable beers without being too in your face.

Can't say I've had the pleasure of trying any of the others beers you've mentioned Stu. I think we all have different tastes and that's a good thing because it just means people will experiment and more and more great beers will get brewed for us all to try.

[JoKing]

I reckon we've reached a point in the beer scene here where (especially in Wellington) we are spoiled for choice. I don't believe that there has ever been a point in time when there has been such an enourmous range of beer available so easily. Just going down to Hashigo to get Rogue on tap... catch you later. I need some sour beer - better see if it's on Beerstore. Can't find that damned Cantillion... better try the Malthouse. Gotta fill that Rigger of (enter NZ Craft Beer name here) from regionals - see you soon.

I don't think it's a problem, but I do think that our standards are getting a lot higher.

And Stu - you have been in the middle of it all. I believe that you are suddenly experiencing a case of simplification (good name for the next Yeastie Boys brew). At the end of all this big beer drinking - one just needs to wind down and appreciate what it is that makes good beer good.

There's nothing wrong with that.