Another years almost up – it’s been a big year of beer for me so I thought I’d do the obligatory ‘best of’ list. I couldn’t really come up with a simple list of 10 or put them in any kind of order so here’s simply a list of the New Zealand beers that I enjoyed most (South to North):
Boysenbeery (Invercargill Brewery)
Emerson’s Pilsner (Emerson’s, Dunedin)
Emerson’s Weizenbock
Emerson’s Dunkelweiss
Brewski (Wanaka Beerworks)
Sauvin Pils (The Twisted Hop, Christchurch)
Challenger (The Twisted Hop)
The Rogue Hop (Harrington’s, Christchurch)
Porter (Three Boys Brewery, Christchurch)
Golden Ale (Three Boys)
Nor’Wester Strong Pale Ale (Dux Brewing Company, Christchurch & Queenstown)
Dakota Dark (Wigram Brewing Co, Christchurch)
Hophead IPA (Brewmoon, Amberly)
Fair Maiden (Founder’s, Nelson)
Fat Lip (Founder’s)
Cathcarts NTA (Townshend, Rosedale)
Old House ESB (Townshend)
Able Ale (Monkey Wizard Brewery, Riwaka)
Easter Bunny (The Mussel Inn, Onekaka)
Marlborough Pale Ale (Renaissance Brewing, Blenheim)
Märzen (Moa Brewing Company)
Gabriel (666 Brewing Co., Blenheim)
Pot Kettle Black (Yeastie Boys, Wellington (brewed by Invercargill Brewery))
Everyone needs a number one however, and this goes without a doubt to Renaissance’s Marlborough Pale Ale – I’m pretty sure this is the best beer I’ve ever drunk. Weighting in at a hefty 8.5% abv and single-hopped with new NZ hop variety – Rakau – this is a stunning beer, displaying a great balance of American and NZ hop characteristics; chewy, puckering bitterness; and sweet, rich, toffee-ish malt. Please guys, if you’re reading this – you have to brew this again in 2010!
When I first started reading this article on stuff.co.nz, I thought the Heathists had finally grown a sense of humor – but as I read on about this study published in the British Medical Journal, it became clear that they are serious (or it is very well-done satire designed to enrage bloggers like me).
Santa Claus has been accused of acting in ways that could “damage millions of lives”.
As the mythical man in red zooms around the planet delivering gifts, he is an unwitting promoter of obesity, unhealthy products, disease and even drink driving, according to an Australian academic.
Read the whole thing and weep.
Update: Eric @ Offsetting Behaviour has a response from the author – it is indeed tounge-in-cheek.
In disappointing news this week, Lion have announced that they will be closing the Mac’s Shed 22 brewery on the Wellington waterfront (Press releases here and here). The brewery has apparently served its purpose in allowing Mac’s to still be marketed as craft beer and is now costing too much – I guess it’s what you expect when an iconic craft brand is purchased by one of the big breweries. Anyway, can you please stop all the ‘crafty’ marketing and definitely stop calling Mac’s Gold ‘all malt’ when it now appears to be watered down with sugar – that’s false advertising! The Mac’s brand and beers have done a lot for beer culture in NZ and in many way it’s great that they have taken things to the masses but for me it’s probably now moved too far away from what I found appealing in the first place.
In far more positive news – The McCashin’s who started Mac’s but sold the brand to Lion in 1999 are back up and running in the original Stoke brewery which they maintained ownership of (see this Nelson Mail article for more info). The brewery was originally the Rochdale cider plant and this is now back in production and one of several beverages being produced. The brewery shop is now open and I popped in today to check it out – while no beer is yet being produced (beer is listed on their website so watch this space), you can fill your own riggers of locally brewed Founder’s or Golden Bear selections, as well as Rochdale Cider. I picked up Golden Bear’s Best Bitter which was rather tasty.
I was also given a sample of a new beverage called Fruté, which is cider mixed with real fruit. This isn’t something I’d usually be into but it’s very nice and possibly way too easy to drink on a hot day (though the tartness from the cider kicks in at the end). I not very good with obligation-free samples so I had to purchase some. Other products include the recently purchased 26000 Vodka (flashy website but bloody frustrating and not particularly useful) and Palaeo water. It’s really good to see the brewery up and running again and I wish them all the best.
If you’re in Nelson don’t forget next weeks Beer Fête – Saturday 5th Dec, 5 – 10.30pm. The list of participating breweries is here and the Dead Good Beer Events website is here.
Today’s clip is nearly 7 minutes long and isn’t even a proper video but it’s too bad because this is one of the best songs ever:
Oh good, the Marsden Fund have awarded $864k to someone to ‘research’ Facebook, Twitter and the like looking for teens boasting about having fun getting boozed. Unlike other useless research projects that simply get ignored once the cash has been spent – this one is likely to be used to justify taking more taxpayers money for social engineering advertisements aimed at teens like those we’ve seen with tobacco – no doubt with a social networking slant – ‘Geoffrey Palmer has sent you a shandy – it’s cool to drink watered down beer!’
I’m not against social pressure being exerted on drunken idiots but I’ll be damned if they start treating my beloved beer like tobacco! And here’s a newsflash for the Healthists – teens actually do not want you on Facebook and Twitter finger-wagging and ruining their fun! While I dislike the big brewers because they spend ridiculous amounts of money on advertising while making shite beer, I pretty much believe teens are going to drink exactly how much they want to anyway – it just may be that they drink more of brand x than brand y. So while I ignore the big brewers, I’ll soon get to spend my tax saving ‘vulnerable’ younger New Zealanders who obviously can’t think for themselves.
Some other Sunday links about wowsers:
Eric Crampton @ Offsetting Behaviour has a post titled The new tobacco covering ‘charitable’ anti-alcohol lobbying.
David Farrar @ Kiwiblog covers the drinking age once again being falsely touted as a silver bullet.
Stuff.co.nz covers the argy bargy between Supermarkets and the Law Commission over the release of alcohol sales data (in order to investigate minimum alcohol pricing). I hold the big two supermarket chains in NZ in similar regard to the big brewers but the correct response in this situation is indeed to tell the Law Commission to suck eggs.
I’m a bit lazy to do a long submission on this and there’s a lot of questions – many of which I don’t have a specific answer for – so I’m going to focus my submission on some key concerns and points. Typical – doing this an hour before it’s due!
I am craft beer enthusiast and home brewer and believe I represent a significant and growing number of beer drinkers around the country who have a healthy, if passionate relationship with this beverage. Like most people, I agree that there is an issue in this country with a minority of problematic drinkers. However, I am concerned that the Law Commission’s recommended solutions to this problem will unfairly penalise sensible drinkers while having little effect on problem drinkers.
My main area of concern is with any proposed increases or changes to excise tax on alcohol. Firstly, I take issue with suggestions based on the recent BERL report on the costs of alcohol that current excise duty collected is far less that the external costs imposed on society by drinkers and should therefore rise. I am convinced by arguments from Eric Crampton and Matt Burgess that the BERL report – due to only looking at costs – has no policy relevance in the absence of a full cost-benefit analysis being undertaken. Crampton and Burgess also raise a number of concerns with the methodology used by BERL which inflate costs – their counter analysis concludes that the current excise tax collected is approximately equal to the external costs of drinking.
Even if current excise collected were less than external costs, I take issue with increased costs being imposed on sensible drinkers rather than taxpayers as a whole. Such measures always overcharge sensible drinkers and under charge problematic drinkers. There are many other activities within society where external costs are met by wider society rather than only those engaging in the activity.
I also oppose other reasons for increasing excise tax such as reducing consumer demand as these also unfairly hit sensible drinkers while heavy drinkers are quite likely to accept the one-off increase and rearrange their finances to continue drinking at the same level, while those in the middle reduce their drinking and the subsequent benefits / pleasure that come with it.If reducing consumption is simply seen as a net positive, then why not increase tax until no one drinks at all? It is tempting to argue that I am already paying higher prices for craft beer which is certainly not the problem in New Zealand and don’t see why I should have to pay increased excise tax on this. This is certainly true – however, I don’t see why sensible drinkers who prefer or can only afford to drink cheaper brands of beer should have to pay more tax either.
Other suggestions in the tax area such as reducing tax on low alcohol beers and increasing it on higher alcohol ones also raise concern with me. While overall beer consumption in NZ in recent years has remained relatively flat, there has been growth in consumption of beers between 4% and 5% abv. I do not see that as an issue for concern – particularly in the area of beer greater than 5% abv where consumption has actually declined. The trend simply shows that people are preferring to consume more sophisticated craft and international style beers (typically 5%) rather than the traditional easy drinking mainstream NZ beers (typically 4%). Higher abv beers tend to be more expensive, more challenging to the palate and therefore more likely to be consumed in moderation than mainstream NZ beers. I am concerned that any increased differentiation in excise tax bands is likely to make 4% swilling beer cheaper while penalising craft beer and possibly making unique high abv beers such as those from Belgium uneconomic to import (such beers are expensive, very rich on the palate and highly unlikely to be ’skulled’ by drunkards) – this seems the direct opposite of what is trying to be achieved – is higher abv beer really the problem in this country? Such policy is likely to mean that tax dictates beer styles in NZ rather than the consumer and ignores the fact that quality beer typically requires a good proportion of malt for taste and therefore has a certain percentage of alcohol. People are not going to drink 3% beer even if it is dirt cheap.
Other options I oppose are those that would benefit one type of liquor outlet over others – such as restricting availability in supermarkets. As a consumer, I enjoy drinking both at on licences and at home – I believe I should have the power to choose what option suits me at any particular time. Both types of consumption have positives and negatives and should not be given bias through law. It is easy to see why publicans and liquor stores support moves to restrict supermarket sales - such sales have however, given great benefits to beer and wine consumers in recent years through great selection and competitive pricing.
Not very polished but times almost up – better submit!
The Nelson Mail has followed the Marlborough Express and looks to have started a regular beer column. I don’t have the details from the actual paper but I’m told Fritz and Maria’s beer column will appear fortnightly. Their first article covers two local brews including Founder’s excellent Show Hopper which I mentioned in my last blog post.
The incredibly popular and hoppy Epic Armageddon has finally made it to Nelson – I was starting to think it would never happen but it’s now at Fresh Choice Collingwood St – $10.99 for a 500ml bottle. Pick up one (or three like me) to supply your end-of-the-world bomb shelter.
In more depressing news, last week I was sent a New Scientist article on the World Health Organization launching a war on alcohol. I was too lazy to blog about it but Eric Crampton gives a good overview on his blog – Offsetting Behaviour. Whoever thought they might be content with tobacco control were wrong – there is probably no limit to what these people will target in their quest to save us from ourselves and they need to be stopped.
Eric also succinctly covers the fun-spoiling ‘healthists’ in this opinion piece from the NZ Herald. My fear is that there are far more interfering healthists in the world than rational Economists.
Update: It’s like beer Christmas here in Nelson. Another one of my beer wants has just today arrived at Fresh Choice – Yeastie Boys ‘His Majesty’. A New World IPA in an appropriately regal-looking 750ml bottle. I’m looking forward to tasting the NZ hops but throwing back the 3.8 standard drinks in it probably isn’t recommended when your wife could go into labour at any moment.
In the tradition of naming months after good causes – Rocktober, Movember – I though beer fans could refer to October as Hoptober. Those with some spare hops could even donate them to their local food bank. I’m sure some poor home brewer will be delighted to open their food parcel to find some tasty Super Alpha or Cascade hop pellets. Hoptober is still a week away however, so I’m going to fill this post with my week in review.
It’s been a good week for beer with the 7th Nelson beer Fête, though I’ll admit I was feeling a bit jaded on Sunday morning after upgrading from the standard half to a full pint glass, not eating enough and almost being overwhelmed by Marmalade-esque New Zealand hops.
Hangover reading material of the week: The New Yorker talks to Dogfish Head. An excellent Sunday morning read.
Bargain of the week: After dutifully collecting 15 stamps – one for every $20 I’ve spent, I got my $5 discount at Bin Inn (the only place to buy specialist home brew supplies in Nelson). Wow – that’s almost 1.7% discount if you spend exact multiples of $20 each time. Thanks.
Conspiracy of the week: This is the second week I’ve craved Brew Moon’s Hophead IPA but someone or something just doesn’t want me to have it. I looked forward to having a pint at the beer Fête – I did, but it really didn’t taste anything like it – lots of banana and no Cascade. Maybe they got the taps mixed up? So this week I thought I could make up for it with a Friday bottle from the Supermarket. But no, after being in stock for several weeks it’s now all gone!
Great beer of the week: Founders Show Hopper at the beer Fête – they ran out early but put on another keg just in time for my last beer. Wow, what an amazing, unique and intensely hoppy beer – it smelt just like a certain herb I may or may not have encountered before I discovered the superior cousin Humulus Lupulus.
Overrated beer of the week: Emerson’s Bookbinder. NZ craft beer drinkers adore this beer – I don’t get it! I get the idea of a mild session beer but this just doesn’t light my fire. I may be drawn and quartered by my beer loving brethren but so be it.
Food of the week: Narrowly beating Monday’s Tempura Prawn Sushi was the Cornish Pasty I had at the beer Fête – I haven’t had one of these simple, yet delicious pastries for years. It’s a shame I only had one, had I spent more money on food instead of beer I might have felt better at the end of the night.
Taunt of the week: “Got a bottle of 120 min IPA. Last one in shop” – Brother and new resident of Boulder, Colorado.
Quote of the week: “Barrrrrrrrffffffffff, arrhhhhhkkkkk, brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrffff ” – me conversing with the toilet after the beer Fête.
Note that this post is completely fictional - all companies, brands, products and people are completely fictional and should not be confused with real-life counterparts with similar names.
In a parallel Universe somewhere…
Following on from the successful launch of its Purer and Edgy beers, Steinlarger today announced the release of an innovative new beer called Pure H Squared Zero (H²0) – an additive-free, zero alcohol beer set to revolutionise the brewing industry. Steinlarger Brands Manager Jim Smith explains, “We wanted to combine the qualities of Purer with it’s reduced additives with our new mid-strength Edgy and came up with the concept of a beer containing no malt, hops or alcohol. Malt and hops can be good additions to beer but they’re not everything – some of our market research suggested some people find flavoured beer to be too rich for their palate. The German purity Law was a great start but it didn’t go far enough. One of our competitors has recently released a 33% better beer because it’s been brewed 33% longer – H²0 is brewed by an extremely natural process and is millions of years old so you can only imagine how much better it is”.
Another factor in the development of H²0 cited by Steinlarger is the increased production costs of advertising. “The Hollywood stars in our Purer ads may be washed up but they’re still not cheap, we also had to go to any country other than New Zealand to film a real nuclear warship. Going forward, we really want to focus on where we add the most value to our consumers – producing slick advertisements”.
On the other benefits of H²0 Smith enthuses, “With its reduced flavour profile, this is a really great session beer – you can get through a lot of these in a night and with no carbonation there’s none of that bloated feeling. The zero alcohol also makes it a great option for Business lunches – I had three yesterday and when I got back to the office, I didn’t stare blankly at my PC or make witty jokes at all. Being Carb and Gluten free are also great benefits for those on special diets – it’s such a great product, I can’t believe someone didn’t think of it sooner”.
Those with a tolerance for malt and hops can rest assured that their old Steinlarger favourites will still be available – “Sure, we’ll still be brewing the classic but we’ve redesigned the packaging to be so ugly that you wouldn’t be caught dead with it. Much cooler is H²0 in our funky 300ml slim-line cans – our market research indicates that customers feel at least 15 – 20% cooler when drinking from these modern cans. This summer crack one open, drop in a wedge of lime, crank the Fat Freddy’s Drop and you’ll be the life of the BBQ”.
The new beer is also winning favour from unexpected quarters. Self-confessed Neo-prohibitionist, finger-wagger Joan Wallace from the the Think of the Children Trust says, “though we generally regard Beer Barons as evil Puppet Masters and a curse upon our communities, Steinlarger are showing real leadership with this product. We await the day when all pleasure has been removed from the demon drink and H²0 is a great step in that direction”.
Sir Jeff Hand from the Lawyers for more Laws Commission is also supportive of the new beer – “This is the type of beverage that we are trying to encourage with our proposed new staggered excise tax. Under the proposal, those devious craft brewers pushing their 5% abv European style beers will end up paying the tax bill for responsible producers such as Steinlarger. 5% abv is half-way toward double-digits – where will it end?”
It’s time for a post after over a month off – I’ve basically been on a month long beer bender due to my birthday, a friend visiting from the USA and my bro home from overseas. You might think that would make for good beer blogging material but it turns out drinking beer is actually more fun than beer blogging.
While unfortunately I didn’t make it to last Weekends Beervana in Wellington, I can take comfort in the upcoming 7th Nelson Beer Fête. While my liver is currently resting, it is definitely in peak condition for this event. Which is just as well as there’s going to be quite a line up. The theme is ‘new to Nelson’ and will be featuring brews from Founders, Monkey Wizard, Brew Moon, 666, Arrow, Green Man, Mata and Invercargill.
Not to be missed in my opinion are Brew Moon’s Hophead IPA (had a bottle of this on Friday – packed full of smooth, sweet and spicy NZ Cascade hops); 666’s Gabriel & Roulette (been waiting to try a beer from this Marlborough brewer for a while – a showcase of NZ hops) and any of the five beers from Monkey Wizard (picked up some very nice Riggers from their Riwaka brewery earlier in the month). Plus, I’m sure all the other offerings will be top notch. Saturday 19th September @ Founders Park, 5 – 10:30pm.
Mat Elmhirst of Monkey Wizard
And just in case you thought Nelsonians were missing out, The Moutere Inn is holding an Invergargill Brewery Showcase from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th September. On tap will be the consistently excellent Biman, Pitch Black, Smokin’ Bishop, Stanley Green, Wasp and Nally’s Cider, plus possibly some bottles of Boysenbeery. Check out the Inn’s new website here.
It’s my Birthday and what better way to enjoy such as occasion than road test two new NZ Pale Ales.
First up was Green Man’s IPA, a new addition to their permanent line up. Worth buying for the label alone – it looks like the Jolly Green Giant took a stash of Andy Warhol’s acid and ended up on the set of the Brady Bunch. The beer itself is quite light is colour and therefore, the malts are quite restrained. There is a nice, assertive hop bitterness and the beer is quite quaffable, though lacking the rich malts that I really appreciate in a pale ale.
Next up was Renaissance’s Marlborough Pale Ale – an 8.5% Imperial India Pale Ale showcasing of the new Rakau variety of hops. What an absolutely amazing beer this is – the hops are stunning, full of sweet tropical fruit flavours. Like all great beers, there are tastes that you recognise but can’t quite pin down – maybe some Juicy Fruit chewing gum. These hold nicely against the well balanced sweet pale malts and robust alcohol content.
To be fair to the Green Man IPA, there is a large differential in both price and alcohol content between these two beers – so it is understandable that these are two quite different products.
Inspired by Pale Ale battles in other parts of the country – tomorrow night is the Nelson Pale Ale battle featuring my latest two home brews:
Vs
It’s still cold so I recommend you get jerseys like these:
