Will the real Pilsner please stand up?

Virtually everyone knows that lager is the biggest selling beer in the world ever since taking the Universe by storm all those years ago. This ubiquity, particularly of cheap, mass-produced products that all taste the same (and popular with the masses) means lager is generally not highly regarded amongst beer snobs. Sick of all those Euro lagers all made under licence in Auckland with added sugar and boring hops yet?

In this context, it’s easy to forget just how damn amazing original Czech Pilsner really is. Yes, I’m talking about Pilsner Urquell and Budweiser Budvar! While all the imitators are obviously from a similar genre, there really is nothing that compares to the originals. It hits you as soon as you take the first sip and it’s like your taste buds tasting beer again for the first time after years of over use. And yet these aren’t novel and therefore particularly interesting flavours – rather they’re extremely well-balanced and display distinctive Czech flavours with their floral Saaz hops and sweet, Moravian barley.

For my money Budvar it just that little bit more balanced than Urquell and not much else compares to coming home on a hot Friday evening in summer and chopping several of these green babies! Of course it doesn’t hurt that they were on a multi-week special for $11 a six-pack. Anyway, rather than bore you with beer history that you’ve probably already heard – I simply implore you to go forth and spread the word about the real Pilsner!

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Beer Review: Townshend Old House ESB

Well, it’s Friday night and I’ve had a Pilsner craving all day (the taste, not the alcohol in case you were wondering). I was looking forward to a fresh NZ example with tasty crystal malt and lots of tasty, smelly hops but decided to take advice from this article in the Marlborough Express (no by-line) and pick up a can of Radeberger Pilsner. Tasted a bit watery at first but as I worked my way through it, I was very satisfied.

Anyway, onto the Old House ESB from Rosedale’s Townshend Brewery (inland from Motueka).

Style: Extra Special Bitter, 5% abv, 500ml bottle

Traditionally I haven’t been much of a connoisseur of British real ales (something about not living in England) so it’s great that Townshend have focused on this style and it is served in the traditional way in two local pubs – the Freehouse and the Moutere Inn. I first tried this a few weeks ago off beer engine / hand pump at the Free House and was blown away. So naturally when I saw it in the bottle at the local Supermarket (the range is pretty much on permanent discount at Fresh Choice Nelson) I had to get one.

The aroma from the bottle was fruity vinegar and then almost mushroom like when pouring into my pint glass – I was starting to worry a bit – however, the first taste was amazing (definitely nothing wrong with brew). The taste is sweet malt – the comparison that came to mind was that fudge slice yo momma used to make from malt biscuits, butter, sultanas and chocolate icing, and in this case she also dropped in her stash of bubblegum. This beer is all about the quaffable smooth malt but there is also a nice balance of bitterness. The aroma remains slightly vinegary – as in a fruit chutney with a touch of smelly socks someone wore on their armpits thrown in (I promise to tone down my future reviews).

If I gave beer scores this would be 10/10. Not sure how widely available this is but you must try it – now!

What Friday night review of an English ale by Townshend Brewery would be complete with without a song by The Who:

Organic Showcase at the Moutere Inn

One of my favourite things to do in Nelson is to go for a drive around the Bay – the inland Moutere Highway is particularly nice and greatly enhanced by the historic Moutere Inn being under new ownership and now serving an extensive range of NZ’s best craft beers on tap. More info about the current selection of beers can be found here on the Realbeer.co.nz forum.

This coming Friday 15th – Sunday 17th May the Inn is having an Organic Beer Showcase featuring:

Emerson’s Pilsner
Green Man Dark Mild
West Coast Green Fern
Founder’s Fair Maiden
Harrington’s Rogue Hop
Whitecliffs Mike’s Mild

I feel a Sunday drive coming on – Moutere is particularly beautiful in autumn.

2 line beer reviews

Now that Twit-er has shortened everyone’s attention span it’s acceptable to write in the minimalist style, which suits me well because I’m lazy.

Went to the Free House tonight and had the best beer of all – free beer. So here’s the quick reviews:

Tuatara Hefe: Aroma and taste – banana chips, yum. Spend ages trying to liken the aftertaste of a Hefeweizen to something, still none the wiser.

Emerson’s Pilsner: Front runner for NZ’s best beer. Amazing hops. Taste likes Marmalade after eating a Dolmade.

Founder’s Fat Lip: brewed for Marchfest. Not sure it’s it’s widely available. Damn, what a great beer – best Founder’s brew I’ve tried. Rich maltly taste like Ryvita crispbreads, balanced perfectly against fresh and tasty Nelson hops.

All great beers – it’s a hard life.