New in this week we have this years vintage
of Emerson’s JP. Every year Richard Emerson releases a Belgian style beer named
JP to honour the life of Belgian brewing scientist and Otago University Food
Science Professor Jean Pierre Dufour. Richard Emerson has followed the maxim
that good things take time and despite this years production running late he
hasn’t rushed and has taken care to do things right. JP2011 is in the Tripel
style harking back to the original 2007 vintage of JP. Richard describes it as
displaying subtle apple and spice with a luscious caramello finish. For me this
year’s vintage has a delicate balance between light fruity hop notes and subtle
spicy fruit. It will make a perfect accompaniment to seafood.
Also new in over the last fortnight we have
the 2011 vintage of Invercargill Smokin Bishop. This year Smokin Bishop is a
little leaner in the malt department than previous years due to brewer Steve
Nally reducing the malt bill slightly to prevent the beer from becoming
cloying. The result is a beer with a slightly more noticeable hop character
than past years, an earthy smokiness all supported by a slightly caramel
accented malt cushion. Smokin Bishop is perhaps the best antipasto match I have
come across.
Finally there are some exciting noises
coming from Wanaka Beer Works. New owners Dave and Susan De Vylder are busy
breathing some new Belgian breath into the operation. Dave De Vylder originally
hails from East Flanders in Belgium
while Susan is from Moeraki in Otago. While the core range of beers will remain
the same Dave is starting to work on a number of Belgian style seasonal
releases which we should start to see over the next month.