The 2009 Regional
Roadshow included 37 beers from 6 New Zealand craft breweries. While
the bulk of the beers on show were from the assembled brewers standard ranges
there were a few interesting one offs and seasonals to keep the beer hunters in
attendance happy.
Nelson’s Founders
Brewery were pouring Show Hopper, a seasonal beer they brew each year for the
Nelson Arts Festival. Show Hopper, an interesting hybrid between a German
Oktoberfest Lager and a New Zealand Pilsner, pours a light shade of amber with
a fluffy white head. Tangy, fruity, grassy New Zealand hops filled out the
nose with some light toasty malt in the back ground. In the mouth a zesty
resinous New Zealand
hop character predominates, with toasty malt notes and a long dry finish. The
other standout beer from Founders was the ever popular Fair Maiden presented in
its new packaging. Fair Maiden straddles the stylistic boundary between New
World Pale Ale and New World E.S.B. Pouring a brilliant amber with a thick
white head Fair Maiden presents a complex aroma of tangy fruity New Zealand
hops including notes of rock melon, citrus, passionfruit, and grass with an
underlying caramel malt note. In the mouth the beer is robustly hoppy with lots
of fruity New Zealand
hop flavour on top of a rounded malt backbone.
Wellington’s own Tuatara weren’t showing any limited
releases or seasonals but the flagship Pilsner was tasting fantastic. Pouring a
light golden with a thick white head, Pilsner offers up a zesty aroma of tangy
citrusy New Zealand
hops and fresh nutty pale malt. In the mouth the beer is firmly hoppy with lots
of crisp dry hop flavour, a mid palate burst of pale malt and a long drying
finish. The other standout from Tuatara was the strong golden Ardennes.
A strong Belgian Golden Ale, Ardennes pours a
pale gold with a big white head. The aroma is dominated by big warm orchid
fruit notes, spicy hops and a hint of clove. In the mouth the beer is fruity,
with a zesty hop note and a hint of warmth and a rounded pale malt character.
Emerson’s were
presenting a tutorial in dark wheat beers by showing both the Dunkelweiss and
the Weizenbock. Both are winter only releases and perfectly suited to the
unseasonable cold weather that was raging outside. Dunkelwiess pours a light
chocolaty brown with a huge light tan head. The aroma is dominated by a
striking mix of banana, caramel and light chocolate. In the mouth the beer is
silky smooth, rich and satisfying with loads of banana, warm fruit and toasty
chocolate. Next in the line up came Dunkelwiess’s big brother Weizenbock.
Pouring a touch lighter than the Dunkelwiess, Weizenbock offers plenty of warm
fruit, cloves and banana than the Dunkelwiess did with an underlying fortified
note. In the mouth the beer was rich and smooth, as Geoff
Griggs put it ‘the perfect bedtime beer’!
And while we are on
the topic of bedtime beers Whitecliffs Brewery was presenting a very special
strong beer that would also go great just before bedtime. Mikes Whiskey Porter
is a strong dark porter than has been aged in used whiskey barrel. The
resulting beer clocks in at 10.5%abv and offers up a heady aroma of chocolate,
roast malt, oak and spirituous whiskey. In the mouth the beer is warming and
chocolaty with a sweet middle and a long warm finish.
For a perspective on
the wines on show check out Raymond’s perspective on this year’s Roadshow here.