Beer thread

Chris B.

[quote]I'm keen on finding a good low-alcohol drop for the summer. Comes in useful at BBQs or get togethers where you want to have a few but may need to drive or last a while. Something just under 3% can usually be processed by the body (with food) without accumulating in the bloodstream. The taste of beer without getting impaired.[/quote] 
 
That's a serious challenge. I usually buy Amstel light, but it really just seems the best of a very poor bunch. If anyone has other suggestions I'd welcome them, as well. 
 
Actually, for a cheapie, Haagen isn't bad and it's only 4% - still not ideal for avoiding DIC.

taniwharugby

the wonderful Mrs TR xzxman_in_love saw the Moa Harvest beer in New World today (@$7 a 375ml bottle) and got me a couple to try , another great drop. 
 
Very perfumey aroma, has a nice fruity start but is just a clean crisp taste, it says it is a limited edition (hence the Harvest label me guesses), well worth the money.

Allstar

[quote name='Hooroo']There would be few beers that you can get easily enough in NZ that I wouldn't have tried, and being a little older, price hasn't been a concern for some years, but I am yet to find a beer that I would prefer to drink all night over Speights or Waikato[/quote] 
 
Well for me there's two types of beers. 
 
A session beer - one that you'll have a few when at a party, at a mates, watching the cricket etc. There I'll drink something like Heineken, Becks, Tiger, Turborg etc. For me that's the beer in the $15-20 a dozen range. I won't drink beers like Tui and DB as much these days, I prefer the cleaner tasting beers. In saying that, a crate day is always a bit of fun. For that, it's Tui. 
 
A 'have a beer' beer: These are the ones I'll splash out and buy a bottle of, such as i've talked of above. Mikes, Epic, Green Man, Emersons etc. At the price they're at, there's no way you want to go out and drink a few of these in one go. Good to taste and enjoy.

MN5

[quote name='Allstar'][quote name='Hooroo']There would be few beers that you can get easily enough in NZ that I wouldn't have tried, and being a little older, price hasn't been a concern for some years, but I am yet to find a beer that I would prefer to drink all night over Speights or Waikato[/quote] 
 
Well for me there's two types of beers. 
 
A session beer - one that you'll have a few when at a party, at a mates, watching the cricket etc. There I'll drink something like Heineken, Becks, Tiger, Turborg etc. For me that's the beer in the $15-20 a dozen range. I won't drink beers like Tui and DB as much these days, I prefer the cleaner tasting beers. In saying that, a crate day is always a bit of fun. For that, it's Tui. 
 
A 'have a beer' beer: These are the ones I'll splash out and buy a bottle of, such as i've talked of above. Mikes, Epic, Green Man, Emersons etc. At the price they're at, there's no way you want to go out and drink a few of these in one go. Good to taste and enjoy.[/quote] 
 
Couldn't have put it better myself. Add Macs and Monteiths to the session beer list and deduct DB and Tui. 
 
As for the "Have a beer" beers its always good to have a couple in the fridge for a special occasion. Going hard and getting hammered on them is a freakin expensive exercise.

Belly

For NZ ales, cannot go pass the Speight's range, it helped I was born in Dunedin, it is normally the first ale you have when you turn 5. Was enjoying the odd one here in Brisbane but now they only bring in Tui, Montieths and Export Gold with the usual suspect, Steinlarger. Have now found a pub that has Emerson's now and again so always make sure I indulge in one when there. Drinking the Aussie ales, only stick to Carlton Draught on tap and bottle and Tooheys Pils in the bottle.

Scorz

TR - Krombacher is a steal at that price! And Traverse is low carb, not low alchohol I think? 
 
Dogmeat, that's great news - I will have to have a look next week if I remember - picking up some more crap from AKL.

MN5

I had THE best Summer ale I've ever had yesterday. It was like Monteiths summer on steroids, just outstanding on a decent sunny night. 
 
Harringtons Lazy Sunday, I can't emphasise enough how outstanding this drop was, bummer I only had one ! 
 
In the words of the Dilmah tea guy "do try it".....

Crucial

[quote name='MN5']I had THE best Summer ale I've ever had yesterday. It was like Monteiths summer on steroids, just outstanding on a decent sunny night. 
 
Harringtons Lazy Sunday, I can't emphasise enough how outstanding this drop was, bummer I only had one ! 
 
In the words of the Dilmah tea guy "do try it".....[/quote] 
 
Roger Wilco.

Crucial

[quote name='Allstar']I was feeling rich (don't know why really), so I want and got myself some [url=http://epicbeer.com/epic-armageddon-ipa/]Epic Armageddon IPA[/url] (India Pale Ale). Man that's some good stuff. So rich in flavours, and very very tasty. Not something you'd buy every day though, as it's about $10/bottle (500ml) 
[/quote] 
 
I've heard that Armageddon is good stuff. I have just had a bottle of Epic Pale Ale (4 pack $12) and it is a very hoppy tasy brew. If this is the 'cheap' version that expensive one must be all hops!

Allstar

I tried the Moa Harvest on the weekend. I didn't really like it. It was too fruity for my liking. I hate this trend of fruity beers, takes away from the taste IMO. Even a traditional 'fruity' like Kriek doesn't hit the spot for me at all.

Crucial

[quote name='Allstar']I tried the Moa Harvest on the weekend. I didn't really like it. It was too fruity for my liking. I hate this trend of fruity beers, takes away from the taste IMO. Even a traditional 'fruity' like Kriek doesn't hit the spot for me at all.[/quote] 
 
I wouldn't say it is a trend, simply different styles of brewing giving different results. Just as there is a big difference between a Pinot Noir and a Shiraz. 
 
If you don't like the flavour then fair enough (if they wanted to please everyone, they'd make a bland brew) 
 
Sounds as if, like me, you enjoy a refreshing hoppiness/bitterness to your brew, in which case I can recommend many of the IPAs around. 
 
Those fruity beers have their place a a food matching drink though.

taniwharugby

The Harvest is a 'summer' type beer (described as Breakfast on bottle) 
 
Had a few handles of Crouchers Pilsner (cheers Hooroo xzxdrinks ) on Saturday and Sunday, not a massive fan of some Pilsner's, but not a bad drop was this one.

Hooroo

You're welcome! <img src='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/invision/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />

Chiefy

[quote name='Scorz']TR - Krombacher is a steal at that price! [b]And Traverse is low carb, not low alchohol I think[/b]? 
 
Dogmeat, that's great news - I will have to have a look next week if I remember - picking up some more crap from AKL.[/quote] 
 
Yep, Traverse is lowcarb. Alcohol content is 4.2% from memory. Was warned off spending money on it, got told to wait until you can try someone elses.

Scorz

[quote name='Chiefy'][quote name='Scorz']TR - Krombacher is a steal at that price! [b]And Traverse is low carb, not low alchohol I think[/b]? 
 
Dogmeat, that's great news - I will have to have a look next week if I remember - picking up some more crap from AKL.[/quote] 
 
Yep, Traverse is lowcarb. Alcohol content is 4.2% from memory. Was warned off spending money on it, got told to wait until you can try someone elses.[/quote] 
Sound advice. If you do scoff some, try to have it first up, it gets lost against Steinies or even Summit if you knock a few of those back prior.

Allstar

any chance of getting this thread 'stuck' so we don't have to keep making a new one? 
 
wine can have one, so why not beer? xzxdrinks

Crucial

Tried some 'Smokin' Bishop' from Invercargill Brewery the other day. This is from the brewery website 
[quote]Smokin' Bishop: 
7% A German style bock beer using our own Manuka smoked malt to give a distinctive smoke character thatâ€™s balanced out with the richness of the bock using our own yeast. 
BrewNZ Gold Medal 2007 and Best in Class[/quote] 
 
You'd be lucky to find any now until next season (and not really a warm weather beer) but very interesting. It was so smoky that every sip you had made you feel you were downwind of a campfire.

taniwharugby

Tsingtao - imported Chinese Lager/beer, pretty generic, could easily have been speights, lion red or similar.

Crucial

Welly Beer lovers will find and interesting selection in the city at Centre City Wines (?) -harbour end of Waring Taylor St. 
 
They had some of the Smokin' Bishop I mentioned earlier and a really interesting Kiwi take on a 'Fruit Beer' with 'Boysenbeery'. It was actually quite good. Not sweet at all and with a really nice balance. A taster rather than a drinker. 
Got around to splashing out on some Epic Armageddon. Man what hops! bloody nice and like a beefed up version of their IPA (which is excellent).

MN5

[quote name='Crucial']Welly Beer lovers will find and interesting selection in the city at Centre City Wines (?) -harbour end of Waring Taylor St. 
 
They had some of the Smokin' Bishop I mentioned earlier and a really interesting Kiwi take on a 'Fruit Beer' with 'Boysenbeery'. It was actually quite good. Not sweet at all and with a really nice balance. A taster rather than a drinker. 
Got around to splashing out on some Epic Armageddon. Man what hops! bloody nice and like a beefed up version of their IPA (which is excellent).[/quote] 
 
Will make a note to check that place out Crucial. 
 
You can't go wrong with Epic, great drop (s)

The Silver Fern

Beer thread