Beer thread

taniwharugby

I recall reading an article in the UK when I was living there and you could go to a restaurant in London and pay Â£120+ for a bottle of Cloudy Bay SB, despite being able to purchase it in supermarkets or Offies there for significantly less (and also other much better wines for less also), it was just the drink to be seen drinking at the time...

dogmeat

Coincidentally I have just received an email offer for a bottle of Spanish plonk @ $1200/bottle.
 
Why so expensive - well Robert Parker (McCaw of wine reviewers) rates it one of the most exciting wines he's ever drunk and only 500 cases are produced each year. 
 
There is undoubtedly a lot of wankery around wine but it is definitely creeping into the craft beer scene as well.
 
At peak my cellar had well over 1,000 bottles and yes I did buy $300 bottles of wine. Mainly because it was the only way I was going to get to try incredibly rare wines.
 
I have drunk $1500 / wine (I know that makes me sound a piston wristed gibbon but you all knew that already right - and I didn't pay for it ). It was sensational but no way was it the same value as 15 x $100/bottles. But I could tell the difference. Which I can't between a $40/litre craft beer and a $15.
 
Bottle age really changes wine - for the better if you get the timing right. Not so much beer.
 
I would rather have a really good $200 wine that 2 cases of $8. Same as I'd pay $20 for a Sculpin Ballast Point and rather go without than drink Waikato

MN5

Disagree a wee bit about the beer, mates and I did a few Stouts in amongst our other brews and intend to age them for a good while to see what they're like. For extra beer wank points we even added 500 grams of Columbian coffee to the mix. We're advised they will get better the longer we age them but the proof will be in the tasting.
 
Like any booze much of it is down to the individual, I think Parrot Dog is really average but others rave about it. Each to their own.

taniwharugby

think I heard Parrot dog is having to move to larger premises as they have outgrown current ones

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="596674" data-time="1468547470">
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think I heard Parrot dog is having to move to larger premises as they have outgrown current ones
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You sure you don't mean Panhead ? they've been bought by Lion or DB ( can't remember which )

taniwharugby

def not Panhead....
 
looks like they need to move, so trying to raise some pingers via crowdfunding

Crucial

Panhead have masses of expansion room without moving. They have already doubled size twice I think. 
Easy when you set up in an abandoned tyre factory. 
Parrotdog where in a small space in central Welly.

MN5

I'll be watching Panheads progress with interest, they are popping up all over the place in pubs now.
 
I think Garage Project will look at staying "boutique" though, how they brew from their tiny premises is anyones guess. They use it as part of their marketing brilliantly though.

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="596721" data-time="1468555987">
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def not Panhead....
 
looks like they need to move, so trying to raise some pingers via crowdfunding

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Thomas Waldrom at 1:12

MN5

Good night for a Stout in the nations capital so am enjoying an Aro Noir from Garage Project as we speak. I really do love the quirkiness of them and the fact that they obviously spare nothing in terms of marketing but wonder what non wellington based ferners think of that ( personally have many a fond memory of parties on said street )
 
At last count I think they had close to 40 different beers to choose from, I would have tried 7-8 at best. Contrast that with Rocky Knob who have only two and package them in shitty looking plastic bottles......but the latters APA is fantastic.

nzzp

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="604025" data-time="1470638014">
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Good night for a Stout in the nations capital so am enjoying an Aro Noir from Garage Project as we speak. I really do love the quirkiness of them and the fact that they obviously spare nothing in terms of marketing but wonder what non wellington based ferners think of that ( personally have many a fond memory of parties on said street )
 
At last count I think they had close to 40 different beers to choose from, I would have tried 7-8 at best. Contrast that with Rocky Knob who have only two and package them in shitty looking plastic bottles......but the latters APA is fantastic.
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Funnily enough, I had a ROcky Knob Undies last night. I was driving, it was 3.3% and hoppy. ALtogether not terrible for a lighter IPA style beer.
 
In answer to your question, Garage Project are incredible but a bit out there for me. My favourite brewery would be Liberty - consistently well made beers, including C!tra.

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="nzzp" data-cid="604206" data-time="1470700803">
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Funnily enough, I had a ROcky Knob Undies last night. I was driving, it was 3.3% and hoppy. ALtogether not terrible for a lighter IPA style beer.
 
In answer to your question, Garage Project are incredible but a bit out there for me. My favourite brewery would be Liberty - consistently well made beers, including C!tra. 
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Fair call. Never tried the one you've mentioned. I do wonder if all their beers are a bit much, I mean they have a ridiculous selection really as opposed to Panhead who really keep it simple with a few ( excellent ) choices......
 
Anyone going to Beervana this weekend ? I'm going overseas so will miss it but FB informs me that heaps of the breweries will be there in force.

Stockcar86

Not a beer review, but I was in Wellington for a couple of days last week. Good selection of beers at Brewhaus, but my favourite place was LBQ - great atmosphere, and Lester behind the bar had great suggestions for beer (and bourbon to finish the evening off)
 
<img src="https://scontent.fakl1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13625385_1275653549113753_7219362957471766621_n.jpg?oh=a27a638809a1c971fea214e091a60769&oe=585830FD" alt="13625385_1275653549113753_72193629574717">

Duluth

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="604025" data-time="1470638014">
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Good night for a Stout in the nations capital so am enjoying an Aro Noir from Garage Project as we speak. I really do love the quirkiness of them and the fact that they obviously spare nothing in terms of marketing but wonder what non wellington based ferners think of that ( personally have many a fond memory of parties on said street )
 
At last count I think they had close to 40 different beers to choose from, I would have tried 7-8 at best. Contrast that with Rocky Knob who have only two and package them in shitty looking plastic bottles......but the latters APA is fantastic.
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It's rare for me to have beer that isn't from GP
 
Death from above is the one I have most often. Aro Noir is great, my favourites would be the two seasonal mexican ones 
 
I guess I would have tried around 15 of their beers. So far the only one I didn't like was the Wasi Sabi Sour

Hooroo

Oh no! Does this mean when we catch up in Auckland we won't be at a sports bar drinking speights and Waikato?

Stockcar86

Best place I have found in Auckland for craft beer is 16tun - over 120 craft beers, with some pretty good ones on tap too. A great range of 8wired, which is my favourite craft brewer
 
 <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://16tun.co.nz/menu/'>http://16tun.co.nz/menu/</a>

MN5

All two ( or three ) readers of my fitness blog will know I've just returned from a trip to Rarotonga and one of the highlights was a trip to the brewery there.
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.matutubeer.com'>www.matutubeer.com</a>
 
I went in with pretty low expectations which were pretty undue, their beer is actually really good and the story behind it is cool. They've been going for ten years which is excellent for a small business on the island and for a place not much bigger than a typical kiwi backyard shed they produce a lot of quality beer. They target the tourist market as it's a little bit too expensive for most of the locals. Granted there are always gonna be foreigners who want to grab a Heinie or Corona at the pub as fast as they can but for those who actually like to get a bit adventurous with brews their beers are really drinkable and have a certain intangible something that I really liked.

Hooroo

Going by your latest facebook posts, your lovely lady had too much of it over there! What was she thinking? :)

Nepia

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="608240" data-time="1471909053">
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All two ( or three ) readers of my fitness blog will know I've just returned from a trip to Rarotonga and one of the highlights was a trip to the brewery there.
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.matutubeer.com'>www.matutubeer.com</a>
 
I went in with pretty low expectations which were pretty undue, their beer is actually really good and the story behind it is cool. They've been going for ten years which is excellent for a small business on the island and for a place not much bigger than a typical kiwi backyard shed they produce a lot of quality beer. They target the tourist market as it's a little bit too expensive for most of the locals. Granted there are always gonna be foreigners who want to grab a Heinie or Corona at the pub as fast as they can but for those who actually like to get a bit adventurous with brews their beers are really drinkable and have a certain intangible something that I really liked.
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I used to go have a look around the brewery and fill up our plastic bottles with beer for the week on trips to Raro. We mostly just wound up talking rugby and league with the guys.
 
Last year when I went back we were told you had to pay for the tour now, is that correct? Also, when you could fill up whatever plastic bottle you had lying around it was cheap as chips so the locals would all drink it as well. Maybe they've just raised their prices?

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Hooroo" data-cid="608243" data-time="1471909248">
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Going by your latest facebook posts, your lovely lady had too much of it over there! What was she thinking? :)
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I know you guys don't think I'm cool but chicks dig me for some reason.
 
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="608252" data-time="1471910228">
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I used to go have a look around the brewery and fill up our plastic bottles with beer for the week on trips to Raro. We mostly just wound up talking rugby and league with the guys.
 
Last year when I went back we were told you had to pay for the tour now, is that correct? Also, when you could fill up whatever plastic bottle you had lying around it was cheap as chips so the locals would all drink it as well. Maybe they've just raised their prices?
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</blockquote>
 
I'm not sure, that does seem a very "Raro" thing to do though. The tours are at 12 and 1 every day and it's 10 bucks or 15 bucks to be picked up ( we chose the latter option, Raro has a shitload of undercover cops cruising around ) and you try the beer while he talks about it. That in itself is a good little earner as there was only two other blokes on our tour but as it wound up about twenty or so turned up for the next one. I bought the obligatory T shirt as well.
 
One issue he has is the fact that their beer is completely natural and free of preservatives. This makes it taste fantastic, unfortunately the flipside of that is that Restaurants there will buy it, store it in a warm cellar for a few weeks and by the time they chuck it in the fridge it's gone off unlike mainstream shit which lasts for ages ( apparently Raro imports a lot of expired Corona, Heinie, Speights, Tui etc )

The Silver Fern

Beer thread