Brew Reviews

Limburg Witbier

Recommended by: Matt

Sent by: Darsha

Price comparison: I don't know; it was a gift.

Availability: Not only is this beer only available in the US to a very limited market, and only in its specially-pasteurized-for-export form, and not in Connecticut at all, but apparently it's hard to find the real stuff in New Zealand as well. The above-mentioned Beer Fairy had to go on a beerhunt for it.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 5.2%

Cute bottle/label? 330 ml brown glass bottle with a subtle brasstoned, navy blue, and white pentagonal label.

Appearance: Sort of a creamy opaque orange with a white head and quite a bit of sediment.

Scent: Tangerines, malt, and crushed coriander seeds.

Flavor: The coriander seems to be the big star in this beer; also some wheatiness and malt. Finished very lightly with some sweetness.

Impressions: This is more of what I expect of a beer than the other New Zealand beers that I've tried. It definitely has the most flavor of all the ones I've had so far and was very drinkable indeed.

Will I buy this beer again? I can't. It was so hard to get; not just for me, but for the Beer Fairy. Plus, she actually sent two beers in this shipment, but this was the only one that arrived intact. Damned Customs people who don't know the definition of "Fragile."

Rating:

3 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Speight's Gold Medal Ale

Recommended by: Darsha

Price comparison: I don't know; it was a gift.

Availability: Not in Connecticut. You can get specially pasteurized singles at Trader Joe's in some states, but they don't taste the same as the stuff available to the Lord of the Rings cast, assuming they drank whilst filming and assuming they drank beers. Well, it was available for them. Whether or not they had any was their own prerogatives, I reckon.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 4%

Cute bottle/label? 500 ml. navy can with orange and yellow trim.

Appearance: Rust-colored with thick white head and islands of lace on the surface.

Scent: Very faint malt.

Flavor: Light autumn fruitiness (Bartlett pears, maybe?) and malt, with some hops actually distinguishable. A bit of a metallic carbonation aftertaste.

Impressions: Of the three New Zealand beers I've sampled thus far, this is the most flavorful.

Will I buy this beer again? I would be more apt to purchase this than a domestic macrobrew if it were readily available, but it's just not.

Rating:

2½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Tui East India Pale Ale

Recommended by: Darsha

Price comparison: I don't know; it was a gift.

Availability: Some availability in the US (in its specially pasteurized import incarnation) at specialty markets in some states. Unavailable in Connecticut; I had to have a Kiwi take pity on me and send me the real deal.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 4%

Cute bottle/label? Squat little 330 ml. orange can, sloganed "classic beer big reputation".

Appearance: Gorgeous clear copper with bright white, thick head and gobs of lace on the glass.

Scent: The aroma pretty much reminds me of filtered apple juice. I'm just not detecting anything else, no matter how much I sniff.

Flavor: Not horrid, but nothing specifically distinguishable in its flavor whatsoever.

Impressions: I don't really think of this as an IPA. I don't taste any hops in it at all, even on the finish. It's very lightly flavored, and practically nonalcoholic by my standards, and, as such, it's thirst-quenching, but I'd be more inclined to believe this was a lager based on the flavor and mouthfeel.

Will I buy this beer again? I'm finding, as I progress, that these sporty little NZ beers have certain traits in common: those who've had the specially-imported versions think they are vile, whereas those who've had the real thing more or less agree they're not too bad. In this country - and others - we tend to expect more bang for our buck, so it's been an odd concept for me to accept a beer knowing well in advance that it is not meant to give me a buzz; rather, it should slake a dry throat, prevent dehydration, and, possibly, wash down a meal. There are beers in America that do little more than that yet promise so much more. But that doesn't answer the question, does it?

Truth is, this was bloody hard for me to get hold of, and I imagine it was a bloody lot of trouble for Darsha to get it to me. If I could get hold of the real thing (as opposed to the crappy American Trader Joe's imported versions), and if it weren't such a hassle to get it, I'd be more inclined to buy this than to buy domestic macrobrews such as Budweiser or Miller. It's more enjoyable both from the visual and the drinkability standpoints. However, when all's said and done, I am still a bit disappointed that it doesn't taste like an IPA, and being that it's so hard to get, whereas I can buy quality domestic IPAs very conveniently, I'd have to say that this was worth it for the experience, and I wouldn't turn it down if it were available, but I won't ask the Beer Fairy to send more of it.

Rating:

2½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Export Gold

Recommended by: Darsha

Price comparison: I don't know; it was a gift.

Availability: That's tricky. This beer, in an altered (specially pasteurized) form, can be purchased in some specialty markets (such as Trader Joe's) throughout the U.S., but not in Connecticut. Fortunately, I have scored some of the real New Zealand stuff thanks to the above-mentioned Beer Fairy.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 4%

Cute bottle/label? Unremarkable gold-toned 500ml can.

Appearance: Pale yellow with a big white head and clingy lace.

Scent: Not a whole lot happening, specifically. Light maltiness.

Flavor: Slight malt flavor with some hoppiness in the back, but not much. A bit salty at the finish.

Impressions: This beer is neither better nor worse than the average U.S. major brand. It's cool and refreshing and does exactly what it's designed to do: unlike its American brethren, this beer is marketed specifically as a low-alcohol brew to make it thirst-quenching and drinkable, and thus desired by young people participating in sporting events. In other words, it's enough to make them feel cool and less thirsty but not enough to impair them.

Will I buy this beer again? I don't think I could. As I mentioned, it's available in some states, but not in its virginal New Zealand incarnation, and based on what I've heard from people in other states who have bought this at Trader Joe's, the U.S. version is less than palatable. If you're a Yank, better find a friend in New Zealand who's willing to send you care packages. As for me, I already owe Darsha my firstborn, if I ever have one. If she sends me more, I'll drink it or share it without a problem, but I won't ask her to go out of her way to get it to me.

Rating:

2½ out of 5 cute beer glasses