Chur Chur

At the start of this month Sarah and I flew down to Canterbury for the weekend. We went because Sarah’s friend Nicky was having a Birthday party in Akoroa. We spent one night in Christchurch and one night in Akoroa. The day in Christchurch was pretty much concerned with beer. My friend and BeerNZ main man Craig took us out to Three Boys, to Harrington’s and finally back into the city to the Twisted Hop. The trip to Three Boys was fantastic as I had last visited just after Ralph had started brewing and it was great to go back and see him in his new premises across the road with the big new plant. We stood and tasted bits and pieces from tank for an hour or more and were very rosy as we left. The highlight was tasting the new season plum beer before its release with tasting the new Porter recipe coming a close second. Then it was off to Harrington’s for a taste of their award winning mild the Pig n Whistle. We ended up in a very busy Twisted Hop. Martin gave us a whirl wind tour of the new extensions before we enjoyed a ploughman’s and a few pints. Next day it was off to Akoroa via the legendary cheese store the Canterbury Cheese Monger. We had a great time out o the peninsular although beer didn’t play a big part. It was the first time in four or five years that I had been to Christchurch. I hope to return soon.

Real Ale at the Races

Never let it be said that we let a bad beer selection get in the way of a good time. This weekend I made a mad dash to Otaki for a very short weekend away for my good friend Mulchin’s 30^th Birthday. I had to be back for work on Sunday and ended up having to race the train an extra stop in order to catch it home!

On Saturday we visited the Otaki Maori Racing Club meet at the Otaki racecourse. We knew the usual suspects were on offer from bar so decided to sort our own beer out. We set up a beer engine in the back of the van and enjoyed the good stuff

To make the weekend special I had organised 3 soft packs, a concept similar to nasty cask wine but bigger and without the nasty wine, filled with bright moderately conditioned beer. So my title is a little disingenuous as it was really bright ale at the races but that didn’t have the same ring to it!

Through the weekend we enjoyed Twisted Hop Goldings Bitter, Three Boys IPA and Three Boys Oyster Stout. All were tasting absolutely fantastic. We had the IPA at the races and it certainly hit the spot.

Oysters and Ireland

Last week as I was typing my Beer People Session piece a txt message came thru from Adam that the Malthouse had just put Three Boys Oyster Stout on handpump*. I jumped into a cab and was down at the bar within the hour.

Three Boys is a small micro in Christchurch. It’s the creation of Ralph Bungard and the two other boys in question are his two sons. Ralph brews a Pils, Wheat beer, Porter and IPA which when in form are very good kiwiafied examples of the styles. It is however the seasonals that really get me going and for autumn and early winter its Oyster Stout.

Every year for the Bluff Oyster season Ralph brews a strong (6.2%abv) dry stout which he hints he adds oysters to in some way or form. He has never been cornered on exactly how he adds the bivalves however through perception or suggestion there is certainly a salty sea like character that comes through in the beer when ever I drink it. This is the first year the beer has been offered on draught and I believe the Malthouse are the only place to have it.

Three Boys Oyster Stout 6.2%abv

Aroma features Milk chocolate, and a touch of bitter spicy coffee. On the palate there is more chocolate, a touch of sour milk, and an oily saline character, sweet nutty malt and a hint of frying vegetable oil ends on a mild roast note. Fantastic beer, the serving method suggests how fantastic this would be cask conditioned.

One of the interesting things I noticed while at the bar ordering the Oyster Stout was a beer I had seen discussed on The Beer Nuts blog recently from a brewery who’s beer I usually like. Carlow Brewing is one of the few Irish Micros (only?) to have its beers make it to NZ. When in good form the O’Harra’s Celtic Stout is a decent example of the Irish tradition. Recently they have brewed a stronger (6%abv) Celebration Stout to commemorate the 10^th anniversary of the brewery. I parted with some significant amounts of cash for the 750ml swing top bottle. While its broadly in the style of F.E.S. or Special Export the Celebration was significantly less complex. Still its an interesting find from an unusual source.

O’Harra’s Celebration Stout 6%abv

Pours a pitch black with a frothy enthusiastic light tan head. Aroma features resiny hops, smooth chocolate milk notes and a hint of roast barley. On the palate there is sweet malt, smooth mouth filling chocolate and a lightly roasty finish with a lingering hop resin character. Over all impression is of a smooth velvety beer but one that should be more complex than it is.

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* This does not mean that the beer in question was a real ale, rather filtered bright beer is run into kegs with little or no condition , or is de gassed by the pub and then served by beer engine with co2 slowly replacing beer in the keg.