Beer – #416 – Liberty Brewing – Knife Party
How could you go past a beer with a name like this one from Liberty Brewing – Knife Party, This might also be correctly “Liberty Knife Party West Coast IPA”
“Liberty Brewing started out very small scale in New Plymouth. now most of the beer is brewed under contract at Tuatara in Paraparaumu and some at the Beer Fountain, the brewery inside the Hallertau brewpub near Auckland.”
This then is an American IPA style, which is either India Pale Ale (IPA) or American Pale Ale , and this is brewed in Auckland not a million miles from home.
500ml bottle, 7.1% ABV and 70 IBU things, making this 2.8 standard drinks in NZ and this is around 280-300 calories in this bottle
Originally brewed in limited stocks for the annual West Coast IPA Challenge at The Malthouse bar in Wellington. The WCIPAC, is a celebration of all the wonderful beer qualities that typify the west coast of the United States, where full-on hops rule the roost. New Zealand’s best hoppy beer makers gather every July for the challenge, bringing unique beers as they seek to outdo each other in competition. Last year, Knife Party came out on top in an intense competition but stocks were limited and you had to be in the right place to get some.
Now the right place is your local Liquorland as Liberty Brewing delivers a special batch of this special brew made just for Liquorland.
So a real “cult” beer.
Gorgeous amount of hops on opening this, lovely sweet grass. Nice hiss and fizz too.
Pour seemed very pale but coloured up in the glass, poured with a fantastic head of fluffy white persistence. That magnificent aroma followed too, light grassy sweet. Sweet!
Wow, that’s hop bittery and a bit of a surprise, not that aroma = taste, but this is much more towards bitter taste than the low grassy aroma indicates, since I’m not an expert that did surprise me.
Right then to the thinking about it, and less singing along to the music.
It has a very bitter highlight, but this does not finish at all dry. The grassiness is nice, and not too rough or edgy. It’s hard though to pick a middle with this.
I’m then not convinced about this, it’s well hoppy but it lacks a body of sweetness that I was expecting, after all this did win the whole competition. I’m going to stick my neck out and say “thin” because that is my opinion. Less bite than Luis Suarez. Then I had second thoughts. This really would be nice to have with food, because I want the instant hit of taste from a beer, and not necessarily a bunch of other things going on.
The pdubyah-o-meter than is at a quandary – and arbitrarily rates this as 8.5 things of a random things of its things from the thing. It picks up dryness as it gets a bit warmer, but it doesn’t pick up the middle., but then it might not mean to and then it really is very good at what it is.
I’ve mentioned it before elsewhere in my musings that the IPA types of beer are a myriad of tastes and flavours and delivery styles and it’s a very crowed field, as an IPA then it’s a bit ‘meh”
As a APA though this is what it says it is, hoppy and drinkable and would work with other flavours from food without distracting from the hop flavours that this has, so enjoy the food, get a hit from the beer, how could you go wrong! It’s a bit good that way, a lot of up-front taste and not a lot behind it. I’d go again, but I’d go again with something to keep it company.
Oh and it makes you burp.
The double dip review
- Am I enjoying it? I wanted to enjoy it like it was a party in my mouth, this was the first and only guest at a party party, a bit empty and lacking.
- Would I have another? I might have to, people love this beer!
- Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I think I would because there is a lot to talk about, and how it won and all that.
listening to The Veils, the Album “Time Stays, We Go” and this is but one track ‘Turn from the Rain” which is foot tappingly good and got a three-peat on the music player thing. This though the Live version:-
The Veils are a London-based indie/alternative rock band, and suited the calmness of the early evening/ late afternoon with some well crafted musics and melody. Go on have a listen.
I should start a music and beer match rating system, and then ………
Oh I’m happy if you recommend musics to me I’ll listen to it.
AMERICAN PALE ALE
American Pale Ales are light in color, ranging from golden to a light copper color. The style of this beer is defined by the American hops used. American hops typically have high bitterness and aroma.This is a perfect beer for big fare like grilled burgers or combination pizzas, as well as lighter fare like sushi and green salads.
INDIA PALE ALE & IPA
India Pale Ale gets its name and unique style from British brewers who were making beer for export to India. This style has an intense hop flavor which was used to preserve the beer for the long voyage. India Pale Ale has a golden to copper color with a medium maltiness and body. The aroma is moderate to very strong. IPAs work especially well at cutting the heat of chili, vindaloo or Sichuan cuisine.
A life just as ordinary 