Beer – #328 – Croucher – Anzus

Croucher Anzus, for a lazy sunday – I don’t drink enough Croucher beer, – Brewed by Croucher Brewing this one is in the style of an India Pale Ale (IPA) and they are in Rotorua, New Zealand

Of course a Selfie

A Tri-nation brew created for the Great Australian Beer SpecTapular as a low alcohol alternative to the 6-10% ABV ’hop bombs’ currently flooding the market. Croucher have hoped with ANZUS IPA to give these three nations another shot at working together in harmony – however rather than it being on a military basis, this time it would be on the craft beer frontier… specifically HOPS! Representing New Zealand was the newly released Kohatu, the Australian representative was our new favourite hop Galaxy, and the new US release Zythos.

A Bottle – 500ml – of a 7% ABV beer, being 2.7 standard drink units, 210 calories a serve. Nicely cold.

Nuclear Free ANZUS IPA is our effort to repair relations between these three international Super-Powers. While a Nuclear Free ANZUS military alliance didn’t work, the Nuclear Free ANZUS IPA with its heady blend of the best aroma hops from Australia, New Zealand and the USA sure does. After a glass of this it won’t be Uranium they’ll be smelling on your breath.

Grassy hop burst on the opening, light fizz, so not expecting a head.

Pours a cloudy golden orange, and a small and persistent head, a win! Nie hop aroma.

Sip and .. a full mouthful of Bitter resinous grassy hops and a bang of malt sweetness.

I was expecting something less cloudy and perhaps less aggressive.

Then is suddenly settles down, and you get something like but not quite an orange zest note that carries the bitterness to a reasonable finish, which isn’t dry not does it wreck your palate.

I’m a bit on the fence though about this, the flavours all appear at once, and the really present hop bitterness is very persistent. Although there is a decent carry and length I don’t feel fulfilled, or as fulfilled as I think I could be.

The pdubyah-o-meter then has this at a 7 on it’s scale of things, which is still good, but fails to break through the field and become a front runner, at least in my opinion, which may differ.

I’m not enjoying this as much as I think I could be, and I’m hoping that I finish it soon so I can move on to something else.

So the newish 3 question finale

Am I enjoying it? I think I am, but I could be enjoying this more.
Would I have another? Actually no.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I don’t think that as it is, just the beer, It works as a discussion beer. I can’t wait to finish it and more on to something else, and that can’t be good for conversation.

As an aside i’m also on Untappd and with this I earned the “We believe in IPA and you should too. You certainly have a taste for the hops! That’s 40 different IPAs” badge. I feel like a lush, which is slang you may have to look up.

Musically I’m having a listen to the Who is William Onyeabor album

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.