Beer – #525 – Modern Times – Aurora
Modern Times, Modern Music, Modern Maths and a Modern party.
…. the spicy malt character of rye with the fruity dankness of new wave American & New Zealand hops… Drink it with your eyes.
650ml (22 fl oz) bottle that has beer of 6.7% ABV, 75 IBU, around 201 calories a serve size, and this would be 3.4 standard drink units in NZ
Brewed by Modern Times Beer in the style that is either Amber Ale or American IPA San Diego, California USA. I can’t find a Red IPA, Consensus might be Amber ale. I sit on the fence.
Aurora is a 6.8% ABV red rye IPA loaded with Equinox, Centennial, Motueka, and Experimental Hop 07270. This pungent, complex IPA marries the spicy malt character of rye with the fruity dankness of new wave American & New
Man needs shave, has beer instead
Zealand hops.
Aurora pours a gorgeous ruby red, making it the perfect IPA for Fall (if it ever comes to San Diego).
Aurora prominently features a couple of brand spankin’ new American hops: Equinox and 07270. Equinox offers both pungent fruit and rare dank was; 07270 is like the offspring of an orange and a pine cone.
We’ve married that remarkable hop combination with a rye-heavy malt bill, giving Aurora a spicy, bready backbone to support the heavy hop load.
A gorgeous, deep ruby hue makes this a real purdy beer in the glass. Drink it with your eyes.
So what could possibly go wrong with that?
I have to say that the label and presentation of this is very ‘wine’ like, simple, crisp, clean, and for the aged and infirm of eyesight, easy to read. The label does say IPA. That settles that then. I can tell from the table that this is fairly fresh too.
It’s also a Vegan beer. Lordy.
That’s nicely hopped and aromatic on opening.
It is a very pretty our of a lovely chestnut coloured beer with a nice off shite head that is firm and fluffy although not huge. Lots more caramel aroma in the glass than before.
That fair pops on the tongue, it’s bitter but not overly and it smooths into a soft middle and finishes to a grassy finish, all in one move. It’s not bad.
So for me there is a lot of ‘middle’ in this, a great big bash of, I’ll say it, more in ignorance, of what must be the Rye. The bitterness seems to have tailed away somewhat though, might be the effect of the rye and the strength that that brings to the beer.
The finish does get drier too as it warms. Overall Not bad but not my style of beer perhaps, but hey you have to give it a crack otherwise who knows. This is one of a few of the ‘Red’ beers I’ve had lately and I’m sure I’m the same about all of them. They’re ok but they’re just not me.
I wonder though if this would balance against something food, but I don’t know what in particular, the style stumps me.
The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as a 7 of its things from the thing. I really struggle with this style, the ‘red’ and the ‘rye’ thing.
The double dip review
- Am I enjoying it? Not really, I personally find it a bit challenging.
- Would I have another? I ‘get’ the Rye thing, and the big middle and that, it’s just not for me.
- Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Who’s buying because I wouldn’t turn up with this, if however you did I’d drink it and make idle chat about the style and that.
Music for this, well, I came across this band “Mumm-Ra” who are an English indie rock band originates from Bexhill on Sea, on the South Coast of England. This is “Technicolour” from the Album “Back to the Shore” and yes I spelt that correctly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkFo7af30QI
No I’ve never watched Thundercats. Ever.
And as to Indie Pop. At least it fits with the summer weather and you can have it on in the background whilst watching the flora and fauna to distract you. It’s not the worst music I’ve ever listened to, it’s ok, but it’s not ‘wow’ good. Good enough though, close enough. I did play it twice. 🙂
AMBER ALE
A style without definition, amber ales range from bland, vaguelly caramelly beers to products with a fairly healthy malt and hop balance. Often the differentiation between a quality amber and an American Pale is that the amber might have more dark malt character, or a less assertive hop rate.
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 
I think we should just agree that the whole “red” section of the beer world has something missing from it.
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It indeed has, however it appears all is not as it should be in “red” world.
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