Beer – #870 – 8 Wired – Rendition
8 Wired Rendition. I loved the Belgian style ales I had recently, and despite drinking a lot of IPA, and a fair amount of Stouts I’d probably pick an Abby Ale first time given a choice. Perhaps.
This is beer that is 7.5% ABV making it 2.95 drink units in NZ, and about 225 calories a serve size
Brewed by 8 Wired Brewing in the style that is of an Belgian Strong Ale and that all comes together in Warkworth, New Zealand
New beer, new hair cut, it’s all happening
This is our rendition of an age old monastery beer done the “8 Wired way”.
Brewed and dry hopped with NZ grown Styrian Golding hops, fermented with a Belgian yeast and refermented with brettanomyces.
This brew will bottle condition and will develop aromas of hay with fruity and floral notes. Flavour will become full of funky fermentation characters, raisin and fig notes, and a bitter finish.
So, What could possibly go wrong?
Not sure there is much on the immediate aroma to comment on, it’s fairly soft, perhaps of sweet fig?
Lovely orange brown beer with the best of heads, big full, fluffy, stark brilliant white. The aroma is still elusive though .
Interesting taste, an almost fullness from the sugary malt that you might expect, and a bitterness that is nicely counterpoint, neither of them bigger than the other, and together they don’t quite work to lift this is something really big. That’s my immediate thought.
Once you get a mouthful though the aroma in the glass becomes apparent of that saison style thing.
It’s not often that I promise myself that I’ll buy another but this is a beer that I will be buying again, that and the Grand Cru that just got released.
This despite what you might think when you sip is is a brilliant bit of balanced easy drinking beer that gives no inkling that it’s slightly high in the ABV, no tang, no edge, and whilst it’s not full in the mouth there is just some lovely balance and synergy that happens.
Hey it’s not the best beer I’ve drank recently, I can’t get overly emotional about it, I’d might like a fuller mouthfeel perhaps, I might enjoy that alcohol tang, but I didn’t expect a soft easy drinking tasty beer, and actually I really think it’s one of the most memorable beers I’ve had lately.
Tasty? Well that’s subjective there aren’t any stand out flavours in this, it’s just all getting along together and I’m not clever enough to pick one from another, I could stab in the dark but what is the point? There is no stand out peak, nothing too sweet, nothing to sharp, it’s just nice.
IT really could do with being richer, fuller, deeper and I think that given time it’ll get there.
The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 of its things from the thing. Yes, “very good” is how I describe this. I will take another and I will set it aside for a while because I think this might be a future classic, although I’m not an expert just an enthusiastic amateur. It really is that good that it’s worth keeping and not drinking, and that’s counter intuitive.
The double dip review
- Where did I get it? Liquorland have this, I’m sure it’s in good places.
- Am I enjoying it? This is wonderful beer that I really did enjoy.
- Would I have another? I would and will be, which is unusual because I mean soon and not at some other time.
- Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I would not and I would in a, say, a year , when it should be bigger bolder and more sure of itself. This really might be something outstanding given a little time.
Music for this: ” Bon Jovi ” ” This house is not for sale ” on Spotify
This House Is Not for Sale is the thirteenth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi.
A bit of pop music for the mind.
BELGIAN STRONG ALE
Belgian Strong Ales can vary from pale to dark brown in color, darker ales may be colored with dark candy sugar. Hop flavor can range from low to high, while hop aroma is low. The beers are medium to full-bodied and have a high alcoholic character. Types of beers included here include tripels, dubbels and ultra-strong abbey ales.
A life just as ordinary 