Beer – #1048 – Eagle – Kahikatoa

Eagle Kahikatoa – I’m a sucker for a Barley Wine beer, despite my recent experiences (you can tell I’ve let it go). But you know it’s about the beer I’m drinking and how I feel about it, so it’s back on the horse for another gallop.

a rich sweetness

Eagle Kahikatoa is in a 330ml bottle, beer of 10% ABV, making this 2.2 standard drinks in NZ, and around 300 calories a serve.

Eagle Kahikatoa is brewed in that style that is a BarleyWine / WheatWine / RyeWine and is brewed by: Eagle Brewing NZ in Christchurch, New Zealand

It’s all on again

Native Manuka, smoked NZ Malt gives a rich sweetness to this intricate Barley Wine.

Ten percentage points of Alcohol make themselves known to compliment the complexity of this legendary style, while New Zealand grown noble hops balance out the smooth finish

So, What could possibly go wrong?

Hopefully nothing, but you never know with Lloyd Cole, a commission could break out at any moment.

Has a brilliant aroma, deep rich fruits and that sort of thing that makes you smile.

Pour is like a syrup, it sits flat and forlorn in the glass, brooding. There is the faintest hint of carbonation.

This seems to be the real thing, there is wallop of heavy sweetness, and a wash of warmth from the alcohol but it’s a bit of a rush to the end really, and I was expecting more,

The finish sits there dry and earthy at the back, I might be losing my touch as I wasn’t expecting that to be so prominent.

Despite having no visible carbonation this feels like a beer where there is too much, and it’s dulling down the taste, it’s not the most comfortable of beers I’ve drunk.

It seems rather unpolished and a bit unready, but I could be totally and utterly wrong about this, as the Brewer has called “English Style”. I let his warm for a reasonable amount, and I’m not really getting anything of an improvement in this.

So, it’s not unpleasing, it’s not unpleasant, it has great aroma, and is a gorgeous deep red brown in the glass despite the lack of a carbonation, but the tastes are a rush through the palate which makes it a bit short on mouthfeel.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 7 of its things from the thing. Aroma leads you into thinking it’s the real deal, the mouthfeel lets you down as it’s a bit squished and hurried through. Warming didn’t improve it any.

The double dip review

Where did I get it? The local Liquorland had them
Am I enjoying it? Not as much as I wanted to.
Would I have another? Not this one, but there are many Barley Wines to try.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Not this one, it’s a bit short to be able to have a conversation about that would start with “well that’s a bit light on depth and feel”

Music for this: Guesswork by Lloyd Cole on the Spotify player

The 11th full-length solo release for the British singer-songwriter features contributions from his Commotions bandmates Blair Cowan and Neil Clark as well as Fred Maher.

I’d say jog on as this is, like the beer, rather lacking in any substance and depth, and could almost be a teen angst album from the early Lloyd Cole book of Acne Angst Poems, complete with 8-bit video game bip-bop musical rifts. Ghastly.

BARLEY WINE

A Barley Wine is a strong, top-fermenting ale, with an alcohol contents of at least 9% and up to 13% (or more) by volume. Hops may be hardly noticeable at all or very noticeable. Sip them out of the special glass, that will concentrate the aroma. They are excellent with cigars or with dessert.