Beer – #1,117 – Garage Project – Hops On Pointe Grand Cru

Garage Project Hops On Pointe Grand Cru, one of a number of special 10 year anniversary beers that are being released. I really am looking forward to this, the ‘standard’ one is lovely, and I expect this to be that and more.

The first time I wrote about this was April 2013, so I’ve been here for the long haul 🙂 Read it here Where I said:

“‘Made my day as I had no expectations but got a little gem of a thing that being honest with you made me smile. It’s a lovely beer, well crafted, not difficult and easily shareable with friends without making them frown or regret being  in your beer circle.  Very good.  Very very good.”

Me April 2013

And I appear to have had this on tap in March 2015, wherein I mused that is ‘Based the Barre’, I think I was trying to be whimsical.

Then as now, written without AI.

Garage Project of course make the Garage Project Hops On Pointe Grand Cru – a special release, Brewers in Wellington, 🇳🇿 New Zealand, in the style that is Pilsener / Pils / Pilsner, and it is at 10.0% ABV.

A very special Grand Cru edition of our Garage classic, celebrating 10 years of Hops on Pointe. 
Brewed with extra premium malts, Nelson Sauvin hops and bottle conditioned with champagne yeast. The result is an extra strong golden pilsner with a crisp, citrus and crushed grape palate, rich tropical fruit aromas and lively, persistent effervescence

A perfect pas de deux between Garage Project & The Royal New Zealand Ballet

So, What could possibly go wrong?

Well it is a cork, and there I was thinking there might have been a crown seal. After a wrestle with the cork using my best Arthritic grip I finally get it open. carefully of course, don’t want to spill any.

A lovely clean clear bright yellow pour of a beer, a luscious aroma, that is both hoppy, slightly grassy and also has a sweetness about it.

The taste is divine, there’s nothing quite like a premium lager made with a premium yeast to lift everything to excitement level.

MrsPhil stopped by drawn by the magnificent presentation and even dared a sip, with the inventible “tastes like beer’ comment, which is usual and not unexpected.

Anyway, what is really nice about this is that for fe this is a well considered beer, there’s a hop bite but it is more a nibble and adjunct to the main show which is the lovely softness of the body and mouthfeel. It is getting appreciably better as it warms, but which I mean that the happiness and body are becoming bolder.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 of its things from the thing. This is next level enjoyment in a beer, a lovely Pilsner with an over-riding sweet softness. So much to like and enjoy. I’ve not really changed by opinion in 10 years, this is good, very very good.

The double dip review

• Where did I get it? The local Liquorland of course. I paid (I think) around $20 for the 750ml bottle, so I think that’s good value.
• Am I enjoying it? Yes
• Would I have another? They are not common and if you don’t have one they might have all gone.
• Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? This isn’t a beer that is a ‘wow but it is a ‘must have’ and I really do look forward to sharing the other one I have with some friends later in the summer.

Music for this:   King Crimson – Discipline. An original vinyl, not a pop or skip! it’s fantastic listening. I’ve got to say that this is something special of an album , not the most well known one and the last three tracks are just other level brilliant. Music from 1981, still good now

Pilsener / Pils / Pilsner

The classic “German Pils” – also known simply as “Pils”, “Pilsner” or “Pilsener” – is a light-bodied, highly-attenuated, gold-colored, bottom-fermented bitter German beer showing excellent head retention and an elegant, floral hop aroma. Crisp, clean, and refreshing, it showcases the finest quality German malt and hops. The use of the term Pils is more common in Germany than Pilsner to differentiate it from the Czech style. Lighter in body and color, drier, crisper, and more fully attenuated, with more of a lingering bitterness, and with higher carbonation than a Czech Pilsener. More hop character, malt flavor, and bitterness than International Pale Lagers and more hop character and bitterness with a drier, crisper finish than a Munich Helles although the helles has more malt flavor, but of the same character as the Pils. The style also includes the 2 following substyles. The “Italian-Style Pilsner”, an hoppier Pilsner generally using old-world German hops for dry-hopping. The “New Zealand Pilsner”, a slightly maltier and less crisp take on the German Pils showcasing New Zealand hop varieties