Resurrected ale headed for stores

DB Breweries has been surprised, and delighted, by the reaction to its festive brew (refer previous column), a resurrected Waitemata Sparkling Ale produced just for corporate clients for Christmas.

So much so, that the ale is likely to reappear on retail shelves - although not this year.

The brewery ceased production of the 4% (which was on tap and in 750ml bottles) in 1999, until the yuletide re-creation of the original 5% 1930 recipe.

Folk who came across it last month and did not know of its limited release made fruitless inquiries at liquor outlets and started ringing the brewery.

"It's incredible how many have told me of the fond memories it evokes for them or that it was their dad's favourite," says a brewery spokeswoman.

Someone called Glen told her that he stumbled over a bottle of the ale: "I couldn't believe it," he said.

He was being married towards the end of January and wondered if the brewery could find a couple of bottles to put the table for his father and father-in-law.

"It would make their day! I know it would be a hit as a lot of my friends have similar memories of Waitemata Sparkling as I do."

The brewery provided a few cases as a wedding present.

A member of the Auckland-based Waitemata Motorcycle Club thought some Waitemata ale would be cool for the first three placegetters in one of its events instead of the usual boring old trophies.

The club now has three new trophies.

DB has in the past used a festive brew to test the market, sometimes then introducing it as a seasonal (short-term) beer or putting it into full production.

But capacity constraints mean the overwhelming welcome-back message for the Waitemata label cannot immediately be translated into widespread availability.

Extra bite

Dunedin brewery Emerson's has produced its first Brewer's Reserve of the year which is a stronger, hoppier version of its biggest seller, the Pilsner.

Extra Pils (6.2%) has more bitterness and different hops than the standard 4.9% pilsner.

One variety (Nelson Sauvin) produces gooseberry-like aroma and flavour; the other (a new variety called Rakau) lemon characters.

Their relatively high alpha oil content and the extra malt in the brew impart a feeling of richness in the mouth.

If you do not like hop, give this one a miss: it has a hop aroma, then a brief interlude of slightly citric fruitiness in the mouth before the hop bitterness takes over to linger in the throat.

Emerson's reserve brews last for about a month and are usually only on tap and available in plastic (this one, $9.78 for a 1.25lt PET) at the brewery in Wickliffe St.

Why bother?

A consumer study in Australia indicates that 67% of Australians do not notice when a new alcoholic beverage appears on retail shelves.

Perhaps that is why television advertising is so important to producers.

lojo.rico@xtra.co.nz [2]