Ric Oram reviews a summer quencher, a winter warmer and a boysenberry beer and considers the use of the humble Tui beer as a culinary ingredient.
Speight's has produced what it says is a younger brother of Gold Medal Ale, the country's biggest-selling mainstream (4%) beer.
Its Summit Golden Lager went on to retail shelves and behind bars yesterday.
What is the difference between the two? They are the same strength; the new one smells similar and seems more effervescent, but is lighter in colour, a touch fruitier in flavour and the hop bitterness is softer.
Neighbour Derek is a Speight's man, so I put the two in front of him without saying what they were: He liked the Gold Medal Ale and that would be his choice, although the Summit would be a quick summer thirst-quencher and he would also drink it with food.
The brewery says the new one has no artificial additives or preservatives, with the label declaring only natural ingredients.
Its older brother has caramel extract added to produce a darker colour.
Summit is produced in six- ($12) and 12- ($20) packs.
Prices rising
Summit's price ($1 a pack higher than the Gold Medal Ale) will not increase with the annual round of beer price rises by the two big breweries on July 1.
Lion Nathan (NZ Breweries) has announced increases of about 5.5% and DB Breweries says its will be about the same.
In the past year the cost of fuel and electricity have risen, along with 50% increases for imported malted barley and aluminium for cans.
Winter is here
Monteith's Winter Ale is back on the shelves this week.
The brew is a blend of six different malts which dominate the aroma and flavour, with only a touch of hop bitterness.
Six-packs of this rich, malty, relatively strong (6%) brew cost $13 - probably $14 after July 1.
Fruity number
Fruit season is well and truly over, but Invercargill Brewery owner/brewer Steve Nally kept some for his latest brew.
He loves fermenting fruit for drinks, and has just released a boysenberry beer.
The boysenberries have been added, along with some caramel malt to give the brew more body, to a wheat beer.
This has produced a typical banana sweetness from the wheat beer overlaid by the tartness of the berries.
It is available in 640ml plastic bottles (about $7 each) from the brewery.
The beer is better suited to warmer days although, at nearly 7%, a bit strong for lunch and should be kept for a sunny evening.
With that in mind, he intends to do it again in March next year.
Saucy number
Beer is a good ingredient in marinades for meat (or simply for dribbling on meat on the barbecue).
Now, if you like, you can pour a beer-laced tomato sauce on to those sausages.
Auckland-based Delmaine Fine Foods has produced, under licence to DB Breweries, Tuimato Sauce, which has a splash of Tui beer in it.
Look for it in the supermarket, but not in the beer section.
