Originally Posted by
minimoke
I have to disclose I am no beer connoisseur. If it is brown and has bubbles I'll be in. My last buy was based on $24.50 price point and the zombie guinea pig being killed on the packaging. So I found the Wakachangi to be an acceptable beer to quaff.
Today a $24.50 carton on sale with Red was calling to my scottish blood and politician leanings along with the axeman appealing to my inner lumberjack. So I've picked up a dozen Moa Classic. Its a filthy job, but in the interests of objective share research I intend testing the product this evening.
Edit. Realising the enormity of the task ahead thought I better make a start. Beer has been in the fridge for a couple of hours so is lightly chilled. Comes in a quality brown bottle reminiscent of my original Waikato Draught days - though only 330 mls. No screw top. Thats a disadvantage and a problem as I wasted time hunting down an opener and forgot a glass so this is straight out of the bottle. First swill get a hint of hops and a hint of malt but not much. Slight sweetness to it and just a bit of bitter. Nothing memorable lingering on the palate but a soft lingering after taste of not a great deal. Says on hte bottle it has floral aroma but not picking up any. Its a warm day, teh beer is cold, it tastes lagery so key features hit. I'll give it a pass. Obviously I'll have to try another to try and discern its premium features because they arent immediately apparent.
Edit 2. After a couple of bottles I realised I had made a grievious mistake. No control! Rooting around the back of the fridge I found a few more Wakachangi so figure that will do. This time I'l use a glass. Right on with it. Another brown bottle of beer also with no screw cap so very similar to the Moa. Given Wakachangi is nod to the Waikato river already some similarities at play. Given also it is great uncle Kennys recipe dating back to 1648 and the promise of it being "quite a nice beer" I poured. Its very clear, a light gold colour good bubbles and an initial half inch head. Not a lot happening on the nose - perhaps just a wee whiff of lager. On the tongue theres no malt and just a little hops - I'm guessing from the nelson region. Not a lot of after taste. Certainly quafable. Probably best food match is a sausage or two off the BBQ on a hot day. Im off to try matching it with another before the serious task of the Moa ahead of me.
Edit 3. In the interests of full disclosure I also happened across some Speights Distinction Ale while i was rooting around in the fridge. Given I cant drink next week I though id get rid of it to remove any temptation. So this is also in the $24 range since a couple of bucks is my price point for summer quaffing. Comes in a brown bottle ( a trend here) but this time screw top. As an ale it pours much darker, clear, no head no bubbles. Aroma comes with a hint of malt but you have to work to find it. Flavour just on the edge of sweet with a hint of bitter. Teeny bit of hop and a snip of mushroom but again working hard to find flavour. No aftertaste. This Ale is distinct from the others as it is the closet to water, brown at that so not much to recommend it. Cant figure out how these left overs ended up in the fridge. Should have been tossed. But since they are here......
edit 4. Gotta say teh Moa is getting better as the noight goes on.