Pub, Not Pub

England 58 all out
v New Zealand 229-4
close on Day Two

1st Test, played at Eden Park Auckland

Friday 23 March 2018

12 New Zealand Beer Ticks

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Rain interrupted day. Covers off & on. The Day Night Dynamics do impact. If it keeps raining. But sometimes stops. If the covers come off. If the Sopper sops. If the Umps inspect. You can't help think - Jeez, this might go on until 9pm, and then they'll call it off. Kicking your heels until 5pm (ish) is one thing. Hanging around until 9pm is ball game wholly different.

The Off call eventually came at 9:05 pm. The Brewers Co-Operative bar is around 4.5km, 25 minutes by bus, away from Eden Park. I'll happily admit, when the Off call came, I was on a table at the back of the Brewers Co-Op, underneath that impressive beer board. Indeed, I was nearly at the bottom of;

Hop Federation, Storm, Fresh Hopped IPA at 6%

A bit of a Buzz Beer that. Released across the country at 4pm today. Made with fresh Taiheke, Sauvin, Pacific Jade. It had that fresh garden lawn  aroma thing going on. Then, maybe a hint of lime. Before a burst of mouthfilling bitterness.

Naturally, with the Cricket off, I could press on.

Liberty Brewing, Knife Party IPA at 7.1%. That one was oh, so close. Not much mucking around. A little orange sweetness. Straight into hop bitterness. It just needed a bit more richness & intensity I felt.

We'd been seduced by two things. Firstly, the weather forecast. Secondly, the opening (basically on Wednesday) of the new Garage Project “Venue” in Kingsland. Virtually in sight of the turnstiles. It took us a little while to work it all out & get a plan together. There must be some licensing small print. Basically, this place is Off Sales. All Garage Project stuff. Bottles. Tinnies. Flagons & those make them yourselves can things - filled from the taps. Twelve taps to go at.

But, they can't sell you a glass of beer from the taps. So, you can't prop the bar up & get at it. The rub is. They can, apparently, serve tasting trays. Six assorted little beers in little glasses. At some stage, “The Authorities” are coming round. “No No No - that's not what we meant at all - you're basically trying to operate as a Pub - just with more glassware”.

Anyway. Pile in. For now.

It's always a ticking dilemma. It's beer. I've not had it. But. To be honest. There ain't much of it. On most trips, I'll have the odd tray of tasters, but get bored, & implement an at least half strategy. Today, with only 4 previous ticks ticked. And, in a Brewery Tap. With only tasters available. I'm ticking 'em.

Garage Project, Touchwood, Honey & Elderflower Tripel at 9%. Sweet anyway & honey sets it up nicely. Numbing, anaesthetic.

Garage Project, Tournesol, Spiced Saison at 6.5%. Bit of grass. Spice comes quickly. Then again at the end. Tastes like there is a good Hop whack in there.

Garage Project, Trip Hop, Triple Hopped ESB at 5.6%. Great initial malt shot. Toffee, hazelnut. Bit underpowered in the bitter department though.

Garage Project, Los Lobos, West Coast IPA at 8%. Hop Bomber. Superb. Bitterness just keeps on coming at you.

Garage Project, Fugazi, Session IPA at 2.2%. Nice enough. But that's a very small small beer. Salad leaf bitterness gets there. Bursts into flavour.

Garage Project, Hops on Pointe, Champagne Pilsner at 6.7%. I'm mainly getting straight ahead Bohemian style Pilsner. And, it's great. But I don't think the Champagne yeast & Nelson Sauv are adding much. Loved it though.

630/1312