Epic Mash Up NZ Collaboration Ale

Not sure quite what to make of this beer.

It's a collaboration of sorts, or mash up (get it? hurr) between pretty much every brewer in NZ according to the label. How exactly this came together, I'm not sure. The second odd thing is it's listed pretty much only as an 'ale' at 6.0%. What sort, you ask? You have to open it to find out.

At least the aroma holds some clues, delivering a blast of fresh wet NZ hoppage from the first bounce. It pours very light and crystal clear into the glass but doesn't generate much of a cap unfortunately. Still, that would potentially cover that nose of hops and they are clearly the stars of this beer.

While not outstandingly bitter as such, I felt this hops could have done with a slightly bigger malt backbone just to help support their pungent presence. Still - another fine, if confusing, testament to the power of these herbal kiwi battlers and their excellent properties in aroma and flavour when fresh. 7.0

Fraoch Heather Ale

I had thought 'heather ale' was a name for this beer actually but it turns out it's a style, using heather, that's been brewed for up to 4,000 years. Impressive.

Smells slightly vegetative certainly.. bit of sourness there too, ale notes. Clean, deep grass flavours come through on the taste, it's clear and easy drinking with a bit of difference from the norm too, sort of herbal finish on it is quite refreshing really.

A thumbs up for this, probably the only heather ale ever to grace the tracker. Give it a go. 7.0