Beer excitement high in March

BY GEOFF GRIGGS

Eagerly anticipated each year by Kiwi beer aficionados, March 6 is the day when Dunedin brewer Richard Emerson releases the new vintage of Emerson's Taieri George.

The beer is Emerson's annual tribute to his father, George, whose birthday was March 6. As well as being a founding partner in the brewery and a much-respected biochemist at Dunedin University, George Emerson had a great love for trains and was instrumental in the re-opening of the Taieri Gorge railway.

Now one of the region's most successful tourist attractions, the railway runs from Dunedin through some of Otago's most spectacular scenery.

Recognising the value of his work on the railway, the Dunedin City Council made a special presentation to George shortly before his death.

Unfortunately the handwritten certificate contained a spelling mistake; the calligrapher had added an extra "e", resulting in Taieri Gorge being spelled Taieri George. Although the error went unnoticed on the day, when it was subsequently spotted the family saw the funny side and a new Emerson's beer was christened.

The beer was first released as Winter Warmer in 1995, but the strength was later reduced and the beer renamed Forty Winks.

"Whilst my father was in the Otago Hospice, we revamped the recipe, increased the alcohol with a higher original gravity and bottle conditioned the beer for flavour development and longevity." Richard Emerson explains.

"George was able to sample the revised brew and gave his approval."

A Belgian-inspired, spiced ale, Taieri George includes organic clover honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and a third, undisclosed, spice. Because it is bottle-conditioned it should be poured carefully off the yeast, preferably into a large stemmed wine glass or goblet. Best served only lightly chilled, the beer emerges a lustrous reddish brown colour beneath a pillowy, tan-coloured head.

When young there are hints of chocolate and hops but the overall effect is rich, sweet and spicy, with a combination of malt, spice and citrus peel that always reminds me of freshly baked hot-cross buns.

Despite the beer's sweetness and comparatively high level of alcohol (6.8 per cent) the effect isn't cloying; the luscious malt and honey flavours are deftly balanced by the spices and there's just enough hop dryness to freshen the palate in preparation for the next sip.

Last weekend, to mark George's birthday, Pip and I decided to share a bottle that I'd been cellaring with friends. Released in March 2005, the beer was now well over five years old but tasted magnificent.

A shade drier and less bitter than when first released, the years had also seen the malts, honey and spices meld seamlessly together and soften, to produce a delightfully rounded drink.

I'm confident it would have continued to evolve for a few more years yet. If only I hadn't opened it – or, better still, I had another case.

If there's a more perfect beer to raise the spirits as the autumn nights draw in, I've yet to find it. I'm sure George would agree.

Cheers!

- The Marlborough Express