Full-bodied ale delicious now or later
GEOFF GRIGGS
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Beer
As is the case all over the world, this country's largest brewers specialise in the mass production of easy-drinking lager beers.
Consistent, affordable and with mass-market appeal, these beers are the Toyota Corollas of the beer world.
Realising they can't possibly compete with the big boys on price, most of the country's growing band of small breweries have steered away from making mainstream beers in favour of more flavoursome and complex styles. The majority of these beers are brewed with ale yeasts.
Unlike traditional clean-tasting lager beers, which are the result of long, cool fermentation, genuine ales are fermented much warmer and more quickly.
At higher fermentation temperatures, sometimes approaching 30 degrees Celsius, yeasts become stressed and produce fruity and spicy-tasting compounds that are the signature of many classic Belgian and English ale styles.
Launched in October 1993 and first sold under the name Old Ale, Emerson's Old 95 was one of this country's earliest new-generation ales.
When making the beer at his Dunedin brewery, Richard Emerson encourages the production of fruity esters by allowing the fermentation to reach a warm 28C.
The fermentation is often so powerful that the yeast head lifts the vessel's heavy steel lids.
Old 95 was originally marketed as a special, limited-edition Christmas release and packaged in 375ml champagne bottles, complete with plastic corks.
However, that manner of presentation was subsequently abandoned when the brewery discovered that bar staff were finding it almost impossible to extract the corks.
Apparently some brave souls were even attempting to open the bottles by trapping the corks in door jambs.
The next year, the selection of malts was adjusted and the name changed to Old 94.
Emerson considered the beer an improvement but still not exactly what he was aiming for so, in 1995, the recipe was tweaked once again and the beer christened Old 95.
In 1999, a London ale yeast was introduced and the next year, the grist was again fine-tuned to emphasise malt aroma. Ten years on, the hop bill has been changed to include three locally-grown varieties: Pacific Gem, Styrian Goldings and Cascade.
At 7 per cent that's verging on barley wine strength Old 95 pours a bright, orangey amber hue beneath a cream-coloured head.
The aroma, which is sweet and toffeeish with citrus-zest hop notes, always reminds me of breakfast marmalade.
In the mouth, the beer starts with a strong, almost chewy, sweet caramelised maltiness, but this is soon joined by resiny, citrusy and grassy-tasting hop notes.
Hops and sweet malt compete in the emphatic, bittersweet finish.
Full-bodied, flavour-packed and somewhat brash when young, this robust bottle-conditioned ale will round out and soften up with a couple of years in the cellar, but my preference is to enjoy it as fresh as possible.
Enjoy it from a large wine or brandy glass at, or just below, room temperature, perhaps with a chunk of baguette and a wedge of Whitestone Windsor Blue cheese.
Delicious! Cheers!
- The Marlborough Express
