Beervana Preview 2 – Yeastie Boys

Expected the unexpected from Yeastie Boys.

This contract brew outfit has been surprising New Zealand craft beer fans for a couple of years now with its rockin’ attitude and giving the finger to established beer styles.

Its Beervana launch will include two brews. One is the high-alcohol winter warmer Her Majesty 2010. The other, Punkadiddle, comes in at a distinctly unfashionable – and highly sessionable – 3.7%.

Her Majesty 2010 is part of Yeasties’ limited-release Majesty series. For the past two years they have released a his-and-hers pair of high-flavoured, high-powered speciality brews presented in champagne bottles. His Majesty is hop-driven and designed to be masculine. Her Majesty is malt-led and the feminine complement.

As I said, the Fungal Fellas don’t worry about toeing the line with style definitions. Reviews reflect the eclectic approach. Kieran Haslett-Moore from Regional Wines & Spirits called it: “a Belgian Imperial Brown Porter, or in other words, unique”.

It pours a deep mahogany brown with a thick tan head. The aroma shows its Belgian origins. The flavour is deeply malty with little or no hop influence. It has a slight, bitter-malt aftertaste that becomes more prominent as the glass warms. At 7.5% and all-malt, this is a good winter warmer. It should be a keeper, and it will be interesting to taste what those Belgian yeasts are doing in a year.

Yeastie Boy “Fungus Stu” McKinlay is on record as warning hopheads to seek medical advice before trying HM2010, and it left this hophead underwhelmed. Mrs Beerblog didn’t get animated either and didn’t find it a feminine beer. Both of us thought the flavour wasn’t as complex as expected from a 7.5% beer. But if you’re a malt fan, check this one out, and keep another to cellar.

Punkadiddle will be launched at Beervana if all goes to plan, and I haven’t tried this one yet. All I know is it’s 3.7% alcohol and uses East Kent Golding hops. That hints towards a Mild Ale, but you never know with the Fungal Fellas.

Pot Kettle Black might also be available at Beervana. This was Yeastie Boys’ original effort and it is now widely available year round. It is an exceptional example of their lateral thinking. Described as an American-style Porter, it has all the cake/coffee/dark flavours you want in a porter, with a healthy whack of New World hops. PKB has been though a few versions and marks over the past two years, and the latest model has been finely tuned to be at its best for Beervana. Try it.

Next Beervana Preview – Monsters from Marlborough

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©Martin Craig. Reproduction with permission only.



6 Responses to “Beervana Preview 2 – Yeastie Boys”

  1. I see it as more of a Belgian-style Untraditional Scotch Ale than a Belgian Imperial Porter.

    If you want hops, we’re selling the last of the “white label” Yakima/Motueka bottles at Regionals on Thursday afternoon.

    I’m sorry to say that hops don’t feature heavily in any of our next three seasonal tap beers (but floor malted Maris Otter might). This winter has dosed me up with enough hops for the next 6 months.

    Reply

    • I know what you mean – its been a winter of hops alright. I think the real theme of Beervana will be big-hopped, big-alc monsters.

      Perhaps you should trademark Monster as a beer style before someone else does…

      Reply

      • We’ve used “Monster” so I’m pretty sure it couldn’t be trademarked now… I’m happy for anyone else to use it.
        The name “Yakima Monster” atually comes from Jo Wood of Liberty Brewing so I would never use the “Monster” term in a beer name again unless he is involved. We’ve tentatively discussed doing it again next year but this time, instead of making the beers exactly the same way, I’d like to make the Motueka Monster without dry-hops (I’m not a fan of dry hopping with NZ hops – especially not at the rate that Jo dry hops the Yakima!!). same amount of hops but used the way they work best.

        For the record, I think Yakima was a shade better (technically) but I am far more likely to reach for a Motueka… it is one of the few beers this year that has really intrigued me.

        Reply

  2. F*#K German Beer.

    Didnt think I would notice that did ya!

    It did take me 2 posts.

    Reply

  3. What is the role of Yeastie Boys?

    Reply

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