End of summer brings misery; also brings new beer
The end of summer is usually a miserable time, with the relentless passage of the earth around the sun typically leading to an epidemic of Kiwi self-pity and climate-related woe. But Monteith’s is instead celebrating the changing seasons by releasing its first autumn beer, Monteith’s First Harvest ale, in late March.
Monteith’s drew its inspiration for the new varietal from the annual harvesting of beer’s two key ingredients, hops and barley. And, just like those two ingredients, First Harvest has a limited time-span and will only be offered on tap at Monteith’s bars for two months.
Monteith’s marketing manager, Russell Browne says brews that are ‘hoppy’, like First Harvest ale, are best enjoyed fresh to ensure the hop aromas or ‘top notes’ are not lost. He also uses words like flavoursome, complexity, soft malt characters, spicy, fruity, yeasty, slightly dry and perfectly balanced to describe it’s many-faceted features.
“It’s a good match with most foods,” says Browne. “The fruity and spicy notes can lift a simple char-grilled dish but it’s equally able to enhance the flavours of any hot or peppery meal.”
What do you think?