With my ears still ringing after seeing Motorhead and then going to the Grand Prix the next day, I thought it’s a good time to relax with a nice easy drinking beer. This week it’s the Boatrocker Hoppbier.
The Basics
The label tells me this takes it’s inspiration from the hoppy pilsners of Northern Germany. I picked this up at Macaulay Cleanskins in Kensington. I forget how much it was for a 6 pack of 330ml bottles. Maybe around $20, maybe less.
It’s 4.5% abv.
How does it look
I really like the clear stencil style label of this one. White space is a good design choice and helps it stand out in the fridge. It always catches my eye when I’m beer shopping which is half the battle in today’s ever increasing craft brew market.
In the glass it pours very clear and golden. The head stays round for a short while then quickly dissipates.
How does it smell/taste
It smells slightly hoppy, almost like an IPA. Hoppier than a normal pilsner but not overpowering and it’s quite refreshingly simple. It’s definitely an inviting smell.
Taste wise, it’s very crisp and dry. The hop flavour is still there and it’s a little bitter. There isn’t much aftertaste but it’s very refreshing. I would like a little more aftertaste personally but that isn’t really characteristic of this style. The strength of this beer definitely lies in its refreshing but hoppy taste.
When should I drink it?
The subtitle of this one is “Beer Garden Pilsner” and you would definitely be doing yourself a favour if you found a quiet beer garden with some relaxing music. It uses New Zealand hops, so maybe some NZ dub/reggae is in order. Fat Freddy’s Drop or Katchafire and this beer? That’s almost a perfect combination.
Verdict
They really hit that beer garden target. I could see myself happily enjoying these in the shade on a 30 degree day. It’s tasty enough to keep it interesting but easy drinking enough to get you through a lazy afternoon.
Also, the brewery has a really nice website http://www.boatrocker.com.au/ (except for the annoying welcome sound… I get what they are doing, and it’s short, but I can’t stand any autoplaying noise on websites). It has a book of recipes powered by Issuu (which is a fantastic site/tool designed for easy reading of newspapers and magazines) and a nice community page that spruiks a very worthy cause, which is always nice. So check that out too.
I give this; 3.5 Warren Maxwell’s Green Suits.
