Pours a dark, slightly cloudy amber. The head is large and bubbly, and fades away slowly to a thick lacing.
First sip: Sweet malts and caramel up front, with a nice citrus after-taste. Quite a lot of hops bitterness which lingers for a long while, but not as much as you would expect from something called "5 Hops." Does not have the pine-resin after-taste I find in other hoppy brews. Mouth-feel is medium with a nice carbonation tingle on the tongue.
This is quite a nice brew. It tastes hoppy without being too bitter, and is quite warming in the belly. It is definitely a good one for Winter, but not so good in Summer. The hops really comes out when the beer warms a little. The beer comes corked and capped like a mini-champagne bottle. At first I thought it would be really gassy - I could have popped the cork like champagne - but it is really quite mild when it comes to gas in the beer.
This would go very well with any meal.
And it really does go well with a farmhouse cheddar, because cheese.
5 Hops Winter Ale
Moa Brewing Company, Blenheim NZ
6.2% alc/vol
375ml bottle
Same again, sir? Yes please!
