Beer #127 - W/C 31 July 2017
BREWERY // Back in 2011 we were in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis which meant Chris Mills and his wife, Natasha Dahlberg, weren't getting much work for their movie visual effects business. Fortunately for us, Chris was able to crank up his home-brewing hobby and start supplying a local Lower Hutt market with beer he brewed in a tiny 50L kit in their rumpus room. He figured that, while the demand for pixel polishers may fluctuate, the thirst for beer would ride out any recession. Demand for Kereru beer quickly grew and they custom-built a brewery in a former linoleum where you can now visit for a tour and try beer fresh from the tank at the cellar door. Chris' brewing experience started at age 5 when his mom taught him how to make root beer in his native Boston, Massachusetts.
BEER // The unique flavour of a Belgian Dubbel is imparted by two ingredients- candi sugar and yeast. Candi sugar is more easily converted to alcohol by yeast and is the reason Dubbels and Tripels have a higher ABV without extra body. Combined with the dark malts, this makes for big caramel, brown sugar flavours. The Belgian yeast gives this Dubbel complex banana, clove and spice esters. Kereru describe the aroma of Velvet Boot as "rum soaked banana" and we can't think of a better analogy. If you could bear to wait, this beer will continue to increase in complexity over a few years in the cellar.
And, if you're not into Belgian ales, you could always use your bottle to make a cake.
BREWERY // Kereru
BEER // Velvet Boot
STYLE // Dubbel
ORIGIN // Upper Hutt
ABV // 7.5%
TEMPERATURE // Cellar Temp - 8-10C
FOOD MATCH // Mushroom & Mustard Soup. Pork Belly. Haggis. Christmas Pudding
GLASS // Tulip