Beer #145 - Mata / Chai Time

Beer #145 - W/C 4 December 2017

BREWERY // In 2005 Tammy Viitakangas returned to NZ after a beer filled OE with a desire to start her own brewery. She set up in beautiful Kawerau and 11 years later Mata Beer is still going strong with the help of mum- Gloria, dad- Jouni and uncles Timo & Esko. Tammy's Maori & Finnish heritage occasionally surfaces in Mata's beers such as Taniwha which was is made with hangi-cooked kumara and the glorious Sahti inspired by the traditional Finnish drink made with juniper berries and rye malts. The Mata team have been hard at work building a brand new brewery 30 minutes from their current one by the beach in Whakatane. It will be open for Christmas and they will have a tap room for sampling on site as well as take-aways. We're looking forward to a Bay of Plenty road trip already!

BEER // Tammy is a fan of authentic Masala Chai - a spiced, milky tea that originated in India - and wondered what a Chai beer might taste like. She started with a full bodied milk stout and played with various spices before finding the right combination of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and others. Of course, upscaling a recipe like this from the bench top to a full sized brew is a little nerve wracking but we reckon she nailed it. The NZ Brewer's Guild clearly agree as they awarded Chai Time a Gold. When the beer was released at Beervana, they offered it 'straight' or with a dash of cream and chocolate sprinkles which toned down the intensity of the spices. Another delicious alternative way to serve would be to make a flip where a red hot poker is stuck into the beer to caramelise the milk sugars and make a delicious, warming drink. This is another Beer Jerk Exclusive with this batch being bottled just for us.

BREWERY // Mata
BEER // Chai Milk Stout
ORIGIN // Kawerau
ABV // 6%
TEMPERATURE // Cool. 10-13 C
FOOD MATCH // Chaat (Indian snacks). Chai Muffins. Brie. Vanilla Ice Cream. Cinnamon & Nutmeg Popcorn.
GLASS // Stout Glass. Dimpled Pint. China Mug

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