Beer #155 - Good George / Blackberry, Sage & Honey

Beer #155 - W/C 12 February 2018

BREWERY // Good George take their name from their home in Frankton, Hamilton. The brewery and dining hall was formerly St. George's Church. Way back in the early 2010's a group of beer loving friends got together to open Hamilton's first independent pub. Soon after opening, regular patron and international beer judge Brian Watson asked if he could brew with them and the rest is history. Good George have grown exponentially since those early days, opening another 6 pubs and taprooms in exotic locales such as Cambridge, Tauranga and Rototuna. Their solid core range (their enigmatically named 'IPA' is a favourite of Luke's) is regularly complimented by interesting seasonals and collaborative brews. Next time you're in Hamilton, be sure to pay them a visit and take a brewery tour. This week Good George celebrated their 2,000th batch after five and a half years of brewing. We've got a feeling it won't take them that long to reach the next 2,000.

BEER // If you've ever been to Hamilton, you'll know 3 things. There is brilliant beer, brilliant ice-cream and the Riff Raff statue should totally rate higher than #15 on TripAdviser's list of 69 things to do in Hamilton. Both Good George and Duck Island Ice Cream are regularly described as 'the best thing to come out of Hamilton' so it makes perfect sense that they'd come together to create a beer. When tasting some of the range, it was clear to brewmaster Brian Watson that the Blackberry, Sage & Honey ice cream would translate beautifully into a milk stout. Don't go expecting a glass of melted ice cream- this is definitely a stout first with the unusual additions complimenting the roasty, chocolate malt flavours and the sweet, creamy body. The lactose and honey make for a sweet, dessert beer. We drank this with friends and everyone tasted something different - from "overpowering sage" to "couldn't taste any blackberries or sage at all". This is a great one to share with a friend or two and argue about what it tastes like.

BREWERY // Good George
BEER // Blackberry, Sage & Honey
STYLE // Cream Stout
ORIGIN // Frankton, Hamilton
ABV // 5%
TEMPERATURE // Cellar Temp. 7-11 C
FOOD MATCH // Blackberry, sage & honey ice cream. Mexican mole. Curryflower. By itself for dessert. 
GLASS // China Mug. Stout Glass. Dimpled Glass

Good George. Blackberry, Sage & Honey Cream Stout from Beer Jerk on Vimeo.

 

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