Beer #193 - W/C 5 November 2018
BREWERY // The aroma of a brewery is a wonderful thing and one that take's Keith Galbraith back to his 1960's boyhood living on the banks of the Waikato river downwind from the old Waikato Brewery. When he started drinking beer, it didn't take long for him to grow tired of the cheaply produced, bland mass-market beers available in New Zealand and look for inspiration overseas and in the history books. He worked for a while in Larkin's brewery located among the hop gardens of Kent. In 1995 the eponymous Galbraith's Alehouse opened its doors in Auckland brewing and serving only the finest 'real ales' and lagers hand crafted with care and the best ingredients. The building was previously a library and is an Auckland icon for beer fans and architecture enthusiasts alike being built by the fascinating Edward Bartley in 1912. Considerable work goes into developing yeasts and sourcing hops and grain from Europe and USA to ensure the beers are true to style. Galbraith's has the only government license for importing whole cone hops (rather than pellets) from overseas which they believe are key to the aroma and flavours of their beers. In 1997 legendary British beer writer Michael Jackson praised Galbraith's beers so highly it make front page news of our national newspapers. Next time you're in Uptown Auckland, stop in for a traditional pint of ale and admire the workings of the brewery.
BEER // Named in honour of Kentishman Bob Hudson, a patient brewer who taught Keith how to brew the old way. The Ordinary Bitter style is one that is almost completely overlooked by modern brewers in New Zealand despite the fact that they are neither ordinary nor bitter (perhaps the style needs a re-brand). It's a quintessentially English beer with relatively low alcohol and rounded, balanced aroma and flavour which makes it perfect for sessions accompanied by good conversation. Bready, caramel aromas are key to the style with subtle bitterness and a dry finish. Whole cone Slovenian hop flowers are used in this recipe with floor-malted Marris Otter & pale crystal malts. 'Bob' is a quite perfect example of a traditional bitter - rounded, fruity, dry and very quaffable. It isn't hard to imagine downing several pints in a session. There aren't many English breweries that make a bitter to equal it. In the past 23 years Galbraith's real ales have rarely left the brewery as Keith is fastidious about ensuring it is drunk in the best possible condition. These 'can conditioned' cans are a new development, secondary fermentation takes place in darkness and the beer in you hand tastes almost as good as the stuff from the brewery tap.
BREWERY // Galbraith's
BEER // Bob Hudson's
STYLE // Bitter
ORIGIN // Uptown, Auckland
ABV // 4%
TEMPERATURE // Cellar Temperature. 10 - 13C
FOOD MATCH // Pork Pie. Bangers & Mash. Ploughman's Lunch.
GLASS // Dimpled Mug. Pewter Tankard