Unconventional critic

Tasting is not my forte because of my belief that most flavours or tastes are a version of the placebo effect kicking in. There is certainly the aspect of interpretation as with any type of art. With beer and wine it is quite different but a small aspect of personal experience is still present. I am not a professional in any way, but I am going to give my honest opinion and elucidation for every, in this case, beer.

I had the chance to do a beer tasting at the Walker Bay Estate with a view of the mountains infront of a cozy fireplace. The ambience I can only describe as an old man taking a stroll in the warm afternoon. If you pass through Stanford in the Western Cape do yourself a favour and drop by. If you are not a big fan of beer, there are also a winery, restaurant and a cheese shop. It is a place where one would be warmly welcomed and feel pleasantly comfortable.

Birkenhead

The name comes from the sunken ship called Birkenhead. The names of the beers are inspired by the untamed side of nature and are uniquely South African. These beers are a product of one of South Africa’s first craft breweries which was found in 1998.

Honey Blonde

Of course there is a thin aroma of honey in this beer, hence the name, but it is quite modest. It is very light and refreshing. There is a small tinge of bitterness, but I am sure anyone would enjoy this simplistic yet tasty craft. This beer won gold in the African Beer Cup 2021, with reason if I do say so myself.

Lazy Leopard Premium Lager

The name for this lager is completely accurate. It does indeed remind one of a leopard hanging in a tree with its tail lazily swaying in the air. It is a very light lager and it also has the small amount of bitterness like the Honey Blonde but smoother. It is especially made for the South African summers. This beer was also a gold winner in the World Beer Awards 2019.

Pot Belly Pilsner

This little piggy had a crisp taste, but was a bit heavier than the previous two. It has a broader malt flavour coming through and leaves a vibrant taste in your mouth. This beer would fit perfectly with a steak. When I drink this beer all what comes to mind is “lekker smake”.

Dead Parrot American Pale Ale

The burgundy orange colour of this beer compliments the slight citrus in the aroma. It is an explosive taste and on the heavier side. This was my least favourite of the lot because of its intensity as I mostly enjoy the lighter beers. Then again, this was @fermentedphil, the beer enthusiast’s, favourite.

Weiss

This one was an interesting beer. It smelled like sunscreen and the first thought that came to mind is the humid and salty air from the Gansbaai beach. It had the normal banana and bubblegum taste of a normal weiss, but with the added sunscreen aroma which was also a bit present in the taste. The colour was a murky yellow which was also different. This beer would go nice with a fireplace and rainy weather.

Chocolate Stout

If a Black Forest cake was a beer, this would be it. There is a thick aroma of richness and will leave the taste of dark chocolate behind. There is also the effect of eating a roasted coffee bean which would taste similar to this beer. The deep dark colour resonates wholly with the dark chocolate taste. This beer could get away as a dessert with ice cream.

Thank you for enjoying these beers with me! I hope you get the chance to enjoy it for yourself.

The post is my own creation and the pictures were taken with @fermentedphil’s Nikon D300.