Category Archives: ~ Booze news / new products ~

Brooklyn Beers in town

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Carlsberg Malaysia has launched two new foreign beers, in its bid to get some action from the somewhat niche craft beer scene. A lil late to the game i gotta say, with two options – the amber lager and IPA, from Brooklyn Brewery, NY. Both are unique in their own way.

The launch took place at TREC

The launch took place at TREC

20171214_193036The first (5.2%) is definitely flavoursome for a lager. It’s basically a Viennese-style beer that uses the British dry-hopping method (steeping the beer with fresh hops as it undergoes a long, cold maturation). Suggested eats are pizzas, burgers n Mexican food.

The new pair

The new pair

The East IPA is not a bitch-slap that many others give you. It doesnt have the usual aroma of marijuana buds (hops are from the marijuana family). Nevertheless it contains six strains of hops. It’s milder in taste and easy on the bitterness (the IBU is 40).

It weighs in at a respected 6.9%. I could drink it all night without getting bored or jelak with the flavour. Best with spicy food.

Great bites with the beers

Great bites with the beers

It comes in 355ml bottles. With the probable high price point of up to RM40 or so at outlets, it’s gonna be a challenge to go against the tons of craft beers that we have here, which are mostly lower-priced and well-known.

20171214_193139Booklyn Brewery is currently ranking #11 in volume among United States craft breweries. It produces award-winning beers that are available in more than 30 countries.

 

Brain damage: 8/10

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Mixtealogy anyone??

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It’s extremely rare for me to get an invitation to a non-alcoholic drink event. It’s even rarer for me to accept! However, i was kinda intrigued by this one called Mixtealogy.

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It’s basically a colab between Monin syrups (often used by bartenders for cocktails) and Lipton Tea to create new drink recipes using the various flavours that both brands have in their portfolio.

Monin has a range of 175 flavours including gourmet sauces, fruit purees and frappe powder. Lipton has quite a few too, including the premium Sir Thomas J Lipton range.

Not huge fan of mint drinks but this was one of my faves

Not huge fan of mint drinks but this was one of my faves

Am glad i attended, as many of the drinks that were created are really good, even the simple ones.

Guests had several options when it came to drinks – you could either pour yourself from the ‘draught’ taps, or order a specialty one from the mixologists at the bar.

For the latter, you have an order card where you tick off various flavours as well as the ‘feel’ that you would like your tea mocktail to have.

Bartenders were recruited for this event

Bartenders were recruited for this event

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IMG_9236 (2)?

In fact this even inspired me and the bartenders at The Locker & Loft to come up with our own tea cocktail, blending green tea and cucumber juice, and it’s gooood.

Lipton Green Tea-infused gin, Midori, cucumber juice, lemon juice, sugar & Angostura Bitters. Refereshing and well-balanced

Japanese Squeeze – Sir Thomas J Lipton Green Tea-infused gin, Midori, cucumber juice, lemon juice, sugar & Angostura Bitters. Refreshing and well-balanced

I guess what this event is aiming to do is show the versatility of one of the world’s oldest beverage, tea. You could really mess with tea, more so than coffee i think. Even without booze.

 

Brain damage: 0/10

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The new Guinness Bright

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Yup, Guinness has a new product out. It’s exclusive to the Malaysian market and called Bright.

It’s a stout with coffee, ginger, and lemongrass extracts. (Am not kidding.)

GuinnessBrightLaunchKL-Bottle Shot-PhotobyAllIsAmazing (2)

Green

Tried it cold, from the bottle. Definitely not a typical nor a traditional stout. In fact it’s quite fruity in the mouth, with little to no bitterness. I thought it tasted like a fruit beer or a cider, with the additives not really overpowering. Carbonation is light and pleasant.

GuinnessBrightLaunchKL-Crowd Shot - Media & Trade Partners - PhotobyAllIsAmazing

Al fresco drinking..

It’s an easy-drinking stout, and it can go down quick. ABV is low at 4.5%.

Guinness Bright is available in 325ml bottles and 320ml cans. However i have yet to see it out there.
GuinnessBrightLaunchKL- HMB MT- PhotobyAllIsAmazing

Some of the brewery folk

It will complement the existing lineup of Guinness Draught and Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, and will be a permanent addition to the range of brews on offer in Malaysia.

 Curious drinkers can who are in Trec can get a complimentary sample of the new brew at The Quad. Samples are limited to one per customer, from 9pm tonight (Fri).

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This ale was developed in a partnership between brewers at Heineken Malaysia Berhad and Guinness’ Brewery in Dublin, and is not available anywhere else in the world. The RRP off-trade is RM8.80 / 9.50 per can / bottle.

Next up is mixing it up with some traditional Banting toddy then! Might go well together.

Sumtin like dat...

Sumtin like dat…

 

Brain damage: 7/10

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Benromach, a Speyside special

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Speyside single malts like Glenlivet tend to be my favourites. Typically, they possess light, sweetish characteristics. Lunchtime whiskies. The older ones and those aged in sherry casks however are richer and more pronounced.
Benromach is a tiny distillery from this region, which was once closed for a long time. Then it reopened in 1998. Nothing is automated at Benromach. It’s 100% hand-made single malts.

All the action in this 'house'

All the action in this ‘house’

It’s the second smallest whisky distillery in Scotland. It’s such a small distillery that only a handful of guys run it.

Stills... mmmm..

Stills….  mmmm….  full of goodness

Speyside whiskies of past had small elements of smokiness in them. This feature is said to be the classic pre-1960s Speyside character.

Before the mid 1960s, these distilleries malted their own barley. Hidden away in remote glens, they’d top up their fires with cuts of local peat when coal was running low. These slices were enough to impart a touch of smoke in the region’s whisky.

Hmmm. I didn’t know that. I have always assumed Speyside whiskies traditionally have a light and non-smoky profile.
However, the ‘Speyside smoke’ ain’t nowhere like the Islay one (in your face). The smokiness is very light, and not very noticeable.

Ace

Ace

Met up with the Juliette Buchan of Benromach for an introductory session.

The Benromach 10 Years (43%) is a mix of aged whiskies with 80% from bourbon barrels, 20% from Sherry hogshead. Final year is spent in first-fill Oloroso casks. Its beautiful taste of sherry, fruit and vanilla gives way to a light pop of smoke, coming after that pleasant sweetness that Speysides are so sought for.

Loved it. This is Benromach’s flagship expression.
We also tried the 10 Year Old 100 proof (50% abv). Just as interesting, only stronger.

The teen

The teen

The longer maturation of the 15 Year Old (43%) softens its smokiness to hints of charred smoke, while developing the wood-imbued character of honey, vanilla and fruit. Very pleasant, but richer.
As a treat, we had some Benromach 35 Year Old (43%). This exquisite dram is a lot more complex after chillin for more than three decades in oak. It’s a sophisticated, delicate dram, with the right balance between fruity freshness and oaky maturity.

Classy

Classy

This tiny family-run distillery by the town of Forres produces some astounding stuff. Will plan to serve it at Locker & Loft, especially the 10.

 

Brain damage: 8/10

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