Blood Brothers Brewing-Manu New Zealand Pilsner
Blood brothers does some very good things. As part of a mega release of lagers beverages, and just in time for a global, no-helmet sports event, Manu is a New Zealand Pilsner. I refrain from referring to the tournament by its birth name as to fly under the radar of the police task force.
A New Zealand Pilsner is a dry hopped pilsner, not unlike the Italian Pilsner, but uses, of course, New Zealand hops. This shifts the beer far away from the floral, herbal nose of the traditionals. The underlying remains the same but the adornments are vastly different. Same guy, different hat. A big hat, with feathers and something that shoots fire.
Its light gold, quite clear, and has a mid level semi loose head. Pretty normal. What stands out is that big New Zealand nose with major white grape and sulfury thiols. The malt is hard to find under all that Nelson Sauvin and Rikawa, but it’s there, it’s clean, and it’s bready. The beer is quite bitter forward, but more firm than aggressive, not unlike its European cousins. As the session goes on more qualities emerge. In this instance, lime and grapefruit move into the foreground, but remain secondary players. While gooseberry is typical in these hops I was hard pressed to find any. Passionfruit would be a natural descriptor too, but it’s one I feel is misused. I compel anyone to smell a passionfruit and then a beer and continue with the narration that the aromas are identical.
The hops start to decay and the malt moves forward a bit. It remains bready and clean, along with fermentation. Clearly we don’t want any noticeable fermentation character in this beer, but it’s affirmative when none can be found. The finish is medium long with the interplay continuing as malt makes its existence known and the hops, job well done, retire slowly.
- 4.8% ABV
- New Zealand Pilsner
- Blood Brothers Brewing, Toronto, Canada