Page 23 - pākuViews Summer 2013
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So what is healthy about beer? Emerging
research reveals that beer does have nutritional
value and can contain significant amounts of
magnesium, selenium, potassium, phosphorus,
calcium, biotin, and vitamin B’s.
Brewing processes vary and with that nutritional
levels – the more malt in the brew, the more
B-vitamins; the more hops, as in ales like ‘Easy
Rider’, the more phytochemicals and silicon.
Stouts and other dark beers like ‘The Dark Side’
are said to be on top as far as health benefits and
tend to be lower in alcohol but higher in iron and
flavonoids. The high temp roasting process fuels
the formation of antioxidants.
Bottle conditioned beers, like those Coromandel
Brewing Co produces, are generally higher in
nutrition as well. German doctors have prescribed
bottle-conditioned wheat beer to patients with
vitamin deficiencies. It simply means the beer is
sealed into the bottle with a little yeast. The yeast
consumes the sugar and carbonates the beer
within a few weeks. This is actually how beer has
been carbonated for centuries, which some refer
to as “real ale”. After decanting these beers to get
a clear brew, Belgians are known to then swish
and drink the remainder of beer and sediment as a
“Vitamin B tonic”.
Some refer to beer as a “sandwich”. Probably
because ancient Egyptians are credited with
being the first to make beer and how? by
fermenting bread. The brew’s hops can enhance
breast milk quality and production, and nursing
Egyptian mothers were advised to drink a beer
as a way to increase milk flow. The term for this is
“lactogenic”.
Craft beer has all the diversity, complexity and
food compatibility of wine, but at a fraction of
the cost. You need to be a millionaire to try the
world’s best wines but anyone can afford world
class beer.
Go on and treat yourself to a craft beer or two.
Cheers!
With the Summer season now well
underway, celebrate good times with
a chilled bottle of bubbly! The team at
Cuisine magazine and Golddiggers Tairua
have selected some well priced, top rated
Champagne and Sparkling wines. At press
time, the Cuisine stand will feature new
release Sav Blanc’s. Gary is happy to help
you choose. - TD
Two five star performers fly the French flag
with great aplomb in our featured Champagne
selection: Beaumet Cuvee Brut NV and Veuve
Cliquot Brut NV. At $39.99, Beaumet offers value
for money with its vanilla bean, white stonefruit
and citrus aromas finishing with a long, refined
sherbetty palate. Veuve Cliquot will be familiar
to many champagne fans — a harmonious drop
with a lovely texture, a firm backbone with fine
flavour and complexity – all that you’d expect
from a proven performer.
Given the success of Lindauer in recent years, it
should come as no surprise to see that two of the
Lindauer family are 5 star rated in our sparkling
selection. Lindauer Brut Cuvee is a Chardonnay
Pinot Noir blend which is rich and smooth,
offering apple crumble, biscuity and toasty
characters balanced by zippy acidity which gives
this wine a long and lingering finish. Lindauer NV
Rose is delicate and fresh, offering strawberry
and rose petal aromas and a long clean finish.
Fans of Daniel Le Brun, should definitely try
the new, 4 star rated Rose NV. Red berry
aromas combine with biscuity, yeasty touches
to give a finely structured mouth feel which
leads to a flavoursome long finish. A perfect
accompaniment to white chocolate dishes, or
that Champagne breakfast!
Also featuring on the Cuisine stand is a rather
lovely selection of top rated NZ Pinot Noirs, and
while you may ask yourself what on earth Pinots
are doing being coupled with sparkling wine on
the stand, we’re looking at the fact that soft and
silky Pinots are perfect with bbqs, lamb, duck,
pork, salmon, tuna and cherries which I’m sure
we’ll all be enjoying for the remainder of the
summer season.
Our top rated Pinot hales from Grasshopper
Rock in Central Otago — a sensual, provocative
wine with black cherries and damson plum fruit
flavours while the acidity and tannins combine
seamlessly to produce a wine to savour.
Marlborough is fast gaining a reputation at
producing classy, fruitier styled Pinots and the 5
star rated Esk Valley is a perfect example of this
type of wine — rich, elegant and affordable!
Lastly, also worthy of mention, are two 4.5 star
rated Pinots, Pencarrow from Martinborough (the
traditional home of Pinot in NZ) and Peregrine
from Central Otago, both full of intense dark
fruits ending with fleshy, velvety mouthfeels and
a request for a refill!
Feel free to pop by and “pick Gary’s brain” for all your
Summer refreshment needs or queries. Ask about shop
tastings and Tairua Wine Club which meets monthly to
enjoy wines from featured wineries. You don’t have to
be a wine buff to enjoy these nights – it’s a great way to
increase your knowledge while learning about food and
wine matching.
Gary Barker,
Manager of
Golddiggers in Tairua, shares
Cuisine Magazine’s Summer
recommendations.
Wine improves with age. The older I get, the better I like it. - Anonymous
Cold Beer // Wine // Spirits
RTDs //Non-Alcoholic
The love of full-flavoured hand crafted beers is
what inspired Neil and Karen Vowles to create
Coromandel Brewing Company
, which produces
several varieties–Easy Rider (pale ale), Good as
Gold (pilsner), Just Buzzin (unique Honey & Rye),
The Dark Side (dark lager), Cloud Nine (wheat beer),
and now Dizzy Blonde. Look for these craft beers
throughout the Coromandel at bars, restaurants,
and supermarkets. Learn more, visit
Local Craft Brewers
explain the benefits
of ‘
Real
’ Beer!
“At many social gatherings
conversations might veer to the
health benefits of wine. We brewers
do enjoy wine, but mainly drink
beer, for we know it is far healthier
and more appropriate a drink”, says
Karen Vowles, the brewmaster’s wife.
