Mclaren Vale Ipa - Wow

[manticle]

Thankyou.

 

[bum]

The BJCP is dancing about architecture.

Drink some fresh examples of the beers that typify the style. Decide for yourself.

The problem with your bold is that it the qualifications for the statements are assumed. Yes, mashing a 1070 OG beer low is going to be drier than if you mash high but it isn't ever going to be "dry" - and that is EVERYTHING that is wrong with A-anything beers in this country. Christ, reading that makes it seem like you could use dry enzyme and still be in style. Brewers read the guidelines and make entirely incorrect assumptions. Every broadly available A* style beer in this country is entirely wrong. Go there, drink some, try to work out if you think a single example of these styles of beer from here would last 2 weeks in the market there. My opinion is that they wouldn't if they chose to apply the name APA/AIPA. Entirely valid for you (and brewers) to prefer them but don't pretend they're indicative of something that they are not.

 

[bkmad]

If anyone can find one piece of legislation that requires any brewer in this country to label/market their beer according to set of guidelines from an american homebrewing organisation (BJCP), please post it here.

I'm not saying they should. However, it is a definition of an IPA, Vale IPA appears to fit said definition, therefore some may say it is an IPA. I was also pointing out that American style IPA's is expected to be reasonably pale and reasonably dry (according to the american homebrewing association).

For the record I prefer an IPA like Vale or Punk, which are both quite dry without much malt flavour and really just a showcase of hops. Also for the record, I couldn't give a damn whether a beer sits in with BJCP. Nice beer is nice beer.

 

[loikar]

Vale are all marketing

Every business is about marketing.
unless you want to sit in the back of the pavilion, behind your card table, butchers paper and crayon poster with a milk crate full of your awesome beers just waiting for someone to stumble across them and have a eureka moment.
But still making sure the word doesn't get out about your magically tasting double IPA that makes angels cry when you drink it, you don't want to become "mainstream" and ruin all the "niche" and obscurity that you have. because that pays your bills so well.

and about tricking the lowest common denominator into thinking they aren't drinking the sort of beer they already drink. Their IPA smells lovely but the aroma is just bolted on to the standard yellow and fizzy Aussie fare.

Tricking the punters?, No I don't think so (And if it is trickery, it's for their own fking good).
Showing the punters that there is an alternative to the big two's beers that they have been chugging for the last 40 years (and while we're exaggerating) that's not a ball tearing DIPA that will make their lips pucker from bitterness so hard the'll be able to lick their own digestive tract and never try a 'fancy' beer again?
I think yes.

As for the aroma being bolted onto the "standard yellow and fizzy Aussie fare" I think you might need to go buy a 4 pack to refresh your memory Bum.

BF

 

[bum]

Every business is about marketing.

No, most are about marketing a product. Vale are very much style over substance.

Tricking the punters?, No I don't think so (And if it is trickery, it's for their own fking good).
Showing the punters that there is an alternative to the big two's beers that they have been chugging for the last 40 years (and while we're exaggerating) that's not a ball tearing DIPA that will make their lips pucker from bitterness so hard the'll be able to lick their own digestive tract and never try a 'fancy' beer again?
I think yes.

Why do you keep saying "they"?

I'm not expecting (nor even hoping for, to be honest) to find a palate wrecker at Woolworths. I'm not saying people shouldn't buy or enjoy it if that is their want. I'd just like to taste some malt, thanks.

As for the aroma being bolted onto the "standard yellow and fizzy Aussie fare" I think you might need to go buy a 4 pack to refresh your memory Bum.

I think it was about 2 weeks ago I had it. May be much better on tap - I will try it when I see it.

 

[chunckious]

But still making sure the word doesn't get out about your magically tasting double IPA that tastes like angels pissing on your tongue.

Fixed.

As a one off beer, yes please. As an IPA, it can sit next to Sleeping Giant on the shelf thanks.

 

[sponge]

There's plenty of 'low range/borderline' IPA's around, but as posted above, all fit within the BJCP specs.

And as DrS stated, there's not much in the way of having to name a beer based on the exact style, so can very well be outside the specs and be names whatever the brewer pleases.



Sponge

 

[Steve@PMF82]

My 0.002 cents.
All names aside it has a real nice fruity aroma, otherwise i found it over carbonated thin and very bland in the malt department.
If i have to buy beer i will continue to buy LCPA over this beer every time or when i can find it Bullant brewery IPA shits all over both of them.

 

[loikar]

No, most are about marketing a product. Vale are very much style over substance.

I'll agree that Vale do have a well versed 'brand'. But to bundle their products in the same boat as Hahn or Pa-Thooeys is highly inaccurate.

Why do you keep saying "they"?

To exclude myself and yourself from the "standard yellow and fizzy Aussie fare" punter. "They" the typical SuperDry drinkers.

I'm not expecting (nor even hoping for, to be honest) to find a palate wrecker at Woolworths. I'm not saying people shouldn't buy or enjoy it if that is their want. I'd just like to taste some malt, thanks.

Have you tried the DRK?
Look, i'm not a big fan of the DRY, and the ALE, while not my first choice was one of the "gateway" beers that got me onto the bigger, more flavour beers, so I do have a place for it in my fridge.
However, the DRK and the IPA are a definite big cut above the first 2.

I think it was about 2 weeks ago I had it. May be much better on tap - I will try it when I see it.

I actually think the brewer\brewers\company\whoever has tweaked the recipe from the first initial carton I bought, lately the bitterness seems to have put it's hand up and there was some definite back bone there.

 

[hughman666]

Vale are all marketing and about tricking the lowest common denominator into thinking they aren't drinking the sort of beer they already drink.

Of course, it's a conspiracy. How could we have missed that?

Thanks for clearing it up

 

[Murcluf]

Far out!, anyone up for a game of spot the Vale/Ale fan club members, BF you'd have to be the president by a long shot.

But seriously, I get what they are trying to do and I get the market they are aiming for, and although their beers have yet to impress me either. I have no doubt, oneday they will have something that will. Unfortunately the way things are in this country it is extremely difficult establish a success business based on a product aimed a a very very very tiny target group who make their own beer anyway and don't have to pay the same taxes, wages, rents, etc etc etc that you do.

At the end of the days if you want a big fresh hoppy IPA that rips the guts out of your tongue, then brew one yourself.

 

[loikar]

Far out!, anyone up for a game of spot the Vale/Ale fan club members, BF you'd have to be the president by a long shot.

But seriously, I get what they are trying to do and I get the market they are aiming for, and although their beers have yet to impress me either. I have no doubt, oneday they will have something that will. Unfortunately the way things are in this country it is extremely difficult establish a success business based on a product aimed a a very very very tiny target group who make their own beer anyway and don't have to pay the same taxes, wages, rents, etc etc etc that you do.

At the end of the days if you want a big fresh hoppy IPA that rips the guts out of your tongue, then brew one yourself.

Well Said.

Apart form the first bit

 

[kevo]

And here I was thinking this was a good beer because I enjoyed it, thought it tasted good and smells great. And would be very happy to brew something like this myself.

It's not even to style!

What a fool I am!

 

[Fourstar]

If anyone can find one piece of legislation that requires any brewer in this country to label/market their beer according to set of guidelines from an american homebrewing organisation (BJCP), please post it here.

Hallelujah!

Thankyou.

+1

I had this a few months back and was pleasantly surprised and the quality and hoppiness of this beer. Is it an American IPA? Probably a softer interpretation of one. Is it within BJCP style? Hell yes(short on ABV). Would it fare well on the west coast of the US of A? Probably so if it was sold as a pale ale given the ABV.

In short, not all IPAs need to be a lupulin extreme IPA which coats your ballsack in yellow fuzz after every pint. If its not your preferred style of IPA, that's ok. It wasn't made to target your palate. I'd also suspect it was kept at this ABV for tax purposes (just a guess).

In short, ignore all of the style arm waving. Is the beer balanced, refreshing and enjoyable? I happily consumed three pints of it.

 

[MaltyHops]

...
It's not a strong IPA, designed more to appeal to what head brewer
Jeff Wright calls "emerging flavour seekers" than your dedicated hopheads.
...

Our very own AHBer/BAer Boston ...

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Enjoying the rest of the 4 pack.

My missus (who's pregnant) couldn't stop smelling it last night.

If anything would make her fall off the wagon, it'd be this one.

She smells it and just goes "passionfruit, yum - you *******".

Goomba

 

[donburke]

i had this at the australian hotel on tap and thought it was a great pilsner , perhaps a little too much crystal, a little too much forward hop character and i think they used the wrong yeast for the style, but a mighty fine pilsner nonetheless

certainly a lot nicer than some of the other offerings

 

[bum]

In short, not all IPAs need to be a lupulin extreme IPA which coats your ballsack in yellow fuzz after every pint. If its not your preferred style of IPA, that's ok. It wasn't made to target your palate.

Aside from those saying "it isn't an IPA" and little else, the only specific complaint that has been made about this beer is that it isn't malty enough.

 

[DUANNE]

am i the only one to have found this beer an overly one dimenional passionfruit bomb? just like a slightly bigger brother of s+w pacific ale to me. i agree with the comments of the malt being lacking wich i can overlook but the hops while fairly obvious dont really have any complexity beyond all that passionfruit.

 

[Steve@PMF82]

am i the only one to have found this beer an overly one dimenional passionfruit bomb? just like a slightly bigger brother of s+w pacific ale to me.

interesting comparison and i agree.