Tiger Crystal makes NZ debut

TIGER BEER comes in five styles and, up until now, only the lager has been seen here. But its Crystal has just arrived on shelves.

This one is coldfiltered, which allows more yeast, hop and protein particles to be caught, producing a clearer beer. To highlight the clarity, it comes in clear glass. Clear glass is the enemy of hop particles, which produce a sulphurlike smell when exposed to ultraviolet light. So usually there is less hop in the beer or a chemically treated extract, which produces less flavour and bitterness.

The Crystal is less bitter and slightly more sweet than the lager and, at 4.5%, is not as strong as the lager (5%).

I first tripped over Tiger lager while in Singapore 30 years ago, ordering it with an enormous platter of lobster, prawns and crab. Its touch of hop spice enhanced their delicate flavours beautifully. It was such a memorable meal that Tiger has been my goto beer with seafood ever since.

If you are passing through Singapore, as I was, keep an eye out for Tiger’s three other styles which are not distributed here (although found in a handful of Auckland bars). They are: Tiger White, a wheat beer with cloves, coriander and lemon peel; Tiger Black, made with black rice; and Green Tea Lager, brewed with wokroasted green tea leaves which imparts a yuzu (grapefruit) character.

Heineken was a partner when Tiger was created in 1932. It now fully owns that brewery — as well as DB Breweries, which makes both the lager and Crystal here.

Strong lager

Craft brewers have had fun producing highstrength ales and stouts. Lagerlovers now have a treat. Boundary Road Brewery’s Double Crossed lager (8%) boasts twice as much malt and hops. It is rich, with the hop just managing to beat the malt in the flavour stakes.

This one was brewed last year for Beervana,

Wellington’s annual twoday craft beer festival (this year’s was last weekend), which draws about 15,000 beerlovers and was so well received that it has become a fulltime member of The Brewer’s Cut 500ml range.

At about $6.50, and attracting so much excise tax, it is good value.

Monteith’s Imperial lager (7%) is the same price. It has been around for a few years and is more lagerlike with its less malt character.

Winter festival

The inaugural Dunedin Winter Beer Festival is being held at the New New New brewery in Crawford St this Saturday.

About a dozen regional breweries will be there, including Birch St, Cell Division, Craftwork (Oamaru), Emerson’s, Ferris Road (Alexandra) and Ground Up (Queenstown).

Can do

Expect to see some of Adelaidebased Coopers Original Pale Ale appearing in cans.

Coopers has been experimenting since 2004 to see whether its beer, which goes through secondary fermentation in bottles, also works in cans.

It does, and the ale starts going into cans this month.

It already has a couple of labels in cans that are not usually seen over here.

Sales of canned beer have increased by 140% in Australia this year, compared with a 4% increase in bottles.