Raglan Brewing Co. Pacific Ale Review

14 October 2018 - Best Beer HQ

Raglan Brewing Co. Pacific Ale Review

Mrs Best Beer HQ and I spent our fifth wedding anniversary in Raglan, Waikato’s sun-soaked surfing mecca. Not that we did any surfing; it’s way too cold for a wimp like me, and my wife is eight-months pregnant with our first child.

Thus, I was drinking to Best Beer HQ Jr. and five years of marital bliss when I cracked open this bottle of Raglan Brewing Co.’s Pacific Pale Ale, which I’d purchased at the local SuperValue and taken back to our brilliant B&B – look at that stunning view!

ABV: 5%

Blurb on the bottle: Our latest creation is a refreshing Pacific Ale with a super hoppy property that will delight your palate. It has a balanced malt character ending with an aftertaste of tropical fruit flavours, making it a real thirst-quencher. It’s like Summer in a bottle…

We dry hopped this baby for a big favour and aroma. It has just enough bitterness to get your attention and finishes with a crisp end note. The best ingredients were selected from different parts of New Zealand, then cooked up by our brilliant brewer with great love and care.

The review: With a long blurb on the bottle, it doesn’t leave me with a heck of a lot that I need to tell you. It’s right – it is like summer in a bottle, thirst quenching with sweet tropical flavours (pineapple, peach, and mango).

I’m not sure I’d describe Raglan Brewing Co.’s Pacific Ale has having a “super hoppy property”, though, because to me that sounds like it’s a powerful, hop-forward beer, when actually I’d argue that it’s a finely balanced beer. It’s certainly no IPA or APA.

What it is, though, is very, very good. It’s an ideal beer to toast this special moment in my life. Was that too lovey-dovey? I’ll have to make up for that with my movie recommendation…

Beer/movie combination: I love horror movies almost as much as I love sunshine, beers, and the beach – plus it’s nearly Halloween, so I’m going to recommend a scary movie this week. You should definitely check out Netflix flick The Ritual, which is about a horrific camping trip in northern Sweden.

Thank f&ck my trip to Raglan was not as bat-shit crazy and terrifying:

Craft Beer New Zealand / review /