28 May 2017 - Best Beer HQ
Mata Wai-iti Waka NZ Pale Ale Review
I met some of the team behind Mata beer at last year’s GABS Beer, Cider & Food Fest in Auckland, and was pleased to note that they were as lovely as the beers they make.
So, it’s with much optimism that I’m going to bust open this bottle of Mata’s Wai-iti Waka New Zealand Pale Ale right now and review it…
ABV: 5.5%
Blurb on the bottle: A showcase of NZ’s Wai-iti hop, which fills the senses with enticing flavours and aromas of mandarin, lime and passionfruit. This Pale Ale is full of deliciousness and very drinkable on any occasion.
Wai-iti in Maori means “small waters”
Waka means “canoe”
Mata: Aotearoa Breweries is a family run business based in the sunny Eastern Bay of Plenty. With a love for great beer, in 2005 Tammy brought Mata beer to life along with her mum (Gloria), dad (Jouni), and Uncle Esko.
Tastes like: An extra-sparkly pale ale, bright and bubbly, fresh and flowery, effervescent and zesty.
The flavour of the beer lingers long after its tall white head dissipates. Mata’s Wai-iti Waka smacks of mandarin and lime, and of fresh-cut grass. It’s quite different to your usual pale ale – certainly livelier than most.
But it’s not heavy, or overly aggressive with the hops; it’s just about right for a very mild late-autumn day in Auckland, walking that line between refreshing and savouring.
The verdict: It gets three thumbs up from me.
Beer/movie combination: I finally got around to watching the first John Wick movie the other week (I know, I’m a wee bit behind the times, but I’ve been busy lately with work and getting my first novel published). It’s just the kind of high-octane B-movie action romp that goes with any beer, so I highly recommend you give it a whirl if you haven’t seen it already…
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