toast! Winter 2014

!

in ANAS W V T CKE BEER TI

Fall in

love

with whisky

+

7

whisky COCKTAILS

Delicious

new ways to drink port

The good glassware guide

Winter 2014 NZ $6.95 Complimentary with your Liquorland purchase

Issue

3

s k n i r d y t r a 18 p

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BREWED IN THE FUTURE. SINCE 1987.

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We have discovered the delights of Courvoisier cognac and dark chocolate which seems a good thing to drink while doing some hunkering down.

To warm the very cockles try this:

see p.43

Still, hibernating does not mean all socialising must cease. In fact the opposite is true. Though the barbeque may be under cover for all but the most (fool) hardy, winter is the perfect time to catch up with friends and family, beside the fireplace, in front of a movie, around the Scrabble board, over leisurely dinners, or for some post-skifield recovery. So for this issue we’ve turned our focus to the bold and the beautiful – warming winter drinks that encourage get-togethers, and even debates.

Firstly we take a beginners’ tour through the world of whisky, a spirit that’s finding increasing favour among drinkers, whether it’s the classic labels from the old masters or the rapidly rising new interest in unaged grain spirits – better known as moonshine. Then we reacquaint ourselves with the delights of port, take a closer look at Australia’s iconic Barossa shiraz and ask ourselves why Kiwis are so scared of dark beers. So yes, hunker down and pour yourself something delicious. Winter is not coming.

Winter is here.

Cheers.

4 parts Courvoisier VS ∙ 1 part vermouth ∙ 2 dashes Xocolatl Mole Bitters ∙ 1 cinnamon quill ∙ 1 chunk of dark chocolate ∙ Flamed orange zest ∙ Stir liquid ingredients over ice and pour into a rocks glass then garnish with the cinnamon, chocolate and orange zest. Leave for a moment before drinking to let the chocolate begin to infuse the liquor.

Kerri Jackson Editor. editor@toastmag.co.nz

Account Directors LauraGrace McFarland, Fiona Kerr Published by Image Centre Publishing Limited PO Box 78070, Grey Lynn Auckland 1245, New Zealand tangiblemedia.co.nz

While putting together this, our third issue of toast!, the word that kept popping to mind was “hunker”, as in “down”; as in shut the door, pull the curtains and poke me when it’s spring.

Contributors Kerri Jackson, Skye Wishart, Michael Donaldson Sales Managers Sam Wood, Amanda Clerke Cover Photographer Robin Hodgkinson Stylists Aimee Carruthers, LauraGrace McFarland

The contents of toast! are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed in toast! are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editor. Information contained in toast! is correct at the time of printing and while all due care and diligence has been taken in the preparation of this magazine, the publisher is not responsible for any mistakes, omissions, typographical errors or changes to product and service descriptions over time.

Copyright 2014 Image Centre Group.

Publisher Vincent Heeringa Editor Kerri Jackson Editorial Manager Morgan McCann Marketing Manager Rita Shields

toast! is published for Liquorland Ltd DX Box EX11366, Auckland Telephone: 09 621 0875 liquorland.co.nz

Like our Facebook page facebook.com/LiquorlandNZ or follow us on Twitter @LiquorlandNZ

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3

s t n e t Con

Joss’ picks from this issue

1. It’s both “whisky” and

“whiskey”, depending on where your drink is from 2. Barossa is home to the oldest shiraz vines in the world 3. White port makes a great aperitif 4. Lager isn’t always the best beer with a curry 5. Chardonnay glasses are great for Champagne

32 Ask Joss Liquorland brand ambassador Joss Granger heads to the Barossa to find out what makes its reds so impressive

16

Tom McDonald

38 Guide to glassware What to drink from which glass and why

Upfront

Last call

6 toast! recommends All that’s new and in store at Liquorland now

42 Need to know How to portion control your party drinking

11 In the spirit Big winners from the San Francisco Spirit Awards

43 Join the party

14 Fall in love with whisky

Subscribe and become a regular part of the toast! experience

A taste of the wide world of whisky for beginners

44 Love local

Features

38

20 Beervana As we get closer to Beervana Michael Donaldson picks some brews to test and train your taste buds

Discover Nelson with one of our local experts

26 Hot and cold

45 Find us

Beer and curry; how to make the most of a classic match

Locate your nearest Liquorland

24 The dark side

28 Return to port

46 The Last Drop

Learning to love dark beer, and why it matters

New ways to enjoy and embrace an often over-looked treasure

Where are we? Your chance to win

6

Wines as remarkable as the man.

Church Road McDonald Series® celebrates the life and legacy of Tom McDonald (1907-1987), legendary Hawke’s Bay winemaker.

The series combines traditional French winemaking techniques with vibrant Hawke’s Bay fruit to produce wines that are complex, textural and full of character.

www.churchroad.co.nz 4

Enjoy Church Road Wines Responsibly

upfront • recommends

In store

Jacob’s Creek Regional Reserve

toast! recommends

These are premium wines with each grape variety drawn from one of three legendary South Australian wine regions – Barossa, Coonawarra and Adelaide Hills. These regions give each wine real personality and regional style. The Jacob’s Creek Reserve range is a labour of love for the winemakers, to make each one a special wine which strongly reflects the best of the region from which it comes. For more great Aussie reds see p32.

Our pick of what’s new and noticed on the market now and available from your local Liquorland.

Hot new trend Indiana State Moonshine

That’s the spirit

Fancy a little fire water?

Indiana State Moonshine is here and it’s just what it says on the jar: 100% Moonshine from Indiana.

Moonshine is a relatively new category to the New Zealand spirits market but it’s growing fast. Indiana State is also the first to offer it in a cola-mixed RTD, which isn’t a bad way to dip your tastebuds into the trend. For more on the rise of moonshine see our feature p19.

6

Jameson Select Reserve Jameson Select Reserve is created by selecting a high proportion of single Irish pot still whiskey and a rare small batch grain whiskey, matured in flame-charred bourbon barrels and toasted sherry casks.

The trademark Jameson notes of toasted wood and spice develop while the Irish pot still whiskey matures. The result is a rich and luxurious taste.

Available in selected Liquorland stores.

Jim Beam & Classic Dry Cola A new spin on an old favourite. Jim Beam & Classic Dry Cola is a 6% 420ml adaption of the original Jim Beam & Cola in a handy 4 pack.

Perfect for a sports night at a mate’s place.

Sinatra Select Bottled at 90 proof and made with unique “Sinatra Barrels” Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select plays tribute to Jack’s biggest fan, Frank Sinatra. Those Sinatra Barrels have deep grooves on the inside of the staves exposing the whisky to extra layers of oak, imparting a rich amber colour, bold character and pleasant smokiness with a smooth vanilla finish. RRP $279. Only available at selected Liquorland stores.

The folks at Jim Beam have been communing with ghosts. Or one ghost at least. They’ve delved back into their history to recreate and refine the recipe for the original clear whiskey created by Jacob Beam back in 1795.

The result is Jim Beam Jacob’s Ghost; not a moonshine or an un-aged white dog, but a white whiskey, aged for one year to produce a smooth refined taste with a true whiskey taste aroma.

Lighter and more mixable than its cousins, Jacob’s Ghost still retains a lot of the flavour, characteristics and masculinity of whiskey but lets you experiment with flavours and drink styles traditional whiskey often doesn’t. Try it in cocktails and lighter mixers, or substitute it where you might have previously added vodka or white rum.

Some ideas are the Bloody Ghost made with 3 parts tomato juice, 2 parts Jacob’s Ghost, a pinch each of salt and sugar, and a splash of tabasco to taste, all in a tall glass over ice with celery and lime to garnish.

Or try a Rock n Roll Ghost made with 1 part Jim Beam Jacob’s Ghost, 1 part pineapple juice, 1 part ginger beer and 2-3 dashes Angostura Bitters, built over ice in a tall glass.

Jim Beam Jacob’s Ghost has a sweet, smooth flavour with hints of smoke and soft barrel notes and an aroma of light vanilla and sweetcorn.

Definitely a ghost not to fear.

JIM BEAM

T S O H G S ‘ B JACO

New

MIXES LIKE TES VODKA, TASEY. LIKE WHISK

Devil’s Cut 1-litre When bourbon is aged in the barrel a small percentage is trapped in the wood – known as the Devil’s Cut. But the clever Jim Beam distillers have found a unique way of extracting the premium bourbon from the barrel to create a spirit with a rich and unique flavour. And it’s now available in a 1-litre bottle.

good Devilishly.. drop.

Ghost story

Crabbie’s Strawberry and Lime Ginger Beer

They say you shouldn’t meddle with perfection – but you can give it a fruity twist. Scrumptious strawberry and lime have been combined with Crabbie’s famous mix of herbs and spices and steeped for up to eight weeks. Ideal for drinking all year round.

at Liquorland from July

LONE WOLF

INGREDIENTS 20ml lemon juice 10 grams sugar 40ml Jacob’s Ghost 2 dashes of orange bitters 10ml egg white

METHOD Measure and pour 20ml lemon juice and 10 grams sugar into a cocktail shaker. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add 40ml Jacob’s Ghost, 2 dashes of orange bitters and 10ml egg white. Fill shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain over ice in an old fashioned glass.

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7

up front • recommends

upfront • recommends

Budweiser Limited Edition FIFA Aluminium Bottles

Tui Pilsner Glenfiddich Distillery Edition The fire’s lit and the rain’s lashing the window. Time for a whisky. Glenfiddich Distillery Edition is a higher strength single malt that’s had 15 years maturing in American and Spanish oak. It’s non chill filtered to protect its more subtle flavours and has unique floral, peppery notes before a sweet velvety finish. Available in selected Liquorland stores.

Tui celebrates its 125th birthday this year with the launch of this, a brand new addition to the Tui line-up. The pilsner is lightly malted with hops added late in the process to create a crisp, refreshing bitterness and yet it still retains its wonderful aromatic secret.

win!

If you’ve been struck down with Fifa World Cup fever not to worry Budweiser has just the thing – a unique aluminium bottle emblazoned with the iconic World Cup Trophy. It might not be quite like holding the real thing – but undoubtedly more refreshing.

Penfolds Father Grand Tawny A blend of outstanding tawnies separately matured in small oak casks for an average of ten years, Penfolds Father Grand Tawny is a treat for port drinkers with a rich fruitiness, and great length of flavour. Made in a stacked blending system known as a solera, the wines are deliberately matured in oak barrels under corrugated iron. The resulting temperature extremes from less than 8˚C to more than 55˚C impact the evaporation, concentration and controlled oxidation of the wines, contributing to a complex aroma and flavour.

Win with Carlsberg and toast!

On the one hand watching all that World Cup football has you itching to put the old team together for a kickabout. On the other hand the rain is lashing the windows and the fire is looking a lot more inviting than the footie field. Answer: this excellent foosball table from long-time football supporters Carlsberg. Invite a few mates, open a Carlsberg or two, and let the games commence.

To be in to win this Carlsberg foosball table simply answer this question: What year did Carlsberg start brewing beer?

Email your answer along with your name, address and contact phone number to win@toastmag.co.nz with Carlsberg in the subject line by August 1, 2014.

Full terms and conditions at www.toastmag.co.nz

Limited edition

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Wake-up any social gathering with the lightweight, compact UE BOOM 360° portable speaker, featuring Bluetooth connection that can pair with up to eight devices and a 15-hour rechargeable battery.

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Taylor’s Fine Ruby Desperados

Our collective taste for all things Mexican continues unimpeded – and now it’s even influencing beer. Desperados is a beer flavoured with tequila. One mouthful combines the tanginess of the tequila and the refreshment of a quality golden lager. Best drunk ice cold straight from the bottle.

A blend of full bodied port wines aged for around two years in large oak vats in Taylor’s cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.

With its firm tannins and a concentrated fruitiness, Fine Ruby is perfect for the classic port-andcheese combination – try a good blue vein, or rich soft cheeses.

295

Fly Buys points

Swanndri dog cover Keep your pooch toasty warm and dry in a durable, 100% wool cover, PU coated for water repellence, lined with polar fleece, a turn-up collar and side pockets for dog treats. Available in red and black, or blue and black check and five different sizes.

Order your rewards at www.flybuys.co.nz

850

Fly Buys points

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TAKe

rewards

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See pagE 13 to find out how

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9

NEWS & TRENDS

promotion • woodstock

Winning spirit

Spirits are high among makers of some of our favourite drinks with medals aplenty at the recent 2014 San Francisco World Spirits competition. Here’s a rundown of some of the winners we’re all familiar with, along with a couple of suggestions for using them in medal-worthy cocktails.

And the winners are: Double gold

Chivas Regal 12yo Scotch Whisky 700ml Chivas Regal 12yo Scotch Whisky 1L

How do you add a little glamour to your brand and make your band of followers sit up and take notice for a re-launch? Just add bombshell.

Johnnie Walker Double Black Scotch Whisky 700ml

New look!

Glenmorangie The Original 10yo Malt Whisky 700ml

Gold

Johnnie Walker Blue Scotch Whisky 700ml Laphroaig 10yo Malt Whisky 700ml Jim Beam Devil’s Cut 700ml Appleton Estate VX Rum 700ml

Arguably the world’s most

famous blonde bombshell, Pamela Anderson paid a visit to New Zealand in February to take up her role as the face of Woodstock’s genuine oak-aged Kentucky bourbon and cola.

While here Anderson filmed a series of TV ads as part of the Woodstock’s ongoing “Crack a Woody” campaign which previously featured actor Grant Bowler from Outrageous Fortune.

And you can expect to keep seeing Pamela in Woodstock promotions for some time as the ad campaign is backed up by in store promotions, broadcast sponsorship around NRL games on SKY and on-going online and social media campaigns.

Woodstock marketing manager Giselle Bleakly says the new TVC series is designed to not be taken too seriously. “This is a continuation of our much-loved Crack a Woody campaign.

We don’t take ourselves too seriously and neither do our customers.

Pamela’s fun-loving personality fits well with our brand, and we are sure she will resonate strongly with our customers, many who grew up with her on the small screen.”

Bleakly added that Woodstock’s new packaging and logo would give the brand an extra boost – and help customers to pick between the brand’s different products.

10

Appleton Estate VX Rum 1L Absolut Citron 700ml Amarula Cream 700ml

Hot & sp ic

y!

Grand Marnier Liqueur

Silver

Johnnie Walker Platinum Scotch Whisky 750ml Johnnie Walker Red 1L Ardbeg 10yo Islay Malt Whisky 700ml

Hot Head Apple Cider

St Remy Canadian Coffee

• 500ml Crystal Head Vodka • 250ml vanilla liqueur or 150ml vanilla simple syrup • 220ml orange juice • 1.5L apple juice • 1 tsp nutmeg • 3 cinnamon sticks • 1 orange thinly sliced • cinnamon sugar (for rim) • 3 tsp brown sugar • fresh apple – red or green for garnish

• 30ml St Remy • fresh espresso • cinnamon whipped cream • tablespoon of maple syrup

Add apple juice, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, vanilla liqueur, orange juice, orange slices and brown sugar to a slow cooker and let warm slowly until heated through. If you do not have a slow cooker you can use a large pot – just be sure to keep the burner on low and heat up slowly. Add Crystal Head Vodka about 30 minutes before serving. Rub orange wedge around entire rim of glass and dip into cinnamon sugar mix. Garnish with a thin slice of apple floating on the top.

Add the St Remy to a mug or heat-proof glass, add fresh espresso and maple syrup and top with whipped cream.

Glenlivet 12yo Single Malt Whisky 700ml Isle of Jura 10yo Single Malt Whisky 700ml Talisker 10yo Malt Whisky 700ml Canadian Club Classic 12yo Whisky 700ml Jameson Gold Reserve 700ml Jameson Irish Whisky 1L Jim Beam Bourbon Beefeater Gin 1L

Golden Delicious • 45ml Appleton Estate VX Rum • 90ml Mac’s Green Apple • 2 slices of Golden Delicious apple Fill rocks glass with ice, add Appleton Estate VX and top with Mac’s Green Apple. Cut, squeeze and drop in wedge of lime and garnish with two slices of Golden Delicious apple.

Greenalls Gin 1L Tanqueray Gin 1L Crystal Head Vodka 700ml Smirnoff Double Black 700ml Smirnoff Vodka Red 1L

Bronze

The Dalmore 12yo Single Malt Whisky 700ml St Remy Brandy 1L Hendricks Gin 1L El Jimador Reposado Tequila 700ml

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11

PROMOTION

Release the Kraken There are plenty of rums out there, spiced or otherwise, named for

sailors. Yo ho ho and a barrel of ho-hum. But an inky black spiced rum named for a legendary sea monster of gigantic proportions? Now that’s something worth drinking.

Kraken Black Spiced Rum is named after an infamous legend of a ship, carrying a large consignment of black spiced Caribbean rum, which was attacked and drowned by a Kraken. Barrels of the dark rum drifted ashore and were named “The Kraken”.

That immense sea monster is now immortalised on the label of Kraken Black Spiced Rum, which today is produced in Trinidad and Tobago from a blend of light, molasses-based rums infused with 11 herbs and spices.

Aside from its dramatic inky black colour, the other feature that makes Kraken Black Spiced Rum stand out is the slight mouth-tingle, and the complete absence of the fire-edge, common to a lot of other spiced rums which usually need to be drunk with a mixer. Kraken Black Spiced Rum can be sipped on its own to enjoy flavours of vanilla, dark chocolate, clove and Christmas cake with a long finish of cinnamon and toffee. If you do want to mix it, try Kraken Black Spiced Rum with cola, ginger beer or an energy drink.

Good sports

For great cocktail ideas and more visit www.krakenrum.com

12

Instant reward Imagine this: your best mate’s just helped you move house, or maybe your mum’s just babysat the kids for a long weekend and you want to say thanks. A bottle or two of their favourite tipple is just the thing – and, even better, you’ve spotted it at flybuys.co.nz.

It seems the perfect solution, except you need it right now! Great news. Using your Fly Buys points to get

TAKE

rewards

HOME NOW with Ask at your local Liquorland for more info.

12

Liquorland rewards is now as simple as presenting your Fly Buys card at the Liquorland counter as soon as you’ve made your order online at flybuys.co.nz/ liquorland.

Just order, collect and enjoy; using your Fly Buys points has never been easier. And your mum has never been happier.

1

2

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Visit flybuys.co.nz and choose your Liquorland reward.

Take your Fly Buys card and reward to counter.

Take your reward home.

Easy.

Two Rugby World Cup wins, 21 Bledisloe Cup wins, and 12 Rugby Championship wins are the shining triumphs of an almost 28-year partnership between Steinlager and the All Blacks – one of the longest sporting sponsorship relationships in New Zealand.

When Steinlager signed up as the major

sponsor for the team in 1986 rugby was still a strictly amateur sport and that historic first World Cup tournament had yet to be played, let alone won.

Jump to 2014: the game is intensely professional and growing in popularity around the world, top-flight players play more matches each year than ever and, of course, the All Blacks sit proudly at the pinnacle of the game.

But, says Steinlager brand manager Michael Taylor, the sponsorship relationship has not just been about enjoying the All Blacks’ reflected glow in the good times. The “Stand By Me” campaign launched in 1987 still holds true.

“There have been plenty of stand-out highlights in the past 28 years, but the main thing for Steinlager, which we’re really proud of as a brand, is that it hasn’t just been about the good times. We’ve had this ongoing, strong, unconditional relationship with the All Blacks through the lows as well as the highs.”

To many Kiwis the All Blacks represent values such as loyalty, pride, courage and a determination to take on the world, and Taylor says those same values have always been important to Steinlager in its philosophy and marketing.

“As a nation, we Kiwis tend to punch above our weight and I think one of the big things Steinlager has in common with the All Blacks is the ability to stand tall on the world stage,” he says.

And with Steinlager having now signed up for another term as a key sponsor of the All Blacks, the relationship will continue through and past the 30-year mark – with plenty of opportunities and excitement on the horizon.

“One of the key events in the near future is the introduction of Rugby Sevens to the Olympics in Brazil in 2016. That is huge for the sport and for us.”

August 16 v Australia in Sydney August 23 v Australia in Auckland September 6 v Argentina in Napier September 13 v South Africa in Wellington September 27 v Argentina in Buenos Aires October 5 v South Africa in Johannesburg October 18 v Australia in Brisbane

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13

cover story • whisky

Fall in love with

whisky

Feel as though the wonders of whisky have passed you by?

Not sure you know your single malts from your blends or bourbons? Or even if you should be drinking whisky or whiskey?

Here then, just for you, is a beginner’s guide to one of the world’s favourite spirits.

There seems to come a point in every person’s life when they realise the clock is ticking, they’re not as young as they used to be and it’s time to make important life decisions – like starting to drink whisky.

It seems a crucial rite of passage. All around you, you see your friends making the change, gradually becoming singleminded obsessives capable of debating the pros and cons of bourbon over rye for hours, and swearing blind the only true whisky is made by blind monks in the outer Hebrides on the first full moon of winter – or similar.

Want to join the debate but not sure where to start? We’re here to help.

Encyclopedias could, and probably have been written on the subject; the subtleties and sub-categories of each region, each grain, blend and barrel. But here we’ll try to, ahem, distill it down to the basics.

Need to know

Whisky can only be called such if it’s been aged in oak, although the minimum length of time varies country to country.

And whisky does not mature in the bottle.

The age of a whisky is the time between distilling and bottling, which is where the oak cask interacts with the liquid changing its make-up and taste.

But older isn’t automatically better.

“That’s a misconception,” says Matt Bradley whisky ambassador for Hancocks, suppliers of Jack Daniel’s. “Different whiskies will age differently. They’ll age differently in different climates for example. Generally they’ll age faster in warmer areas like the American south and slower where it’s colder, such as Scotland,” he says.

“I’ve tasted 40- to 60-year old whiskies that were incredible, and others that weren’t. There’s an optimal point in the ageing process and beyond that it’s not going to improve any more.”

Single malt whisky comes from a single distillery and is made from a mash using only one malted grain. Blended whisky, as the name suggests, is a blend of different whiskies from different distilleries. But you can also get a blended single malt which is a mixture of single malts from different distilleries.

When you’re a novice it’s best to try a range of whiskies with an open mind to discover the range of flavours the spirit offers, says Colin Scott, master blender for Chivas Regal. “They’re all different and therefore appeal to people’s different tastes.”

How to drink it

Pour your dram and let it sit for 20 minutes, suggests Bradley, so it’s at room temperature. “Like a really good glass of pinot.”

But, he adds, mixers aren’t out of the question. “Especially if you’re out for a few drinks with your mates; you’re not going to sip neat whisky.” And if you must mix, your best option is probably ginger ale or soda water, he says.

“The important thing with whisky is to enjoy it the way you prefer,” says Scott, but he recommends the addition of a splash of bottled water to soften some of the peppery characters of the alcohol and bring out the flavours of the spirit.

His advice for your first taste is: “Pour a measure of the whisky into a rocks glass and take a nose of the aromas, then sip. You’ll find a slightly hot mouthfeel on your tongue from the alcohol, but as your mouth reacts to that you’ll start to notice more characters. Now add some bottled still water – up to 50/50 with the whisky – and take a mouthful. Hold the whisky in your mouth without the aggression of alcohol before swallowing and the flavours will fill your senses.”

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15

Classic whisky cocktails The very existence of this section in our focus on whisky will have purists up in arms. There are those who insist it must be drunk neat – no ice or water, let alone with pollutants such as mixers. But the first rule of whisky drinking is really that there are no rules. And a good, classic whisky cocktail may be just the thing to break the ice, if you will, on your whisky adventures. The key to drinking the spirit this way, says Matt Bradley, is making sure it remains front and centre of the cocktail. “It shouldn’t be about disguising the spirit but enhancing and showcasing it.”

The Classic Manhattan

The Classic Old Fashioned

The Classic Whisky Sour

A Manhattan was traditionally made with rye whisky but it will work deliciously well with your favourite – whatever it may be.

• 2 parts whisky • 1 tsp sugar syrup • 2 dashes bitters • Orange peel

The egg white in a Whisky Sour is optional but does give the drink a smooth velvety finish.

• 3 parts whisky • 1 part vermouth (sweet or dry) • Dash of bitters • Cherry or lemon Pour ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice and stir. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry for sweet vermouth or a twist of lemon for dry.

With a twist:

Apple Manhattan

• 2 parts whisky • 1 part sour apple schnapps • splash cranberry juice • cherry Combine and stir the whisky, sour apple schnapps and cranberry juice. Serve in a rocks glass over ice or strain and pour into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.

Ghost Old Fashioned

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass over ice and stir well. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a twist of orange peel.

Hot tip: Multiply the ingredients to make a bottle-full of Old Fashioned and keep it in the freezer for easy service when you have a party.

Add all ingredients into an ice-filled shaker, shake, then strain into a rocks glass.

With a twist:

With a twist:

The New York Sour

Ghost Old Fashioned

• 2 parts Jacob’s Ghost White Whiskey • 2-3 dashes of bitters • 1-2 sugar cubes (or ½ tsp sugar) • Splash of soda water or ginger ale • Thin slice of orange Muddle the orange, bitters and sugar in a glass. Fill with ice and add Jacob’s Ghost.

Gently stir then top with splash of soda.

See page 18 for whiskies you can use in these cocktails

• 3 parts whisky • 2 parts lemon juice • 1 part sugar syrup • Dash of egg white (optional)

• 2 parts whisky • 1 ½ parts lemon juice • 1 part simple syrup • 1 part red wine (shiraz works well) Shake all ingredients except the wine together and strain. Then float the wine over the top of the drink by pouring over the back of a spoon.

Classic Whisky Sour

Apple Manhattan

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17

Whisky at a glance SCOTCH

Made from: Malted barley produced in: Scotland Aged: Minimum of three years Known for: A distinctive smokey flavour, due to the use of peat smoke to treat the malt.

Need to know: Though there’s something of a cult following for Scotch single malts, that’s a relatively recent phenomenon, with the first single malts only making it out of Scotland in the 1960s. And even today 90% of single malt goes to the blenders.

Try: Chivas Regal 12yo, Johnnie Walker Double Black, Monkey Shoulder, Laphroaig 10yo malt, The Dalmore 12yo single malt, Glenfiddich 12yo malt.

Irish Whiskey

Made from: Malted or unmalted grains, usually barley produced in: Ireland Aged: Minimum of three years Need to know: Irish whiskey is the only whiskey to be triple-distilled, most are distilled twice. This gives it a smoother taste. Irish whiskey production has had a rockier history than Scotland’s and has only about seven distillers compared to Scotland’s more than 100, but it is undergoing a resurgence and is one of the world’s fastest growing spirits.

Try: Jameson Gold Reserve, Tullamore Dew, Bushmills

SCOTCH

18

The Classic Hot Toddy

Tennessee whiskey

Bourbon

Made from: Corn

Made from: Corn

produced in: USA, most famously Kentucky

produced in: Tennessee

Aged: No minimum aging period, but must have some time, even just a few months, in oak Need to know: Simply put, all bourbon is whisky but not all whisky is bourbon. It was created when early settlers were given free land in the southern states provided they grew corn. With so much of the grain about, attention soon turned to distilling it into whisky.

Bourbon is one of the most regulated spirits in the world and must have at least 51% corn in the grain mash, which gives it a sweeter flavour.

Aged: No minimum aging period, but must have some time, even just a few months, in oak Need to know: Tennessee whiskey such as Jack Daniel’s meets all the regulatory requirements of a bourbon but is also put through an additional maple charcoal filtering process for 10 days before ageing which gives it a very smooth texture.

Try: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel

Try: Jim Beam Black Label

IRISH

BOURBON

Canadian

Made from: Mostly blended multi-grain spirits usually with a high percentage of corn

“Hot toddy” has come to mean any hot drink, with or without alcohol, often with lemon and/ or honey, that feels vaguely medicinal. But here is the classic: • 1 ½ parts whisky (we recommend Monkey Shoulder) • Bar spoons of honey • 2 ½ parts boiling water • one clove Add honey and clove to a heatproof glass, then pour in boiling water and allow to infuse.

Add whisky and stir until honey is dissolved. Remove clove. Garnish with clove studded lemon.

And now for something completely different – and we’re not just talking about the name. Monkey Shoulder is made by blending three of Speyside’s finest single malt whiskies – Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kininvie, all distilleries owned by William Grant and Sons – to create the world’s first triple malt whisky.

Produced since 2005 in small batches of 27 ex-bourbon casks for a richer, smoother taste, designed to appeal to those who don’t normally drink whisky. Monkey Shoulder is named for the temporary repetitive strain injury often sustained by maltmen constantly turning the barley.

The three monkeys on the bottle represent each of the distilleries.

produced in: Canada Aged: Minimum of three years Need to know: Canadian whiskies are usually lighter than others. It is often referred to as rye whisky, as early distillers added intensely flavoured rye grain to the mash, but these days the terms rye whisky and Canadian whisky are interchangeable and are no guarantee that rye is included in the mash.

Try: Canadian Club

TENNESSEE

CANADIAN

Available now at Liquorland.

Shine on For anybody who watched telly in the early 80’s, moonshine has one very strong association... a couple of good ol’ boys and an orange Dodge Charger usually seen fleeing an inept sheriff’s department in Dukes of Hazzard. But maybe it’s the fact those kids are now all grown up and trying their own craft distilling, that’s behind the rise of “legit” or professionallymade moonshine in the world of spirits.

Traditionally the term moonshine refers to any kind of alcohol produced illegally but in the days of American prohibition, a whisky variant, made from grain mash, sugar, yeast and water, was one of the most common types.

Since in most countries a whisky can’t be called a whisky, no matter what its colour, unless it’s been in oak, moonshine seems to work as a name for the new

trend for grain-based spirits bottled straight from the still, without barrel aging, resulting in a clear liquid that usually has a fairly strong grain flavour – like an intense vodka.

There are some variants though such as Jim Beam’s Jacob’s Ghost which has been aged for a year in white oak and can therefore be called a white whisky.

The jury’s out among drinkers and bartenders on the taste and best use for the spirit – some say it’s for mixing only, while others say it can have an intense kick, it’s a trend worth trying.

Best answer is try it for yourself!

Jacob’s Ghost and Indiana State Moonshine available from Liquorland.

www.toastmag.co.nz

19

Stretch yourself With Beervana, New Zealand’s most popular and highly regarded showpiece for craft brewers, on the horizon it’s a good time to get yourself in an experimental mindset when it comes to your beer choices. Michael Donaldson has a look at a few brews worth stepping out of your comfort zone for.

Michael Donaldson is the current Brewers Guild Beer

Writer of the Year. He is the author of Beer Nation the Art and Heart of Kiwi Beer and his regular Pint of View column appears in the Sunday Star Times.

gateway

Galbraith’s Munich Bavarian Lager

Craft Beer tasting guide GATEWAY

Artisan

Cult

Beer Profile

Sessionable

Savour

Redefining

Recipe

Simple

Interesting

Complex

Mouthfeel

Clean

Flavourful

Intense

Aroma

Subtle

Invigorating

Bold

Malts

Mostly base malts

Base & specialty

Mostly specialty

Use of Hops

Low-Med

Med-High

High

20

The brewery: Galbraith’s is the doyen of Auckland’s brewpub scene; the granddaddy pub that’s been pouring beer made on the premises for 25 years. In the old Grafton library at the top of Mt Eden Rd, it’s a homely, English-style pub of dark wood and carpet. Set up by Keith Galbraith in 1989, Galbraith’s was well ahead of its time – predating the craft beer boom by a number of years.

Long-time brewer Ian Ramsay recently retired, leaving the production in the hands of young Sam Williamson, who is doing a brilliant job in keeping this brewery at the forefront of the craft scene.

The brews: When you think lager, you think Germany – after all that’s where the world’s most popular beer style developed about 500 years ago when a new yeast strain found its way into beer stored inside cool caves. Galbraith’s, Auckland’s famous brewpub located in what used to be a library, has long produced a traditional German lager, aptly named Munich Bavarian Lager. Made with genuine German malt and yeast, which delivers a silky clean and crisp finish, this is a classic lager as good as you’ll find from any of the major international breweries that dominate the lager landscape. And the best news? You can now get Galbraith’s Munich Bavarian Lager in a 4 pack of 330ml bottles – perfect for a party or an afternoon in front of the footy.

Coopers Extra Best Stout The brewery: Coopers is Australia’s largest independent brewery – having resisted a major takeover bid from Lion Nathan a few years ago. In fact it’s the only independent brewery anywhere in Australia or New Zealand that can truly claim to be continuously familyowned and run for more than 150 years. The Adelaide-based brewery has been in the Cooper family all that time and the sixth generation is now running it. It’s highly-regarded for its bottleconditioned beer but is equally well known as a homebrew supplier – in fact, it’s regarded as the world’s dominant homebrew company.

The brew: Across the Tasman is not the place you’d expect to find one of the best winter beers around. But Coopers Extra Best Stout is plush with flavours of cocoa, coffee and hints of plummy, stewed fruit – perfect for the cooler weather.

There’s also a hint of molasses and a barely traceable note of smokiness. For a dark beer this has a lively carbonation and a crisp finish. It’s got a good alcohol punch too, the 6.3% adding to the already creamy, rich mouthfeel. This beer is pitch black, with a wash of scarlet shining through – it looks fabulous in the glass with its foaming mocha head. Like all Coopers beers, this is bottle conditioned, which means there is live yeast in the bottle, everchanging the flavour. Do allow this bottle to warm up a little bit before drinking – there’s much better flavour to be found than when it’s straight out of the fridge.

The brewery: Liberty Last year, Knife Party Brewing is the onecame out on top in an time hobby of brewer intense competition Joe Wood and his but stocks were party knife party knife wife Christine. They limited and you had E EXCLUSIV brew started out very smallto be in the right brewEXCLUSIVE LIQUORLAND Q scale in New Plymouth to LI UORLAND place to get some. Now and just kept growing – the right place is your until it was too much for Joe local Liquorland as Liberty to keep up with production Brewing delivers a special on his small system. Now most of batch of this special brew made just for the beer is brewed under contract Liquorland. at Tuatara in Paraparaumu while Joe artisan also oversees some production at the Beer Fountain, the brewery inside the Hallertau brewpub near Auckland.

Joe is the production manager at the Beer Fountain where he looks after the production of Hallertau’s beer range as well as his own brews.

If the full-on American West Coast-style IPA is too overpowering – and it CULT can be for some people – a better option is to try Liberty’s Oh Brother Pale Ale (artisan) – it’s not quite as pungent and full-on as Knife Party but gives you more than enough satisfaction.

Originally brewed in limited stocks for This beer started out as a the annual West Coast IPA Challenge collaboration with Auckland at The Malthouse bar in Wellington. brewpub Brothers Beer – The WCIPAC, as it’s known, is a hence the name. It clocks in celebration of all the wonderful beer at 5.1% and is a balanced qualities that typify the west coast of brew of lovely caramel malt the United States, where full-on hops and passionfruit hop flavours. rule the roost. The beers are powerful, It’s not high on bitterness and redolent with citrus-rind, pine and is so well balanced it is an grassy goodness coupled with slick ideal starter beer for those oiliness from hops and alcohol. New who’re not sure about superZealand’s best hoppy beer makers hoppy beer. Plus Oh Brother gather every July for the challenge, is now available in a 6 pack. bringing unique beers as they seek to outdo each other in competition.

LIBERTY’S OH BROTHER PALE ALE

Liberty Brewing Knife Party

artisan

Emerson’s London Porter The brewery: Brewer Richard Emerson was born deaf after his

mother contracted German measles while she was pregnant but his disability means nothing when it comes to making great beer – Richard believes his body’s way of compensating for his deafness is to give him a sense of taste and smell that is superior to most people’s. A young Emerson fell in love with real beer while on a holiday in Europe and returned to New Zealand to start his own brewery with the backing of his family and a handful of friends. For years, the brewery was nothing more than Dunedin’s best-kept secret but soon the beers became too good for word not to get around. While the brewery is tiny by modern standards, the crew at Emerson’s never miss a beat and every classic brew that leaves the premises is among the best examples of its kind.

The brew: While Emerson’s is now 22 years old, there is a direct connection back to the first days: London Porter. This was the beer that launched Emerson’s and is as good as ever. With traces of cold coffee and melted chocolate and a slightly tarry bitterness underlying the sweetness this is the definition of classical porter and the definition of a genuine cool-season beer. Definitely drink this after you’ve left it out of the fridge for a while – that way you’ll get the best of the complex roasty flavours.

ARTISAN

Moa Five Hop The brewery: Thanks to an audacious share float The 13th annual Beervana will be held in Wellington on Friday and Saturday, August 22-23 at Westpac Stadium, proudly sponsored by Liquorland.

With more than 200 craft beers on offer and the opportunity to meet many of New Zealand’s best brewers, this is New Zealand’s premier craft beer celebration. Up to 12,000 people are expected to attend during two days of tasting, meeting brewers, beer seminars and enjoying food from some of Wellington’s best eateries. General admission tickets are $45 per person for a five-hour session at the festival, available from www.ticketek.co.nz. All tickets and packages, except Taste of Portland, include admission, an official polycarbonate glass, programme and currency card.

Other ticket options include: The Ultimate Experience $150; hosted “Spring Release” sampling, $50 Festival currency, access to a private VIP area, food.

Home Brewing Masterclass, $95; Your chance to engage in a private home brewing session hosted by one of four brewers including Luke Nicholas from Epic, Kelly Ryan from Brew Mountain, Mike Neilson from Panhead Custom Ales and Jo Wood from Liberty.

The Right Glass Matters Seminar, $135; Five excellent craft beers, tasted in their specially designed Spiegelau craft beer glass with glassware discussion from a sommelier and brewer. Price includes set of four Speigelau craft beer glasses.

Beer and Cheese Seminar, $75; A beer and cheese matching taste experience hosted by award-winning cheesemaker Wendy Adams.

Taste of Portland Seminar, $45; One hour beer and food matching seminar led by Chef Paul Kasten and medal-winning Brewers from Portland, Oregon. Note festival entry not included. A general admission ticket must be purchased as well.

For more information and newsletter sign up visit www.beervana.co.nz

We have ten double passes to the Saturday day session of Beervana to give away to ten lucky toast! readers. To enter email us at win@toastmag.co.nz with Beervana in the subject line. Include your name, address, contact number and answer this question: How old is Emerson’s?

Entries close August 1, 2014

22

and some “out-there” marketing techniques, Moa has become one of New Zealand’s best known and more mainstream craft breweries. The brewery was started by Josh Scott, a trained winemaker, son of renowned Marlborough winemaker Allan Scott, keen on cross-pollination of ideas, such as using champagne yeasts in some of his beers.

The business was taken over by the folks behind 42 Below Vodka who created a storm when the brewery was launched on the sharemarket in early 2013, though Scott is still onboard as executive brewer. The name “Moa” (New Zealand’s giant dinosaur bird) also derives from the region, as in the early days Josh hand delivered brews to archaeologists working on a Moa bone dig near the brewery.

The brew: Moa Five Hop is one of those beers that possibly needs a new name – the implication is that this is a super-hoppy beer. It’s not – it’s a brilliantly made English-style extra special bitter, which means it does have good hop character but the bitterness is earthy and subtle, hiding just behind the lovely weight of malt. Anyway, a name change would just cause confusion because this beer has a dedicated band of followers who love its honey sweetness, warm, generous mouthfeel and sip-again bitterness.

A gem of a beer.

artisan

Epic Apocalypse The brewery: These days Luke Nicholas is a brewer, beer judge and lately, a blogger under his self-styled Luke’s Beer blog. Nicholas started out at the gone-but-notforgotten Cock and Bull chain in Auckland and when a chance came to branch out on his own under the Epic label eight years ago he grabbed it.

His beer is made under contract at Steam Brewery in Auckland. Nicholas is an unabashed hophead and churns out as much of his hop-driven, American-style, big IPAs as the market wants. He has defined the art of making American West Coast-style IPAs and favours American hops for his challenging styles.

The brew: Epic loves a good beer name and preferably one with an end-of-the-world feel.

We’ve had Armageddon, Mayhem, Hop Zombie – and now Apocalypse: a black as night India Pale Ale. Traditionally an IPA is relatively light in colour - hence the name - but a recent trend towards making these beers darker adds a chocolate-coffee undertone that goes exceptionally well with certain citrus aroma hops, such as Cascade. So think chocolate-orange, or chocolate grapefruit. With this beer that is complemented by stunning layer of pine fragrance that jumps out of the glass. The malt is sweet, backed up by typical Epic bitterness levels to produce a highly complex, rewarding brew.

PROMOTION

artisan

ParrotDog Bloodhound

The brewery: ParrotDog, apart from its wonderful name, can lay claim to being the only brewery run by three guys called Matt – Warner, Kristofski and Stevens. What started out as a Wellington university student homebrew enterprise developed a cult following three years ago at Beervana when the team’s signature Bitter Bitch took top honours in the People’s Choice awards. Now they’ve got their own brewery in Vivian St, right in the heart of the city.

The brew: Between a traditional IPA and a Black IPA there’s a growing body of beer known as Red IPA. Again these work on bringing notes of cut grass, passionfruit and pine to a malt base that accentuates caramel and biscuit. It’s a stunning combination and one well thought out in ParrotDog’s wonderfully-named Bloodhound. Toasty and warm with a hint of just-warm fruit loaf, the sweetness is soon overtaken by a well-weighted bitterness that makes you yearn for another sip.

Monteith’s Barrel Aged Porter

Carry on

No more juggling your beer from store to home, or home to party.

Coopers re-usable eco carry bags are available from Liquorland to help carry your Coopers purchases.

Coopers Best Extra Stout, a rich,

complex stout with an uncompromising flavour that delivers an almost spiritual experience for the serious connoisseur. Perfect for winter drinking. Try it with slow-cooked meats, cheeses or even chocolate desserts.

Coopers Pale Ale, a refreshing ale filled with fruity and floral characters, balanced with a crisp bitterness. Try it with stir fries, salads, poultry, seafood and spicy foods.

Coopers Sparkling Ale, with its famous

cloudy sediment this has a distinctive balance of malt, hops and fruity characters. Best drunk after being gently “rocked” side to side to mix sediments. Try it with spicy or barbecued foods.

Thirsty yet?

Artisan

The brewery: Stuart Monteith left Ireland for the Central Otago goldfields armed with a brewing recipe and a reputation for trouble.

When he was arrested for not having a licence and fined six pounds, he refused to pay and ran away to the West Coast where he took over the Phoenix Brewery in Reefton. The brewery bore his name until 1927 when it amalgamated with others in the area to form Westland Breweries. DB took over in 1969 and when, in the mid-1990s they decided to rebrand the brewery, they chose the name Monteith’s.

The brew: Aging beer in barrels is not new but it’s taken a new twist thanks to the craft boom. Brewers have used old rum, whisky and bourbon barrels to add character to their beer but because we’re in New Zealand, the tendency has been to use wine barrels – particularly pinot noir barrels – to create a vinous twist to a traditional beer. Monteith’s Barrel-Aged Porter achieves that effect wonderfully.

The rich, coffee and chocolate malt flavours that define porter are given a fruity, berry twist thanks to the pinot.

Some dry-hopping adds to the complexity.

www.toastmag.co.nz

23

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Need to know • dark beer

Don’t be afraid of the dark It’s time we let go of our lager love and embraced the dark side.

We Kiwis are creatures of the light – when it comes to our beer anyway. Thanks to the rise of craft beers there are more dark beers around than ever before and, as a nation, we are gradually dipping our toes into these murky but delicious waters. But we still have a long way to go.

Kurt Gross, beer ambassador for Lion, believes Kiwis tend to hold a couple of major misconceptions about dark beers making us a little reluctant to try them.

“Firstly I think Kiwi drinkers tend to lump all dark beers into one category; to think they’re all essentially the same. That couldn’t be less true, especially now.

“Just as there are lagers and pale ales and pilsners, there are lots of different dark beer styles like porters and stouts but also dark wheat beers and even black pilsners,” Gross says.

And that means there are lots of flavour profiles out there, from hints of chocolate and coffee to liquorice and burnt toffee.

Then there’s the fact that as a nation we also tend to be a little “all or nothing” in our approach to dark beer. We think that if we’re going to drink it, we have to drink the darkest, strongest imperial stout or nothing at all. And then we tend to try quaffing it like a lager on a steaming hot day instead of giving it the

taste attention it deserves. “And then we wonder why we don’t like it!” says Gross.

“You can’t go from being a regular drinker of something like Corona to an imperial IPA; it takes time to get used to the stronger flavours.

“That is even more true of the jump to dark beer,” he says.

The best advice is to get advice. Talk to store owners and brewers whenever you get the chance about what your general beer tastes are and they will have some informed ideas on where you should start.

Gross says it’s also a good idea to treat dark beers much as you would fine wine and pay attention to the flavours. What do you taste first? What’s the after-taste? What are the aromas?

Get your mates together for a blind tasting and pay attention to the flavours they detect compared to you. That way you’ll start to distinguish between different beers and find a style that’s for you.

“Places like Beervana are perfect for trying new things; instead of just hunting out the beers you already know you like, challenge yourself to try something new. And there’s nowhere better to get good advice on finding a dark beer you’ll like,” he says.

cal Talk to your lo out Liquorland ab rs what dark bee y you should tr

How to make the perfect match INDIAN

Made to Match Tip:

The spice in Indian dishes means they pair really well with refreshing, cleansing beers like lagers and pilseners.

Try a hoppier pilsener or pale ale to cut through the spice of a hot curry.

ASIAN

Mad

For very subtle, delicate fresh flavours in asian cooking, lighter lagers are often the best match. Creamy or citrusy asian dishes are also a great match with wheat beers.

ip:

tch T

o Ma ade t

M

beef hearty h Try a atched wit m lt a , M ie p t’s 5 Speigh Dark Old Made t o Matc h Tip:

– Stout and oysters

– Porter, gingernuts and blue cheese

– Try creating a steak marinade with your favourite dark beer, and complimentary flavours like orange marmalade, garlic, teriyaki sauce and ginger.

– Try adding to stews and casseroles; then

serve with a glass of the same beer

– Dark chocolate: a good

guide is to match the colour of the chocolate to the colour of the beer

24

When it comes to the darker end of the beer scale it’s really between porter and stout, but what’s the difference? Well it turns out that’s the kind of question that causes hair pulling and family feuds, but here goes: Historically, stout was used to describe the stronger versions of a traditional porter. The best way to describe them is perhaps as brothers. Both emphasise dark malts and in modern New Zealand craft beers stouts are perhaps slightly richer, sometimes made with oatmeal.

Let the debate start here!

Try a creamy chicken curry, matched with Speight’s Triple Hop Pilsener

Try a duck st spicy ew a Speig with Distinct ht’s ion Ale

DESSERT

e to

Mat

c

h Tip Try : platt a sush i er, m atch with Kirin ed

RED MEAT Darker meats tend to be great matches with darker beers. Ales, dark beers, NZ draught styles, and some specialty styles typically have a malty sweetness, and can have roasted, nutty flavours, which complement red meat very well.

POULTRY & FISH The more subtle flavours of chicken or fish dishes can be overpowered by intensely flavoured beers, so think about pairing with lighter beer flavours.

Lagers, pilseners, pale ales and ales can be great choices.

There is a huge variety of flavours in desserts, here are some broad ideas: Dark beers are a great match for any dessert with chocolate, coffee, toffee or caramel flavours. Wheat beers are also a great match for desserts. Desserts with hazelnuts or walnuts are fantastic with amber ales or best bitters.

Made

to Ma t

ch Tip: Try Ap ple Pie , matche d w Hoegaa ith rden

Check out more recipes and matches at

taSTE TEST • BEER & CURRY

PROMOTION

Curry favours

There’s nothing like a good curry to warm up on a winter’s night. And while curry and beer have long been buddies – often at the point in the evening when you can’t taste much of anything anymore – we talk to an expert about why you should take your beer and curry matching more seriously, to make the best of both.

Put the principles to the test with this tasty classic curry recipe from Auckland’s Little India restaurant:

Rogan Josh

Lamb Rogan Josh is a great go-to curry for first-time lamb curry cooks. Rogan is the oil that rises to the surface of the dish when cooked correctly.

vindaloo – we’ve all been there. But beer with curry shouldn’t be about putting out a fire. Like any food and beverage match, the flavours of each should complement the other.

Trevor Rollinson, technical brewer for Boundary Road says a good general rule for matching your beer and curry is “the more spicy the curry, the higher the alcohol of the beer for cleansing the palate”.

So, for example a 5% ABV (alcohol by volume) beer is a great match for a mild curry, but a 6-7% beer will better suit a “chilli fest”.

And, while the traditional lager/ curry combo is still a refreshing, palatecleansing option, Rollinson says it’s worth experimenting with bolder beers, given we have so many great craft beers now available. “Stronger malt flavours – and more bitterness than you find in a mainstream lager – will complement the rich flavours in the curry,” he says.

win!

Rogan Josh beer match We have three copies of Little India at Home to give away.

To enter email your name, address and phone number to win@toastmag.co.nz and include the word ‘curry’ in the subject line.

Entries close August 31, 2014.

26

Boundary Road Mumbo Jumbo British IPA At 5.2% ABV with specialty malts and cascade hops Mumbo Jumbo compliments the coriander and garam masala spices. The additional bitterness will also cut through the creamy texture, which in turn will tone down the bitterness a little.

Reproduced with permission from Little India at Home. Published by Penguin Group NZ, $40. Photography © Sean Shadbolt, 2014

Late night lager and a volcanic

Serves 6 • ¼ cup canola oil • 6 green cardamom pods • 6 cloves • 1 onion, pureed to a fine consistency • 1 tbsp crushed fresh garlic • 1 tbsp crushed fresh ginger • 500g lean lamb leg, cut into 3cm cubes • 1 tsp ground turmeric • 1½ tsp garam masala • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp paprika • 3 medium tomatoes, diced • ½ cup tomato purée • ½ cup chopped fresh coriander • 2 cups cold water • ¼ cup plain unsweetened yoghurt • Salt and red chilli powder to taste • Chopped fresh coriander to garnish (optional) Heat oil in a large pan over a low heat. Add cardamom and cloves. Cook over a low heat until you start to smell the spice aromas coming through.

Add onion, stirring continuously so it doesn’t stick to bottom of pan. Cook until almost brown.

Stir in garlic and ginger and cook until softened and browned. Add cubed lamb and cook until just browned. Add turmeric, garam masala, salt and paprika and continue cooking until you start to smell the spice aromas.

Stir through diced tomatoes and keep cooking until you start to see oil separating from onion and spice mixture. Be sure to take your time with this and keep stirring so that it does not stick to bottom of pan.

Add tomato purée, coriander and water and cook until this combines. Turn heat down low and stir through yoghurt. Slowly increase heat so that yoghurt does not curdle.

Put a lid on the pan and continue to simmer over a low heat until oil has separated from sauce and comes to surface. This can take a few hours. You may have to add some more water if sauce reduces too much. Once oil has separated and lamb is tender, the dish is done.

Season to taste with salt and chilli powder. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander, if wished.

Cook’s note

Lamb dishes take a long time to cook. You will need to be patient and cook the lamb until tender, which can take 2 hours or more. You can use a pressure cooker to speed up the process.

Winter wonderland Keeping your winter get-togethers interesting and up-to-date with these three great brews

1

Monteith’s American Pale Ale:

Monteith’s brewers have gone a little red, white and blue in creating their latest addition to the Brewer’s Series range, introducing the new American Pale Ale (APA).

The iconic West Coast Brewery has created a full flavoured interpretation of an American classic – a refreshing beer with a pronounced, almost precocious, hop character and citrus aroma. It’s brewed with imported American Citra hops, mixed with a good ol’ dose of New Zealand bittering hops to create a mid-strength 5.7% ABV American Pale Ale styled brew.

2

Monteith’s Southern Pale Ale: Our brewers

in Greymouth wanted to have a crack at making the most of the flavoursome yet soft notes of the Kiwi Southern Cross hops. Southern Pale Ale is brewed with lightly roasted pale malts, and is characterised by a slight hop profile rather than the more aggressive profile of an IPA. The hops in a Pale Ale give the beer a hop forward aroma characterised by a heady mix of lemon peel and pine needles layered beneath the clean spiciness flavour.

3

Monteith’s Doppelbock:

First released in 2003 what makes Doppelbock unique is its six malts which combine to create a voluptuous, rich, warming beer that pours with a red hue. Doppelbock was originally brewed in Bavaria in the 1600s to provide nourishment during the traditional German fasting period. It was affectionately nicknamed “liquid bread”.

rediscover • Port

WHITE PORT & TONIC

apéritif

SPICED MULLED PORT

winter warmer

CRANBERRY PORT MARTINI

cocktail hour

TAWNY PORT

anytime

Return to port For too long we’ve left the port at the back of the liquor cabinet to be dusted off only at Christmas and grandma’s birthday. It’s time for a fresh look at this sophisticated drink.

Port? Surely that’s something

enjoyed only by people with a sweet tooth who don’t like “proper” wine? Or by stuffy

28

men in period dramas when they toddle off to the library after dinner?

Certainly in New Zealand port has been traditionally pigeon-holed as a drink for the more mature tippler, unceremoniously consigned to the drinks trolley of the retirement village on bridge night.

But it’s time for a pause and re-think. In this golden age of the gourmet, in which we increasingly pride ourselves on our sophisticated palates and willingness to experiment with new flavours, it’s time to dust off the port and re-introduce it to our drinking life. In Europe, port has long been enjoyed by hip, young foodies

who appreciate its sophisticated range of flavours and styles which match with a surprising range of foods.

And since we, as Kiwis, dislike being outdone by anybody on anything, let’s debunk some port myths.

“All port is super-sweet and tastes the same”

While port does contain some of the natural sweetness of the grape it is always balanced by the wine’s tannins or acidity, so the result is more complex; a smooth, silky richness rather than the cloying sweetness of, say, a dessert wine.

Port or not

Not all ports are created equal. Within the variety, which can only be called port if it is made in the upper reaches of the Douro River Valley in northern Portugal, there are several different styles; ruby, tawny and even white port. There’s even an emerging trend in Europe for rosé-style pink port, though the jury seems to be still out on whether it’s any good.

paler and more amber as the wine ages.

It’s most noticeable in aged tawny ports such as Taylor’s 10yo or 20yo Tawny. Tawny ports are matured in oak casks which encourage contact between the wine and the wood. Tawnies also tend to be smoother and mellower with a spicy, nutty character.

Vintage

These have the deep purple-red colour of a young wine and tend to be fresh and fruity in style, with red berry and woodland fruit flavours. Ruby ports are usually bottled after two or three years and are matured in oak vats where contact between wood and wine is relatively limited.

It’s also worth making a note of vintage port, which has a specific meaning in this context. As with wine “vintage” refers to the year in which it was made, but producers of port generally restrict year-labelled bottles to only the best years. If they decide the wine is worthy it is officially declared a vintage year and a vintage port.

Tawny port

White ports

Ruby port

These on the other hand, have a seductive russet colour which becomes

Made from white grapes, white port is usually aged for two or three years in

large vats and is available in sweet or dry styles. Try it as an aperitif topped with tonic water and a slice of orange, or try substituting the orange for a squeeze of lemon or a few bruised mint leaves; delicious with salty almonds or olives.

“It doesn’t mix well with others”

Though the full flavours of port do make it a great digestif for after dinner or a night cap, it does also match well with foods, so could be served with desserts, or a cheese course. And among the hipsters of Europe and the US there’s an increasing revival of the port cocktail.

Ruby port is generally your best bet for cocktails, as the lighter, fruitier flavours make it better for mixing.

For a rich red spin on a martini try 2 parts ruby port, with 1 part vodka and a ½ cranberry juice. Combine in an ice-filled shaker, shake and strain into a chilled martini glass, garnished with olives.

www.toastmag.co.nz

29

Here’s a few ports we recommend

Or try equal parts brandy (or cognac) and ruby port with one small egg and a teaspoon of simple syrup, all shaken well in an ice-filled shaker then strained into a glass, garnished with grated nutmeg.

It’s called a Classic Coffee despite the total absence of caffeine, though its weak latte-like appearance makes it a great post-dinner drink – or even at a special occasion brunch, provided you don’t have much to do the rest of the day!

And it’s not just for after-dinner

RUBY

How about hosting a port and cheese, or port and chocolate tasting for your mates? Get everyone to bring a different bottle and a different cheese and take it from there. It’s a great way to find ports you love.

For nights in with movies or games and a pile of friends, try substituting port into a mulled wine recipe.

Gently heat a bottle of good ruby port with ¼-cup of sugar, two oranges sliced, a cinnamon stick or two, and a teaspoon or so each of allspice, mace, nutmeg and about a dozen whole cloves. Leave it to simmer for at least 15 minutes, although longer is better; just don’t let it boil. Pour into heat-proof glasses.

How about a new spin on the ubiquitous and traditionally mildly dull

high tea by matching your ports with rich pastries, or cakes with a ginger or nutty base and few dark chocolate truffles?

Food for thought

When it comes to food matching in general terms ruby ports tend to go well with chocolate and berries, or cheddars and some blue cheeses. They also make excellent reductions to pour over venison, beef or poached pears for dessert.

Aged tawny ports, such as the Taylor’s 10yo, go well with hard, nutty cheeses such as parmesan or manchego, or, try it with classic desserts such as tarte tartin, apple pie or crème brulee. The aged tawnies can also be served with savoury meat dishes such as a terrine or a game paté.

It should only be drunk from tiny glasses

This is probably one of the biggest misconceptions. Port should never be drunk from the dainty, thimble-sized liqueur glasses that have long been traditional as they don’t allow the wine to breathe. The best guide is if you can’t swirl the port, as you would a wine, without spillage, the glass is too small. A good quality white wine glass works well, or for a fine vintage port, a red wine glass is even better.

tawny

Shopping list Ruby port

Allspice

White Port

Mace

Classic Coffee Brandy or cognac 1 egg Nutmeg Simple syrup

Readily available at your local Liquorland�

Mulled port Sugar

Cloves

Port martini Cranberry juice Vodka Olives

Port & tonic Lemon

Oranges

Tonic Water

Cinnamon sticks

Mint

ASK JOSS • Barossa

As well as being home to some of Australia’s best known wineries, the Barossa Valley is also home to some of its oldest

Seeing red

Shiraz and the Barossa go hand-in-hand; like Central Otago and pinot noir or Marlborough and sauvignon blanc. But what makes the wines world-class and is the South Australian region more than a one-grape wonder?

As a Kiwi visiting South Australia’s

famous Barossa Valley the first thing you realise is how young our own wine history is. As well as being home to some of Australia’s most famous wineries, the Barossa is also home to its oldest with some stretching back six generations.

The histories of these wineries is important,

32

not just for the depth of experience but, more crucially, the age of their vines. In the mid 19th century an outbreak of phylloxera (an aphid-like bug) all but destroyed Europe’s vineyards, leaving the shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, grenache and mataro (or mourvedre) vines of the Barossa as the oldest in the world.

www.toastmag.co.nz

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ASK JOSS • Barossa

Which ones should I buy?

As well as Penfolds, Everyday affordable wines: large wineries such · Penfolds Koonunga Hill as Wolf Blass, Jacob’s Range – Shiraz and Shiraz Cabernet Creek and Yalumba all have a large range · Wolf Blass Yellow Label Shiraz · Jacob’s Creek Reserve Shiraz of great quality shiraz Speciality wines: readily available in · Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet New Zealand from Shiraz (commonly known as Liquorland. Here Baby Grange) are some great · Wolf Blass Gold Label Shiraz ones to try. · Saltram Mamre Brook Shiraz

· Jacob’s Creek Centenary Hill Shiraz · The People’s Shiraz · VNO Shiraz Generally speaking the vintages to look out for in stores now are the 2010 and 2012, both considered exceptional vintages thanks to good amounts of rain over the winter, leading to lush healthy vines and early picking.

Ask Joss Originally, Barossa shiraz made its name as a full-bodied wine, high in alcohol.

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What should I expect it to taste like?

Originally Australian shiraz, including those from the Barossa, made its name as a full-bodied wine, high in alcohol with plenty of smooth tannins. These days, winemakers such as Yalumba’s Kevin Glastonbury are pulling back from that style, picking grapes earlier to create wines that are a little more sophisticated and lighter on the palate. Generally shiraz

When it comes to examining the role age has played in the Barossa Valley’s high standing in the wine world, Yalumba – celebrating its 165th year in 2014 – is a good place to start.

Founded in 1849 Yalumba is Australia’s oldest family-owned winery, and senior winemaker Kevin Glastonbury says they are still finding out just how important that heritage is to the brand. For a start it has led them to pioneer the “Old Vine Charter” among Barossa wineries. There are no laws determining what vines can officially be called “old” for the purposes of marketing a wine, leaving it up to personal interpretation and therefore the possibility of misleading consumers. The Yalumba-led Old Vine Charter defines “old vines” are those aged 35 years or older. Antique vines are 70 years or older, a centenarian vine is 100 years and a tri-centenary vine must be 300 years old. Though there is no legal requirement to adopt the charter most Barossa wineries have taken it onboard – simplifying things for consumers and creating an industry standard in the region.

Photograph supplied by Tourism South Australia

The vines, particularly shiraz, thrived in the Barossa’s fairly Continental climate, and this unique ability to draw from old vines producing small concentrated fruit parcels led to the making of complex full-bodied red wines.

The wines that put the region on the map can be a tad pricey for the average consumer – Penfolds Grange retails at more than $700 a bottle – but all the Barossa’s key wineries create beautiful shiraz for all price points.

From the cellar: Yalumba

offers black cherry, plum, black pepper, liquorice, and dark chocolate flavours.

What can I drink it with?

Again it will vary winery to winery but hearty meat stews, game and chocolate are all good places to start.

Is there more to the Barossa and South Australia than shiraz?

Absolutely. The region also produces world-class cabernet sauvignon, grenache and mataro. But it’s not just about reds either. Chardonnay and viognier are also widely planted in the region and the neighbouring Eden Valley has earned international recognition for its rieslings.

On that note it’s also worth remembering that the Barossa Valley is just one of 18 different wine regions in South Australia, producing the full spectrum of wine varieties from familiar favourites such as chardonnay, malbec and merlot to less well known European varieties such as

“When people come in for a tasting and say they want to start with the shiraz or the cabernet, we’ll try and urge them to try the whites too. They’re always pleasantly surprised.”

Luke Skeer, winemaker Wynns Coonawarra Estate petit verdot and sangiovese.

If you venture further south near the border with Victoria you’ll find yourself in Coonawarra, which as well as shiraz is making a name for itself with cabernet sauvignon.

Luke Skeer, winemaker for Wynns Coonawarra Estate says the region’s cool, maritime climate makes it perfect for cabernet sauvignon’s longer growing season. Although he says the shiraz is pretty good too, just different to their

It’s not the first time Yalumba has pushed for innovation. It is the only winery in Australia to run an onsite cooperage to make its own oak barrels, meaning it has the unique advantage of controlling the quality of the oak that ages its wines.

That willingness to experiment and innovate should see the winery well into its next 165 years.

Barossa cousins – not as full or rich; more elegant. For drinking now he recommends Wynns Siding Cabernet Sauvignon.

He adds that great whites are some of Coonawarra’s hidden treasures.

“We’ve been making riesling since the 1970s and chardonnay since 1982.

When people come in for a tasting and say they want to start with the shiraz or the cabernet, we’ll try and urge them to try the whites too. They’re always pleasantly surprised.”

www.toastmag.co.nz

35

promotion • meet the maker

The flow of Jacob’s Creek With more than 35 years’ experience at Jacob’s Creek behind him, winemaker Bernard Hickin is the perfect custodian to ensure the brand’s continued reputation for high quality, contemporary Australian wines.

Having grown up a city boy, with no thought of winemaking, Bernard found his calling on a visit to a friend who was working in a winery in Adelaide’s north-east.

“Walking in, I remember the aroma of the reds fermenting, the vibrant purple colour of the red caps; it was just like being in another world.”

Bernard was sold and began the winemaking degree that would eventually see him take a job with Pernod Ricard Winemakers (then G Gramp & Sons), makers of Jacob’s Creek in 1976, the year the label was launched.

Now in 2014, Bernard says the future of Jacob’s Creek is bright with a dual focus of protecting the quality of its current wine portfolio while

36

allowing style evolution to meet consumer demand, and to embrace innovation to release new wines.

In the meantime, he says 2014 is a good year for reds with intense colour, rich, ripe tannins and fresh varietal flavours. “There’s some excellent Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and some exciting Barossa Shiraz. The Jacob’s Creek Reserve range captures the proud history of the brand’s winemaking since 1847, with a focus on premium varietal vineyards from South Australia’s acclaimed viticultural regions. Only the best grapes are ‘reserved’ for this premium quality range, producing wines with intense varietal expression, great flavour and classic structure and length.”

Bernard Hickin’s picks for Australia’s best varietals:� Barossa Valley Shiraz

“Rich generous wines from ancient soils and a warm temperature climate.”

Benchmark dry Rieslings from Eden Valley,

a high altitude region of the Barossa “Delicate lemon-mineral flavours.”

Cool climate Chardonnay from the Adelaide Hills “Delicious wines that are complex, stylish and with ageing potential.”

Cabernet Sauvignon from Coonawarra

“With its unique soils, topography and climate, Coonawarra produces some of Australia’s great cabernets.”

need to know • glass

The art of glass

Put down the plastic cup or that tricep-straining goblet. If you’ve invested in good wine, the least it deserves is to be drunk from the right glass.

t Cabernegn on vi u a s

Shiraz

Champagne

Chardonnay

(and Champagne)

P inotir no

But what about Champagne?

Here’s where things get a little more controversial. Traditionally the best glass for Champagne or methode traditionelle is the flute. The flute began to replace the wide shallow champagne glasses of the 1930s when it was realised the tall thin glasses kept the wine effervescent for longer – useful when you’re lining up glasses by the dozen for a toast. But more recent thinking suggests that if you’re pouring and tasting it within a reasonably short period then something more akin to a chardonnay glass works well. The wider bowl and only minimal taper allow the aromas and flavours of the wine to come to the fore. And when you consider that many Champagnes feature chardonnay or burgundy grapes it begins to make sense.

Talk to your localedel t Ri uo Liq rland aboual l stores y; da to glassware you. for me so r de or n ca

, done the hard work for you The good news: Riedel has ’t don you so s etie vari wine matched to releasing glasses already Baulderstone says: “We As ve. abo the of all e have to memoris ed workshop e variety through a structur make glasses for each grap y the most enjo you s etie vari the know process, you only need to e for the don n bee has k wor them. All the and match the glasses to glass to the grape.” the g chin mat of case a consumer, it is just every wine glasses to perfectly suit Buying a full set of wine practical for most of lly ncia fina not is e ther variety out s to gests starting with a glas us. Riedel generally sug build and t mos the y enjo match the varietal you ws. from there as budget allo

Biggest isn’t always best:

Riesling & P inot gris Remember back in the day when

all wine glasses were created equal? It was probably about the same time some bright spark decided all wine should come in foil bags and boxes instead of bottles.

Those glasses were well-built and sturdy, constructed rather than created, with stems the width of your thumb and could probably stand up to a game of volleyball without breaking. Good news if you’re worried about party breakages; not such good news for your taste buds.

The idea that wine changes when drunk from different shaped glasses is not a scam to make you buy more wine glasses.

We promise. Around the 1950s Claus Riedel, who’s family business had already been creating glassware for 300 years through nine generations, discovered that glass thickness, shape, colour and cut all had an impact on the aroma, taste and overall impression of the wine they carried. And moreover the impact varied according to the wine varietal.

It was a revolutionary idea and Riedel spent much of the next 25 years researching and creating glassware to showcase different wines.

38

If you remain sceptical, the easiest solution is try it for yourself. Gather some friends, wines, and a range of glasses of different shapes and sizes. Taste each wine methodically from different glasses and make a note of how the flavour, aroma and even the mouthfeel of the wines change.

Below are some basic principles when it comes to what wine to drink from which glass but as Riedel Australia managing director Michael Baulderstone says, the first rule is to think about what wines you like and work from that perspective.

Width matters:

Your tongue can really only distinguish four basic tastes: sweet, salty, bitter and sour which are in different areas of the tongue. The degree of taper at the mouth of the glass will help determine which part of your palate the wine will hit first, which impacts on the flavours you will taste most strongly. A narrow glass, for example, requires you to tilt your head further, directing the wine deeper into your mouth where bitter tastes are most keenly sensed. The narrow mouth also helps keep fruity aromas concentrated at

Sauvignon blanc the top of the glass. Fuller-bodied wines should be served in glasses with wider bowls which allow the wine to be aerated with swirling, releasing the aromas. With all that in mind the best glass styles for our favourite varietals are: Sauvignon blanc – tall, and thin with a small bowl and tapered at the top Chardonnay – wide bowl and only slightly tapered with a longer stem to keep the wine cool; they’re also often larger to allow more room for swirling Shiraz – smaller than other red wine glasses with a wide bowl and a tapered mouth designed to show off the variety’s often bold tannins and peppery flavours Cabernet sauvignon – large enough to allow plenty of swirling with a broad bowl to make the most of aeration Pinot noir – a tapered top with a wide bowl and smaller in size; some recent designs also include a flared lip to deliver the wine’s flavours to the palate quickly

IMAGES SUPPLIED BY RIEDEL

Cabernet glasses tend to be the largest size and, says Baulderstone, consumers tend to love them for it. But, he says, a cabernet glass is the absolute enemy of pinot noir.

To decant or not to decant:

The purpose of pouring wine into a decanter before serving is to allow it to aerate which will allow for the full expression of flavour. All wines benefit from aeration so Baulderstone recommends decanting whenever practical. Plus, he adds, it adds a wonderful sense of theatre to wine enjoyment.

Perfect for pinot Chief executive of prestigious Austrian Riedel Glass Company, Georg Riedel, paid a visit to Central Otago earlier this year to gain a better appreciation for the region’s famed pinot noir – all with an eye toward creating

Keep it clean:

It’s not all about shape. It’s also vital that glassware is immaculately clean.

You don’t want a veneer of detergent or residue getting between you and your wine. For this reason alone it’s a good idea to think about glassware that can

the perfect glass from which to enjoy it.

Riedel embarked on an intensive tasting with about 20 wine experts and local winemakers who each tried Central Otago pinot noir from 14 different types of Riedel glasses. Riedel said Central Otago Pinot Noir was selected for the new wine glass because of its quality and intensity.

He said using the right glass was “crucial” when enhancing the art of drinking wine. He asked the tasting

go in a dishwasher rather than having to be handwashed. And even then, give it a wipe with a clean tea towel before serving.

Temperature control:

Ideally have your wine glass at the same temperature as your wine when you pour.

panel to concentrate on how each wine performed in each glass. How did it feel? And did that vary glass to glass.

Each guest was asked to rate the glasses and award points to those they thought best reflected the way the wine should taste, before scores were collated.

Experienced winemaker Alan Brady, pioneer of wine in Central Otago, said he was “amazed” at how different his Wild Irishman Pinot Noir wine tasted in each of the glasses. “It was

like I had tasted 14 different wines.”

“The perfect pinot noir glass has a rounded, bulbous bottom and a thin pointed flow at the top. The glass controls the flow of wine to the palate in a spectacular way so the wine doesn’t become better, it tastes better,” said Riedel.“A wine as good as your pinot noir needs to be savoured from the correct glass.”

The Riedel Central Otago pinot noir glass is planned for release later this year.

www.toastmag.co.nz

39

promotion • fly buys

promotion • fly buys

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Hunker down with family and friends this winter and dust off the board games or a few classic movies for entertainment. Or, if you want to be less retro, crank up the gaming console while you binge-watch some TV. The key to hosting a night to remember is having the right kit. Here’s some great Fly Buys rewards that can add that touch of magic to any party.

680 Fly Buys points

Fly Buys points

Keep your party guests happy by being able to offer them whatever they desire to quench their thirst.

Whether you’re theming your drinks to your movies or just enjoying a relaxing catch-up around the fire, here are some excellent Fly Buys rewards from Liquorland.

Fly Buys points

Yes please!

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Host with the most

From

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If you’re theming your cocktails to your movies you’re going to need a good variety of spirits on hand. The Liquorland Spirit Selection includes your choice of any two from the following: Grant’s Scotch Whisky 1L, Jameson Irish Whiskey 700ml, Jack Daniel’s Whiskey 700ml, McKenna Bourbon 1L, St Remy Brandy 1L, Coruba Original Rum 1L, Coruba Gold Rum 1L, Bacardi Superior Rum 1L, Gordon’s Gin 1L, Smirnoff Vodka 1L, Jose Cuervo Especial Gold Tequila 700ml

Fly Buys points

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SodaStream Source

Fujifilm Instax Mini Instant camera Bring your party to life with a little retrofun. Fujifilm Instax Mini cameras let you print your party shots on the spot – no more crowding around a tiny LED screen.

The Instax Mini comes with a 10-shot Rainbow Film which prints 85mm x 55mm images. There’s a flash for low light, and three settings for cloudy, sunny and very sunny conditions. Make it snappy!

Top gift PS4 Bundle

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The sleek new-look SodaStream is the perfect way to make sure you never run out of mixers for your party drinks. This Source machine has a larger 60 litre gas cylinder and comes with a 1 litre carbonating bottle – and you can adjust the level of carbonation with the LED indicator.

DVD Bundle

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Fly Buys points

Keep everybody happy with a selection of movies from Fly Buys’ range of new and recent release DVDs. How about some Star Trek for sci-fi fans, and About Time for some off-beat romance?

Browse the music and movies section of www.flybuys.co.nz for the full range.

1995 Fly Buys points

Dyson DC34 Handheld OK, so someone got a little over-excited at their new high score or leapt in terror at the monster movie, and now there’s popcorn everywhere. Not to worry. Dyson DC34 Handheld will clean it up in a jiffy. The dual power mode means a longer run time for big cleanups and higher suction for stubborn dirt. Plus it looks like a prop from a sci-fi movie.

Straight up, over ice, shaken, stirred or a complex cocktail – everyone has a favourite way to enjoy these premium spirits. Pick any two bottles from Johnnie Walker Red Whisky 1L, Canadian Club Whisky 1L, Jim Beam Bourbon 1L, Appleton Estate VX Rum 700ml, Bombay Sapphire Gin 1L, Absolut Vodka 1L

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Order your rewards at www.flybuys.co.nz

www.toastmag.co.nz

41

How much am I actually drinking?

A standard drink is how much alcohol the average person can process in one hour. If you’re at a party drinking, the following figures are good to know:

Portion control

It’s one thing to keep track of your alcohol intake at the bar, but quite another when you’re hanging at a mate’s place where the pours are a little more generous – and continuous. Jessica Venning-Bryan from Cheers has some tips on mastering the fine art of monitoring your intake.

At Cheers we encourage people

to be really aware of how much they are drinking and one of the best ways they can do that is to school up on what a standard drink looks like (see sidebar and visit www.cheers.org.nz). Once you have that visual it’s a matter of keeping count of your drinks. If you do that and pace yourself with non-alcoholic drinks, and eat protein-rich foods, you’ll be on track to staying in a safe and social zone. But for a little extra guidance here are a few more quick tips:

For guests

• S erve yourself. It’s easy to lose track of your drinking when everyone’s relaxing over several hours so don’t let your host top up your glass. Serving yourself makes it much easier to keep track.

• Alternate. Space every alcoholic drink with a non-alcoholic one. This will help you maintain a moderate pace, and, if you choose water, it will help you stay hydrated.

• Eat. And make sure it’s something more substantial than chips and dip. If the host goes light on the snacks, take the initiative and suggest ordering pizza.

42

330ml bottle of 5% beer: approximately 1.3 standard drinks

Join ty r a p e th

Drinks index

We’ll be bringing a new issue of toast! to you every three months and we’d love for you to become a regular VIP guest at the party.

Each issue is filled with hot tips, expert advice, and new ways for you to enjoy your favourite drinks. Maybe we’ll even persuade you to try something you’d never thought to taste before.

You can find the current issue of toast! at your local Liquorland but you can make sure you’re up to date between issues by visiting our website www.toastmag.co.nz, and following Liquorland on Facebook.

But for the real “velvet rope” VIP treatment make sure you head to the website and subscribe. That way you’ll be first in line for each issue and top of the list for hot deals and the lowdown on new products.

You’ll never be bored by your drinks cabinet again.

How to subscribe:

1. Go online to www.toastmag.co.nz

100ml glass of 13% wine: approximately 1 standard drinks

For hosts

• S tay sober. The number one rule as a party host is to stay sober. If you’re in charge you need to have your wits about you.

• O ffer alternatives. Always make sure there are interesting low alcohol and non-alcoholic drink options available.

People get tired of orange juice really quickly. Think about light beer, spritzers, punch, a range of juices and soft drinks, or even just sparkling water served in a nice glass with a wedge of lemon.

• C ater well. Serve high-protein foods because protein stimulates the body to process alcohol. Salmon or chicken sushi, mini-burgers, gourmet sausages with relish, and frittata are all great options. And make sure you don’t leave the cooking until the last minute. Feed everyone early so they’re not drinking on an empty stomach.

• Provide entertainment. If you’re hosting an all-day get-together organise an activity to break up the day and get everyone focused on something other than eating and drinking; maybe a walk in the park, touch rugby or a game of charades.

250ml can of 6.5% RTD: approximately 1.3 standard drinks

2. Fill out subscription form

3. Magazine distributed to Liquorland stores

Liqueurs and spirits Absolut 11 Amarula Cream 11 Appleton Estate 11 Ardbeg Islay 11 Beefeater Gin 11 Bushmills 18 Canadian Club 11, 18 Chivas Regal 11, 15, 18 Courvoisier 3 Crystal Head 11 Devil’s Cut 6 El Jimador 11 Glenfiddich 8, 18 Glenlivet 11 Glenmorangie 11 Grand Marnier 11 Greenalls 11 Hendricks 11 Indiana State Moonshine 6, 19 Isle of Jura 11 Jack Daniel’s 7, 15, 18 Jameson 6, 11, 18 Jim Beam 6, 11, 18 Jim Beam Jacob’s Ghost 7, 17, 19 Johnnie Walker 11, 18 Laphroaig 11, 18 Monkey Shoulder 18,19 Smirnoff 11 St Remy 11 Talisker 11 Tanqueray Gin 11 The Dalmore 11, 18 Tullamore Dew 18

Wine

750ml bottle of 13% wine: approximately 7.7 standard drinks

1000ml bottle of 40% spirits: approximately 37 standard drinks

Beer, cider and ginger beer Boundary Rd 26 Budweiser 9 Coopers 21,23 Crabbie’s 7 Desperados 8 Emerson’s 21 Epic 22 Galbraith’s 20 Liberty Brewing 21 Moa 22 Monteith’s 23,27 ParrotDog 23 Steinlager 13 Tui 8

4. Magazine arrives at Liquorland stores

5. Happy as Larry when you go in store to collect your latest copy of toast! magazine

Barros 30 Dow’s 30 Jacob’s Creek 35 Penfolds Father Grand Tawny 8 Saltram 35 Taylor’s 8, 29, 30 The People’s Shiraz 35 VNO 35 Wolf Blass 35 Wynns 31, 35 Yalumba 35

last call • love local

Store locations

Love

local

NORth Island Northland Kaikohe Kamo Kensington Kerikeri Otaika Tikipunga Waipapa

Gavin Snowball of Liquorland Nelson shares his favourite local winter hideaways and haunts

Gavin Snowball and Cheryl Scott, Liquorland Nelson

There’s a special occasion to celebrate we’re off to ...

Hopgoods Restaurant (1) in Nelson city is always a consistent favourite, with relaxed dining and seasonally based dishes, the menu changes regularly and we love that they source their vegetables from a local organic farmer. They also offer a great range of wines and local craft beers. We are spoilt for choice though. Other dining favourites include Harrys (2), Fords (3), and Hangar 58 (4).

The best thing about Nelson in winter is ... we have one of the best climates in New Zealand, and with an average of more than 2400 annual hours of sunshine, our winter is pretty mild.

This means it is still a perfect time to visit Abel Tasman National

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5 The Boat Shed Cafe

2 Harrys Nelson

350 Wakefield Quay 03 546 9783

Restaurant & Bar 296 Trafalgar St 03 539 0905

6 River Kitchen Nelson

3 Ford’s Restaurant

81 Trafalgar St 03 548 1180

The Sprig & Fern Brewery 53 Beach Rd, Richmond 03 544 8675

and Bar 276 Trafalgar St 03 546 9400

6

5

Halifax St

31 Vanguard St

Washing to

03 548 3053

1

Va n

tS

t

gu

ard

2

Rutherford St

en Sa int Vin c

Nelson

4

3 St

n Rd

Grove St

6

Collingwood St

ell St Russ

Liquorland Nelson

Auckland Region Albany 357 Albany Highway Beachlands 41 Third View Avenue Botany 287 Botany Rd, Golflands Forrest Hill 252 Forrest Hill Road Howick 125 Elliot Street Mangere Bridge 42 Coronation Road Manukau Unit 4 613-615 Great South Road Mt Eden 346 Dominion Road Newmarket 480 Broadway Northcross Cnr Carlisle & East Coast Rd Onehunga 267A Onehunga Mall Orewa 3 Moana Ave Papakura Unit D/ 2 - 14 Railway St West Parnell 101 The Strand Pt Chevalier 1130 Gt North Rd Pukekohe 10 Massey Ave, RD 3 Snells Beach 240 Mahurangi East Rd Southgate Unit 15E, 230 Great South Rd Waiheke Island Shop 5, 24 Onetangi Road Coromandel Thames 215 Pollen St Whitianga 1 Lee St

Trafalgar St

ui an

⇦T ah un

6

d

For a relaxed long lunch you’ll find me at ... The Boatshed Café (5) right on Nelson’s waterfront which has stunning views of the harbour and a great menu. You’ll often see big ships coming in and out of the port guided by the tug boats right in front of you; fascinating to watch. Or try the River Kitchen Café (6) which is perfect on a sunny day as it sits under some beautiful old oak trees on the banks of the Maitai River.

Smugglers Pub & Cafe 8 Muritai St, Tahunanui 03 546 4084

58 Collingwood St 03 545 8158

en R

But if you want to catch up with mates l’ll go to … The Sprig and Fern, Hardy St, officially Nelson’s best bar as voted by Nelsonians. It’s a friendly, neighbourhood craft pub where you can enjoy superb award-winning craft beers brewed locally.

The owner Lee always looks after us, plays great music and is never short with a good recommendation of one of his latest popular brews.

Another favourite is Harry’s Bar, their menu has an Asian fusion twist and is a fun place to go for a drink and nibbles with friends.

4 Hangar 58

Restaurant & Bar 284 Trafalgar St 03 545 7191

Hav

I have visitors in town I’m taking them to … Smugglers Café and Bar Restaurant in Tahunanui. A notoriously good restaurant with great food, great atmosphere and the staff always make you feel welcome. All their portion sizes are generous and their ribs are to die for. Our relatives just love going there when they are in town and they have a spectacularly large table in the middle of the restaurant which is great for family functions.

1 Hopgoods

42 Broadway 477 Kamo Rd, Kamo 3-5 Kensington Ave 52 Kerikeri Road Shop No 7, Otaika Shopping Centre, Otaika Rd Shop 16 Paramount Shopping Centre, 1 Wanaka St State Highway 10

Park, do some fishing or visit one of our many boutique wineries or craft beer breweries. We have also been getting some great feedback from our visitors on the new bike trails around Nelson which can be done all year round.

The one thing everybody should know about the Nelson region is ... it has a great reputation for aromatic wine varieties and its own distinctive take on sauvignon blanc. It is also the craft beer capital of New Zealand and we stock a great selection in the store. A few of our local favourite brands include Hop Federation, Sprig and Fern, Mussel Inn, Stoke and Golden Bear.

Lonely Planet currently lists the Nelson Craft Beer Trail among its “hot and happening”.

Waikato / Bay of Plenty Bethlehem 19 Bethlehem Road Cambridge 26 Victoria St Dinsdale 140 Whatawhata Rd Eastside 319 Grey Street Gate Pa 1000 Cameron Road Katikati 74 – 76 Main Road Morrinsville 47 Studholme St Mt Maunganui 1 Owens Place Rototuna 16 Horsham Downs Rd Taumarunui 15 Hakiaha St Taupo 74 Tuwharetoa St Tauranga 395 Cameron Road Te Awamutu 49 Vaile St Te Kuiti 80 Taupiri St Whakatane 13 Peace Street Central north Island Ahuriri West Quay Ahuriri Albert Street 105 Albert St, Palmerston North Fitzroy 594 Devon Street East Gisborne 191 Customhouse St Onekawa 110 Taradale Rd Taihape 120 Hautapu Street Waipukurau 42-44 Russell Street Wanganui 291 - 293 Victoria Ave Wellington / Wairarapa Masterton 206 Chapel Street Miramar Unit 1, 37 Miramar Ave Porirua 18 Parumoana Street Waterloo 2 Trafalgar Square

South Island Marlborough Blenheim 7 High Street Golden Bay 5 Motupipi St, Takaka Motueka 90 High St Nelson 31 Vanguard St Turf 228 Songer St, Stoke WEST COAST Recreation Westport

68 High St, Greymouth 207 Palmerston St

Canterbury Beckenham Blenheim Road Rangiora Riccarton Shirley Tinwald

157-161 Colombo St 227 Blenheim Road 73 Victoria Std 43 Riccarton Rd 114 Marshlands Rd 99 Archibald St, Tinwald, Ashburton

Otago Cableways Clutha Leith Street Milton Mosgiel Oamaru

Cnr Kaikorai Valley Rd & Mellor St, Dunedin 70 Clyde St, Balclutha 233 Leith Street, Dunedin 147 Union St 6 Gordon Rd 261 Thames St

Southland Centrepoint Gore South City

252 Dee Street, Invercargill 25 Trafford St 66 Tweed Street, Invercargill

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Last Call • Competition

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p o r ast d

Where in the world are we?

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Tell us where this beautiful stretch of scenery is located and you’ll go in the draw to win 1000 Fly Buys points.

To enter email your answer as well as your name, address and phone number to win@toastmag.co.nz with The Last Drop in the subject line. Entries must reach us by August 31, 2014.

Well done to those who guessed our Autumn issue last drop was the wetlands at Wither Hills’ Rarangi vineyard. Since 2009 Wither Hills has been working to eradicate weeds and replant natives through the wetland.

Keep an eye on www.toastmag.co.nz from July 1 for last issue’s Last Drop winner announcement. *Entrants must be aged over 18. Full terms and conditions at www.toastmag.co.nz

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Fly Buys offers a range of Le Creuset dishes for those who love quality and tradition in the kitchen and entertaining in style! A paella, risotto or simple seafood linguine cooked and then served to the table will look simply stunning in this Le Creuset Shallow Casserole.

Check out more top brands at flybuys.co.nz

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