Macs Sassy Red

Brewed by Macs Brewery
Style: Bitter
Wellington, New Zealand

Serve in English pint

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I like the new label. It has a kind of ’Blair witch’ meets ’Summer of Sam’ feel about it visually. Possibly the best thing it has going for it. A shimmering fiery copper it produced with intermittent, fine carbonation rising up to that magnificent crown of crowns - a two inch thick, sloppy bed of cream that held form and drabbed a very messy lace down the glass. It pours so attractive, so seductive (I’ve already lied on its qualities!) that if it could just sit there in the glass the world would be a good place, but the world is not and this baby needed to be consumed.
Aroma has damp lawn clippings festering in the sun. The smell of Summer and that corner of the yard you’ve been meaning to weed yet keep watering. A strange under-waft of cola joins in, doesn’t go unnoticed. Heavily woody, heavily grassy and musty in the mouth. Very dry, pasty in feel like starchy unconverted grains. Pine, freshly sanded with the dust settling on the tongue. Some feint cocoa and treebark. There is a raspy and sharp bitter bite in back that follows into the long, dry, hay and grass swallow. A light hint of bitter fruit comes in. No sweetness shows even once warm. Have they changed the recipe along with the label. It wasn’t distasteful, but for me it just didn’t quite work. Aggressive hopping with no thought involved. Different, but not a winner. (33cL, 27/06/07, The Beer Store Morley)

UPDATED: DEC 29, 2007 It’s gone downhill.....used to be a full bodied malty and hoppy brew but has suffered a takeover by a macro. Mouthfeel and flavour has certainly taken a dive but it still smells good....ah well better than lion red i guess! It’s got really dry in the finish which is very disappointing. Just wandered past the brewery and had a look through the window...lo and behold as i suspected an enormous vat of liquid sugar! It’s generally the way, Macro takes over Micro and the first thing they do to maximise profits is to cheapen the ingredients!

A nicely hopped beer which is not too overpowering. Colour is a nice amber red and has a nice soft carbonation.