Moa Noir

Brewed by Moa Brewing Company
Style: Dunkel/Tmavý
Blenheim, New Zealand

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Stein

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750 ml corked and caged green bottle poured a clear reddish brown with a lasting tan head. Aromas of carmel, light fruittiness and light roast. Palate was light bodied and crisp with a dry finish. Flavors of carmel, light roastiness and light fruittiness with a crisp dry lingering carmel finish.

Pours a two finger off-white head that fades slowly to a ring leaving some lace. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Opaque brown color. Nose is slight malt. Flavor is caramel and baked molasses. Smooth, surprisingly good being in a green bottle. $4.25 for a 375ml bottle from Colonial Spirits, Acton, MA.

Bottle. Head is initially large, frothy, light brown, fully lasting. Body is dark brown. Aroma is moderately malty (cocoa, toasted grain), lightly hoppy (flowers). Flavor is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Light to medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. Simple and dull aroma, equally bland in the mouth. Looks nice, but otherwise a snoozer.

Green bottle. A dense off-white head forms over this garnet-tinged dark brown brew. Sweet candy malt aroma. The flavor starts sweet but never really builds up enough momentum to go any further. Some dryness towards the finish. Thin, empty.

Pours a slightly hazy warm brown with a decent, if not persistent, pale tan head. Aroma is malty and just slightly nutty, not strong but still inviting. Flavor is malty with nutty and hoppy hints - not wonderful, but enjoyable nevertheless. Texture is smooth and fizzy, leaving a bit of a tingle behind, along with a hint of hops.

750 ml bottle
A mostly unexceptional lager this beer has the distinction of being the best of two new Zealand beers that I have tried in the past few years. I don’t know what that says about the country but it beats ticking off a bottle of Steinlager. At the price point though I will not be buying its companion any time soon.

Aroma / Appearance - The great surge of cream filled the glass like the inside of a custard doughnut. A gradient of deep brown to medium red finally emerged after it had some time to settle down. The aromas that escaped were par for the course - black cherry pits, malt base, blackberry jam, and caramel brownies (from a box rather than homemade). Hops are evident but do not go so far as to overpower the rest.

Flavor / Palate - Chocolate brownies which have been left too long in the oven fill the mouth with a mildly harsh taste. Gravelly transitions to a flat finish force me to rate this a bit lower. It is still very drinkable with some positive aspects. However I find myself wondering if time has not changed the nature of the beer since it was bottled halfway around the world. I can do better at several brewpubs around the area and guarantee a much fresher product.

Thanks to ericandersnavy for sharing this beer. This is my first beer from the great country of New Zealand. The beer pours an orange-brown color with a white head. The aroma is pretty basic with toffee malt. The flavor is more of the same, lots of toffee. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Not bad, but nothing specials.

(12.7oz bottle, courtesy of ericandersnavy) Pours a hazy amber body with a medium beige head. Aroma of roasted malt, cola, earth, and coffee. Flavor of berries, roasted malt, chocolate, earth, caramel, and coffee.

bottle thanks to ericandersnavy. The smell is fruits, malts, and weak. The look is copper in color, clear, and has a white colored head. The taste is sweet, malts, and fruits.

(12.7oz bottle thanks to ericandersnavy) Pours a dark brown, hazy, with beige head. Aromaof toast, light dark roasted grain, light hop and malt spice. Flavor is the same. Overall, not bad at all.