Golden Ticket The Exchange Student

Golden Ticket Brewing
Brewed at Invercargill Brewery
Style: American Pale Ale
Christchurch, New Zealand

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker

Tap at Malthouse just after release. Pours amber, off white head. Hoppy aroma, citrusy - promising. Sadly the flavour is more malt driven, a fairly crisp bitterness on the finish is all I get hop-wise. This improved over time, but I didn’t take any other notes of subsequent tastes.

Aromas are a bit funky at the start, then the hops become a bit more noticeable introducing lemon and/or passionfruit. Flavours are a nice mild hoppiness with underlying honey-ish malt. Hints of diacetyl and a bit of a skunky sun-damaged hop..

Dark golden with reasonable white head. Slightly hoppy aroma with a slight funky note. Flavour is predominanty NZ hops, slightly earthy, with bitter finish, Very pleasant, and pretty balanced. More like an NZ pilsner than an APA, but that’s fine.

The first beer from new brewers on the scene in NZ. There was, I hear, a small mishap in brewing which means the wrong yeast was used, and this robbed it of some of its hop character. What remains is still a very well brewed, perfectly integrated session pale ale. There’s not a lot of aroma up front, which is the only real disappointment, but what is there is a crisp grainy malt note which is extremely appealing. As you drink it, balance is the only word to use. It’s an overused term, but with this beer it is the perfect description. Before you know it, the glass is empty and you’re going back for another. Well done Nathan and Ally. Can’t wait for the next beer!