Waipa Premium Welsh Ale

Bottle, poured a dark brown, with some carbonation and a thin head. Looks a bit like a glass of coke. A strong and sweet malty aroma with molasses, and medicinal again! A slightly buttery palate, just a gentle roasted malt flavour. Some sweetness and a drying finish. Drinks well, and the best of the Waipa brews I have tried.

I have no idea what a Welsh Ale is. After drinking this, I’m no further on and I’m not convinced that the brewer knows, either. That said, this was the best of a poor mixed four-pack of Waipa beers purchased at Rotorua’s New World Supermarket. This was a clear, teak-coloured beer that thrust up a tall, rocky head that spackled the glass with lace and held its head better than anything else in the four-pack. The aroma was as thin as the rest of range, with faint ginger, pepper and nutmeg adding spice to sweet Cola and toffee notes. Medium-bodied, smooth, a little syrupy. Under-carbonated but better than the rest. Warming dark fruits - a bit figgy and a bit rummy with faint bitterness in a quenching finish. Some toffee-ish malts but this really needs more malt. Too sweet and Cola-like, too weedy. (330ml bottle)