Yeastie Boys to release world's first "Whisky Beer"

Yeastie Boys to release world's first "Whisky Beer"
Press Release, for immediate use.

Yeastie Boys

27/04/2011

Local beer and whisky lovers are in for a sumptuous treat from this weekend with Yeastie Boys releasing their latest offering: Rex Attitude - the world's first single-malt, peat-smoked golden ale. The use of 100% heavily-peated Scottish distilling malt results in one of the smokiest beers ever released and is almost certainly a world first.

"Brewers in Europe have been aging beer in Scotch whisky barrels over the last few years but they tend to make richer, stronger, winter-style ales so that the whisky and barrel characters don’t overpower the beer" said Stu McKinlay, Yeastie Boys' Creative Director. "I enjoy the complexity of the more delicate west coast whiskies and considered we could go a step further by utilising the same type of peated-malt that these distilleries use. In essence we are creating a beer that is far more in keeping with the nature of the whiskies that we've been by. Much like the west coast whiskies themselves, this beer will very much challenge the perceptions of drinkers - it'll have them asking themselves what beer actually is and where else the boundaries can be pushed."

The Yeastie Boys are no strangers to bucking trends but in Rex Attitude they have gone a step further by importing two tonnes of Scottish malt specifically for this beer. "This type of malt is rarely used in beer and, where it is, it is only used in very tiny quantities" added Yeastie Boys' Directive Creator, Sam Possenniskie. "Our malt supplier didn't stock anywhere near the amount we'd need to make a commercial batch so, despite plenty of our brewing friends warning us that we were mad, we asked them to bring in two tonnes especially for this beer. Getting that amount of malt shipped out from Scotland is no easy task but, from the moment we first tasted the astounding trial beer, it really has become a bit of an obsession."

BrewNZ judge, and Regional Wines and Spirits beer specialist, Kieran Haslett-Moore is one of the few people to have tasted the Yeastie Boys' trial batch, reporting the beer as "positively broadcasting an aroma of heathery smoked kippers. In the mouth the beer was incredibly balanced with light fruity hops, massive smoke and sweet rich malt all playing their part before a rounded wonderfully complex finish.” Mr Haslett-Moore immediately requested the chance to host a release party for the unique beer.

Rex Attitude will be formally released on 30th April 2011at Regional Wines and Spirits, 15 Ellice Street, Mt Victoria. An in-store tasting of the beer, accompanied by samples of Islay whisky Bowmore Legend and a selection of food, will run from 11am to 4pm. A haggis will be piped into the premises at 2pm and served with Rex Attitude.

Rex Attitude (7% abv) will be included alongside Pot Kettle Black and Hud-a-wa’ Strong in Yeastie Boys’ permanent range. All three beers are distributed in 330ml bottles via BeerNZ Ltd (New Zealand) and Innspire Pty Ltd (Australia). Retail outlets in both countries are listed on the map at www.yeastieboys.co.nz.

About Yeastie Boys:

Yeastie Boys is the multiple award-winning brewing brainchild of notorious beerhunter Sam Possenniskie and award-winning homebrewer Stu McKinlay. These beer activists burst onto the scene in the winter of 2008 with their style-bending ale Pot Kettle Black. "PKB", as it is affectionately known, subsequently went on to win its class (Stouts and Porters) at BrewNZ 2009 and the People's Choice award at the accompanying Beervana festival. It was the first (and remains the only) beer to have won two trophies at in a single year at BrewNZ.

ENDS

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