Moa says: Don’t drink for a decade

Media release
4 October 2011

Moa says: Don’t drink for a decade
Super premium craft brewer introduces rare “collector’s edition” beer

Marlborough craft brewery Moa has launched its latest beer – but it’s urging people not, under any circumstances, to drink it.

Well, for the next decade at least.

The Moa Ten Year Beer is a barrel-aged cherry lambic made in a unique traditional Belgium style. Just 180 specially labelled bottles have been produced, and Moa founder Josh Scott says those lucky enough to get their hands on a bottle should take their hands off the bottle and put it into a cellar, pronto.

“Our Ten Year Beer already tastes great, but the complex nature of the brew means that it’s designed to taste best after a decade of cellar aging.

“Traditionally Belgian lambics have been cellared for a few years – however some of these old-style lambics can also be quite sour. We’ve crafted our Ten Year Beer to be a little easier on the palate, albeit without substituting on the quality or heritage… but good things take time.”

Josh adds, “Most drinkers probably aren’t used to thinking of beer as something to be cellared. Just treat it like a fine Central Otago Pinot Noir and you’ll be alright.

“Or think of it as the ideal gift for your eight-year old son – after a decade of cellaring it’ll be ready to drink on his 18th birthday.”

The Ten Year Beer has been fermented as a tripel ale, then poured into French oak puncheons with Marlborough cherries stuffed in the barrel. Wild yeast is added and it is left to slowly ferment and age over 10 months.

Josh says, “The use of wild yeast plays an important role in making this beer so amazing – but it’s a risky business, and if mishandled it can easily contaminate vineyards, for example. Luckily, especially considering my dad’s vineyard is across the road, we got away with it this time.”

The end product pours strawberry golden and has powerful aromas of cherries and dried herbs. The oak and cherries integrate over time and the base characters of banana and butterscotch are evident at the end of the palate.

Just 180 collectable 750ml bottles of the Moa Ten Year Beer have been created, RRP $30. Regional Wines and Spirits in Wellington and www.beerstore.co.nz each have 60 bottles; Castle MacAdam Wines in Dunedin, New World Blenheim, Fresh Choice Richmond and Fresh Choice Merivale have just 12 bottles per store.

Get a bottle while stocks last – but for god’s sake, don’t bloody drink it.

ENDS

About Moa Beer
Moa Beer is brewed with fresh locally produced hops and without adjuncts such as rice, sugar or corn It’s made the way beer used to be made, before everyone started making it differently. Fastidiously handcrafted in the traditional method and rounded off through the use of winemaking techniques, including barrel ageing and bottle fermentation and conditioning (like they do with Champagne). Because making (and drinking) the same thing every day becomes boring, Moa comes in 10 varieties: The Estate range: Moa Methode, Moa Blanc, Moa Noir, Moa Pale Ale; the Reserve range: Moa Imperial Stout, Moa St Josephs, Moa Blanc Evolution, Moa Five Hop and Moa Breakfast; and Moa Original.

Moa comes in a variety of different sizes: from 330ml, through 375ml and 750ml, up to 1.5L magnums and 3L jeroboams to make you look extra-cool at parties.

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