Beerista: The (somewhat imagined) origins of beer

Nobody knows for sure when exactly beer was invented but I like to think the story goes like this: one bright morning, a few centuries ago, a man is waiting patiently for his morning porridge, sitting by the fire outside his hut. Suddenly, a pack of wolves leaps from the bushes, dragging him into the forest. His woman, shouting for help, runs after him but he is nowhere to be found.

Returning to the hut after a few days searching in the forest, she finds a strange liquid in the porridge pot. Though it smells a bit weird, she decides to drink it and discovers it tastes and feels kind of good after a few sips. The starches have turned to sugar, starting to ferment, and a beautiful thing has happened.

Fast forward a few centuries – and the discovery of hops and yeast – and there’s everything from massive industrial breweries to do-it-yourself homebrew kits. Interestingly, the whole craft beer revolution was spawned by self-taught people making beer at home in big pots on the stove, testing it out on their friends and then deciding to go into business.

The Porterhouse was one of the first craft breweries to emerge in Ireland and its Rusty Amber Lager has a gentle, grainy aroma. It’s dry hopped with Citra and Simcoe – which taste of tropical fruit – though this is quite subtle. There’s a toasty flavour, a bit of caramel and citrus to brighten everything up, and a gleaming amber clarity.

Naparbier is a Spanish microbrewery and their Aotearoa Hoppy Pils has a lovely, light tropical fruit aroma, a gentle bitterness and a smooth finish. It also has a slight haze, which is usually seen as a flaw in lagers. It has none of the defining characteristics of a pils (such as a grainy, bready aroma and a clean body) and seems more like a golden ale – but it works.