Cucumbers and Beer - A Comprehensive History
But his friend and Roman Emperor Tiberius was a massive fan of the cucumber. Pliny recorded that Tiberius had his kitchen-gardeners build what were the ancient equivalent of green houses so he could eat cucumber as part of every meal regardless of the season.
(We couldn’t find a picture of Tiberius with a cucumber, but here is one of him with Centurion Picard.)
Now if Tiberius hadn’t been so obsessed with getting boozed on wine then perhaps, with Pliny's help, beer, cucumbers and hops could have been combined long ago.
It took no fewer than two millennia before cucumbers and hops were brought together in a style of German beer that had been on the verge of extinction just a few years earlier – the Berliner Weisse. But given the contempt that the ancient Romans held Germans and beer in, we shouldn’t be surprised that the opportunity was missed all those years ago.
Live in the Lounge
Saturday sees the return of surf rock exponents the Vincent Vega Trio.
Often when the Vincent Vega Trio are booked to play at Hashigo Zake, they make up a new poster, generally based on an old movie poster built around an image of a scantily clad young woman in a pose that… reflects the mores of a different era.
Here’s the one they sent us this time. It’s relatively mild so we have fewer reservations about this one. It’s based on the poster of a 1971 British movie called Creatures the World Forgot. The French title for the same film was “Violence et Sexe Aux Temps Prehistoriques”. So maybe that’s the theme for Saturday night’s performance – “Violence and Sex in Prehistoric Times”.
You’ve been warned. No cover charge, from 9:30.
Cucumber Hippy
The 8 Wired brewing company was launched at about the same time as Hashigo Zake in late 2009. When their second beer, Hopwired IPA, was first released around Christmas that year, we and a lot of other people really took notice and their place as one of New Zealand’s most adventurous and promising breweries was confirmed. In the seven and a bit years since we’ve lost none of our enthusiasm for 8 Wired and their dedication to continually pushing boundaries while maintaining incredibly high standards.
So when 8 Wired’s down to earth founder Søren Eriksen refers to a new release as a game changer it’s probably worth paying attention. That release is the canned version of Cucumber Hippy - a spin-off of their hoppy Berliner Weisse called Hippy Berliner.
While Cucumber Hippy has been appearing on tap occasionally for over a year now, putting it into 440ml cans is a dramatic move by 8 Wired. To celebrate, this Saturday, we’ll have it available to buy – or maybe even score for free - in cans. But to give it full honours we’ll have a couple of its siblings on tap as well – the original Hippy Berliner and Cascara Hippy Berliner.
And to turn Saturday into a true celebration of the Cucumber, we’ll have a food special in the form of BBQ Brisket & BBQ Jackfruit tacos served on corn tortillas with cucumber slaw, salsa verde, sour cream, fresh coriander, and a slice of lime.
Our recommendation for Saturday? Come in for Cuba Dupa and at the first sign of rain duck for cover, a taco and a cucumber hippy.
So when 8 Wired’s down to earth founder Søren Eriksen refers to a new release as a game changer it’s probably worth paying attention. That release is the canned version of Cucumber Hippy - a spin-off of their hoppy Berliner Weisse called Hippy Berliner.
While Cucumber Hippy has been appearing on tap occasionally for over a year now, putting it into 440ml cans is a dramatic move by 8 Wired. To celebrate, this Saturday, we’ll have it available to buy – or maybe even score for free - in cans. But to give it full honours we’ll have a couple of its siblings on tap as well – the original Hippy Berliner and Cascara Hippy Berliner.
And to turn Saturday into a true celebration of the Cucumber, we’ll have a food special in the form of BBQ Brisket & BBQ Jackfruit tacos served on corn tortillas with cucumber slaw, salsa verde, sour cream, fresh coriander, and a slice of lime.
Our recommendation for Saturday? Come in for Cuba Dupa and at the first sign of rain duck for cover, a taco and a cucumber hippy.
On Tap Now
- Cassels & Sons Alchemist Pale Ale (handpump)
- Cassels & Sons Best Bitter (handpump)
- Modern Times Blazing World IPA
- Oskar Blues G'knight Imperial RIPA
- Hashigo Zake Staffie Series Island Hopper
- Hashigo Sake Staffie Series Moalland
- Garage Project Pils 'n' Thrills
- Baird Suruga Bay IIPA
- Mike's Taranaki IPA
- Almanac Wakatu Sour
- Hashigo Zake Staffie Series Whare Pango
Highlights
Did we mention how pleased we are with how our trio of Staffie Series/Modern Times clone beers came out? Seriously they're fresh and delicious and there's one keg only of each.
Almanac have announced that they won't be exporting kegged beer any more. Now they implemented this policy once before and then changed their minds, so we hope that this isn't final. But the supply of kegs of their hoppy sour series is dwindling and we believe that this is the last keg of the Wakatu version in New Zealand.
Almanac have announced that they won't be exporting kegged beer any more. Now they implemented this policy once before and then changed their minds, so we hope that this isn't final. But the supply of kegs of their hoppy sour series is dwindling and we believe that this is the last keg of the Wakatu version in New Zealand.
New in the Fridge!
Look out for the latest releases under the name There Be Dragons. This is the brand of globetrotting beer and winemaker Mike Kush. As part of his annual stint in Central Otago he brews a red ale that incorporates some Pinot Noir juice and puts it in barrels until his next visit.His latest releases are the 2015 vintage of his beer, which he calls Chasing Harvest, and the blend across multiple vintages called Royal Blood.
Both come in 500ml bottles costing $21.50.
New Release Tuesday - Wild & Woolly/Craftwork Collab Edition
Michael and Lee-Ann from Craftwork have been in Wellington a few times lately and took the opportunity to work with Wild & Woolly on a beer called Cœur de Cerise. Here's the official description:
this beer is a sour cherry and lavender Saison. The lavender came from W&W brewer Llew's garden in Wellington, while Lee-Ann from Craftwork provided the cherries. The name comes from the fact that a relatively small quantity of cherries (5kg in 200L of beer) were used, but the beer was left on them for several weeks, thus giving them little cherry colour or fruit flavour, but definite marzipan-y notes that come from the cherry pits. The NRT keg is only 20L, one of two produced (the other will head down to Oamaru.) The remainder of the beer will be part of W&W's first ever bottle release in a few weeks time, packaged in 750ml bottles condioned with Brettanomyces for an even more interesting experience as it ages.
Cœur de Cerise is keg conditioned and 4.5% ABV.
But Wait, There's More!
The resourceful Llew Bardecki has another new beer to put on tap alongside Cœur de Cerise. It's called That Tall Tosser. Take it away Llew..:
A table beer whose primary ferment was done with Brettanomyces Clausenii. This brew was made from leftover wort from W&W's bitter, Badger Me, and once again only one 20L keg was produced for NRT. It was also the yeast starter for the Brett used in bottle conditioning Coeur de Cerise. Often primary ferment Brett beers have very little of the funky, barnyard-y aromas that come from secondary fermentation with Brett, but there are definite notes of them here, along with some grass and light fruity aromas from the hops and yeast. The name is a tip of the hat to the designer of the Badger Me tap badge, as it was his original suggestion for the name of that beer.
That Tall Tosser is 3.5% ABV.
Both beers go on tap at 5pm on Tuesday.
Both beers go on tap at 5pm on Tuesday.
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