Mateveza Organic Golden Ale

Brewed by Mendocino Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Hopland, California USA

Bottle. A golden beer with a white head. The aroma is herbal, grassy, citric and hoppy. The taste is spicy, herbal, citric and hoppy. Medium body with a light bitter finish.

Bottle. Spare fizzy white head that very quickly subsided. Golden color. Aroma was floral, herbs, citrus, grapefruit and some fruity and what I thought was star anis, menthol and spicy notes as well. Light to medium bodied with a soft carbonation. Light sweet and bitter flavor. Average duration finish with a hint of the star anis. Somewhat strange experience.

(Bottle 65 cl) Slightly cloudy, deep golden with an off-white head. Distinct, fresh citrusy and spicy nose. Fairly light in body, very spicy notes, some citrus and a quinine-like bitterness. 170607

Pours amber with thin head. Aroma is sweet and of cherries. Flavor is bitter (not the hoppy kind of bitterness) and earthy. Very different type of beer. The aroma was nice but not the flavor. Mouthfeel is watery.

An interesting beer, this one contains the Yerba Mate extract which gives it a bit of kick and caffeine. Taste starts smooth, but finishes strong with a lingering flavor of grass and tea. I’m told this beer grows on you, but from the one I had, I’m not sure how much I could stomach.

Sampled May 2007
Pours with a brilliantly clear, lightly red tinged, copper color and is topped by a frothy, tightly beaded, pale tan colored head. The aroma is quite interesting; it is a mix of sweet citrus notes and something I can’t quite describe, but which must be the Yerba Maté. Smells a bit like fresh hemp seeds, with a sort of green herbaceous character that is completely unlike something found in hops.

The taste is lightly sweet up front, but actual dries out some (or at least the perceived sweetness dies out) as a green, herbal character takes over. The herbal character reminds me of a mix of hemp, tobacco and some notes of pine, among other things I can’t quite pin point. The herbal character really lingers on in the finish. This has quite a light mouthfeel and also has a zippy carbonation to it which also adds to the airiness of the brew. The hop flavors are perceived mainly up front (before the Yerba Maté kicks in) and remind me of light notes of orange zest and a touch of grapefruit.

This is certainly an interesting beer, half of the curiousness is provided by the balance that the Yerba Maté provides; or perhaps I should say this is interesting because the balance comes from Yerba Maté, instead of the traditional malt balancing component (hops). This is certainly worth trying, mainly for the contrast to hops that it provides, but is certainly not something I will be drinking much more of.

2007 - North American Organic Brewers Festival – Portland, Oregon
Light golden in color with a light head. This had a great flavor. Some strong herbal notes with a light hops flavor. Liked the beer as it poured very clean and clear A good use of the spices and special Yerba mate.

sweet basil herbal nose, golden yellow color, thin white head, smokey, woody, salty, mild hop bitters to balance some mild spices, well balanced in general, well worth a try, peeeeeaaaccceee duuuuudddeeee