#3 DB Export Beer - The Original Brew

According to the side of the beautifully designed box - this drop was first brewed by The Waitemata Brewery in 1960 to offer New Zealand's working men an affordable option to heavily taxed imported beers. So kind of them.

And now, to celebrate its 50th Anniversary (although I don't recall it being around for at least 20 years - happy to be corrected on that one), DB Breweries has made this award-winning (Supreme Award Winner Brewers' Exhibition London 1968) lager available again. Although it's not so affordable at $12.50 for two 750mL bottles. I did get a limited edition bottle opener with it however.

After cracking the top off with my shiny new opener, DB Export Beer is a crystal-clear pale gold, with a soft head and medium carbonation. It has a subtle sweet, malty aroma that is neither pleasant, nor offensive.

I was bracing myself for a musty cardboardiness.

DB Export Beer has a body and sweetness that coats the entire mouth nicely, and quickly fades to a slight, clean citrusy bitterness.

At 5.35% ABV I was expecting a little warmth but it didn't deliver - so you'd need to be careful if you were picking this for a session. Or not.

As a limited edition, it's not really worth the song & dance, and the huge TV production that went with it. But the packaging was flash.