In an effort to appear even slightly professional, I attempted to find out what that particular bit is called.  There are an unsurprisingly huge number of Doctor Who websites out there but I did find one which discussed the Master Control Consoles of the aforementioned Tardis in mind-numbing detail.  Unfortunately, I could not understand it but the link is at the bottom for the hard-core Who Heads.  Wikipedia argues it is called the “time rotor” and that is good enough for me. *

Switching quickly to the much more important topic of beer, the Modus Hopperandus is a cylindrical device designed to impart last minute flavour and aroma to a beer.  It can be filled with virtually any form of flavouring – from hops to cinnamon sticks to coffee – and the beer flows through it just seconds before pouring out the adjacent tap.  Legend has it that the first Hopinator was invented at Dogfish Head brewery in Delaware and they dubbed it Randall the Enamel Animal.

Since then, many similar devices have been built and they, like former MP David Garrett, have had many names.  Some are called Randall in honour of the progenitor. **  In parts of Australia, they have shortened that down to Randy.  Hopinator is probably the most common generic term though it still isn’t overly common.  As noted in the original blog on the Modus back in September, Dogfish Head has also called their device an Organoleptic *** Hops Transducer module or OHT.  Other even more eccentric places have called them Hop Aromation **** Devices.

At the time of writing that original blog, I was adamant that only two ingredients should ever go into the Modus Hopperandus – hops and even more hops.  This mindset is perhaps why I have on at least one occasion been called the “Minister of Hops.”  However, like the majority of Ministers of the Crown since the modern Cabinet system was invented in 1916, I was quite wrong.

A bundle of beers have been poured through the Modus Hopperandus over a cornucopia of flavouring agents.  My two favourites (to date) have not featured any hops in the Hopinator – much to my surprise and to the glee of others.

The first was a glass of Wigram Imperial Stout poured over Mojo Coffee Beans.  This was slightly unexpected as I’m not usually a big fan of either big stouts or good coffee. *****  It looked dark and inviting with a clear whiff of chocolate and coffee on the nose.  From the first sip, the silky mouthfeel was evident, followed by plenty of sweet and roasted notes but the highlight was a dry almost sandy finish. 

My favourite Modus brew so far though was Twisted Hop IPA dispensed through a bed of fresh mandarins.  There was a vaguely amusing exchange of tweets between myself and Colin, the Handsome yet Softly Spoken Scottish Proprietor, regarding this beer.  I have been completely unable to locate it on Twitter – it has probably been eaten by the Dread Fail Whale – but it went something like this:

10:00am @beerlyspeaking – The Modus Hopperandus should only have hops in it. Anything else is wrong.
12:05pm @malthouse – Is that a mandarin beer I see in your hand Mr @beerlyspeaking?
12:07pm @beerlyspeaking – Yes…
12:21pm @malthouse – Is that another mandarin beer I see in your hand @beerlyspeaking?

I really, really liked it despite generally loathing and detesting mandarins with the power of a fully operational Death Star. ******  Some reviewers reckoned it was too bitter but not for me. 

On the Modus now is the famous Cooper’s Stout which is being served over the almost-as-famous Mojo coffee beans.  When that runs out, it will be Pinot Barrel-Aged Tuatara Porter over cherries.  Earlier plans (or threats) to pour the Three Boys Porter over pineapple lumps have been withdrawn by management, at least for the time being.

Finally, Malthouse is running a contest for people to invent the best new flavour combination to go through the Modus Hopperandus.  Send your unique creations to modus@themalthouse.co.nz and the winner will see their concoction served at the bar and their first publican’s dozen ******* of it will be free.  Enter as many times as you like but entries close 17 November 2010.  Colin’s decision is final but can be freely disputed on Twitter.

* I was a huge Star Wars fan right up until the precise moment I heard Jar-Jar Binks talk.  Thank you, George Lucas.
** To save you precious seconds at Dictionary Dot Com, a progenitor can be defined as “an originator or founder of a future development.”
*** This is a real word.  Organoleptic means relating to the senses.
**** This almost certainly isn’t a real word.
***** Pretty much any coffee flasher than Moccona is wasted on me.  I will probably get deported from Wellington for admitting that.
****** See the first footnote.
******* Six.

Cheers


Beer Writer
Real Beer New Zealand
Beer and Brewer Magazine

Links

Way too much about Doctor Who Master Control Consoles – http://www.whoniverse.org/tardis/controlrooms.php
Dogfish Head’s Randall the Enamel Animal – http://www.dogfish.com/company/tangents/randall-the-enamel-animal.htm
Malthouse Blog – All Hail the Modus Hopperandus – http://www.themalthouse.co.nz/index.php/blog/156-all-hail-the-modus-hopperandus 
Malthouse on Twitter – http://twitter.com/malthouse
Malthouse Facebook Group – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wellington/Malthouse/7084276173
Real Beer – http://www.realbeer.co.nz 
Beer and Brewer Magazine – http://www.beerandbrewer.com/