Category: Features
Alex Peckham A Cider Artist
Posted by Dylan Jauslin | Apr 25, 2022 | Cover Story | 0 |
Brave Brewing make foray into fresh hops
Posted by Michael Donaldson | Apr 7, 2022 | Cover Story, News | 0 |
Latest news
Supreme Champion named at New World Awards
by Michael Donaldson | May 16, 2022 | Cover Story, News | 0 |
For the first time the New World Beer & Cider Awards has named a Supreme Champion: and it’s a classic
Read MoreNew World Awards Top 30 tasting notes
by Michael Donaldson | May 16, 2022 | News | 0 |
Tasting notes for the winners in the Top-30, plus judges comments from the 2022 New World Beer & Cider Awards.
Read MoreLight beers that punch above their weight
by Michael Donaldson | May 12, 2022 | Opinion | 0 |
What are the best tasting beers under 2.5 per cent? The Pursuit of Hoppiness team put light beers to the taste test.
Read MoreDiary of a Hop Farmer
by Josh Lewis | May 11, 2022 | Opinion | 0 |
In the first of a new series, hop farmer Josh Lewis takes us through the life cycle on a hop farm, starting with the aftermath of the harvest.
Read MoreAltitude Brewing Fresh Tracks
by Mark Gower | May 5, 2022 | Reviews | 0 |
Altitude Brewing are using the same base but hopping their beer with Nelson Sauvin hops grown in two different parts of the South Island.
Read MoreBaltic Porter: a beer born of a blockade
by Tymoteusz Ryan | May 4, 2022 | Features | 0 |
Did you know Baltic Porter is actually a lager not an ale. And that it was born of Napoleon’s British blockade?
Read MoreNew non-alcohol craft brand launched
by Michael Donaldson | May 4, 2022 | News | 0 |
State of Play is the first New Zealand brewery brand to be totally focused producing on non-alcoholic beer.
Read MoreShining Peak Gung Ho! IPA
by Mark Gower | May 3, 2022 | Reviews | 0 |
Shining Peak Gung Ho! Fresh Hop IPA sits firmly at the top of ‘Crafty’ Mark Gower’s fresh hop ratings for 2022.
Read MoreLow Carb Lowdown
by Michael Donaldson | May 2, 2022 | Opinion | 0 |
It’s one of the fastest growing segments in the beer market so we review the best low carb craft beers on the market.
Read MoreBrewer’s personal drive for low carb beer
by Michael Donaldson | May 2, 2022 | Features | 0 |
Scott Sharp-Heward, quality manager and technical brewer at Sawmill in Matakana, wants to make a low carb beer after learning he had developed Type 1 diabetes, possibly as a result of Covid-19.
Read MoreCanyon Brewing harvest their own grain
by Vera Alves | Apr 28, 2022 | News | 0 |
Canyon Brewing are also experimenting with growing their own grain as a part of a push to become carbon neutral. Vera Alves reports.
Read MoreBaylands Waifly 8 Fresh Hop IPA
by Tim Newman | Apr 27, 2022 | Reviews | 0 |
Now in its eighth iteration, Baylands Waifly is a proven fresh hop classic and this year’s is one of the best
Read MoreCold IPA a refreshing alternative
by Michael Donaldson | Apr 26, 2022 | Home Brew | 0 |
Much of what we enjoy about beer today stems from innovative brewers’ hard work: creating...
Read MoreAlex Peckham A Cider Artist
by Dylan Jauslin | Apr 25, 2022 | Cover Story | 0 |
Alex Peckham, who died on April 12, 2022, was a cider artist who changed the nature of the industry in New Zealand. Dylan Jauslin looks back on his legacy.
Read MoreBrew it: Hallertau NZ IPA Recipe
by Michael Donaldson | Apr 24, 2022 | Home Brew | 0 |
The runner-up at the Smith’s NZ IPA Challenge last year from Hallertau was pilsner-clear and had a...
Read MoreParrotdog Bruce Hazy IPA
by Mark Gower | Apr 24, 2022 | Reviews | 0 |
Parrotdog Bruce is everything you can hope for — nice upfront peach and tropical fruit flavours with a neat, dry finish.
Read MoreHopstock celebrates 10th year
by Denise Garland | Apr 24, 2022 | Features | 0 |
This week, Wellington’s annual fresh hop festival, Hopstock, is marking its 10th anniversary. Denise Garland looks back on decade of fresh hop beers.
Read MoreExcise tax hike opposed
by Michael Donaldson | Apr 22, 2022 | News | 0 |
The Brewers Guild and Brewers Association are together lobbying government to offer some excise...
Read MoreThe spirit of spontaneity
by Luke Owen Smith | Apr 21, 2022 | Features | 0 |
Spontaneously-fermented beers, or wild ales, are making a comeback. Luke Owen Smith visits some of the Kiwi brewers working with mother nature.
Read MoreGood George Cold IPA
by Michael Donaldson | Apr 20, 2022 | Reviews | 0 |
For lager drinkers it could be way too hoppy, for IPA lovers it might be too light-bodied. But I’m starting to get Cold IPA.
Read MoreBeer Haikus Vol 3
by Stephen Gallagher | Apr 20, 2022 | Opinion | 0 |
Clown Shoes Pineapple Space Cake It’s bitter and bold I dreamt of flying through space With some...
Read MoreAlasdair Cassels: farewell to a force of nature
by Michael Donaldson | Apr 20, 2022 | News | 0 |
Alasdair Cassels, who died last week of prostate cancer, was quite the force of nature. ...
Read MoreBrothers Beer Modern Love West Coast IPA
by Tim Newman | Apr 18, 2022 | Reviews | 0 |
Brothers Beer Modern Love IPA is one of the best showcases of focused citrus purity we’ve encountered this year.
Read MoreHop Federation Green Limousine Fresh Hop IPA
by Tim Newman | Apr 18, 2022 | Reviews | 0 |
Each fresh hop season you cannot go wrong with Hop Federation Green Limousine IPA, says Tim Newman.
Read MoreFroth yeast turns Bookbinder into trophy winner
by Michael Donaldson | Apr 12, 2022 | Features | 0 |
One of the highlights of the Brewers Guild Awards last year was Emerson’s Bookbinder taking out...
Read MoreA Mixed Six with Jesse Sigurdsson of Shining Peak
by Dave Pearce | Apr 8, 2022 | Features | 0 |
In this series we ask brewers to talk about three of their own beers and three beers they love...
Read MoreBach Brewing Freebird Hazy IPA
by Mark Gower | Apr 7, 2022 | Reviews | 0 |
“Crafty” Mark Gower says Bach Brewing Freebird is the one of the best examples of a East Coast Hazy IPA he’s tasted.
Read MoreBrave Brewing make foray into fresh hops
by Michael Donaldson | Apr 7, 2022 | Cover Story, News | 0 |
Matt Smith of Brave Brewing is usually way too busy to make a fresh hop beer but thanks to the Omicron outbreak, he found time to source some fresh Nectaron
Read MoreBoneface Lithium American Pilsner
by Tim Newman | Apr 6, 2022 | Reviews | 0 |
Boneface Lithium American Pilsner is intriguing and satisfyingly full-on evolution of the NZ pilsner style.
Read MoreNo Can Do: How’s the quality of your beer?
by Karl Hayes | Apr 5, 2022 | Opinion | 0 |
Karl Hayes asks if the quality of craft beer dropped since the proliferation of canned beer on our supermarket and off-license shelves.
Read More
Reviews

Altitude Brewing Fresh Tracks

Shining Peak Gung Ho! IPA

Baylands Waifly 8 Fresh Hop IPA

Parrotdog Bruce Hazy IPA

Good George Cold IPA

Brothers Beer Modern Love West Coast IPA

Hop Federation Green Limousine Fresh Hop...

Bach Brewing Freebird Hazy IPA

Boneface Lithium American Pilsner

Behemoth Screw It Let’s Brew It!

Sprig + Fern Trifecta Fresh Hop Hazy

Eddyline Happy Camper APA

Boneface Unf*ck the World Double IPA

Lakeman Landscape Series Hazy No 2

Liberty Raspberry Roller Milkshake Sour

North Coast Brother Thelonious

Sunshine Rolling Stones Cold Dip Hopped ...

Bach Brewing Peach Pucker Berliner Sour

Kereru Superb Owl Belgian-style Wit Beer

Epic Cryopop IPA

Steinlager 0.0

Bach Brewing Wandering IPL

Shining Peak Barrel Aged Brett Saison

Brothers Beer “Martin Scores Hazy&...

Laughing Bones Treeline Mountain IPA

Double Vision Mouth Party Hazy Pale Ale

Volstead Riwaka Hazy

Three Boys Gas NZIPA

Craftwork Good Lord Abbey Tripel

Boneface Big Unit Hazy Double IPA

Robinsons Trooper English IPA

8 Wired Hopwired Pacific Sunrise Edition

Burkes Brewing Unforgiven Porter

Alibi Temná Zima Bohemian Dark Lager

Garage Project Chance, Luck & Magic...

Kereru Amberine Whisky Barrel Quadrupel

Beer Baroness Dare To Diva Mixed Berry S...

Three Sisters Roses & Rivets Red IP...

Behemoth Get Busy Hopping IPA

Speight’s Mid Ale

Waitoa Afterglow Hazy IPA

Boneface Outlaw IPL

Garage Project Proper Crisp IPA

Emerson’s Bookbinder

Sunshine Brewing Gisborne Gold

Liberty Juice Bro Hazy Pale Ale

Abandoned Hazy Pale Ale

Panhead Sandman Hazy Pale Ale

Volstead Lupulin Block West Coast IPA

Garage Project 10 Triple Hazy IPA

Garage Project Tiny But Mighty alcohol f...

Spaten Oktoberfestbier

ChinChiller Touch My Wenis Pilsner

Sawmill Bare Beer

Chouffe Houblon Belgian IPA

Brothers Beer Pop Art Cryo-Hopped IPA

Urbanaut Imperial Saison

8 Wired Double Scoop Chocolate Cherry Fr...

Hop Federation IPA

Dogfish Head 90 Minute Double IPA

Garage Project Fruitallica Fruit IPA

Orval Trappist Ale

Moa Sultana Single Hop IPA

Baylands The Hops Awaken IPA

Bach All Day Non-alcoholic IPA

Urbanaut Juno Lite Hazy IPA

Hop Federation Space Cadet IPA

Garage Project Double Pernicious Weed

Sunshine Blond Biere De Garde

Parrotdog Denise Double Porter

Stoke Legacy West Coast IPA

Sunshine Stockies Session Hazy IPA

Urbanaut Black IPA

Bavaria 0.0 IPA

8 Wired Double Imperial iStout

Volstead Valkyrie Juniper & Hibiscu...

Brave Brewing Tigermilk IPA

Cassels Nectar Double IPA

Peckhams X Cell Division Fire Graff

Garage Project Snug Dry Irish Stout

Urbanaut Tropical Imperial Stout

Boneface Brewing Voodoo XPA

Lakeman Hop Rush West Coast IPA

Emporium Walk on Watermelon

Behemoth Now That’s What I call Ho...

Good George Chance of Haze

Boneface McLeod’s 8 Wired Huha Bru...

Garage Project Talk To The Hand Cold IPA...

Epic Kashmir Hazy IPA 6.04%

North End x Small Gods Sin Eater Mild Al...

Boneface Brewing Hand of Doom American S...

Small Gods x Maltkult Gunpowder Bock 7.2...

Zeelandt/Small Gods Brünhilde’s Fa...

Brothers Beer Idanot IPA 6.7%

Garage Project Surrender To The Void Vol...

New World Top 30 Award Winners

Baylands Waifly 7 Fresh Hop IPA 6.5%

Cider Review Roundup

McLeod’s 802 #33 Fresh Hop IPA 7%

Bannockburn Brewing Killarabbit Double I...

8 Wired Fresh Hopwired IPA 7.3%

Epic Green Machine Fresh Hop IPA (6.5%)

Good George Fresh Squeeze Hazy IPA (6.1%...

Eddyline Hop Project #9 Hazy Fresh IPA (...

Parrotdog Terry Coco-Cacao Stout (6.5%)

Epic Hop Zombie Double IPA (8.5%)

Wigram Vienna Lager (5%)

Garage Project Party & Bullshit Eas...

Isthmus Cumulus Hazy IPA (6.5%)

Abandoned Double XPA (8.4%)

Epic Private Idaho Hazy IPA (6.3%)

Sawmill Vintage Ale 2020 (8%)

Good George Double Barrel Hazy IPA (7.8%...

Behemoth Irish Champagne Dry Stout (4.2%...

8 Wired Tall Poppy Red IPA

8 Wired Byg is beautiful Barleywine (11%...

Bach Brewing Juice Axe (6.9%)

Garage Project Fresh March IPA (7%)

Urbanaut Cucumber Mint Sour (5%)

Heart of Darkness Kurtz’s Insane I...

Sprig & Fern Sunny Dayz Hazy Pale A...

Garage Project Lupus The Wolf man Double...

Paynter’s The Pilgrim Cider (5.9%)

Urbanaut Sabro Triple Hazy (13.5%)

Bateman’s Vintage Ale 2013 (7.5%)

Epic Magic Dust IPA (6.9%)

Garage Project Super Fresh Vol 5 Hazy Do...

EPIC 15 American Barleywine (10.2%)

Peckham’s Farmhouse Cider

Altitude Brewing Foggy Goggles Hazy IPA ...

Wander Beyond Curious Creek Raspberry an...

Epic Stone Hammer IPA (7%)

Emporium Elbows Off Table Beer (3%)

Volstead US IPA (6.4%)

Garage Project Air Drop NZ Pilsner (6.1%...

Baylands Slackline Boysenberry Sour (4%)

Epic Pilsner (5%)

Behemoth Me Time Motueka Hazy IPA

RHYME X REASON Don’t Wine It’s Beer Gold...

Deep CreeK LoCAL Low Carb IPA (3.5%)

Sawmill Azacca Hazy IPA (6%)

8 Wired Blackberry Way Fruited Sour (5.5...

Lakeman Double Happy Double IPA (8.5%)

ZYWIEC 1881 Baltic Porter 9.5%

Good George Double Barrel Hazy DIPA (7.8...

Duckpond Masala Chai Spiced Imperial Sto...

Urbanaut Bourbon Barrel-aged Strong Ale ...

Parrotdog Falcon APA (5.4%)

Yeastie Boys White Noise White Beer (4.4...

McLeod’s Cove Unfiltered Pale Ale ...

Epic Talusman Hazy IPA (6.3%)

Sawmill 12 Gauge Strong Lager (6.5%)

Bach Brewing Juicy AF Hazy Pale Ale (5.1...

Baylands Typhoon Detector American Red A...

Garage Project F*CK You 2020 NEIPA (8%)

McLeod’s Far North Chili Pils (5.2...

North End Pit Boss Smoked Doppelbock (7%...

Garage Project Single Hop Talus Hazy Pal...

Shepherd Neame Christmas Strong Ale (7%)

Garage Project x Otherside Bubbles IPA (...

Sawmill Aotearoa IPA #15 (6%)

Epic Joose Party Hazy Pale Ale (5.3%)

Mac’s Stunt Double 0% Golden Ale (...

Behemoth Brewing Everything’s Comi...

Baylands Idaho Haze Pale Ale (5.8%)

Good George Fog City Hazy IPA (5.8%)

Behemoth Dumped The Trump Triple IPA (9....

Volstead Sir Sauvin Hazy IPA (5.8%)

McLeod’s Black Rye Sour Ale (7.5%)

Cassels Nectaron IPA (6.1%)

Panhead Tumblin’ Dice IPA (7%)

Epic Alien Invasion Double IPA (8%)

Lakeman Taupo Thunder Pale Ale (5.1%)

Garage Project x Whittaker’s Choco...

Tuatara Hazy Pale Ale (5.5%)

Urbanaut Triple Hazy IPA (14.9%)

Sunshine Black Biere de Garde (6%)

Tuatara Pacific Pale Ale (4.4%)

Garage Project Talk to the Hand Lager (5...

Craftwork Faux German Gewürztraminer Tri...

North End / Yeastie Boys West Moon Old A...

Behemoth Me Time: Nectaron (6.8%)

Emerson’s Green-Eyed Penguin IPA (...

Zeelandt Bishop’s Kick Hefeweizen ...

8-Wired iStout Imperial Stout (10%)

Lakeman Hopadelic IPA (7.5%)

Cassels Double Cream Stout (8.1%)

Reviews: Sep 2020

Reviews: July 2020

Reviews: Apr 2020
Features
Baltic Porter: a beer born of a blockade
by Tymoteusz Ryan | May 4, 2022
Did you know Baltic Porter is actually a lager not an ale. And that it was born of Napoleon's British blockade?
Brewer’s personal drive for low carb beer
by Michael Donaldson | May 2, 2022
Hopstock celebrates 10th year
by Denise Garland | Apr 24, 2022
The spirit of spontaneity
by Luke Owen Smith | Apr 21, 2022
News
Supreme Champion named at New World Awards
by Michael Donaldson | May 16, 2022
For the first time the New World Beer & Cider Awards has named a Supreme Champion: and it's a classic
New World Awards Top 30 tasting notes
by Michael Donaldson | May 16, 2022
New non-alcohol craft brand launched
by Michael Donaldson | May 4, 2022
Canyon Brewing harvest their own grain
by Vera Alves | Apr 28, 2022
Travel
A cat, a caravan and classic beer at Emporium
by Michael Donaldson | Mar 7, 2022
The new Emporium bar is somewhere between festival taproom and shearing shed, constructed with recycled materials including the wide doors that open the building right up onto the nearby farmland.
Bay of Islands beer
by Neil McInnes | Mar 1, 2022
Pilgrimage to Nelson spiritual home of NZ beer
by Michael Donaldson | Feb 22, 2022
Walk an Auckland Beer Mile in her shoes
by Michael Donaldson | Feb 3, 2022
Opinion
Light beers that punch above their weight
by Michael Donaldson | May 12, 2022
What are the best tasting beers under 2.5 per cent? The Pursuit of Hoppiness team put light beers to the taste test.
Diary of a Hop Farmer
by Josh Lewis | May 11, 2022
Low Carb Lowdown
by Michael Donaldson | May 2, 2022
Beer Haikus Vol 3
by Stephen Gallagher | Apr 20, 2022
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Home brewing
Cold IPA a refreshing alternative
by Michael Donaldson | Apr 26, 2022 | 0
Much of what we enjoy about beer today stems from innovative brewers’ hard work: creating...
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Shortjaw: beer for Westport first
by Luke Robertson | Feb 15, 2022
Luke Robertson explains why he went from writing about beer in Melbourne to buying a brewery in his old home town of Westport.
Waiheke Wonder: Alibi Brewing
by Michael Donaldson | Dec 20, 2021
Small Gods: From Satan to Santa
by Britt Mann | Dec 17, 2021
Ground Up going up and up
by Louis Livingston-Garcia | Dec 11, 2021
Lakeman goes lakeside in Taupō
by Mark Gower | Dec 1, 2021
Capital dairy November 2021 – The Return of Beerhunting
by Neil McInnes | Dec 8, 2021
Given the challenges of in-house drinking at alert level 2, much of my November was spent tracking...
Trials tribulations and trophies
by Tim Newman | Dec 1, 2021
Belgian beauties: a dozen classics
by Neil McInnes | Oct 13, 2021
Haiku beer reviews
by Stephen Gallagher | Oct 7, 2021
Beer, interrupted: Capital Diary August 2021
by Neil McInnes | Sep 7, 2021
Capital Diary December — Festive Bevvies
by Neil McInnes | Jan 12, 2022
December beer drinking kicked off with the Summerstock festival where 31 Wellington venues each...
Capital dairy November 2021 – The Return of Beerhunting
by Neil McInnes | Dec 8, 2021
Lakeman goes lakeside in Taupō
by Mark Gower | Dec 1, 2021
Capital Diary – October: The Level 2 Effect
by Neil McInnes | Nov 11, 2021
Capital Diary: July 2021
by Neil McInnes | Aug 10, 2021
Recent Posts
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- New World Awards Top 30 tasting notesMay 16, 2022 | News
- Light beers that punch above their weightMay 12, 2022 | Opinion
- Diary of a Hop FarmerMay 11, 2022 | Opinion
- Altitude Brewing Fresh TracksMay 5, 2022 | Reviews
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