Lessons Lockdown - BeerBeer - Society of Beer Advocates
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JULY 2020
HOPPINESS
Lockdown
lessons Upsides from
Covid downside
Beer
Evolution
Journey back
to lager
Beer - for all the right reasons
Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020 1
Editor's Note Contents
5| LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
What changed in your life beer-wise
during lockdown?
Did you become an online ordering 6| UPSIDES TO THE DOWNSIDE
obsessive? Did you search for local
brands who could provide that personal
touch? Or were you conscious of what you we’re spending 11 | JUICE CINDA
(and how much you were drinking) and go for well-priced
supermarket brands? 12 | OBSERVATIONS FROM THE VOID
The Covid-19 lockdown has dramatically changed so much
in our lives but I’ve also been surprised about how adaptable 14 | DB LETS BLACK DOG GO
people are. We adjusted to lockdown with remarkable ease,
it felt, and came out with a bounce in our step – returning to
normal with barely a break in our stride. 15 | LOCKDOWN UNTAPPD
But underlying the apparent ease on the surface was the
cliché of frantic paddling underneath – the worries about the 17 | LOVE LOCAL & KNOW YOUR BEER
economy, jobs; the stress, the uncertainty ... it’s there for all of
us I think, if often unspoken.
19 | ON THE ROAD AGAIN
And talking to a range of brewers when we returned to level
one reflected that – there are huge concerns about what the
future holds, especially in small regional towns that rely on 22 | A BITTER PILL
tourism. But, as you’ll read in our main article in this edition,
I was also surprised at the upbeat nature in the industry.
25 | LOCKDOWN RECYCLING SHAME
Lockdown brought a lot of stress – but it also had huge
upsides as business adapted surprisingly well to stressors that
could have crippled them. From getting online stores running 26 | NEW WORLD AWARDS
smoothly, thinking of innovative solutions, re-engaging with
a local community, to putting new business practices in place, 30 | BEER REVIEWS
breweries have been tested as never before.
We look at what they did, learned and changed and how it will
affect your drinking experience in the future. 32 | LEARNED TO LOVE LAGER
But in speaking about strength in a crisis, a huge thanks
to Double Vision Brewing 34 | LET THE RIGHT ONE IN
in Wellington and their
designer Harry Henriksen 37 | ROCKY ROAD
for the Jacinda Ardern
meets Rosie The Riveter
cover imagery that comes 39 | BEER IN THE BIG SMOKE
from the artwork on their
latest Hazy IPA, Juice
Cinda. 40 | EXERCISE IN EXCISE
You can read the story
behind the design and the 43 | A-Z HAWKES BAY BEER-SCAPE
“beer for good” on P11.
46 |
Michael
BLEND AMBITION
47 | SOBA EVENTS
Michael Donaldson
Editor - Pursuit of Hoppiness 50 | JOIN SOBA
FRIDAY 7TH AUG 2020 | 12PM - LATE
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
ett
L toers
Drink later,
th e Editor
Reading the latest (May 2020) Pursuit of Hoppiness, the story on use-by dates
(Inside the beer dating scene), prompted me to write.
I only drink dark ales, stouts and porters, and I never chill my beers, always drink at
room temperature as this really brings out the flavour. I consume a lot of Garage Project
beers, and have noticed the barrel aged brews taste smoother and nicer the longer you
keep them. I took a Triple Day of the Dead that I had kept in the cupboard for six years
along to my friends at GP, and Pete Gillespie brought out a bottle of newly-brewed Triple
Day of The Dead. He joined a group of us in comparing the two, and we decided the six-
year-old brew was far superior.
I recently purchased a bottle of Rebel County (a stout aged in Jameson Whisky barrels)
which Pete, Ian and Josh all reckoned would taste great in 10 years!
So, forget about use-by dates on dark ales, especially barrel aged ones, as they mean
nothing – rather like honey, which will still be tasty after 50 years!
Chris Rabey
Longtime SOBA member
ssels,
Apolog y to Ca and pubs
stor y on ba rs
ed ition we ra n a ete Gu ide To
In the May th e “C om pl
fa iled to
ch head lined mer because we uption
in Ch ri stchur is was a m isno
st chur ch ”. Th e- up (a nd al so Er
Ch ri e lin
s Brewer y in th Ca ssels, one
include Ca ssel w we managed to leave out
n). Ho rs is inex pl icable.
in Ly ttelto be st br ewer ies and ba for th is glar in g
ch ’s
of Ch ri stchur Ca ssels team
olog ies to the m mend
So massive ap r re ad er s we hi gh ly reco e you’re
on . To al l ou e ne xt tim
om issi ra nt th
ba r and rest au you go to
vi sitin g thei r (a nd di tto Er uption if you know
Ci ty
in the Ga rden g th is w in te r,
d if you’re goin orld-best
nt of Ca ssels w st year.
Ly ttelton). An do : sa m pl e a pi la
to ds
Editor, what yo u ha ve
judged at the
World Be er Aw ar
M ilk Stout, as
- Ed itor
Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020 5
UPSIDES TO COVID
Upsides to the
Downside
AME
KN
BAN
D
CAR SHOP NOW
DIT
CRE 2 33
1 1 2
90 4 /2
0
78 L ID 0
56
VA R U
TH
0
Michael Donaldson looks at the impact on 2 02
Covid-19 on the beer business and how it will BA
SO
change things for consumers.
he Covid-19 pandemic threat had a huge To get a feel for the state of the industry I talk
Timpact on the hospitality sector – bars and to a number of breweries around the country –
restaurants were the first to face restrictions and specifically I looked at operations in provincial
among the last to fully reopen but life in lockdown areas and tourist hot-spots – to get an idea of how
had its upsides too. our beer lives have, and will change. What follows is
Alcohol was considered an “essential” product by no means a complete survey of the industry but
during lockdown and we were able to buy beer it does go some way to highlighting what the future
in supermarkets and online – and sales boomed might bring – and how that will impact drinkers.
in supermarkets for those lucky enough to be on “This whole episode has been a fantastic challenge,”
the shelves. But with pubs and bottle shops closed says Eddie Gapper of Queenstown’s Altitude
(except in licensing trusts areas – another smelly Brewing. “A lot of people we speak to are fairly
kettle of fish all of its own) it added up to a tough
downbeat, and Queenstown as a whole is going
time for most breweries.
through some radical changes that will take at least
But there were upsides. six months to become apparent (like the wind-down
Breweries learned how to sell online, customers of construction). Quite early on in the process, I was
learned who their local providers were, and we got remarking to one of our shareholders that this is
platforms such as the Facebook group Saving The the moment you live for as a small business owner.
World With Couch Beers. Breweries innovated with The opportunity to test your mettle to see if you
products and delivery systems. There were casualties really do have what it takes is part of why you start
(and there will be more) but many businesses used a business. If you don't like change and working
their survival instinct to build a more sustainable through periods of extreme uncertainty this must
business. be very unpleasant.”
6 Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020
UPSIDES TO COVID
Auckland-based Epic Beer had an online store –
owner Luke Nicholas being one of the pioneers
of online beer retailing – but Nicholas said it
accounted for only 2 per cent of revenue before the
The online sales channel was a godsend for lockdown. “We sold more t-shirts than beer through
breweries and the lockdown period either the online store.”
accelerated plans in that area or helped refine After online sales “exploded” during the eight weeks
how digital platforms and the local distribution of level 4 and level 3, they’ve held up surprisingly
could work. Consumers also learned there were since bars and bottle stores reopened in late-May.
alternative ways to get beer. “Basically it looks like it will turn into 5 per cent of
But many breweries didn’t have the correct sales so we do have some growth there.”
remote licence and others needed to The online store will now focus on
take a crash course in Shopify or 24-pack cases – a deliberate ploy to
WooCommerce. make sure they don’t cannibalise
“It definitely made us relook at online We sold sales through other channels.
sales and while we weren’t the best
at it, it did catalyse us into getting more “We have an unspoken agreement
with our customers – the retailers
that going which should be a good t-shirts and bottle stores – that we
tool into the future,” said Paul
Croucher of Rotorua’s Croucher than be er won’t compete with them in
six-packs and singles. We want
Brewing. through the create ecosystem that works
At Altitude Brewing in Queenstown, online store for everyone. We don’t want
to undercut them but we now
Covid-19 sparked a major project.
have an offering for those who
“The major initiative was creating the want a 24-pack of the latest hazy
online store,” says Gapper, “something at a slightly discounted rate. It’s
that had been on the drawing board since ages ago. something they can’t get anywhere else.
This has kickstarted a major IT project to build
all of the digital platforms we need to grow the “Online is not going to be our core business but we
definitely sell more beer than t shirts now.”
business.”
Nelson-based Sprig & Fern built their business
model on a string of pubs in both Nelson and
Wellington and their warehouse and distribution
was focused on keg sales so when lockdown came
and the pubs had to shut it required a quick pivot.
By chance they had set-up an online store just days One of the most repeated phrases during lockdown
earlier and quickly ramped it up, with a focus on was “buy local” but for many customers, it was only
mixed packs of their large format bottles. They sold when buying options thinned that they found what
a mixed 8-pack of 888ml bottles for an incredible was right in front of them.
$88. It was a clever bit of marketing even if packing And being able to delivery quickly was critical.
the boxes was “labour intensive” according to owner Cassels in Christchurch redeployed some staff to do
Tracy Banner. deliveries in their local area, promoting it as “fridge
to fridge”. Orders before noon were fulfilled the
“Having eight different bottles in a box takes
same day – better than queuing at the supermarket
time when hand-selecting and packaging but the
for hours. At level 3 they offered a click-and-
feedback for the mixed case has been tremendous
collect service doing food from their restaurant
and we will continue to supply this. Online
accompanied by a rigger.
purchasing was a new way of shopping for many
through lockdown but this is an area that is likely to
continue to grow post-lockdown as it’s become the
new norm for some.”
7
UPSIDES TO COVID
“Also, some of the events that we had supported
almost altruistically had their membership show us
a good deal of reciprocal support. Also, as events
consider reopening and sponsorship is harder to
come by we realise that our support, and thus our
relationship with our community, is appreciated
more than ever.”
Sunshine Brewing has been Gisborne’s only craft
brewery for three decades but still found new
customers.
“After 30 years we thought our local visibility and
penetration was good but have been pleasantly
surprised how many new drinkers popped up
needing home deliveries,” said co-owner Martin
Jakicevich. “Post-lockdown we are experiencing a
noticeably higher level of retail sales in Gisborne
both through the taproom and local liquor retailers.
We feel that more people were dragged in by our
ability and willingness to service them over the dark
days and have stayed loyal customers.
“It just shows how important it is to continue to
market to our local market. I have had a reasonable
amount of comment from people saying they used
to be Steinlager or Tui drinkers but after drinking
Cassels Fridge to Fridge delivery our beer they couldn’t go back now. In all dark
guaranteed same day delivery times people convert to religion, our religion just
happens to be craft beer.”
Jesse Sigurdsson’s Shining Peak in New Plymouth is Eddie Gapper at Altitude saw a commitment to local
relatively new brewery and didn’t have the visibility paid back quickly as soon as they could open their
of more established brands but still found solid taproom during level 2.
support as locals cottoned on to local online orders.
“The main pastime during lockdown was delivering
“We were fortunate enough to have our online store
fresh tap beer to local customers. It was labour
up and running in time for the move to level 4,
intensive but it delivered vital cash and provided
which gave our packaged offering great exposure
a great opportunity to shout pleasantries at our
and traction as we burned around in our yellow
customers from the end of their drives! Reopening
delivery truck doing contactless drop-offs.
the taproom showed us how well supported we are
“What we've seen since things are opening back locally. Since Level 2 started we have been doing
up is that we're getting a lot more off-license sales summer numbers which is extraordinary in May.”
than we were before, and I'd say that's a direct result
to people actually learning that we provide that
service.”
In Rotorua, Paul Croucher was worried his
brewery’s relationship with the local market was
something they’d possibly taken for granted. But he
also found that long-time sponsorship and support At the start of lockdown hand sanitiser was in more
of local events brought good karma. demand than toilet paper and pasta.
“What we could do well was to repackage keg beer Good George was the first brewery to make alcohol-
into flagons and target our local market, rekindling based hand sanitiser, following the World Health
that relationship that we feared had staled over the Organisation guidelines, and more followed suit.
years,” Croucher said. “Hand sanitiser was huge for us even though we
8 Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020
UPSIDES TO COVID
gave away most of it,” says Brian Watson of Good three months to ensure freshness. The 24-packs of
George. They gave it to local essential services Armageddon cost $75 and sold out in days.
including armed forces, schools, prisons, aged care
Possibly the most fun innovation of lockdown was
homes and even hospitals.
the Facebook page “Saving the World with Couch
“So, we supported local and then sold some of it Beers” – the brainchild of Behemoth’s Andrew
with beer and cider. We then turned our still to Childs.
making gin. We were able to also dial up our online
The page has 15,000 followers and has turned into
sales to sell hand sanitiser, beer, cider and gin.”
a great review platform, with fans posting pictures
To demonstrate their commitment to the on- and reviews of what they’re drinking. It’s full of
premise trade Good George also offered a full credit great discussions, with lots of beer education going
on unopened, full kegs that were returned to the on. It’s a way more social and interactive version of
brewery meaning venue operators didn’t need to Untappd, without the stars.
worry about any stocks of kegs aging in chillers.
Watson was hopeful that bars would use these At Cassels Facebook was also a great selling tool.
credits to re-order fresh stock. They created a Cooking with Cassels campaign
that started with founder Alasdair Cassels cooking
The problem of that to do with keg beer when bars a fillet of beef marinated in Cassels Milk Stout.
closed for two months was giving Luke Nicholas a Different staff created recipes with different beers
real headache at Epic. He credits former NZ Hops and the brewery says it did great business through
boss Doug Donelan for the idea of pumping keg that channel.
beer back into bottles.
“I was wondering what I was going do 600 kegs
and nowhere to sell them. Doug said `why don’t
you bottle it?’. He said they used to do it sometimes
when he worked at Malt Shovel in Sydney. And I was
like d’oh, of course, why didn’t I think of that?”
Kegs of their flagship Armageddon and Pale Ale While life in New Zealand has returned to normal,
were pumped back into a bottle filler and run there’s a lot from lockdown that will live on and
through the bottling machine as normal. “We did there’s certainly more change to come.
whatever could to make sure oxygen pick up was Brian Watson of Good George takes a glass half-full
minimal.” approach. He points to lessons learned in the last
Nicholas also tasted each batch for freshness and recession when craft beer really took off in New
transparently advised customers to drink it within Zealand.
Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020 9
UPSIDES TO COVID
“We think people might postpone that expensive in buying shelf or tap real estate, we need to treat
holiday or luxury car purchase but they will still this as an opportunity and upsell ourselves to our
want to treat themselves with something local, a bit trade customers. Use our diversity and difference
special and of good quality. It's times like these that to show them how being different from their
Kiwis love to support New Zealand products and competitors may be a workable path for them to
brands that reflect their values. We are a sociable take.”
bunch at heart and if you are well connected to
While most of us will go back to our normal
your local community craft breweries and bars will
shopping patterns, online ordering is here to stay –
always find a way to be relevant and prosper.”
but will morph.
Paul Croucher is a little less optimistic. “Tourism
Sunshine did a great trade in more unusual and
has been critical for the Rotorua we knew and losing
seasonal beers online said Jakicevich. “Online is
that market is going to redefine us somewhat and
now our biggest outlet for seasonal bottle
businesses will struggle and consequently
beers, which traditionally are hard to
there will be many job losses. It's going
get into retail stores, this gives us
to be increasingly important to
confidence to look at bottling more
appreciate local and everything
of them.”
that brings to our culture
and society. That cool bike Eddie Gapper believes online
shop, that great bakery not to will be the place where craft
mention that local brewery.” geeks go to seek out rare and
limited releases. “The forced
Paul Finney at Kaikoura’s
uptake of online purchasing for
Emporium fears a price crunch
craft beer has shown consumers
– good for consumers, bad for
the best way of satisfying their
breweries on tight margins.
craving for novelty and variety
“I hear there are breweries doing two- is neither the craft beer bar nor
for-one deals on kegs, or buy two get a the supermarket shelf, but the curated
third free. Those are breweries that are struggling subscription box supplier,” he says, referring to
and need to get cash going. We are fortunate we the likes of Beer Jerk.
don't have to do that but when we come to start
Finally, adaptability appears the key to success as
selling again I hope that those doing the deals have
we navigate what seems to an inevitable economic
not damaged the market as some bar owners will no
downturn.
doubt say ‘give me a discount or else I shall go to X
brewery’. “As we move through another economic cycle
businesses in almost every category will struggle
“These are desperate times for some and the true
and some will close,” believes Eddie Gapper.
colours will show I guess. I also think it has shown
“Expect those in the middle to find the struggle
some breweries that we can't rely on hospitality
hardest. Small and large operators will have agility
as this whole thing has clearly shown that a lot of
or scale on their side. The economic shock of
those operations are working month to month with
lockdown may well prove terminal for any brewery
cashflow and if something else comes up they, and
that was in marginal territory to begin with.”
so we in turn, are very vulnerable.”
In Auckland, Epic’s Luke Nicholas says the
Martin Jakicevich of Sunshine is another bracing
necessities caused by lockdown drove him to re-
for downward pressure on pricing and a move to big
examine all aspects of his business, many of which
breweries winning the battle with low-priced beer.
became apparent as his core team of seven were
“There is a bit of desperation with pricing pressure forced to take on new tasks and were forced to find
already showing, maybe dated or soon to be solutions.
dated kegs are helping to drive this but prices are
“Every time we got a challenge, it changed the way
dropping or deals getting sharper.
we did business. This experience has made our
“It is natural when the big three (Lion, DB, business better – we had to be more efficient in
Independent) face diminishing volumes through order to survive. We’re going to be better because of
their own outlets that they will intensify their work this hardship.”
10 Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020JUICE CINDA
Juice Cinda: Celebrating resilience
Now that we’re out of the other side of the Covid-19 This involves donating
lockdown what better way to celebrate the good $2 per pint and $1
things in life than a Jacinda Ardern-inspired beer. for a half-pint from
Yes, after the Ashley Bloomfield tea towel we our tap-house as
introduce you to Juice Cinda – Double Vision well as 50% of profit
Brewing’s tribute to our PM. And what’s more, sales from our outside sales to
of the beer helped raise funds for mental health. go towards Kiwi mental
health.
“It’s a celebration of exceptional leadership in the
best little corner of the world and the knowledge “We have been inspired
that every pint contributes to good mental health,” by Aotearoa's sense of
said Double Vision co-founder Warren Drahota. togetherness even when
separated. We chose the
“The spirit of this new recipe comes to you as inspiration of ‘Rosie the
a celebration of kindness, resilience and local Riveter’ and the ‘we can
support.” do it’ attitude because as
Given the stresses of the Covid-19 pandemic and this beer was in brew tanks
lockdown, Drahota said the brewery realised many during COVID-19 Alert
New Zealanders might be struggling with their Level 3, we were doing just
mental wellbeing. that as a nation.”
“We are keen to get in there and support the great (It sounds like a dern good
work of The Key to Life charitable trust. drop (boom-boom) – Editor)
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Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020 11FROM THE VOID
Observations from the Void
T
RECEIP
TOTAL
TIM NEWMAN
ith an aspect of my job deeming me consideration to what I was purchasing.
W‘essential’, my lockdown experience was It was a small change, ultimately. But it reminded
not as stark as others, but I did inevitably end up me about the importance of visibility when it comes
with time on my hands. to our relationship with alcohol (among other
As the world around me slowed, I felt like I was things). A flippant attitude toward spending for me
drinking more and (consequently) spending more – could be something far more damaging for someone
but surprisingly, the opposite was true. else, and both stem from the same place. A problem
has to be visible in order to be solvable, and too
The difference was in how online ordering affected
often they are invisible, lost in the noise of our ever-
my perception of what I was buying.
more distracted and facile society.
Previously, I would typically throw a few bottles
Whether these observations will stay with me
into the trolly on my lap around the supermarket.
remains to be seen, but I like to think I’ll remain
That expense would disappear into the immediately
just a little bit more conscious of how and what
discarded receipt and I would spare no further
I’m buying. As for converting to online ordering
thought on it.
long-term, I’m not about to do away with retail just
But as I moved over to online ordering, that yet. As indisputably convenient as it has proven
changed. With every purchase I was presented with to be, cutting the human element away from the
the exact cost of what I was about to buy, and that process can only harm the beer scene in the end. A
– coupled with the huge increase in choice afforded beer with personality is good, but contact with the
by ordering at specialists – led to me giving far more personalities behind beer is important too.
12 Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020www.sunshinebrewery.co.nz
BLACK DOG GOES
db lets black dog
They stressed the decision would not impact the
existence of the Black Dog brand, which would
continue to be brewed and distributed in New
go
Zealand.
Bowker says they were told Black Dog’s core range
would continue to be brewed, “but as for our smaller
stuff and the Wellington craft presence, that’s not
really going to be a thing going forward.”
He says eight staff lost their jobs.
DB opened the brewpub on Blair Street – just off the
bustling Courtney Place – in 2011 and moved to its
current location on upper Cuba Street in 2018. In
its early days, when it was one of the only centrally-
located brewpubs in the capital, Black Dog brewed
small batches of a range of beers – from pale ales, to
American stouts, to a Berliner weisse – and it was
the first brewery in New Zealand to brew that style
commercially.
But after a time, DB started brewing Black Dog’s
more popular beers, such as the Chomp pale ale and
Dogfather APA, on a larger scale at some of DB’s
other sites, while the brewpub focused on creating
more experimental and limited edition offerings.
The brewery has won plenty of awards (always
DENISE GARLAND entering separately to DB), including 13 medals at
the 2019 New Zealand Brewers Guild Awards; their
Thai-PA collab with Rhyme & Reason won a gold.
lack Dog Brew Co. – one of DB’s craft beer
Bbrewpubs in the heart of Wellington – has Bowker thinks moving Black Dog to Cuba Street
closed, though the brand will continue on. was the beginning of the end for the brewpub.
DB shut down the brew bar on upper Cuba Street “Our location was definitely nowhere near as good
due to the Covid-19 lockdown. Staff were called as our Blair St location was. I think even moving
to a meeting on June 19 where they were told the from Blair St to Cuba St we took a massive hit
because we had to reset everything and for a whole
premises would not be reopening and they would be
bunch of customers who had Blair St as their local,
made redundant.
we’re now way out of the way for them.”
Black Dog brewhand and bartender, Hamish But he says it’s probably time for Black Dog and its
Bowker, says the team met with DB representatives staff to move on.
before the meeting.
“We get a pretty healthy redundancy package
“We were shown some figures on how Black Dog each which is awesome, it solves a lot of problems
had been actually running at quite a loss for a while – so towards the end it almost feels like it was in
and so we submitted some feedback and some ideas everyone’s best interests.
on how we might be able to cut costs,’ Bowker said.
“Most of the team is still in high spirits and we’re a
“But the projections showed we’d still be running pretty tight-knit group, so we’re helping each other
at quite a significant loss for a while and it was the out where we can,” Bowker says.
more financially responsible thing on DB’s part to DB also owns Tuatara’s The Third Eye brewpub in
terminate the bar and microbrewery themselves.” central Wellington. Unlike most other pubs and
DB confirmed the closure, saying the venue has bars, it remained closed well after the end of the
been experiencing ongoing challenges over the past COVID-19 lockdown on June 8.
18-24 months and, despite efforts to improve its DB would not provide someone for an interview to
viability, COVID-19 expedited the decision to close explain the prolonged closure, but The Third Eye
the doors. reopened on Friday, June 26.
14 Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020LOCKDOWN UNTAPPD
Lockdown
Untappd STEPHEN GALLAGHER
n lockdown, I got more deliveries in five weeks BEER ONE
Ithan I would normally get in a year, and that’s BEHEMOTH BREWING COMPANY
because I had this sudden realisation that if I wasn’t Snow Mexican, Maple Syrup Imperial Stout
going out and buying beer, it might suddenly cease
to exist, and I was not prepared to take that risk. On the first Saturday session of Beervana 2018,
I’d already been treated to many decedent and
While the courier made light work of bringing beers
delightful drops of beer – but with just one sip of
from his vehicle and up to the front steps of my
this, my wife and I looked at each other and I damn
Lower Hutt home, it got me thinking about what
near shed a tear.
would happen if I could only have five beers to drink
for the rest of my life. It felt like Andrew Child’s brewing process was just
to trick everyone and actually just pour maple syrup
I felt like I did more admin working through this
in to a keg!
than I normally would for my day job. I put on my
thinking cap, I started looking through all the beers With a 9% ABV, this boozy imperial stout is an
I had checked in on Untappd since I began my beer absolute treat. It’s the dessert beer humans don’t
drinking adventure in 2013, and compiled this list deserve, but absolutely enjoyable and something
while enjoying a beer or two, or three… that still tugs on my heart strings.
Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020 15LOCKDOWN UNTAPPD
BEER TWO BEER four
BACH BREWING BALLAST POINT BREWING COMPANY
Whitsunday Blonde IPA Manta Ray, Double IPA
I’ve always been fond of the cool Kiwiana artwork The only non-New Zealand beer in my line-up, but
on the labels from Bach Brewing, and I pick them this would also be one of my top five international
out of a supermarket line-up just based on that. breweries as they always deliver the goods.
So when I took this one home one day, I felt like I This beer is full on, but without that sneaky bite.
won the lottery. Strong and bold, and holds its flavour ‘til the last
drop.
Such a full on, hoppy witbier that created a gorgeous
soft yellow colour in the glass. Whether you taste tangerine, melon, or a slight pine
pinch, you’ll be impressed.
It’s a beer you can have every day throughout
summer and not get sick of, and also has a dry
characteristic which meant the hops lingered on my
tongue after every sip. BEER five
SPEIGHT’S
Distinction Ale
BEER THREE
I’ve always had a soft spot for this brew. Yes, I know,
HAWKES BAY BREWING CO it’s not really a beer you thought would make this
Crushed Peach Bomb list, but I can’t leave it out.
I’m being cheeky and sneaking this one in here, This amber ale hits me with its full malty sweetness.
because it absolutely deserves a spot. My dad loves Every sip seems to generate more of a caramelly,
Golden Queen peaches, and honestly, this felt like butterscotch linger. A smooth mouth-feel, and
drinking a fruit juice. finishes off with a slight hop bite that makes me
It’s thick, a deep gold colour, and smells like believe this beer will always be a reliable drop, no
summer. matter the occasion.
It’s one of those beverages that you can’t just have
one of. The flavour is so strong and with every
mouthful it makes you want to pick the glass up
and have more. If you’ve never had the privilege of
this beer, you’re truly missing out.
a ntine
quar
ntine
ine
quarant
a ntine
quar
tine
tine
16 quaranLOVE LOCAL BEER
STEPH COUTTS
ow, more than ever before, our beer and with the current revolutionising of our craft beer
Nhospitality industries need us to love local. scene. Hat tip, here, to Tracy Banner (and all the
They’ve just taken a huge hit as a result of our team other brewers, operators and owners that are not
effort to beat the COVID-19 pandemic. Get out and men)!
about, and support your favourite brew pub or beer
I agree that ownership matters. The multi-nationals
bar. Show them some love.
that own Lion, DB and Independent all have
Getting out and about to support local is one historical and contemporary business practices that
sentiment from Michael M’s Independent Imposters should not sit comfortably as we learn more about
article (PoH, May 2020, p. 44) that’s easy to agree them. Do we really want to be supporting multi-
with. There are a few others that are worthy of some nationals that support the Myanmar Army? But, in
debate. saying that, ownership does not define craft and it
Although it is in my business’ name, I’ve never does not define or constrain innovation.
really been able to define what “craft beer” means. The one thing that big beer has is big money. Money
More and more, I am starting to think it is actually brings an ability to innovate. We might not be fans
meaningless. You should be able to appreciate a beer of DB’s continuous fermentation but it did enable
on its merits and make informed decisions about Doug and Jim Banks to work on a range of yeast-
the beers that you imbibe. This approach to beer based (and other) innovations that are now used by
r a n t i nisedifferent to Michael M’s suggestion
q u aappreciation breweries around the world. It’s hard to find anyone
that “craft beer” is brewed by the guys, independent, who cares about their work. Not even their own
innovative and flavoursome. “The guys” are credited brewery acknowledges it online.
Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020 17LOVE LOCAL BEER
faults appearing in their beers. We don’t often write
Support your favourite brew pub or beer bar. about it, but do we have DMS, diacetyl, infections
Show them some love. and oxidisation as common place or regular
features of more than a few independently brewed
New Zealand beers.
Big beer has largely managed to eliminate faults
from their brewing processes. I wouldn’t snub a
Steinlager Classic if the alternative was a cooked
corn lager. Steinlager is clean and it is flavoursome.
It’s certainly true that that Lion Nathan and DB
don’t seem to care that the average drinker doesn’t
make the connection between them and Emerson’s,
Panhead and Tuatara. No real surprises there. But,
if the less-informed beer drinker tries an Emerson’s
Pilsner, a Panhead Supercharger or a Tuatara
Aotearoa Pale Ale and then moves on to Three Boys,
Duncan’s or Liberty beer, that’s a win.
As beer appreciators, the
challenge for us is to be
better than “big beer”.
Recalibrating We should be honest in
my taste buds
our beer evaluation and
appreciation, while
with one of these also appreciating
[big brewery] and supporting
People do care about Emerson’s, Panhead beers makes me local. Get out there
and have an honest,
and Tuatara. They are all still sought after appreciate craft informed debate.
as breweries and brewers to collaborate with. even more And do it in your
They have continued to develop new beers local brew pub or
and bring them to the market. But, with few bar.
exceptions, they’re just like the beers from
our independent breweries - largely following craftbeercollege.co.nz
trends. It’s been a while since we’ve seen anything
truly innovative from the New Zealand brewing
scene. Think back to Mussel Inn Captain Cooker,
Emerson’s New Zealand Pilsner, 8 Wired Hopwired
and Yeastie Boys Rex Attitude; they’re all beers of
some time ago.
Michael M comments that, “recalibrating my taste
buds with one of these [big brewery] beers makes
me appreciate craft even more”. There’s no doubt
the beers he is drinking are “carefully crafted” but
just because a brewery is local does not mean it is
making fault-free beer and nor that all their beer is
flavoursome. It is just that the flavours individual
drinkers enjoy vary.
Many of our small independents do not have the
systems and processes that prevent basic brewing
18 Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020ON THE ROAD AGAIN
On the road
again
DENISE GARLAND
fter eight weeks of self-isolation and winning Pale Ale, the very new Pawpaw Party
severe social restrictions, a couple of Smoothie IPA, and the super refreshing Yum Yum
A birthdays and long weekends seemed like
a good excuse to get some friends together and take
Yuzu Lager.
Next it was time for lunch, so we travelled a bit
a road trip. further down the road to Waikanae and parked
The destination, Ohakune in the central North up outside the Salt and Wood Collective – a BBQ
Island, was picked purely because it ticked a couple restaurant and bar that is also the home of North
of boxes – it was within four hours’ drive of both End Brewery, We were lucky enough to share
Wellington and New Plymouth (where the group a beer with the brewer, Kieran Haslett-Moore,
members reside), and we found a house with a spa before filling our puku with some fried chicken,
that was big enough to sleep seven people. beef brisket, jalapeño poppers and vegetarian
quesadillas. Sufficiently fueled for the rest of the
As beer lovers, and with Ohakune not being known drive, we crammed some North End cans into our
as one of New Zealand’s premier beer destinations, now very full boot, and with the promise of fresh
the Wellington contingent decided to make a Saison Du Nectar Peach & Mango Sour and Iron
few stops along the way up to the Manawatū- Sands Oat Rye Stout in the very near future, we
Whanganui region to ensure our fridge there would made our way north.
be filled with tasty beverages.
Upon our arrival at our accommodation, we were
Our first stop was Duncan’s Brewing Company in pleasantly surprised to hear from our host, Chris,
Paraparaumu, where the brewer, George Duncan, that Ohakune did in fact have a couple of local
welcomed us in with a broad smile and enthusiasm. breweries. Ruapehu Brewing was located just a
Duncan has a neat off-license set-up just inside his five-minute walk from where we were staying in
premises, directly across from the brew kit, where the Heritage building of Ohakune Railway Station.
colourful signage and a few plants brighten the shop And another – that appears to be a pretty low-key
area. After some post-lockdown catch-ups, we filled contract brewery – Little Thief vs Damaged Goods,
the rental car boot with a couple of riggers and a which produces the local favourite More Pils – a 5
few dozen cans and bottles, including their award- per cent Pilsner.
Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020 19ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Lunch at Salt & Wood in Waikanae. Photo: Steph Coutts
Our host gifted us some bottles of the Little Thief vs
Damaged Goods More Pils, some of which gushed
upon opening. My bottle didn’t, and the beer itself
was fine – a bit of a typical lager on the aroma with
some light grain on the nose, and the flavour was
a bit one-dimensional with the hops earthy and
grassy. The bitterness was a bit heavy with the body
on the thin side, leaving a slight astringency on the
finish, but it was a clean and thirst-quenching drop.
We also went for a stroll to find Ruapehu Brewery.
The brewery is located in The Craft Haus at the old
train station, which houses not only the brewery,
but a cafe and a store selling locally made designer
clothing, artwork and other goods. We were
greeted by the scent of mashing in and the sight of
a beautiful white, fluffy Samoyed dog, who loved
attention.
We could only view the brewery through a window
near the cafe/shop counter, and unfortunately, they
were unable to sell beer from their premises due to
the lack of an off-license. We were directed to a pub
up the road which had their wares on tap, but we
were stymied again with the bar being closed for a
private function.
Photo: Denise Garland
20 Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020ON THE ROAD AGAIN
We spent the weekend drawing down our beer
stock, checking out some walks around the
Tongariro National Park, eating some of the most
delicious eclairs (and doughnuts) you can buy
in New Zealand, and visiting the iconic carrot
(obviously) – all in between dips in the hot tub. A
particularly winning beer-spa pairing was North
End’s Petit Luna Hibiscus and Lime Sour, while the
Parrtodog Falcon APA was also the right amount of
thirst-quenching while relaxing in the hot water.
We left Ohakune tuckered out and with an almost
empty beer fridge, with good memories and the
knowledge that next time we’re headed to Tongariro
National Park, to leave some room for some local
brews as well.
Photo: Denise Garland
Stopping at Duncan's
for supplies.
Photo: Steph Coutts
Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020 21A BITTER PILL
A
Bitter
Pill
AMANDA NALLY
hen I started writing for Pursuit of That’s all reflected in the stories of other columnists
Hoppiness, there were around 50 in recent years who have written of the rates of
W brewery brands in New Zealand –
and near where I lived there was one in Southland,
mental health and tragic suicides within our craft
beer family.
three in Dunedin (one of which was Speight’s) and
When alcohol is the only thing freely available, the
Wanaka Beerworks in the middle.
risks of over-imbibement are high.
So, I wrote about beer, and the brave new consumers
But if you, as I, have been following the craft beer
of these products, to give the lower South Island’s
movement since the days when hipsters could afford
industry a voice in a wider craft beer world.
hairdressers and razor blades, you may have noticed
When Pink Boots formed several years later, I was something.
invited to join. A condition of membership was
Which brings me to the day job that has put Gulden
members had to derive some part of their income
Draak in the pantry and paid for the dog food over
from beer. That was me out.
the years.
While writing about beer is strictly a community
Selenium.
service, writing is my day job, and in this column
(sadly my last for Pursuit), I’ve found an intersect Once plentiful in wheat, this trace element essential
between the two roles. to life disappeared in a large part from the New
Zealand diet in 1960. It made a weak comeback in
Craft beer is not an easy industry – the hours are
the mid-1980s and has been vanishing ever since.
long, the critics harsh, while any actual money flows
like a summer rain down an Auckland drain to the I’ve been cataloguing the scientific studies,
coffers of Customs and Excise. alongside anecdotal stories, of that impact. Mostly
22 Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020A BITTER PILL
that means focusing on numbers of very sick people Zealand’s great beer pioneers: Richard Emerson,
with weakened immunity dying in greater numbers Steve Nally, Luke “Baby Face” Nicholas, Ralph
of cancer, respiratory failure, suicide and heart Bungard, Ben Middlemiss, Martin Bennett, Martin
disease. People with diminishing IQs, with reduced Townshend, Carl Vasta.
fertility, who are aging poorly and unlikely to attain What do they have in common?
their allocated average life-span. Yes, I’ve been
The answer isn’t easy lives and regular beauty
looking at contemporary New Zealand.
therapies.
If not for the selenium I was taking, I would have
It’s that they are all enthusiastic and long-term
found myself a very depressed bunny indeed.
imbibers of full-grain brews.
Frequently when I looked up from my research, to
Vitamins may be destroyed by heat, but minerals
say cheerful things like, “Look! The cot death rate are not. Barley contains a veritable cocktail of
has been rising since 2010”, I’ve found myself sitting the micronutrients that are increasingly elusive
across the table from brewers who all look (and act, in modern diets. Things like vitamin B3 niacin,
incidentally) much younger than their years. thiamine, copper, magnesium, manganese,
(The only reason I know this is because they point phosphorus and my friend, selenium.
at geriatrics in their Zimmer frames* and say things Could it be the secret of eternal youth comes from a
like: brown bottle that pours with a foamy head?
“I was at school with …” *Gross exaggeration both for dramatic effect and
“I played rugby against …” because it was the kindest comparative description.
“I went to the school ball with …”) Amanda Nally is the co-author of Just Cause and
Effect – The Story of Selenium Deficiency in New
It would beai1592285058390_001331
helpful about now if youZeelandt
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ZEELANDT.co.nz
Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020 23RECYCLING SHAME
Lockdown
This, however, highlighted an even bigger
bottleneck. Like most other people, I had not
planned for this pandemic to happen, which meant
the number of craft beer flagons I had at home was
not enough to guarantee fresh beer supply for an
extended period of time. Even when looking at
rationing the number, frequency and size of my beer
allowance (and taking into consideration that my
wife would invoke the ‘what’s yours is mine’ clause
that apparently is part of marital vows), the fresh
supply would not last for longer than two weeks.
Recycling
At some point I was reliant on restocking from the
supermarket. Whilst you find the odd interesting
bottle or can on the shelves, my local supermarkets
Shame
do not specialise in craft. If you do not fancy
buying a six-pack from Tuatara or Panhead, the
supermarket’s interpretation of ‘specialty beer’
appeared to be Mac’s or Harrington’s. The only
supermarket nearby with a decent range of craft
beer, sadly, displays their range on standard
shelving next to red wine and bakery products,
while DB’s and Lion’s pasteurised range is stored in
the walk-in chiller.
The contents of my recycling bin turned into a sad
and embarrassing knock-on effect of lockdown.
MICHAEL M I tried to disguise the mess by putting empty jam
jars and the odd wine bottle (used for cooking of
course) on top of the crate before putting it out on
hame on me! Yes, I admit, I did some panic the curbside. This could fool the neighbours, but not
Sshopping when the country went into my own guilty conscience. The only thing playing
lockdown all those weeks ago.
in my favour was the council’s decision to continue
But the psyche of a craft beer drinker appears to their weekly recycling collection, meaning that the
be completely the opposite to the wider general evidence was disposed of quickly.
public. I had no intention of using my lockdown to
participate in a New Zealand bake-off. Diarrhoea as Thankfully, this embarrassing time did not last
a side effect of Covid-19 was not my biggest concern, too long. My (and probably a lot of other beer
and I can also imagine a life without pasta. Flour, enthusiasts’) saviour came in the form of the
toilet paper and spaghetti did not spring to mind government’s decision to declare brewing and the
when Alert Level 4 was announced. distribution of that beer an essential service. With
bars – the main sales channel for many smaller craft
In these unprecedented times, my thoughts were on
brewers – closed, breweries across the country had
an imminent (and literal) bottleneck of fresh craft
to become innovative on the sales and logistics side,
beer supply to my bubble. On the eve of lockdown,
I gave all my pots and flagons an extra-thorough and adapt their business model.
rinse, grabbed the chilly bin, rushed to my local Most of the local breweries quickly offered
brew bar and filled as many vessels as possible with contactless ordering/payment and many offered
freshly brewed beer from their taps. Sorted! free door to door delivery of their bottles and cans.
The fridge, which at that point was overloaded with I made the most of the ‘support and shop local’
beer, was another reason why hoarding groceries movement and while my recycling volume did not
was never considered (not that flour, pasta or toilet go down, carrying the crate to the curbside put a
paper would have competed for chilled space). smile back on my face.
Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020 25NEW WORLD AWARDS
Keep swimming -
& winning MICHAEL DONALDSON
aul Finney hopes the last setback for his their second-straight appearance in this year’s New
Pbusiness will be just that: the last. World Beer and Cider Awards Top 30.
Finney and his wife Laura run Emporium Brewing After cracking the big time with their Witbier last
in Kaikoura – a dream that’s flipped over to year, they came through again with perhaps the
nightmare more than once since they started five most relevant beer they’ve brewed: Drop, Cover,
years ago. Hold – a tropical sour brewed with a strain of
The first shock came with the big Kaikoura Norwegian Kveik yeast. It’s an incredible beer –
earthquake of November 2016. The brewery had lightly sour with punchy pineapple on the aroma
just got underway, with the first 50 litre brew in the and flavour thanks to the unique characteristics of
fermenter. The earthquake wreaked havoc in the the kveik strain. And it’s the beer that was in the
brewhouse – but that was something they could fix. tank the day the earthquake hit – hence the name
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case with the roads doubling as a public service notice.
around the popular whale-watching tourist town. The award was about more than getting a place on
What should have been a great spot for a new the shelves of New World supermarkets around
business – a town full of curious tourists looking for the country throughout June, it brought them
a local drop – turned into something of a dead end. exposure they could never afford, thanks to the
wider marketing clout of New World. As a result
Then Emporium was caught up in the collapse of the awards marketing, the Seven Sharp current
of Beer NZ, losing a chunk of money as the beer affairs show picked up the story and brought
distribution company went bust. the Emporium name into households across the
And just as things were looking up, their world was country.
rocked by the Covid-19 pandemic, the lockdown, “It is hard to judge brand awareness as we are still
and the complete halt to tourism – both domestic growing, but we have had a lot of good feedback in
and international. the Facebook forums around our fresh-hopped beer
But Emporium got a huge jolt of positivity from this year, and that came just after being in the Beer
26 Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020NEW WORLD AWARDS
Jerk box with our Imperial spiced ale, Reuben the
Red, and our hopped saison, Rapscallion, which NEW WORLD
both were well-received.
BEER & CIDER
“To then follow it up with the New World win,
we are riding the crest of a wave. We just need to AWARDS
capitalise on that.”
The appearance on Seven Sharp opened the eyes of
Kaikoura locals to an award-winning business in
their own backyard as well as having reach further
afield.
“I think around the country, there have been more
people realising they can buy local,” Finney said of
the Covid-19 lockdown period. “Kaikoura is a bit of
8 Wired iStout
a hard nut to crack in that respect, but the interview
on Seven Sharp helped out a lot. Bach Brewing Juicy AF
Bavaria 0.0% Wit
“By being on TV, we sold a heap of boxes of beer
Behemoth Me Time Mosaic Hazy IPA
after that.
Boneface Brewing Outlaw IPL
“The other thing it did do was give us access to
Brave Brewing Co The People's Pils
the North Island. We have probably sold one keg
to Auckland and less than five to Wellington in Emporium Brewing Drop, Cover, Hold
Tropical Sour
the whole five years we have been going, so people
buying boxes of our beer in the North Island was Epic Hopshine Pale Ale
nice to see.” Epic Shotgun XPA
Finney knows that a month’s worth of promotion Garage Project Electric Dry Hop
Acid Test
through the New World stores won’t be the
definitive antidote to all the hard times they’ve had, Garage Project Fresh IPA 2020
but it was just the boost they needed to refuel the Good George APA
resilience tank. Good George Passionfruit Cider
“I think the resilience was starting to run low. I Heineken Light
know we are a bit fatigued by it all. In all honesty, Kererū Night Spirit Barrel-Aged
we just want some normal years. The last two years Imperial Stout
we have turned profit. We’re waiting on this year’s, Lakeman Brewing Co. Hopadelic IPA
but we would be very close, and that is despite McLeod's Great Migration IPA
missing half of March, earthquake recovery, beer McLeod's Longboarder Lager
distribution going bust …
Panhead Port Rd Pilsner
“We seem to have a viable business but we are Panhead The Vandal NZIPA
getting weary of saying ‘as long as we are going this Parrotdog Falcon APA
time next year, we will have cracked it’. In a way
Peckham's Farmhouse Cider
though, it does give us a competing edge as we are
the brewery from Kaikoura who is still battling on. Renaissance Elemental Porter
Sawmill Pilsner
“Our main concern in town is the job loss. As a
town that is very focused on tourism the town Sprig & Fern Scotch Ale
is going to suffer quite badly. Time will tell if we Sunshine Brewing Stout
are resilient enough to weather this new storm. Sunshine Brewing Summer Ale
Emporium will keep soldiering on though, as Dory Three Boys Wheat
said in Finding Nemo ‘just keep swimming, just Zeelandt Black Monk
keep swimming’.”
Zeffer Rosé Cider
Swimming, and winning awards.
Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020 27NEW WORLD AWARDS
Hair’s to Lakeman
akeman Brewing, the pride of Taupo, got feedback he sometimes struggles to find while
La well-earned confidence boost from the brewing on a remote farm in the middle of the
New World Beer and Cider awards announced last North Island, far removed from the biggest beer
month. markets in the country.
Lakeman set up in 2013 when sheep farmer James “We had four in the top-100 last year and this shows
Cooper decided to diversify his business. He learned we are getting consistent – which is what we’re
to brew from scratch – teaching himself with help striving to do: make consistently good beer.
from Greig McGill of Brewraucracy, Graham Mahy, “But we are in a bit of a bubble here. Away from the
who has worked at a number of New Zealand main markets it is hard as we don’t get the feedback
and Australian breweries, and Peter McKenzie at here, so this Top-30 means a lot to us.”
Shunters Yard – all from nearby Hamilton. “Those
guys all helped me a lot and really hammered home Cooper, who runs the farm and the brewery with
the need for quality,” Cooper said. his wife Elissa, said the news of the award also
gave them a much-needed lift, coming just as New
All the same, a lot of early beer was dumped, Zealand moved into Covid-19 lockdown. Lakeman
Cooper estimating he tipped out 15,000 litres in the got a big sales spike and huge brand exposure after
first year because it wasn’t up to scratch. “But beer appearing on TV3’s The Project.
makes good fertiliser for the farm,” he says in his
typically laidback fashion. Cooper hoped that would help tide things over until
summer, when he and Elissa plan to add to a small
While Lakeman have won trophies at the NZ Beer taproom to their farm to cater for visitors who they
Awards in the past, getting a Top-30 in the New hope will return to Taupo post-lockdown.
World awards with their Hopadelic IPA
not only expanded their horizons, “This award feels positive and feels good going
but it gave Cooper the positive into winter.”
28 Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020MORNINGCIDER APPLE IPA MAC’S BREW-JOLAIS FRESH
I've been
CIDER: 6%ABV HOP IPA: 6.0%ABV
As the name suggests, this cider After around a decade in the
has undergone dry hopping with wilderness, Mac’s fresh hop release
drinking
...
NZ hops. Examples of these is back on the shelves, and with
hopped ciders come along every it the closest thing to a mass-
year or so and I find the quality produced fresh hop beer on the
to be radically hit or miss. But market. The fresh hop character
this one starts out right with its is pleasingly distinct on the deeply
cool, clean nose packed with red herbaceous nose. Leafy and
apple skins and a dank grassy grassy, with gentle citrus blossom.
Tim Newman hop freshness. The palate is The palate is juicy and alive
remarkably tart, and that may with fresh citrus and sugarsnap
profiles new be the key factor that makes this pea, with a light, fluid malt base
example a success. Rather than a and very mild bitterness. An
releases sweet cider with the hop character uncomplicated but fairly faultless
just swimming around lost, it example of a fresh hop IPA that’s
presents more like a good hoppy both accessible and affordable.
sour, with its tangy and hoppy
aspects working together.
CRAFTWORK FLEMISH FLOOZIE BELGIAN URBANAUT CHERRYWOOD BOURBON
FRUIT ALE: 7.5%ABV BARREL AGED PORTER: 7.8%ABV
An oldie but a goody from Craftwork in Oamaru. Urbanaut’s barrel-aged beer debut (though it
Inspired by the now rarely seen Verboden Vrucht should be noted that it’s actually a blend of the
(Forbidden Fruit) from Belgian producer Hoegaarden. barrel aged stock and their regular porter). A
It is similarly flavoured with figs and sultanas and dynamic nose, with unground coffee beans,
lightly spiced. The nose is soft, with coriander coming dark chocolate, smoky oak char and just a
in first, then dried apricots over more subtle aromas thread of barrel funk. The palate is on the drier
of fig. The palate follows on seamlessly from the nose, side with roasted malt, oolong tea and oak
with more spice and fruity ester that does a wicked job tannin along with that bit of tartness from the
of hiding the hefty alcohol. Not a bad drop at all when cask. A drier, more lifted example of a barrel
young but should have huge and comparatively rapid porter compared to the often super-desserty
ageing potential for anyone willing to put a few away. norm. Comes in Urbanaut’s flagship 250ml can.
30 Pursuit of Hoppiness - July 2020You can also read
