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Pastry stouts have been gathering steam all year, and now we’re starting to see more and more packaged releases like this one.  Chocolate cherry frangipane… the name alone is a mouthful, and I haven’t even tasted it yet.  Curiously it’s the frangipane (the almond dessert, not the phonetically similar flower) that dominates on the nose with that unmistakable marzipan aroma.  The chocolate and lactose fall in behind with the cherry providing just a spark of tartness.  The palate is more of a mix-up, with the roasted malts taking charge along with the nibs and cherry, while the almond retreats into the finish.  It’s a sweet one for sure, but finely balanced with bitterness to keep each mouthful under control and even approaching dry by the end.  One of the most drinkable pastry stouts I’ve encountered thus far, and hopefully a good indicator of brewers continuing to tune the style to produce better and better releases.

Chance Luck & Magic — And Hard Work

At Beervana, The Third Pint Theory was joined by Garage Project founder Pete Gillespie and Wild Workshop brewer Dave Bell for a Q&A session on Chance Luck & Magic 2021, the Champion NZ Beer. At the session we sampled the hard-to-get 2021 vintage as well as the...

Instagratification: Dusty’s Best Spring Beers

Photographer, beer-lover and Instagram influencer Dusty, picks his highlights from the latest releases from this winter. Isthmus 3d IPA One of the best an under the radar IPAs in NZ gets some well-deserved shine and credit taking out supreme champion brew for 2025 New...

Fermented Culture — Holy Mountain

Before the Kapiti Expressway opened, a drive north up State Highway One from Wellington would take you under a 14m statue of the Virgin Mother standing high on a foothill of the Tararuas. As a child it was an important landmark on our journey to my grandparents’ house...

Lakeman Primate Pilsner

Awards season rolls on, with the New World Top 25 joining the scrum of medals just last week. On that incredibly hotly tested list (and not for the first time either!) was Lakeman Primate Pilsner from Taupo.  The pilsner style (particularly of the NZ persuasion) is...

Hop Federation Closing Down

Motueka-based Hop Federation will cease brewing next month following a strategic review by owners Kono NZ LP. Kono general manager Marina Hirst Tristram says the decision wasn’t easy and reflects a deliberate focus across the commercial businesses of Kono. "As part of...

Garage Project Take Over Fortune Favours

Garage Project are opening two new venues in Wellington, including taking over the Fortune Favours taproom in Leeds Street. Fortune Favours closed its doors for the last time on Sunday but the venue will continue as a craft beer destination, with Garage Project moving...