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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.

Competition Watchdog Blocks Kegstar’s Acquisition of Konvoy

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has blocked MicroStar’s proposed acquisition of keg lending rival Konvoy. MicroStar, which operates as Kegstar in Australia and New Zealand, and Konvoy are the only suppliers of keg leasing services in this...

Boneface Brewing Deadlift Double IPA

I’ve said it before, but if you want to precision test a brewery then ask for a double IPA. Everything has to work harder; the ferment, the grain selection, the hops and (in particular) the conditioning.  As the ABV speedo climbs above seven, only the most precisely...

Thief Brewing Frog Wallop IPA

Thief Brewing continues to prove that there’s IPA in them thar hills of Banks Peninsula, adding this West Coast style to the range.  West Coast by way of New Zealand anyway, being driven by Nelson Sauvin, Rakau and NZ grown Chinook.   The...

Double Vision x Baan Bangkok Thunder Struck Triple IPA

The method by which I pick a beer to feature here every week is extremely loose, but usually there’s an equation that balances between ‘interesting’ ‘relevant’ and ‘good’.  Sometimes, one of those spokes dominates to such an extent that the others cease to...

Behemoth Chur-Toberfest 2025

Every year more of our local craft brewers don the lederhosen and kick out a kiwi version of a Munich Festbier.  Historically, the results have been mixed… NZ malt and even more so our hops just don’t mesh well with the peerlessly smooth, crisp and understated...

New Zealand’s Most Awarded Beers

It was Stay Gold that started this … the Brave Brewing XPA that won a trophy in the International Pale Ale class at this year’s New Zealand Beer Awards. I was looking back through the records and realised it was the fifth gold medal that beer had won, and I started to...