cassels nectaron double ipa

Cassels Nectaron IPA is still my go to for a core range beer showcasing this terrific new hop, so this (ostensibly) double IPA version (8.2%) caught my eye immediately.  Bright and sharp aromas of passionfruit, pineapple and nectarine leap out of the nose, with tropical guava hovering further in.  On the palate there’s concentrated stone fruit and orange citrus before big chewy malt and a late but firm bitterness.  A big and weighty IPA with great concentration of flavour and a good malt presence that gives the palate extra fortification for winter drinking. 

The Man Behind The Cans

by | January 5, 2026 | Cover Story | 0 Comments

If you’re prone to a tipple of craft beer, chances are you’re more than familiar with the work of Wellington creative, art director and artist, Anton Hart. For more than 20 years, he’s been the force behind the aesthetics of multiple, high-profile Kiwi craft...
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Fermented Culture — Elysian Fields

by | December 31, 2025 | Cover Story, Opinion | 0 Comments

Kieran Haslett-Moore dreams of the beers he might drink in paradise “Sitting at rustic tables in rural pub gardens in Hertfordshire on long, warm, sunny summer evenings, talking with friends, clouds of cow parsley nodding over the car park wall and martins high above...
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The Start Up Series — Twofold

by | December 30, 2025 | Cover Story | 0 Comments

This is the final part in a series dedicated to breweries that have opened up since the Covid-19 pandemic. The past five years have been tough for those in the brewing industry. The data is there: higher costs, lower consumer spend, alternative drinks. All are eating...
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The Start Up Series — BS Brewing

by | December 29, 2025 | Features | 0 Comments

This is the fifth part in a series dedicated to breweries that have opened up since the Covid-19 pandemic. The past five years have been tough for those in the brewing industry. The data is there: higher costs, lower consumer spend, alternative drinks. All are eating...
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The Start Up Series — Alchemy St

by | December 19, 2025 | Features | 0 Comments

This is the fourth part of a series dedicated to breweries that have opened up since the Covid-19 pandemic. The past five years have been tough for those in the brewing industry. The data is there: higher costs, lower consumer spend, alternative drinks. All are eating...
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8 Wired Superconductor Double IPA

by | December 18, 2025 | Recommended | 0 Comments

Christmas has come early for me this year, as Warkworth’s 8-Wired has revived one of their (and very much one of my own) all time classic beers.  Superconductor Double IPA (8.8%) channels a similar energy to its legendary stablemate Hopwired, with sumptuous aromas of...
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