middle of the road
My quest to discover new Zealand’s best fridge filling hazy pale ale continues. I must admit, I haven’t tried too many Double Vision beers in the past, but based on the quality of this beer I’ve been missing out! Mouth Party Hazy Pale Ale (5.3 per cent) is beautifully balanced, a nice mix of tropical fruit flavours, strong body and a nice hint of bitterness.  The marketing team at Double Vision score 10/10 for the label — it’s bloody awesome and one of the best I’ve seen on the shelves for quite some time. So, all being said and done, I now promote Double Vision Brewing Mouth Party to top spot on my list for 2022.  A solid fridge filler that won’t disappoint at any occasion.

Drinking In The Middle Lane

by | April 1, 2026 | Cover Story | 0 Comments

When my recent piece ‘A slow walk through paradise’ was published, a mate joked, “Jeepers BH, you’re a bit middle-of-the-road in your beer tastes to be talking to the craft beer community.”...
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Ask An Expert — How To Enjoy A Fresh Hop Beer

by | March 20, 2026 | Features | 0 Comments

Brewing has been part of my life for 25 years now and even in this small amount of time, the innovations and experimentation that have all come about in the name of beer never cease to amaze me. It also means it's almost 20 years since I first got the chance to get...
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The Beer Project — Lakeman Brewing

by | March 20, 2026 | Features | 0 Comments

You can thank local government regulation for the existence of Lakeman, a brewery located on a farm 20 minutes west of Taupo. Farmer James Cooper didn't expect to become a brewer. He had never home-brewed. But regulations basically imposing herd size limits to prevent...
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Three Sisters Buy Sunshine Brewing

by | March 19, 2026 | Cover Story, News | 0 Comments

Bold New Plymouth brewery Three Sisters is the new owner of Gisborne's iconic Sunshine Brewing. It's an unprecedented move in the New Zealand brewing industry with one craft brewery buying another. Recently DNA Brewing in Blenheim bought the Hop Federation brand but...
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Hemp And Hops Align

by | March 19, 2026 | Cover Story, Features | 0 Comments

It’s all about balance – that’s what Andy Duke at b.effect says about his latest brewing escapades. Down in Wānaka, he’s been using hemp in a number of b.efect beers, which gives new flavour profiles, adds body to gluten-free beers, and has resulted in some delicious,...
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Roots Brewing — Small But Mighty

by | March 19, 2026 | Travel | 0 Comments

Back in the early 1900s, Whanganui wasn’t just lively as New Zealand’s 5th largest city — it was one of Aotearoa’s great beer strongholds, proudly home to 13 breweries. Thirteen! Then came decades of closures, mergers, and the lure of jobs elsewhere, and one by one...
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