Shining Peak Gung Ho!
Last year, in a review I introduced the term “dankidy-dank” and Gung Ho! from Shining Peak deserves the same loving description!  Shining Peak have been smashing it out of the park recently and their entry in this year fresh hop line up is up there with the best! The beer itself is rather light and very clean which allows those big grassy characteristics to shine through.  The beer is nicely bittered, full of resins which leave your lips lovingly coated in oily goodness!  Gung Ho! now sits in number one position in my fresh hop ratings for 2022 — who will knock them off in the coming weeks?

Spirit Of Derelict Lives On At No 19 Brewing

by | July 17, 2026 | Cover Story | 0 Comments

The win by No 19 Brewing in the NZ Stout Challenge on July 11 in Christchurch has a direct connection to one of the country’s most celebrated but short-lived breweries: the newcomers are creating their beer on the brew kit once owned by Derelict. No 19 Brewing are...
Read More

Wilding Working Wonders For The Wilderness

by | July 16, 2026 | Cover Story | 0 Comments

Kudos to the team at Froth Technologies for the work they’re doing with their New Zealand native yeast, Wilding. I’ve always enjoyed the handful of beers where Wilding has turned up: notably the first brew Emerson’s did to showcase the yeast as well as Three Sisters...
Read More

Flood Shuts Emporium Brewing

by | July 15, 2026 | Cover Story | 0 Comments

Emporium Brewing in Kaikoura will be closed until further notice following the devastating flood that roared through the town last week. Owner-brewer Paul Finney has just had insurance assessors through the premises which includes a brewery, bar, escape rooms, and a...
Read More

Garage Project Top Cutter NZIPA

by | July 8, 2026 | Recommended | 0 Comments

The Smith’s NZIPA challenge concluded for another year last weekend, and some of the entries are already hitting the shelves in package.  While not one of the notable winners (go South Island Brewing!), this entry from Wellington’s Garage Project was the first of the...
Read More

8 Wired Rogue & Villian ESB

by | July 8, 2026 | Recommended | 0 Comments

Though I daren’t speak it too loud for fear of jinxing it, this has (so far) been something of a revival year for ESB, with even flash North Island brewers giving it a go. Rogue & Villain is the latest such release, from one of said flash North Island brewers,...
Read More

Boneface The Darkness American Stout

by | July 8, 2026 | Recommended | 0 Comments

Boneface have a new (or old, actually) dark beer out for the winter months, with a classic of the old ownership's core range, The Darkness (5.8% ABV), making a fresh appearance.  While the original bore the style of ‘India Stout’ the ever-shifting naming conventions...
Read More