Winner of the IPA category at the 2021 Brewers Guild Awards.  Behemoth founder Andrew Childs wanted to return to a more expressive old-school malt base with this beer, while still showing off the brewery’s flair for modern hop varieties.  Interestingly, those varieties are sourced from not just the US but Australia and NZ too, making it a more international IPA than most.  Full bodied with a big malty chew at first, a breadth of drying hop flavours begins to emerge.  Strongly dominant American pine, with some drier Aussie grassiness and New Zealand tropicals follow.  The bitterness builds into the finish, ending up firmly in charge.  A classic old school IPA for classic old school IPA drinkers.

Garage Project Harvest Home

by | June 9, 2026 | Recommended | 0 Comments

Just when you think you’re out, fresh hop season pulls you back in… Garage Project Harvest Home, an encore of the harvest, comes from their awards powerhouse, Wild Workshop.  Brewed with raw (unmalted) wheat and pilsner malt, and flavoured with coriander seed and yen...
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Southpaw New Brighton Lager

by | June 9, 2026 | Recommended | 0 Comments

With the fresh hop race finally dying down, it’s time to pair things all the way back and take a beat with a local lager.  A simple, no nonsense pairing of 100% NZ pilsner malt and Liberty hops (an old school, laid back varietal with distinct Hallertau character),...
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The Hoptimist — Brew Union

by | May 27, 2026 | Cover Story | 0 Comments

Palmerston North has long been a junction town — one of New Zealand’s biggest ‘service’ centres since the Main Trunk railway was punched through the Manawatū in 1886. It even pulled in my Grandad from County Kilkenny, Ireland, who landed in nearby Ashurst and assumed...
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Nectaron — A Familiar Song Played Differently

by | May 25, 2026 | Cover Story | 0 Comments

Nectaron hops are capturing the imagination of American brewers, particularly after the most recent harvest where it was the standout in sensory testing. NZ Hops Ltd, in their post-harvest report noted that Nectaron stood out this season alongside Superdelic and...
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Two Bays Widens NZ Gluten-Free Market

by | May 25, 2026 | Cover Story | 0 Comments

Just about anywhere you go to eat these days understands a large chunk of the population is gluten-free. You see GF beside dishes listed on menu and on packaged food in the supermarket. But until now, with a couple of long-standing exceptions, you didn’t see...
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Brewer Becomes Co-Owner at Searchlight

by | May 25, 2026 | Cover Story | 0 Comments

Ash Hutchinson, head brewer from Searchlight in Queenstown, is now a co-owner of the business — and one of his first big jobs will be showcasing Searchlight to the wider world at Beervana this year. Ash has worked at some of the best breweries in the country:...
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