Brothers Beer are starting the new year’s seasonal brewing off with the cleverly named Martin Scores Hazy, a big Nectaron and Mosaic driven imperial hazy IPA (8 per cent).  Both bold and extremely fruity hops, Mosaic and Nectaron should be a good combo for a strong hazy. Big, bright mandarin and grapefruit come out first on the nose, with pungent passionfruit and rockmelon not far behind.  A streak of zingy acidity flashes across the start of the palate, before an intensely ripe and sweet stone fruit character takes over and hangs on hard until the bitterness finally rises in the finish.  The body on this one is extra full, taking palate weight right to the line for even a double hazy.  If you like your hazy IPAs big, bold and decadently sweet then this one will surely satisfy.

Wigram Mustang Pale Ale

Christchurch’s Wigram Brewery recently hosted an event to pay tribute to the late Paul Cooper, one of the founding fathers of New Zealand craft brewing.  It was a quiet afternoon, but the amount of living history (and a few living fossils) in that bar could have...

Two Thumb SMASH IPA Series #1

From Christchurch City’s Two Thumb Brewing Company, S.M.A.S.H (single malt and single hop) is the first release in a new series of IPAs featuring a single malt paired with a similarly singular hop. Version one (5.5%) is an all-Canterbury duo, combining Gladfield...

Farewell To A Brewing Legend — Paul ‘Coops’ Cooper

Before the internet, before Google, YouTube and AI, and before craft beer became a global movement, there was Richard "Paul" Cooper — or as everyone in the brewing world knew him, “Coops”. A scientist, engineer, brewer, and all-round innovator, Coops was among the...

Brothers Beer Mad Science #2 IPA

Mt Eden’s Brothers Beer invites us to taste the future with Mad Science #2 — a new trial hopped IPA. Amongst the first generation of commercially-released beers to use the latest clutch of trial hops (NZH-111, NZH-112 and NZH-115 variously) from the NZ Hops Ltd's...

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...