Hop And Vine

From ChinChiller, the production arm of Christchurch’s Brew Academy, this curiously-named pilsner refers to the Covid-19 elbow-handshake that was ubiquitous around the time it was first being brewed.  A battery of New Zealand hops (Wai-iti, Motueka, Pacifica, Riwaka) drives an absolutely gorgeous noble aroma.  Fresh cut hay, lime citrus, white grape and daphne with a big drizzle of clean maltiness.  More citrus and herbaceous notes on the palate, along with a big crunchy malt and gripping bitterness.  A remarkable balancing act of a pilsner that massively delivers on the both the hop and malt character, while keeping taut and thoroughly contained throughout. A deserving bronze medal winner at the recent Brewers Guild Awards.

Distributor Hop And Vine Explains Liquidation

by | April 11, 2025 | News | 0 Comments

Prominent Christchurch-based distributor Hop And Vine says the loss of three potential new customers combined with changing drinking habits and tough economic conditions led to their liquidation. Hop And Vine and another company it half-owned, ABV Beverages, both went...
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Eddyline Hoptimus Prime Fresh Hop WCIPA

by | April 7, 2025 | Recommended | 0 Comments

Fresh hop season is well and truly upon us now, with a deluge of fresh releases landing day by day. It’s been less a case of hunting them out and more one of deciding what to choose… The beginning of the season usually means a lot of hazy beers in the first wave while...
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Hazzy Hunter vs Browns Bay Brewing Co

by | April 7, 2025 | Cover Story | 0 Comments

Andrew Ranum joined Deep Creek in 2016 as their General Manager. When the brewery sold the brewpub in Browns Bay, Andrew left his GM role and became a part-owner and brewer at Browns Bay Brewing Co.  He goes face to face with Joshua Lee aka Hazzy Hunter. Hazzy...
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Mac Hops Celebrates 125 Years Growing Hops

by | April 4, 2025 | Features | 0 Comments

Mac Hops in Motueka celebrated 125 years of growing hops with a bumper harvest, but it was also a harvest that summed up the tough nature of hop-growing — both now and historically. “We had some great yields come through but unfortunately it's not a great year to have...
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The Beer Project — Mount Brewing

by | April 2, 2025 | Cover Story | 0 Comments

Paweł Lewandowski, head brewer at Mount Brewing, isn't supposed to be here. He was travelling around the world with a plan to spend a little bit of time brewing in New Zealand and Australia before heading home to Poland to start his own brewery. Eight years later he...
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Coromandel — One Door Closes, Another Opens

by | March 31, 2025 | Travel | 0 Comments

When we began brewing at the Coromandel Brewing Company, “craft beer” was barely on anyone’s radar. The most common response when offering new customers a craft beer was, “craft what?”. Fast forward to today, and the landscape has changed dramatically. While...
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