Garage Project Snug

Garage Project’s application of nitro tech could lead to very exciting things for dry stouts like this, as well as malt driven beers generally.  Snug is deeply roasty on the nose with burned malt, toasted coconut and mocha.  The palate has the full spectrum of malt flavour on blast, starting with sweet toffee and finishing all the way over in the bitterest black, which gradually burns off over the long finish.  Despite the intensity of flavour and ferocity of the bitterness, the body stays light and crisp.  Not just another Guinness-a-like, this handily beats the old Irish favorite in my opinion, having vastly more flavour with only a 0.8% hike in ABV compared with the Irish benchmark. 

Brothers Beer Mad Science #2 IPA

by | October 29, 2025 | Recommended | 0 Comments

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...
Read More

Competition Watchdog Blocks Kegstar’s Acquisition of Konvoy

by | October 24, 2025 | News, Cover Story | 0 Comments

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...
Read More

Boneface Brewing Deadlift Double IPA

by | October 22, 2025 | Recommended | 0 Comments

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...
Read More

Thief Brewing Frog Wallop IPA

by | October 22, 2025 | Recommended | 0 Comments

Thief Brewing continues to prove that there’s IPA in them thar hills of Banks Peninsula, adding this West Coast style to the range.  West Coast by way of New Zealand anyway, being driven by Nelson Sauvin, Rakau and NZ grown Chinook.   The...
Read More

Double Vision x Baan Bangkok Thunder Struck Triple IPA

by | October 22, 2025 | Recommended | 0 Comments

The method by which I pick a beer to feature here every week is extremely loose, but usually there’s an equation that balances between ‘interesting’ ‘relevant’ and ‘good’.  Sometimes, one of those spokes dominates to such an extent that the others cease to...
Read More

Behemoth Chur-Toberfest 2025

by | October 22, 2025 | Recommended | 0 Comments

Every year more of our local craft brewers don the lederhosen and kick out a kiwi version of a Munich Festbier.  Historically, the results have been mixed… NZ malt and even more so our hops just don’t mesh well with the peerlessly smooth, crisp and understated...
Read More

New Zealand’s Most Awarded Beers

by | October 14, 2025 | Cover Story | 0 Comments

It was Stay Gold that started this … the Brave Brewing XPA that won a trophy in the International Pale Ale class at this year’s New Zealand Beer Awards. I was looking back through the records and realised it was the fifth gold medal that beer had won, and I started to...
Read More

Slow Walk Through Paradise — Visiting Every Brewery in NZ

by | October 10, 2025 | Cover Story | 0 Comments

There’s something about beer that’s always been part of my story. From the early days of sneaking sips of Lion Brown at my dad’s feet and walking around the house with my ‘beer mou’, to the $2 jugs of Joseph Kuhtze Lager at the Southern Cross Tavern during University...
Read More

Fermented Culture — The Third Place

by | October 9, 2025 | Opinion | 0 Comments

Earlier this year a battle was fought in the leafy hills to the north of Wellington. A liquor license was being sought for what was once Dick Mead Motors and the Onslow Service Station. The resident’s association successfully applied for an extension to the decision...
Read More

The Mighty Moutere Inn Celebrates 175 Years

by | October 9, 2025 | Travel | 0 Comments

They started off no different to everyone else.  Four blokes used to British and European choices find options in New Zealand limited.  In 2008 good beer is being brewed but few places are yet to sell it.  They hold a few beer festivals, find the...
Read More

Knocking On (Ben) Heaven’s Door

by | October 8, 2025 | Features | 0 Comments

When Heaven’s Brewing burst onto the national stage with a Top 25 at the New World Beer & Cider Awards, it seemed like they’d come from nowhere. But I reckon anyone who tried their Judas Sheep Czech-style dark lager will appreciate this is no flash in the pan...
Read More

3D Puts Isthmus On The Map

by | October 6, 2025 | Features | 0 Comments

For the husband-and-wife team behind Isthmus Brewing, winning champion beer at this year’s New World Beer & Cider Awards continues a nice upward trend following some “dark times”. Hamish Ward and Caroline Muller-Ward are two of the nicest people in the beer...
Read More

Boneface Blood & Bone Oaked Stout

by | October 6, 2025 | Recommended | 0 Comments

Since their recent ownership shakeup, Brewtown’s (aka Upper Hutt's) Boneface Brewery have been rolling out new releases with a relentless energy, such that I’ve had some samples piling up shamefully in the auxiliary fridge.  This week I’m finally making some headway...
Read More

Chance Luck & Magic — And Hard Work

by | October 3, 2025 | Features | 0 Comments

At Beervana, The Third Pint Theory was joined by Garage Project founder Pete Gillespie and Wild Workshop brewer Dave Bell for a Q&A session on Chance Luck & Magic 2021, the Champion NZ Beer. At the session we sampled the hard-to-get 2021 vintage as well as the...
Read More

Instagratification: Dusty’s Best Spring Beers

by | October 3, 2025 | Opinion | 0 Comments

Photographer, beer-lover and Instagram influencer Dusty, picks his highlights from the latest releases from this winter. Isthmus 3d IPA One of the best an under the radar IPAs in NZ gets some well-deserved shine and credit taking out supreme champion brew for 2025 New...
Read More

Fermented Culture — Holy Mountain

by | September 23, 2025 | Features | 0 Comments

Before the Kapiti Expressway opened, a drive north up State Highway One from Wellington would take you under a 14m statue of the Virgin Mother standing high on a foothill of the Tararuas. As a child it was an important landmark on our journey to my grandparents’ house...
Read More

Lakeman Primate Pilsner

by | September 15, 2025 | Recommended | 0 Comments

Awards season rolls on, with the New World Top 25 joining the scrum of medals just last week. On that incredibly hotly tested list (and not for the first time either!) was Lakeman Primate Pilsner from Taupo.  The pilsner style (particularly of the NZ persuasion) is...
Read More

Hop Federation Closing Down

by | September 11, 2025 | News | 0 Comments

Motueka-based Hop Federation will cease brewing next month following a strategic review by owners Kono NZ LP. Kono general manager Marina Hirst Tristram says the decision wasn’t easy and reflects a deliberate focus across the commercial businesses of Kono. "As part of...
Read More

Garage Project Take Over Fortune Favours

by | September 3, 2025 | News | 0 Comments

Garage Project are opening two new venues in Wellington, including taking over the Fortune Favours taproom in Leeds Street. Fortune Favours closed its doors for the last time on Sunday but the venue will continue as a craft beer destination, with Garage Project moving...
Read More

New World Beer & Cider Awards Winners

by | August 25, 2025 | News | 0 Comments

The 2025 New World Beer & Cider Awards have been announced. Here's the list of the Top 25 winners which will be available in New World stores over the next month. Champion Beer Isthmus 3D IPA Isthmus Brewing is the Auckland creation of husband and wife team Hamish...
Read More