Boneface Hand of Doom
Hand of Doom, an American strong ale, had me a bit apprehensive, but to my surprise it’s a very well-balanced beer. Loads of citrus piney goodness meets big malty backbone hiding the 10% ABV very well. Smooth mouthfeel, sticky finish.
McLeod’s Petite Saison
This 4.7% Belgian Petite Saison is a firm favourite of mine with its bready, oaky, citrus notes, super-soft mouthfeel, tart acidity, and vanilla as it warms. Complex and layered – beautiful.
Ground Up Crag Dog Hazy Pale Ale
Crag Dog is an all-Americian hopped hazy pale ale coming in at 4.5% ft Amarillo, Simcoe, Mosaic and Citra. Don’t let the small ABV fool you —this is punching well above its weight in the hop/flavour department. Tropical notes (passionfruit) meets stone fruit (peach mango) meets citric tartness with subtle background of pine. Light, crisp, spritzy mouthfeel — this is a total thirst-quencher.
8 Wired Wild Feijoa Sour Ale
Wow, where to start? 8 Wired Feijoa Sour Ale is always a highlight on its annual release, aged for up to two years in barrels, its light, sharp, layered tart complexities are offset by a soft creaminess, highlighting the polarising wonder fruit that is the feijoa.
Altitude Brewing Foggy Goggles
Foggy Goggles from Queenstown outfit Altitude is a 6.4% hazy IPA hopped up on Waimea, Citra, Mosiac and Galaxy. Big flavour notes of over ripe pineapple meet tangelo and pine with a great bitterness. Good stuff.
Garage Project Ghost Light
This 5.2% Citra and Nelson Sauvin hopped hazy IPA has a spritzy carbonation understated citrus and sauvignon blanc notes. An easy drinker for a good cause as Ghost Light is helping raise funds for Aotearoa’s arts community. GP are donating 40 kegs to live performance venues around the country, including Basement Theatre in Auckland and BATS Theatre in Wellington. Proceeds from the beer’s sales will go to an industry still reeling from Covid closures.
Three Sisters Black Forest Stout
Aa cranking 11.4 % Black Forest Stout is what you need on a bleak autumn day. Tart cherry and chocolate on the nose follows suit on the tastebuds with a soft pastry mouthfeel melding seamlessly with rye and chocolate and more tart cherry. Finishes dry and sharp.
Lumberjack Fogged In
This new batch of Fogged In from Lumberjack Brewing in Pukehina is thiccc! Like smoothie thick. Azacca, Mosaic and Citra give you a fruit bowl of tropical and citrus 5-a-day hit.