Photographer and beer-lover Dusty brings you his Instagram-worthy picks for Winter 2023. Featuring Baltic Porters from Sawmill and Heyday as well as a Red IPA, a Black IPA, a White Stout, a dark lager and — for all the hopheads — a fantastic winter IPA.
Heyday Skypunk Baltic Porter
Beautiful drop this. ‘Sky Punk’ is an 8% Baltic porter from Heyday Beer Co. in Welly, and the midnight black pour with a blocky marshmallow
head is the gateway to sensory enjoyment, with notes of chocolate/honey/banana bread/caramel with a silky mouthfeel – the answer to winters frosty presence… yum!
Rhyme x Reason Bella’s Death Cookies White Stout
The elusive and mystical white stout has revealed itself in the form of ‘Bella’s Death Cookies’; in this 6.66% brewty from Rhyme X Reason Brewery, notes of honey/biscuits/bread/ white chocolate swirl round the
palate, there’s additional coffee and a flickering of sweet vanilla as it warms… what a treat!
Shortjaw Kiwi Dark
Kiwi Dark’ is a 4% ABV dark lager from West Coast outfit Shortjaw, and it’s a ‘lil beauty – hopped with Wakatu, and using NZ pilsner/chocolate malts. It’s all roasty toasty with chocolate/coffee vibes, and has a delicious smooth mouthfeel and dark choc bitterness – big on flavour, and low on ABV. I highly recommend this.
Epic Root Red IPA
It’s going to be a good series if this hit-out is anything to go by. Root is the first in the new Chakra Series from Epic. This 6.5% red IPA is hopped with Amarillo and Centennial, with loads of toffee/caramel/pine notes backed up by citrus, crispy mouthfeel and a slight burnt toffee/caramel finish… realign yourself with a red today.
BROTHERS ALTEZANO IMPERIAL COFFEE STOUT
New seasonal drop from Brothers Beer. A colab with Altezano Brothers Coffee, this is an 8% imperial coffee stout using 10 different choc/dark/toasted malts and hopped with Southern Cross.
The result is a beautiful rich/ dark/nutty intense brew, with hits of vanilla providing an awesome sweet/bitter component – definitely one for the coffee connoisseurs.
Manaia CHALKY’S HILL Black IPA
I love a black IPA and Manaia Craft Brewers do an absolute banger with their 7% Chalkys Hill. It’s rich/dark/creamy/nutty with hits of espresso meets subtle-citrus hoppiness – delicious! A brew for all seasons.
Sawmill BALTIC PORTER
If you have one dark beer this winter it should be this! Sawmill’s Baltic Porter is decadence — rich, dark chocolate/toffee meeting red
berries – it’s smooth, rich, and beautifully layered… a must!
McLeod’s Rustic Manor IPA
Rustic Manor from McLeod’s is a 6.5% IPA hopped up on Citra and
Amarillo. There’s plenty of danky citrus goin’ on here with additional passionfruit/melon hits, a great wash of bitterness and bready malt backbone tying it all together… crusha