A new all-American hopped West Coast IPA from Taupo’s Lakeman, with Amarillo, Citra and Zythos in the mix.  There’s lime and grapefruit up first on the nose, with a distinct Zythos’y tangerine note rising further back.  Remarkably focused grapefruit on the palate, with some pine and very faint passionfruit mixed in with the light and fresh malt base.  All good stuff, but the most striking thing about this 6.9 per cent IPA is the bitterness.  It kicks in right from the front of the palate, like chomping straight down on a grapefruit (skin and all), and it stays meshed with the citrus flavour right through to the finish.  Impactful, arresting and laser focused on its style.  One of the top IPAs I’ve tasted this year.

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...
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Fermented Culture — The Third Place

by | October 9, 2025 | Cover Story, 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...
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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...
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Knocking On (Ben) Heaven’s Door

by | October 8, 2025 | Cover Story | 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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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Isthmus 3D IPA Takes Top Award

by | August 25, 2025 | News | 0 Comments

Isthmus Brewing in Auckland have taken top spot at the annual New World Beer & Cider Awards with their 3D IPA. The awards, in their 10th year, feature some major changes with the Top 30 reduced to a Top 25, making it an ultra-competitive event. And this year,...
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Red Sea Conflict Drives Garage Project-Mikkeller Deal

by | August 12, 2025 | News | 0 Comments

The congoing conflict in the Red Sea is driving an unusual beer hook-up, with Garage Project brewing and distributing beer into Asia on behalf of Danish craft giant Mikkeller. Yemen's Houthi organisation, in reprisal for Israel's attacks on Gaza, are firing missiles...
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Brave Brewing — The Eye Of The Tiger

by | August 5, 2025 | Features | 0 Comments

Just days before Brave Brewing won the Champion Brewery crown at the New Zealand Beer Awards, founder-brewer Matt Smith was wondering aloud about “imposter syndrome”. Talking to the Third Pint Theory podcast, Matt said that despite more than a decade of professional...
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Brave Brewing Triumph At NZ Beer Awards

by | August 3, 2025 | News | 0 Comments

Brave Brewing and their cult IPA, Tigermilk, roared the loudest at last night's New Zealand Beer Awards in Christchurch. Brave Brewing, from Hastings, won a swag of trophies — with the most important being the title of overall Champion New Zealand Brewery. Moments...
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Guinness 0.0 Set for Wider Distribution in NZ

by | August 1, 2025 | Features | 0 Comments

Guinness 0.0 — the hard-to-get non-alcoholic version of Guinness — will become more widely available in New Zealand from later this year. Lion is the official brewing and distribution partner of Guinness in New Zealand but has not been able to get its hands on a...
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Mean As Win for Mean Doses in West Coast IPA Challenge

by | July 31, 2025 | Features | 0 Comments

Tiny Wellington brewery Mean Doses captured the 18th annual Malthouse West Coast IPA Challenge with their "no gimmicks" entry, The Scale of Mean. Mean Doses took out the coveted Golden Gumboots (gold spray paint, barely dried, as per tradition) last week — a big first...
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Ales On The Camino Trail

by | July 29, 2025 | Travel | 0 Comments

I’ve been a beer guy forever. I love the taste, the industry and the social connection of sharing a beer.  In the middle of Covid lockdown in Amsterdam in July 2020, I realised I didn’t love alcohol.  Well, that’s not the whole story — I didn’t like what I...
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