moa sultana IPA

This is part of Moa’s ongoing series of single hopped IPAs.  The hop this time around is a recent American variety that started life as the experimental X06277 before being commercially released as Sultana towards the end of 2019.  As hops go it’s a new one for me, so I’ve gotten lucky being able to try it on its own.  The up-front aroma has HUGE citrus oil, like crushing fresh grapefruit peel right in front of your nose.  Behind that there’s fresh pineapple and a streak of sticky pine resin, but really that nose is all about the grapefruit.  The citrus is less outrageous on the tongue, still out in front but giving the more subtle tropical mango, melon and pine notes some room to move.  The malt body is on the lighter side of medium for  6.0% abv, which gives the bitterness lots of space to charge in on the end of the palate and really hit hard.  A lighter bodied and absolutely hop forward IPA, the perfect beer to really show off what a hop can do on its own.

Two Thumb SMASH IPA Series #1

From Christchurch City’s Two Thumb Brewing Company, S.M.A.S.H (single malt and single hop) is the first release in a new series of IPAs featuring a single malt paired with a similarly singular hop. Version one (5.5%) is an all-Canterbury duo, combining Gladfield...

Farewell To A Brewing Legend — Paul ‘Coops’ Cooper

Before the internet, before Google, YouTube and AI, and before craft beer became a global movement, there was Richard "Paul" Cooper — or as everyone in the brewing world knew him, “Coops”. A scientist, engineer, brewer, and all-round innovator, Coops was among the...

Brothers Beer Mad Science #2 IPA

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...

Competition Watchdog Blocks Kegstar’s Acquisition of Konvoy

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...

Boneface Brewing Deadlift Double IPA

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...

Thief Brewing Frog Wallop IPA

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...