We’ve asked the Pursuit of Hoppiness writers to come up with their top picks for the beers of the year. Between us the aim is to have exactly 100 beers.
TOP PICK: Parrotdog NZH-109 Bright IPA
Been an outstanding year for Parrotdog and amazing year brew-wise for NZH-109 — the breakthrough experimental hop. This Bright IPA with its greeny melon, zesty lime, resiny bitterness takes my No 1 spot.
Brave Brewing Helping Hands
My favourite fresh hop beer and one of the most beautiful beers I’ve tried, Helping Hands is a double NZ Pilsner and showcases everything great about NZ Pilsner as a style, crystal clear clarity, oily, greeny, danky passionfruit & grapefruit. Absolute class.
Canyon To Central With Love
One of the most dynamic and unique brews this year for me, this colab with Carrick wines and Garston Hops, utilises everything local including malt and yeast from thyme flowers. This vibrant wild ale has pops of red berries, blackcurrants aged in oak barrels just adding to the complexities and layering of this piquette style brew, a spectacular drop.
Mount Brewing La Black IPA
Love having a Black IPA in my top brews of the year, and La from Mount Brewing is an exemplary example — roasty toasty malts meets chocolatey goodness meets zesty citrus pops. Exceptional!
Altitude x One Drop Full Up
Full Up is an imperial stout featuring nine different malts. With chocolate-coated marshmallows and a short biscuit base, added notes of vanilla and red berry you an you have a decadent liquid dessert experience.
Beers Yuzu Lager
My fave lager of year comes from Beers Beers Beers in Christchurch with a 4.7% yuzu lager that’s built for summer drinking. Refreshing, crisp, lemony with a slap of tart bitterness and a drying finish. A must try.
McLeod’s Blackwatch Imperial Dark Ale
This is in a class of its own — espresso and dark chocolate provide earthy yet sweet tart components before a undercurrent of sweet caramel, it’s viscous and roasty and an absolute treasure.
Sawmill Hefeweizen
Genius move from the legends at Sawmill to put their Hefeweizen to sixers. Chock full of zesty lemony orangey goodness plus the traditional clove-banana profile of any great hefe, with some additional bubblegum vibes. A crusha of a brew.
Wise Owl Deezul Dust
My hazy of the year by some way. Hopped with Sabro, Riwaka, Nectaron and a late addition Nelson Sauvin Amplifire oil, the result is big coconut, ripe pineapple, tangerine, passionfruit. It’s prickly, tangy fresh with a slap of bitterness and a juicy finish. A thing of beauty.
Liberty Brewing God of War
My westy of the year was also the winner of The Malthouse West Coast IPA Challenge. Its punchy citrus and peach notes create a marmalade medley with a resiny oily mouthfeel, piney bitterness on a chewy sweet malt that ties it together.
8 Wired NZH-109 West Coast Pilsner
Another standout use of NZH-109 — oily passionfruit meets lime and weed with a zesty bitterness. Light, crispy, punchy on a lean malt base. Summer has arrived.