Clayton Hops
Since it began with that outrageous 15% Hazy IPA, these seasonal mini-imperials in 250ml cans from Urbanaut have become one of my favorite series of beers.  Saison is a style that scales up comfortably, getting up around the 8% mark in the strongest examples, but a full 10% is not something I’ve never encountered before.  Big fruity esters adorn the nose, peach starburst lollies, delicate orange citrus, with coriander and white pepper adding some spice.  Sweet pithy citrus ahead of gently warming spice and a hint of ginger on the palate.  Remarkably medium-bodied considering the strength, with fairly low bitterness and a long complex finish.  An excellent drop, and a fine demonstration of how adaptable and robust the saison style is.

Clayton Hops Harvest Report

Clayton Hops, one of New Zealand’s leading hop growers, has just dropped their 2025 hop harvest report. Following on the heels of NZ Hops Ltd’s report the other week, this one again highlights a significant reduction in hop production in line with global trends....

Hop Flakes — Kiwi Invention Set To Revolutionise Hops

Hop flakes — a revolutionary breakthrough in hops processing — is being driven out of hop farm in Nelson using technology from the medicinal marijuana industry in the US. There’s been a wealth of hop innovations over recent years, from oils to cryo-hops, to...

Parrotdog Hatch New APA to Replace Falcon (R.I.P.)

Parrotdog made a real splash this week the launch of Raptor, an American Pale Ale that replaces their popular and award-winning Falcon APA. As a long-time lover of Falcon, I was curious as to why you'd swap out one APA for another (with an admittedly different flavour...

Altitude Brewing Scenic Route NZIPA

While fresh hop season is far from over, this week has provided something of a breather from the onslaught of new releases.  The perfect time to relax with a good, old fashioned NZIPA from Altitude Brewing (Queenstown), brewed with perfectly normal processed...

A Cabinet Of Curiosities

I first arrived in New Zealand in 2010 when the craft beer scene was gaining momentum but still a far cry from where we are today.  At the time, I loved the adventurous thrill of discovering new and small breweries like 8 Wired, Parrotdog, and Wanaka Beerworks...

Superdelic Defies Global Hop Downturn

Superdelic — the most recent commercial hop variety released by NZ Hops Ltd — is proving a winner, defying the global downturn in hop demand with the 2025 harvest completely sold out. Superdelic was released in 2023 and in its third full season there was three times...