One of the earliest releases (and one of my favorites) from the Volstead Brewing Company, the Riwaka Hazy  IPA (5.7 per cent ABV) has finally found its way into cans.  Explosively fruity nose of sharp passionfruit and tangy lemon sherbert, with some sweet grapefruit and rockmelon to be found further in.  More prickly lemon citrus leads the palate before a fountain of tropical juice that maintains lift and energy long into the finish, with a bitterness so mild as to almost go completely unnoticed.  However you might feel about the ‘Juice Bomb’ style of hazy, this is a beer that embodies it perfectly.

Wigram Mustang Pale Ale

Christchurch’s Wigram Brewery recently hosted an event to pay tribute to the late Paul Cooper, one of the founding fathers of New Zealand craft brewing.  It was a quiet afternoon, but the amount of living history (and a few living fossils) in that bar could have...

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...