Hazy, hoppy, herbal? Whatever your preference, Capital has put together a handy guide to the best New Zealand beers – and we managed to feature three times!
Best in Class Category
The best in class selection is a truly great mix of beers and breweries selected by the 10 judges. There was keen competition to make it to the podium and the top six made it to The Six Pack.
Our Helles Jerry Rig made it in to The Six Pack where the judges had the following to say:
Zeelandt Brewery
Jerry Rig
Helles
Zeelandt Brewery is in sunny Hawkes Bay. It opened in 2012, and has been showcasing a range of beers with strong links to European brewing traditions. This beer is their example of a Munich Helles, an easy-drinking lager style.
Jerry Rig ticks all the boxes, being clean, with light bready and cereal malt characters and hints of fresh hay. Our judges thought it finished with slightly more bitterness than the traditional style but this made it eminently smashable. They suggested it should be released in six-packs for summer.
Dark Lager, Porter, Stout, and the variations Category
This category featured quite a range of dark beers, and ones that had a complexity to them that required repeat visits. This category also includes some special variations (a smoked lager, a saison, and a hefe) to keep your taste buds on their toes.
Our Black Monk Schwarzbier claimed a silver and our Worker’s Unite Saison claimed a bronze in this category. See below for the judges comments:
Zeelandt Brewery
Black Monk
Schwarzbier
Pouring with a soft red hue, this dark lager style Schwarzbie had aromas of bittersweet chocolate which followed through to the flavour. It was rounded and smooth on the palate with a subtle bitter finish.
Zeelandt Brewery
Worker’s Unite
Saison
This beer pours with a white, pillowy head, and has the spicy aromas you’d expect of the style. The flavour notes include banana and cloves. It’s spritzy and finishes dry.