Capital Magazine has again put together its guide for 2021 to the best New Zealand beers – and we managed to feature three times!
The Six Pack
These brews hit the judges for six out of six stars. From lean clean lagers to delectable sours, the top six is a refined, diverse mix selected by the judges.
Our Black Monk Schwarzbier made it in to The Six Pack where the judges had the following to say:
“Zeelandt Brewery opened in 2012 in sunny Hawkes Bay. Owner and Head Brewer Christopher is super talented and has been executing impressive traditional European styles. Schwarzbier, a dark German lager, pairs well with hearty spicy foods such as jambalaya or desserts such as candied ginger and pear cake or dark chocolate.
The judges raved about this beer. They thought it was true to style. It was clean and crisp and light-bodied but had a well-balanced roasty character with hints of chocolate and coffee, and had a light bitterness to it. They said they would happily drink a few of these, and fortunately for you, it comes in six packs”.
European Category
This broad category covers several different styles from traditional European beer countries. These beers exhibit brewing techniques developed over hundreds of years, which have laid the foundations for some of the New World beer styles we enjoy today. Belgian-style beers are known for their yeast character, reminiscent of clove and fruit, and for alcohol levels that are typically on the higher side. Whereas German-style beers are malt accented, which balances well with floral hops.
Our Jerry Rig Helles and our new Brünhilde’s Fate Rauchbier both claimed silver medals! See below for the judges comments:
Zeelandt Brewery
Jerry Rig
Helles
This beer had a light floral hop aroma and a white-bread-crust malt character to its flavour. It ended with soft carbonation and was well balanced. Although not quite to style, this was an enjoyable beer.
Zeelandt Brewery
Brunhilde’s Fate
Rauchbier – Smoked Lager
This beer has a nice smoky aroma, which was not overwhelming. The smokiness carried on the palate but ended with a clean finish. There were also hints of bitterness from the darker malts.