Beer Necessities tasting session: IPA, Belgian, and Scotch

Featured in Capital #73
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Best in class 2020

Session Ale, Lager, and New Zealand Pilsner

Dark Lager, Porter, Stout, and the variations

XPA, Hazy Pale Ale, Hazy IPA, and Pale Ale

Offering spades of character, bitterness and aroma, these beers also share a malty backbone.

Emerson’s Brewery
American Graffiti
US IPA

The beer poured bright copper and had a strong orange aroma. There was malt sweetness, citrus, and tropical fruit flavour with a delightful sherbet tang.

emersons.co.nz

Emerson’s Brewery
Bird Dog
US IPA

This beer poured golden orange with orange, tangelo, and pine on the aroma. There were brown sugar malt and citrus pith flavours, and a moreish bitter finish.

emersons.co.nz

Abandoned Brewery
Abandoned Red IPA
Red IPA

This beer had a dark copper colour, zesty orange aromas, and a jaffa-like orange and chocolate flavour. It was well-balanced with a dry finish, and highly drinkable.

abandonedbrewery.nz

Fortune Favours
The Wellingtonian
NZ IPA

There were pineapple and pine needles on the aroma of this beer. It combined light, sweet malts and juicy hop flavours to make it well-balanced and refreshingly drinkable.

fortunefavours.beer

Mean Doses Brewery
Mean Red IPA
Red IPA

Pouring with a delightful red hue, this beer had citrus aromas and flavours that combined with sweet toffee malt characters. It had a subtly sweet finish.

meandoses.co.nz

Mean Doses Brewery
Mean IPA
NZ IPA

This was a light coloured and bodied, easy-drinking IPA, with a dry bitter finish. There were aromas of gooseberries, and citrus characters on the aroma and in the flavour.

meandoses.co.nz

Tuatara Brewery
Conviction
Belgian Tripel

This beer poured clear, with cloves and hints of green banana and bubble gum on the aroma and a light spicy flavour. It had a rich mouthfeel and hints of booziness without being overpowering.

tuatarabrewing.co.nz

Renaissance Brewery
Stonecutter
Scotch Ale

This classic was tasting in fine form. It poured deep red-brown with a thick head. There were biscuit and toffee aromas, that carried through to toffee and caramel flavours and a nice balanced finish.

renaissancebrewing.co.nz

Sprig and Fern Brewery
Scotch Ale
Scotch Ale

Smoky notes defined the aroma and flavour of this beer. Underneath, there was a toffee sweetness and hints of toast. There was a light sweetness on the palate but the beer finished dry.

sprigandfern.co.nz