Winners to watch
Donning his official ‘Chair of Judges’ badge, Michael Donaldson gives an inside look at results from the New World Beer & Cider Awards…
The New World Beer & Cider Awards are becoming something of a weathervane for the direction of our beer industry, as well as uncovering hidden gem breweries.
For example, four years ago the competition showcased Behemoth Lid Ripper Hazy IPA. It was slightly controversial when it came through judging as it was being assessed alongside “normal” IPA and didn’t quite fit the bill. But the judges are briefed to look for “drinkability” rather than perfect executions of style and they believed it was a great drinking experience.
Back then, not many people in New Zealand had heard of hazy beers, but now the category is unstoppable. So much so, that this year’s competition had a category specifically for hazy pale ales and IPAs. Pulling hazies out into a separate category acknowledges the massive growth in this style – with 100 entries they were second only to traditional pale ale in numbers.
Three years ago, Kaikoura’s Emporium Brewing, as another example, were struggling to recover from the big earthquake in their area but still managed to deliver an award-winning beer. They’ve been in the Top 30 each year since, and it’s fair to say that among beer geeks, this is now something of a cult brewery.
“‘Hazy plus Newcomer’ equalled Tekapo’s Burkes Brewing Co.”
This year, the equation of ‘Hazy plus Newcomer’ equalled Burkes Brewing Co. in Tekapo, which joined usual suspects Garage Project and Behemoth with one of the five hazies in the Top 30. Possibly New Zealand’s most remote brewery, Burkes Brewing’s #FakeNews IPA is absolutely stunning and easily stands proudly alongside a legendary beer like Garage Project Party & Bullsh*t, showing again that there are world-class but undiscovered breweries all around Aotearoa.
In terms of new trends this year, the awards were revolutionary in that they judged seltzers, alcoholic kombucha and alcoholic ginger beer for the first time, possibly for the first time anywhere in a formal judging arena. This new category of supermarket-compliant drinks is still in a development phase and it’s fair to say there’s some to work to do around the beer-based seltzers. By law these have to be made with malt, as opposed to spirit-based seltzers, which are not allowed to be sold in supermarkets. The only product from this category to make the Top 30 was Zeffer’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer and it’s an absolute delight, with lots of gentle heat from the ginger root.
It’s too early to say whether Urbanaut’s success in the 2021 competition will spark a renewed interest in “Brut” beers. This style was on-trend until it got swamped by hazies over the past couple of years.
Urbanaut had two in the Top 30: their Miami Brut Lager and Copacabana Brut IPA. Both are light and easy-drinking but with a great hoppy profile. And the lager is doubly innovative as it comes in a 250ml can – the perfect size for taking on a boat, mountain-biking trip or camping. I’m a long-time fan of this style for the almost airy mouthfeel. The IPA in particular bangs with flavour, but is not as heavy as traditional IPA, and certainly at the opposite end of the ballpark to a heavier, thicker hazy.
Brut beers are created using the same techniques to make low-carb beer (in fact, they are low carb – they just don’t market them that way, yet). But unlike low carb beers from big breweries, these are packed with flavour.
Urbanaut are one of the few breweries that have stuck to their guns with this style and Copacabana is now available in six-packs of 330ml cans, which tells you that people love it. Other breweries are now re-embracing the style and I expect to see a few more releases as consumers learn more about these beers.
The other category that surprised me – though it shouldn’t have – was the Sour, Barrel-Aged and Fruited category. These more esoteric beers are still niche and while only three made the Top 30, the number that were Highly Commended shows that this is a growing and improving area. I think many of the sours are slowly becoming less tart and less edgy, which suits the New Zealand palate. Deep Creek’s Aloha Guava Passionfruit Sour hit all the right buttons for me: just acidic enough to be refreshing and with a well-balanced fruit component that didn’t feel fake.
And it’s worth mentioning that Liberty Brewing from Helensville were the star turn this year with a remarkable three hoppy beers in the Top 30: Oh Brother Pale Ale, Knife Party IPA and Citra Double IPA. As New Zealand’s reigning champion brewery from the last NZ Beer Awards you could argue that they are this country’s current kings of hoppy beer.
Michael Donaldson is a Beer Writer of the Year, journalist and author
beernation.co.nz
