Michael Donaldson reflects on a stand-out year for the New World Beer & Cider Awards...

It seems like every year there’s a better, more diverse selection of styles in the New World Beer & Cider Awards Top 30 – and the 10th edition stands out.

The Top 30 features established and popular craft brands such as Garage Project, Parrotdog, Emerson’s, Panhead, 8 Wired, McLeod’s, Epic, Sprig + Fern, Bach, and Brave. And then there are the fast-moving up-and-comers like Lakeman, Mount Brewing, Three Sisters and Beer Baroness who are all becoming regulars at the top table.

Plus, there are a couple of stone-cold craft legends: Hallertau and Brew Moon, who have been around for decades but are stepping up to the Top 30 with impeccably made hazies.

Speaking of classics, the much-loved Steinlager Classic features in the Top 30 for the first time. In the past it’s included a number of Steinlager variants, such as Pure and Tokyo Dry, but this is the first time Classic has made it. Pretty good for a beer that’s nearly 70 years old.

Every year, there’s a smaller brewery showcasing the depth of quality around New Zealand and this year it’s Wanaka’s b.effect with their Social Experiment #22 IPA, a single-hopped IPA with Mosaic.

In the cider category, it’s more business as usual with Peckham’s, Morningcider, and Zeffer – three of the best brands in the country again showcasing their skills. It’s particularly pleasing to see Peckham’s back in the winner’s circle under new ownership after Jody and Lois Scott took over last year following the death of founder Alex Peckham.

And there’s a special shout-out to Emerson’s, which has four beers in the Top 30, including their original brew, London Porter, as well as the low carb Super Quench, Reverb NZ IPA and massive crowd-pleaser Mexicoco, the 9.3% chilli chocolate porter.

There’s an equal hat-tip to Taupo’s Lakeman. Not only did their Primate Pilsner return after being last year’s Supreme Winner, but they delivered two of the three pale ales with Taupo Thunder and Big Hairy.

The variety of beers and ciders in this year’s Top 30 is phenomenal. Reflecting the massive growth in the “lifestyle” category there are two low carb beers with Emerson’s Super Quench and 8 Wired’s Lo-Fi Raspberry Sour Ale, and three non-alcoholic offerings (Bach All Day IPA, Epic Super Zero and Zeffer Passionfruit 0%) and all taste fantastic.

On top of the many hoppy IPAs, hazies, pale ales and pilsners, there’s a wonderful array of quirky and classical styles too. The most outrageous is Garage Project’s Pickle Beer, which will certainly pique a few palates. Three Sisters Wild One, made with the unique New Zealand Wilding yeast, shows how much flavour you can pack in to 3.2% when the yeast is a great part of the flavour profile.

Muito Bom from Mount Brewing is a Belgian Witbier with extra lemon and grapefruit zest on top of the usual orange, while ginger complements the traditional coriander seed. And Sprig + Fern’s G.O.A.T lives up to its name as the ‘greatest of all time’ when it comes to Kiwi-brewed doppelbocks.

In terms of greats, kudos to Brave Brewing’s Terrible Lizards and McLeod’s Longboarder Lager – they both doubled down on trophies won at last year’s NZ Beer Awards, proving they are objectively the best of their style in the country
right now.

Last, but by no means least, is the Supreme Champion: Desperate Glory – a barrel-aged Belgian Amber Ale from 8 Wired and Auckland brewery Small Gods that’s been dosed with Chinese Keemun black tea, adding a light smoky flavour. It’s spectacular, complex, and delicious.

Michael Donaldson is a Beer Writer of the Year, journalist and author

beernation.co.nz