BREWERY // Alibi is the sister of Waiheke Island's Tantalus vineyard and is a strong contender for most photogenically located brewery in NZ. Head brewer Bernard had a background in wine before he started work at Auckland's now defunct Governor Brewery. He fell in love with the creative possibilities of brewing and leapt at the chance to launch Alibi's small but perfectly formed brewery in 2017. As a small brewery with no canning line on faraway Waiheke Island, it's always a special treat to spot Alibi beers out in the wild. It's hard to keep up to all the awards they win but we can't remember the last competition or festival they were part of where they didn't win People's Choice. I have it on good authority we can expect lots more Alibi releases over the coming months and the Brewer's Lounge is open for the Summer.
BEER // In a World of IPAs... it's easy to overlook Pale Ales and how great they are. Pale Ales have come a long way since the style first became popular in 18th Century England. Those historic beers took their name from being novelly pale due to the use of coke (rather than wood) to roast the malt without darkening it. Pale Ales, such as the iconic flagship from Sierra Nevada, were at the forefront of the American craft beer revolution of the 1970s & 80s with the US versions increasing the alcohol and incorporating way more hops (fruity American ones rather than earthy, herbal English varieties). Sun Fog is a modern, hazy take on the style. It's made with a hefty amount of oats and wheat alongside the ale malt to give it plenty of body, a soft mouthfeel and no small amount of haze. Bitterness is relatively low as most of the hops were added at the end of the boil for maximum flavour and aroma from the American varieties. El Dorado is a relatively new hop which has notes of sweet peaches and fresh green apple. Citra is a highly coveted superstar of the hop world thanks to the grapefruit, citrus and tropical fruit flavours. Sun Fog is a beautifully balanced pale ale that we could drink again and again.
This beer was brewed especially for Beer Jerk and we still have a few cans in stock. Hit our online store if you'd like to grab some more.
BREWERY // Alibi
BEER // Sun Fog
STYLE // Pale Ale
ORIGIN // Waiheke Island
ABV // 5.5%
TEMPERATURE // Cool. Around 10C
FOOD MATCH // Sopa De Lima (Mexican Lime Soup). Scotch Egg. Cauliflower Tacos w. Cashew Crema. Thai Red Curry.
VESSEL // IPA Glass