BREWERY // In a scene reminiscent of a Sunday afternoon movie, Kiwi pals Tommy, Leighton, John & Mark were touring northern England with their brass band for an international brass band competition when inspiration struck. As they enjoyed a pint in Yorkshire's Dobcross Band & Social Club they noticed the community atmosphere of people enjoying good beer, games, music and company. At that moment they decided to create a similar club in Wellington. And, what's a club without good beer? Waitoa Social Club in Hataitai has a small brewery where they release a steady stream of beers to suit all tastes. The reputation of the beers quickly gained them a following and we're happy that they've started putting a few more beers into cans so those of us not lucky enough to live in Hataitai can enjoy them too.
BEER // What can we say about hazies that you don't already know? Probably not much considering the fact that Hazy IPAs are undoubtedly the biggest trend in craft beer right now. However hazies are not all created equal. Last year saw the Brewers guild introduce the Hazy & Juicy category and they saw a huge number of entries which makes it even more impressive that Waitoa took out the inaugural trophy with Afterglow, another beer from the same series. This style is all about showcasing the fruity side of hops with notes of citrus and tropical fruit at the forefront. The fruity hop character is backed up by a soft and rounded mouthfeel and smooth sweetness to the malt base. Firstlight is an NZ hopped example packed with Nectaron, Kōhatu, Motueka, Riwaka and Nelson Sauvin. This combo of hops brings a bright citrus and stonefruit note to the fore with flavours of sweet orange, ripe peaches. Make sure to check out the rest of the beers in this series, Afterglow, Highnoon and Twilight to experience how this base carries different hop expressions.
BREWERY // Waitoa
BEER // Firstlight
STYLE // Hazy IPA
ORIGIN // Wellington
ABV // 6.7%
TEMPERATURE // Cold - 7-9C
FOOD MATCH // Roast Lamb, Fresh Peas, Roast Potatoes, Peach Cobbler
VESSEL // IPA Glass