“We don't have
the resources nor the abilities to run our own brewery, so we make do with what
we have” says ‘8Wired’ brewer Søren Eriksen. A recipe using local ingredients, and
renting the kettle from neighbouring Renaissance brewery is all that’s needed to
craft his unique brews inspired with ingenuity in flavour. Now, that’s what I
call a crafty hoperation from this 2011 NZ brewer of the year!
Speaking of local,
one of 8’s main ingredients is the Nelson sauvin hop. Named after the Sauvignon
Blanc grape it has similar characteristics to the wine and imparts a strong tropical
fruitiness to 8’s ‘Saison Sauvin’. The saison beer is a style from Belgium,
brewed for thirsty farm workers who couldn’t drink the dodgy water, however ‘Saison
Sauvin’ ain’t no rehydrater at 7%! . The
brew has a somewhat cloudy mustard colour exactly like the label. Generating a
quickly dissolving head and little carbonation this fullish bodied brew reveals
notes of hops, pineapples, bananas and cloves, and just enough smooth
bitterness to offset any malty sweetness. And with the oncoming season to be
jolly, this would make a refreshing quenching festive and summertime BBQ brew.
Another 8Wired
sauvin hop dominated brew is their ‘Hop Wired IPA’ (Instant Pleasure Arousal). Clear golden brown with a
foamy white head. Wafts of a hop fruit bowl, medium to full bodied and booming hop
tangelo tang. Lingering bitterness and a
subtle finishing maltiness with just enough alcohol (7.3%) to ease the silly
season stresses.
If you want twice
as much pleasure then try the 'Super Conductor' Double IPA. Crack the bottle and
get hit with such a distinctive puff of fruity hops you’d almost expect hop
flowers on steroids to tumble out whilst pouring. Spawning a thick creamy white head atop a
slightly hazy orangy brown fluid. Instant mouth pucker as soon as the liquid
fills the mouth and then flavors of bitter dried apricots from this full bodied
brew. The finish is so dry you’d think
you’d just swallowed powdered hop flowers. Better to leave this 8.8% beauty for
later on in the evening when BBQing is done and you’ve adjourned to the couch
waiting for Santa to descend.
Stop the press!
Just released in time for Xmas is 8Wired ‘Semi-Conductor’ session IPA. Brewed
with a blend of American and NZ hops, this brew has a busload amount of flavor,
but unlike the aforementioned high alc brews, the ‘Semi-Conductor’ comes with
minimum regret at 4.4%. Come in for
lunch from the beach cricket then enjoy one (or two) of these effervescent hop
tangers, feel like you’re indulging a much more alcoholic brew. Get refreshed
and quenched with the citrusy hops, and then return to stumps without tripping
over every grain of sand on the beach, shamazing!
Sauvin, so there,
some great festive brews, all made with the devotion of some fence wire!
