Champion Brewer’s Secret Ingredient

The NZ Beer Guild 2014 Brewer of the year, Martin Townshend, has an uncanny ability to hit the spot. This feral, I mean fella, (he is from Upper Moutere you know!) has won more brewing awards than the All Blacks first five selection.  Could his success be from the fresh access to that green leafy herb with heads that are so popular around that region (I’m talking hops, not weed!)? Or is it from the life blood of beer, water?

Something that is unique to Moutere besides Townshend, is that the water used to produce the beer is drawn through an aquifer. Similar to the low mineral Czech water that produces the famous Pilsners and the rich mineral Burton-on-Trent water that produces the famous Abbey ales, the Moutere aquifer produces the award winning Townshend thirst quenchers.

Here’s some sessionable summer sizzlers suitable for chillaxing.

JCIPA, 5.5%; A sharp, crisp lagerish tasting IPA, whose character has satisfying thirst quenching qualities rather than outlandish hop flavours. In fact it’s quite laid back on hops for an IPA so consequently unveils a subtle sweet malt finish. This easy drinking brew would be a great introduction to any IPA hopaphobics willing to digress from their lager love.

Aotearoa Pale Ale, 5%; Gotta love sticking your beak into the beer glass and inhaling magnificent wafts of tropical hops whilst quaffing this brew.  Tastes of passionfruit hops, from start to finish, then a long dry cloud of peachy aftertaste. Packs the most bang for buck flavour of any sessionable ale.

Tie Break Summer Ale, 5.2%; my first taste of this was of instant relief that this brew wasn’t one of those namby pamby, soapy lemon tasting with a flowery herb note ‘summer brew’. Instead this surprisingly tasted of tart passionfruits and earthy grassy hops with a sharp almost hot lingering bitterness that keeps you pining for more. Loosen off your tie, take a break and enjoy this pearller.

With water making up 90% of beer which is more than PowerAde, I know which I prefer to rehydrate with?

Denis ‘fins up’ Cooper