8 Wired "Tall Poppy" India Red Ale - New Zealand (ABV 7%)

8 Wired are remarkable in always producing beers I enjoy and "Tall Poppy" is no exception.
It poured a lovely ruby colour with a darkish tan head, the aroma was mostly fruity hop very reminiscent of an IPA.

8 Wired use 4 different Hops (Warrior, Columbus, Simcoe and Amarillo) and 4 different Malts (including Wheat Malt) to brew this beer. It has a maltier taste than the excellent "Hopwired IPA" and even has a hint of sour on the palate.

A very good beer but I did prefer "Hopwired".

Yeastie Boys "Pot Kettle Black" - New Zealand (ABV 6%)

I bought this thinking it was a Black IPA but it turns out to be more a quite hoppy Porter.

Lots of toasted notes on the nose, a distinctively roasted chocolate malt flavour and just the slightest hint of piney hop. Many of Black IPA's have a citrus or fuity hop taste to go along with the toasted malt, the hopping in "Pot Kettle Black" is much more subtle.

A nice porter that would make an excellent winter beverage.

Epic Hop Zombie Double IPA - New Zealand (ABV 8.5%)

Epic's "Hop Zombie" is a very popular Double IPA and is regarded as an excellent beer.
I tasted this one back to back (on successive evenings)with another NZ classic 8 Wired's "Super Conductor".

The Hop Zombie is a much more refined beer, it is not cloudy like the "Super Conductor" and lacks that beers extreme bitter finish. It is a very hoppy beer, however the aroma is not as intense as that from "Super Conductor".

Epic use 4 different hops to brew this beer (2 from NZ and 2 US varieties), they do not specify which hops they use. They also use 2 different Malts in brewing this beer (Pale Ale & Pilsener).

Hop Zombie is a very hoppy, yet nicely balanced Double IPA that deserves it's excellent reputation. Personally I preferred the less refined raw "Super Conductor".

8 Wired Super Conductor Double IPA - New Zealand (8.8% ABV)

The warning on the label says it all, "if you don't like hops, don't buy this beer". Pouring into the tulip this "Super Conductor" has a fantastic tropical fruit hop aroma.

This Double IPA has loads of pine & tropical fruit flavour but also has an intensely bitter finish. I love this particular style with the initial hint of sweet fruitiness followed by a crisp bitter finish. The malts used (Golden Promise, Pilsner, Caramalt, Pale Crystal) add  body to this beer and I suspect contribute to the initial hint of sweetness. This beer is more about the hops, the brewer promises that this is packed with both US & NZ hops. I suspect it contains both my NZ favorites Motueka & Nelson Sauvin together with other hop varieties.

The warning label is there for a reason, this is a powerful beer, loaded with hops and with a puckeringly bitter finish. Another awesome Kiwi classic craft brew.

8 Wired Fresh Hopwired- New Zealand (ABV 7.3%)

This is the second fresh hopped IPA, brewed with New Zealand's finest hops, that I have tasted in two days. For me this one is hoppier and for my palate better.

This beer is brewed in two batches, first with fresh "wet" Motueka hops and then after two weeks another batch with the later ripening "Nelson Sauvin" hops. The two brews are then blended to create this finished product.

8 Wired are known for their fabulous "Hopwired" IPA and this "fresh" version is even more special. This IPA has a much more tropical hop flavour than the "Sierra Nevada Southern Harvest" tasted last night. It has a citrus aroma and a hint of passion fruit. The first mouthful has a bitter finish but the sweetness of this beer becomes more pronounced further into the glass.

It pours a slightly darker amber than "Southern Harvest" but still has a beige chunky head and good lacing.

I feel very lucky to have tasted two excellent fresh hopped IPA's in two days.

8 Wired "Saison Sauvin" - New Zealand (7%ABV)

I bought two of these just to make sure I really did like it, I did!

This has not really been brewed as a traditional Saison, it has extra malt (more alcohol) and a fabulous loading of Nelson Sauvin hops. It pours a hazy (bottle conditioned) darkish amber colour with a healthy head. The head has a true "Saison" character with loads of little champagne like bubbles. I think these have been helped along by the traditional French Saison yeast and a bit of bottle conditioning.

This beer has an enticing Nelson Sauvin hop aroma with a hint of funky yeast and a lovely hop flavour. Refreshing and quite easy to drink, I would not guess this had a 7% alcohol content.

Yeastie Boys Digital IPA - New Zealand (ABV 7%)

I think my beer photography may be improving, well at least the "light & colour" aspect of it. This beer was an amazing bright orange amber colour, the photo nearly does it justice. I think the colour may come from the Thomas Fawcett Golden Promise malt, but I am just guessing.

This limited release IPA is brewed largely with New Zealand's own versatile  Motueka Hops together with some Cascade & Nelson Sauvin hops.  Magnificent fruity hop aroma, lots of citrus & tropical fruit on the nose. Some malt sweetness, followed by tropical fruit and a nicely balanced hop finish.

I tried this as a pre dinner aperitif (by the pool) , even with its 7% ABV I found this a pleasant & refreshing IPA.

Two Tasty Kiwis

First up is Harringtons Belgium Tempest
This is supposedly a "saison" inspired beer, Saison's (seasonal ales) were brewed in the autumn or winter to quench the thirst of farm workers during summer harvest. Traditionally strongly hopped to preserve the beer.
This beer is brewed with Nelson hops but is not an overly hop flavoured beer. It does have a pleasant maltiness and distinct almost "spicy" flavouring I suspect from yeast esters. Nice golden colour with a medium head. All in all quite a nice beer.

SCORE 3.8

Next is the much anticipated Epic Armageddon IPA

This is a very tasty, very hoppy but most enjoyable IPA. Lovely amber colour with a big long lasting head. The hops aroma is evident on pouring and the taste is not surprisingly of hops.

Brewed with English pale ale malt & caramalt together with American Cascade, Centennial, Columbas and Simcoe hops. This is the strongly flavoured kind of beer that I love drinking. I will most definitely buy again.

SCORE 4.5

Mac's Hop Rocker Pilsener - New Zealand

I bought a six pack of this beer from on a recommendation from the shop assistant at one of my favorite beer shops. Relatively in-expensive, interesting bottle with a neck that looks like rope around a bollard (Mac's is a nautical brewery) and a throw back to the eighties ring pull cap! It tastes just as good from the bottle as it does poured into a glass.

Lovely golden colour with a nice frothy head.
The Nelson Sauvin & Cascade hops give this a pleasant citrus hop aroma. Malt taste is also evident with no real hoppy bitter finish.
This is unusual yet refreshing "Pilsener". Relatively inexpensive for an imported tasty beer so I will buy it again. It will be a perfect spring beer.


SCORE 4.0

Renaissance Discovery American Pale Ale - New Zealand

Marlborough has a big reputation for its Sauvignon Blanc wines. This Pale Ale has been brewed in Marlborough, New Zealand, by an American brewer.

It does not have the "in your face" hoppiness and bitter finish of the American Brewed IPA's I have tasted, this may be a result of the local Nelson, New Zealand, grown hops.


This Ale poured a beautiful golden colour and has a lovely hop aroma. It has a lovely malted sweetness and pleasant hop flavour without a bitter finish.

The brewer recommmends this Ale as "a tasty quaffer" best enjoyed with Thai or Mexican food, I cant argue with that!

SCORE 3.8

Renaissance Brewing New Zealand