Wanaka Beerworks' surprising seasonals
GEOFF GRIGGS
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It wasn't so long ago that Wanaka Beerworks was in a bit of a backwater. I don't mean geographically – although the attractive Central Otago lakeside town isn't exactly on the main road to anywhere – but more in terms of its beers and where the business was heading.
Although beer sales were at an all-time high when ex-pat Californian Dave Gillies, Beerworks' founder and long-serving brewer sold the business last year, the brewery's range comprised just three lagers – Brewski, Cardrona Gold and Tall Black.
As a relatively frequent visitor to the brewery in the past decade – my sister-in-law lives nearby – I remember several occasions when Dave told me his brewing philosophy was to keep things simple. He was certainly a man of his word, and for many years the three Wanaka beers were remarkably similar. All three were made with the same base grain (Gladfield pale lager malt from Dunsandel in Canterbury), the same hop variety (New Zealand Riwaka) and were fermented with the same lager yeast (a Californian strain).
How times have changed.
Last year Dave Gillies sold Beerworks and I was delighted when I met the new owners, Dave and Sue De Vylder, and they told me of their plans for a range of new seasonal beers. Given the couple also had a young child, I was also slightly concerned when Dave De Vylder, a Belgian born and trained brewer, and his Kiwi wife Sue told me they intended to supplement the existing range with a dozen new specialty beers in just 12 months. The beers were to be released three at a time, at three-monthly intervals.
However, since taking over the day-to-day brewing last July, the De Vylders have already experimented with a range of different yeasts and taken on trained chef Peter Holsworth as assistant brewer. And true to their word, the first three seasonal specialties for spring emerged last October.
Described as an old Flemish dark ale, Kauri was infused on chips of Kauri wood. The beer offered a combination of dry, roasty flavours and a hint of tannin from the wood. Billed as a honey dubbel, the second beer, Miere, was a potent golden ale made with an addition of manuka and clover honey. The beer was remarkably crisp and quenching, with suggestions of fruity hops and honey and a dry finish.
The third beer, Miners Galore, was described as a Swiss-style doppelbock infused with rosehip tea. I must admit I'd never heard of that style, but before coming to New Zealand Dave brewed in Switzerland so he should know! Anyway, the beer was fruity and soothing, with juicy sweet malt, tangy hops and a suggestion of rosewater.
All three beers were interesting, if a little surprising to those, myself included, who were expecting more Belgian-ness from a Belgian brewer. January 1 saw the release of Beerworks' summer seasonal trio.
Variations on the wheat beer theme and made with various combinations of fruit and spices, all three have a distinctly Belgian accent.
First up, and billed "a wheat-based cherry beer for the ladies with enough punch to please the gents too" (a description that's bound to rankle a proportion of the brewery's potential customers), Lady (5.5 per cent) is a pale wheat beer that was fermented with sour cherry juice. The beer pours a strawberry hue beneath a pillowy white head. Tart, with a seltzer-like effervescence, the beer has a suggestion of vanilla-like creaminess alongside the sour cherry note. Although the overall effect is tart and quenching, Dave has included an addition of stevia – an extract derived from a South American plant which is widely used as a natural sweetener – and this brings a hint of sweetness to the beer's tart finish.
Also spiced with coriander, Aoraki White (5.5 per cent) is the closest of the trio to a conventional Belgian white beer. Named after New Zealand's tallest mountain, which is always topped with a layer of snow, the beer also has a dense white head. The liquid underneath is a cloudy golden colour and the aroma is savoury and slightly mineral-like, with clove, vanilla and white pepper much in evidence. In the mouth it is tart and spritzy, with the same spiciness lingering on into a long, dry and quenching finish. A great beer to match with steamed mussels, Aoraki is also an excellent brunch partner for bacon and eggs.
Heading Beerworks' summer range for 2012 is Sir Walter (7.5 per cent) which is named after Susan's Swiss-born father, Walter Kiener. Made with a long list of ingredients that includes malted spelt (an ancient sibling of wheat), and rice flakes – both of which are highly fermentable – along with coriander and cardamom and New Zealand Pacifica hops, the beer's aroma offers a perfumey cocktail of fruit (mostly citrus), spice and sweet malt. The palate is notably dry and slender, with delicate earthy and creamy malt notes perfectly balanced by fruit and spice. The beer's comparatively high level of alcohol is deftly hidden.
Priced sensibly, at about $5.50 for a 330ml bottle, Wanaka Beerworks' seasonal beers aren't widely distributed, so if you can't track them down locally I suggest you try a specialist online retailer such as Regional Wines & Spirits (regionalwines.co.nz) or The Beer Store (beerstore.co.nz).
Failing that, the brewery's interesting website (wanakabeerworks.co.nz) offers six-packs containing two bottles of each of the three specialty beers for $25, or the regular lagers for $20 (prices include shipping within New Zealand). At the time of writing, the brewery also has small quantities of Kauri and Miners Galore available on request.
Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to my next trip to Wanaka in March.
Cheers!
- The Marlborough Express
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