Small Gods X Zeelandt
BEER // Once upon a time all beers tasted a little smokey. Malted grains were kilned over wood fires until the introduction of smoke-less coke a century or two ago which meant maltsters could roast non-smokey pale malts and beers like Bitter and Pilsner were born. The brewers of Bamburg, Bavaria saw no need to change - they liked the wonderfully complex flavours imparted from beechwood smoke. And so did their customers. Brünhilde's Fate is an homage to those great brewers and Luke & Christopher chose to use another archaic practise by doing a decoction mash. That is basically a slow and laborious way of steadily heating the wort in steps to result in a beer with more layers of sweet complexity that compliment the smoke notes. It was then lagered (stored at a cold temperature) for an extended period to result in a flavour packed unique beer with a crisp dry finish that we'd be very happy to drink again and again. Aim for a large head when pouring - around 1/4 of the height of the glass is traditional to release optimal aroma as you drink.
COLLABORATOR // Brewing is in Christopher Barber's blood. His Hawke's Bay brewery, Zeelandt, opened in 2012 around 125 years after his great great grandfather opened a brewery near Christchurch. Christopher honed his skills working at St Austell Brewery in Cornwall before returning to New Zealand to brew at Hallertau. The brewery's name (pronounced zay-land) reflects the inspiration taken from classic European styles with a distinctly New Zealand twist. Their brewery bar is under construction and will be ready for you to visit in Summer.
BREWERIES // Zeelandt & Small Gods
BEER // Brünhilde's Fate
STYLE // Rauchbier
ORIGIN // Eskdale
ABV // 5.4%
TEMPERATURE // Cool - 7 - 8C
FOOD MATCH // Bamburg Onion. Beef & Cheddar Sandwich. Bean Chilli
VESSEL // Willi Becher Glass