While I’m not usually one to predict the future, there are certain beer trends that are growing in NZ and saw considerable action in the now finished Northern hemisphere summer. With that in mind lets have a look at what is likely to be on the beer menu for the up-coming sunny months.
If you can’t see through it, don’t worry. Hazy or Juicy beers have already started t
o make real inroads to the New Zealand beer scene, and if you read John Oszajca’s article back in the August edition of The Shout you will see what I’m talking about. The number of hazy New England Style IPA’s (or NEIPA’s) will only continue to blossom as the days lengthen.
Hot days, cold lagers. While hoppy full flavoured beers such as IPAs have driven much of the craft growth over the last 5 years, more and more we see the Classic Lager and Pilsner styles coming into some breweries range and old favorites such as Heineken and Steinlager are never far off from a kiwi BBQ. These styles are traditionally harder to brew well, so as new breweries improve their quality, more will come into market. Looking at the data, Lagers and Pilsners still make up 33% of supermarket and retail sales, so it’s no wonder breweries are looking to ensure they have a quality lager offering in their range.
Keeping with the lighter varieties we have seen the resurgence of the kölsch style, this beer is perfect for those wanting to bridge the gap between the 2 ends of the beer spectrum. The style historically from Cologne in Germany is a lager fermented with ale yeast. Perfect for those in search of something with a full flavour but crisp finish.
So as the days heat up, look out for some great drops to enjoy from something new or that old summer favourite
