Beer #180 - W/C 6 August 2018
BREWERY // With views of Mt Tamahunga and a short hop from Omaha Beach, Sawmill Brewery's new home is an enviable location. Luckily for us, the brewery is also encompasses the beautifully designed 'Smoko Room' serving an inspired menu of local and seasonal produce alongside 14 different beers on tap. Sawmill started in 2004 and was thought by Kirsty McKay and Mike Sutherland in Spring 2010. They hadn't intended to buy a brewery - Mike was interested in learning about brewing so got in touch with founder Peter Freckleton to ask if he could spend a day with him in the brewery. Peter mentioned he was selling up and the rest is history. Environmental awareness is core to operations at Sawmill and they collected almost a million litres of water from their roof last year. They are constantly releasing small batch beers which are inspired by the seasons, local produce and historic beer styles.
BEER // We reckon that if you're only going to drink one beer a week, it had better be pretty special. Red IPA's (made well) have it all- bitterness, aromatic hops and malty caramel sweetness. The style is pretty new, having only been added to the Beer Judge Certification Program in 2015. The lines separating it from an American IPA and an American Amber can be somewhat blurred. Sawmill's beautifully balanced Red IPA fits the BJCP criteria for the style perfectly being fresh, bitter and hop-forward (like an American IPA) with a medium malt profile which compliments, rather than clashes with, the hops. It combines NZ & US hops which provide lots of orange citrus, pine characteristics with a blend of malts which give the beer a solid body with with some sweet biscuit-y, toffee notes.
BREWERY // Sawmill
BEER // Red IPA
ORIGIN // Matakana
ABV // 6.4%
TEMPERATURE // Cool. 7-11 C
FOOD MATCH // Blue cheese burger. Salt & vinegar crisps. Black Bean Soup. Oatmeal Cookies.
GLASS // IPA Glass