BREWERY // As the owners of a successful Christchurch homebrew shop, it seemed a natural progression for Paul & Laura Finney to launch Emporium Brewing in 2015. Initially they contract brewed beers but they soon started the search for a site of their own. They discovered the perfect spot in Kaikoura just metres from the ocean. It had the added bonus of a (rather overgrown) mini golf course on the property which they lovingly renovated as well as setting up escape rooms. And five weeks after they opened their doors the big earthquake hit. Emporium beers can be hard to find outside of Kaikoura so we recommend grabbing them whenever you spot them - especially their seasonal, wild fermented and barrel aged beers. Of course, the best place to find Emporium beers is to pop in and see Finney himself and get a flagon filled at the brewery taproom. And the best time to visit is early March when they host a mini beer festival with fellow local brewers - Kegkoura. We'll see you there next year.
BEER // Saison is an almost-impossible-to-define farmhouse ale which was first brewed in the farmhouses of Wallonia (the French-speaking region of Belgium) during the cooler months and drunk throughout Summertime. In the Middle Ages, Saisons would slake the thirst of Wallonian farm labourers who drank around 5 litres of the relatively low abv beer (those historic ales would have been around 3%) per day. Rapscallion is a distinctly modern take on the style with ramped up abv and a big dose of Nelson Sauvin & Enigma dry hopping. It has a light malt base which allows the yeast and hops to shine. The Saison yeast gives the beer a dry finish and spicy, peppery flavour notes. It's softly carbonated with a pillowy head, medium body and it's beautifully refreshing. The heavy hopping introduces another layer of aroma and flavour with tropical fruits and white grape nuances.
You can stock up on more Rapscallion from our webshop.
BREWERY // Emporium
BEER // Rapscallion
STYLE // Saison
ORIGIN // Kaikoura
ABV // 6%
TEMPERATURE // Cellar temperature (around 12C)
FOOD MATCH // Roast chicken with garlic & herbs, Bouillabaisse (french fish stew), Grilled red meat, Pad Thai, Shawarma, creamy/bloomy-rind cheeses
VESSEL // Nonic Pint, Tulip, oversized wine glass