BREWERY // New Zealander Duncan Gibson & Australian Sam Hambour are winemakers and good friends who were both making wine in Central Otago when they got into brewing beer in their backyards. After many vintages behind them working in the great wine regions of the world, they decided to focus on creating great beers. They began by contract brewing in Melbourne in 2014 before buying Sawmill's old brewhouse the following year. They found their home in a beautiful old building in the youthful Melbourne suburb of Footscray and opened their doors in mid 2016. Despite their name, they're not only into hops. Their barrel aged Imperial Stouts are a wonder to behold and their Site Fermentation Project sees them fully embrace mixed fermentation and blending small batch beers with very limited releases.
BEER // As a dedicated Beer Jerk, you probably already know about the Reinheitsgebot-dodging 1,000 year-old tart, effervescent beer style made with coriander and salt. The style is named for the river Gose in Lower Saxony which historically provided local brewers with slightly salty water due to the high mineral content picked up as it flows through the Harz mountains. The style almost disappeared but has recently seen a big resurgence. The Punch is a traditional Gose packed with mango pulp which brings all the wondrously tart, juicy and sweet characteristics of that tropical fruit to the beer. Pink salt from the Murray River is added late in the boil which acts as a foil to the the fruit resulting in a super crisp and refreshing beer that is definitely best drink in the sunshine.
BREWERY // Hop Nation
BEER // The Punch
STYLE // Gose
ORIGIN // Warkworth
ABV // Cool - 9-12C
TEMPERATURE // Cool. 7-11C
FOOD MATCH // Bhel Puri. Kumara Chips. Shrimp Avocado Tostadas. Vanilla Cheesecake.
VESSEL // Weissbier Glass. White Wine Glass