Beer #347 - W/C 11 October 2021
BREWERY // In 2012 there were no breweries in Queenstown so local Eliott Menzies spotted an opportunity. At the time he was working for a winery and had been getting more serious about home brewing for years with praise being heaped on his beers by all who sampled them. He started out contract brewing his recipes at a Christchurch brewery for sale in the Queenstown market before finding a permanent site. A couple of years later, he was joined by business partner with perfectly complimentary skills, Eddie Gapper, who had formerly worked in advertising. Fast forward a few years and Altitude's brewery sits at Frankton Marina a short bike ride from Queenstown on the edge of Lake Wakatipu beneath the Remarkables with one of the best taproom views in the world. They mainly use local ingredients and have a close relationship with a local hop farm. Core to the Altitude ethos is the the environment and spirit of adventure which fits in nicely with the '1% for the Wakatipu' scheme with donations being made to local outdoor causes and the environment.
BEER // At the heart of a great brewpub lies a great Pale Ale so the Altitude team did not take the task of creating a house Pale lightly. They embarked upon a the Aurora Trial, releasing and honing multiple beers before settling on the recipe for Southern Lights. The name is taken from the magical natural phenomenon of solar particles colliding with our atmosphere to create a celestial light show. This Pale Ale is very nicely balanced - hoppy aroma and a crisp bitter finish without being a full-on assault on the palate. With a smooth rounded body, it is light enough to that you could sink a few but interesting enough that you won't get bored. As we daydream of inter-regional travel, we're reminiscing of the good times spent drinking this beer at the brewery overlooking the lake and are looking forward to a time we can do it again.
BREWERY // Altitude
BEER // Southern Lights
STYLE // Pale Ale
ORIGIN // Queenstown
ABV // 4.8%
TEMPERATURE // Cool around 8C
FOOD MATCH // Vegetable Steamed Dumplings. Vintage Cheddar. Lemon pepper chicken.
VESSEL // IPA Glass