BREWERIES // 8 Wired began on Christmas day when Søren Eriksen's future wife, Monique, gave him the gift of a Coopers malt extract brew kit. A few decent home-brews later, he decided to jack in his career in biochemistry and landed a job at at a brewery. A few years later they created a brewery of their own in beautiful Warkwork. A wide range of traditional and innovative styles are being constantly released by 8 Wired and their barrel ageing programme is one of the largest in our hemisphere with 7 huge foedres and hundreds of wooden barrels. Their brewpub & distillery in Matakana - 8 Wired Barrelworks - is a must-visit destination.
Auckland's Small Gods are dedicated to historical and experimental beers aiming to keep history alive by bringing these recipes and legends into the modern age. It was the name of Beer Jerk co-founders, Luke & Brent's, home brewery and it stuck when Matt joined the team and they decided to scale up. Inspiration for their beers comes from everywhere but especially cuisine, history and pushing boundaries of how beer can be experienced.
BEER // There was no shortage of cigarettes in the muddy trenches of Flanders during WW1 but matches were limited. Behind the barbed wire there was a superstition that it was death to be the third man on the match. When the first soldier lit his cigarette, the enemy would see the light; when the second soldier lit his, the enemy would hone their aim; and when the third soldier lit his cigarette from the match, the enemy would fire. This Belgian Amber Ale is a collaborative brew by expatriate friends from across Europe, it's a modern take on a classic style. With dates and palm sugar added for extra complexity and depth of flavour. Ambers are the middle ground of Belgian beer - more challenging than a lager but easier drinking than a Tripel or foeder aged sour. Three On A Match has a lovely biscuity base with caramel honey notes from the malt topped off with dried fruit and spice character from the unique yeast strain.
BREWERIES // 8 Wired & Small Gods
BEER // Three On A Match
STYLE // Belgian Amber Ale
ORIGIN // Auckland
ABV // 7%
TEMPERATURE // Cool. Around 12C
FOOD MATCH // Onion Bhaji burger. Cabbage & Pork Sausages. Chips & Mayo
VESSEL // Goblet. Tulip