BREWERY // Small Gods is different kind of brewery. Matt Eats & Luke White spend a lot of time reading and discussing concepts, history, stories and flavour experiences. Inspiration comes from everywhere - be it a history book, a dessert, a scented candle, a myth or a drag performance. They share everything they know and are passionate about collaboration, working with (and learning from) not just brewers but creative people in any field. Producing very small batches that sell out fast, they're starting to become rather prolific with their releases.
WINEMAKER // Known Unknown is Jules van Costello who is on a mission to strip wine of any stuffiness and pretension to share fun, bright, approachable wine with people. His wines are natural and lo-fi, eschewing mechanical intervention and doing things the traditional way. The wines are fruit forward, pure and full of personality. Recently Known Unknown have also been making some excellent ciders using the same approach Jules take to wine. You can visit Known Unknown at the New Plymouth wine room.
BEER // This beer has been a long time in the making and comes from a friendship between brewers and a winemaker with similar approaches to their craft, taking inspiration from the world and culture around them. They set a date to brew and then discussed which grapes would be in peak condition at that time. A recipe was created to champion the unique character of Chardonnay grapes which were harvested at Petane Vineyard immediately before the brew - light, dry and bright. Agnostos Theos was fermented with grape juice and aged on the skins for a deep and satisfying character. On the nose it bursts with a bright floral Chardonnay bouquet rounded out with a moderate dose of vinious Nelson Sauvin hops. On the palate a spritzy carbonation and dry finish make this a complex and quaffable session beer. It's a super elegant, complex yet understated beer that goes very well with food. If you want to know why it's called Agnostos Theos, you'll need to watch Matt & Luke tell the story in the video below.
CREATORS // Small Gods & Known Unknown
BEER // Agnostos Theos
STYLE // Chardonnay Brut Sparkling Ale
ORIGIN // Taranaki
ABV // 5%
TEMPERATURE // Cold
FOOD MATCH // Grilled White Fish. Creamy Chicken Pot Pie. Cheddar on Toast w. Mustard
VESSEL // Wine Glass