Beer #97 - W/C 2 January 2017
BREWERY // The aptly named Sunshine Brewery is based in Gisborne and is the first to see the Sun making theirs a great choice for the first Beer Jerk beer 2016. When surfers Geoff Logan and Gerry Maude started brewing in 1989, most of the beer being drunk in New Zealand came from the virtual duopoly of Lion and DB. Gisborne Gold was their flagship beer, a 4% lager with Saaz and Green Bullet hops, and it quickly acquired a legion of fans launching a "craft beer revolution in Wellington" in the 1990s according to Michael Donaldson.
Geoff & Gerry sold the brewery in 2013 to an enthusiastic bunch of wine folk who have brought the brewery bang up to date. Brewer Chris Scott has started a barrel ageing programme which has already seen some critically acclaimed releases. Another innovation is 'New Release Thursday' where a single 50L keg of brand new beer is tapped each week. Recent releases have included a kettle soured feijoa lambic and a Belgian Golden Strong Ale dry hopped with lashings of Amarillo. Their brewery, bar and taproom is just a couple of blocks from Waikanae Beach, be sure to stop by when you pass through on your summer road trip.
BEER // Pipeline Pilsner was named after one of the brewer's favourite surf spots just down the road from the brewery. It is a classic pilsner amplified for the modern craft beer drinker with all New Zealand hops- Motueka, Riwaka and Nelson Sauvin. Pilsners and lagers aren't the go-to choice for beer enthusiasts and Pipeline is only the third to make it into the Beer Jerk selection (the last was Metropolis Lager from Speakeasy in September 2015) so you know it must be a little bit special. It is crisp, clean and dry as you'd expect from a world class pilsner and there is a good balance of bitterness and citrus hoppiness. This could be the perfect post-surf beer. Or you could have it after mowing the lawn if you're not lucky enough to live on Waikanae Beach.
Check out what brewer has to say about Pipeline here in the video they made especially for us...
BREWERY // Sunshine
BEER // Pipeline
STYLE // Pilsner
ORIGIN // Gisborne
ABV // 5%
HOPS // Motueka, Riwaka, Nelson Sauvin
TEMPERATURE // Cool/Cold - 7-10C
FOOD MATCH // BBQ Paua w. Garlic Butter. BBQ Haloumi & Broccoli. Butter Popcorn. Hotdogs. Tandoori. (OK- a good Pilsner basically goes with everything)
GLASS // Pilsner Glass