In December, Natalie wrote a great article about drinking “Golden Boy”, a tasty micro brew created by the Wellington based Yeastie Boys. Stu, the brewmaster, lives in Wellington and Natalie and I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Stu, over a couple of beers of course, and ask him a few questions.

New Zealand has a lot of small breweries and everyone appears to have a different favorite beer. Some beer drinkers are very excited about micro beers while others swear by their favorite mass produced macrobrews. What is the largest difference between macrobrews and microbrews? Why should I spend extra money on a micro brew?

You should spend the extra money on microbrewed beer simply because it tastes better.  If you are not dinking beer for the taste, then ask yourself why you are drinking it. 

Microbrewers are like great chefs in that they heave learnt the science and processes of brewing but approach the brewing with artisanal intent (hence the term “Craft Beer”).  The result, whether it is subtle or outrageous, is a unique flavor explosion.  Brewers of macrobrews know and follow the science and processes of beer making well.  Sometimes their beers can be really good but mostly they are like franchised food, consistently bland.

Microbreweries and their staff are also a valuable part of local communities.  Visit a local brewery or a bar stocking local beer and ask someone what else you can do in the town, you’ll be inundated with ideas.  Ask the same at a national chain, stocking national brands, and you’re likely be met with the blank response of someone who hasn’t been given a process to deal with this situation.

All New Zealand beer is unique to most overseas travelers and telling the difference between good beer and “so so” beer can be a real challenge. For newly arrived travelers what is a good way to find and sample quality New Zealand beer?

It’s a hard road to finding great beer here in New Zealand (just like it is in almost every other country in the world).  The longer you stay, the easier it becomes.  The internet is a valuable tool, as is the advice of locals.  The craft beer community is small and quite collaborative, so if you find one place with good beer they will almost certainly be able to pass on the names and directions to other great places… then your journey is underway.

If good craft beer is a “must’ on your trip to New Zealand, then the best advice I could give to a anyone is to check www.ratebeer.com for a list of great kiwi beers and then to post some questions to the forums at www.realbeer.co.nz about where to find these beers (and for any others that are still creeping under the radar).  The Society of Beer Advocates (www.soba.org.nz) is a beer consumer group with plenty of information and links to other beer friendly places.

Kiwis are very proud and very passionate about their beer. Are New Zealand brewers simply recreating recipes from Europe and North America or is this a period of innovation and experimentation that is creating new recipes and tastes?  What make New Zealand beer different than other beers around the world?

Yes and no.  Craft brewing in New Zealand is still very much in its adolescence.  It has, of course, been strongly influenced by brewing styles from around the world – firstly by British ales and German lagers, and more subsequently by hoppy American “west coast” ales – but it is starting to develop a personality of its own.  Our brewers are influencing each other as much as following the direction of their overseas peers.

In the last few years New Zealand has started to become well known for its unique hop terroir.  Pine and fruit descriptors are common, much like American craft ales, but the fruit in our hops is more commonly described as tropical fruits (as opposed to the ‘citrus’ associated with American hops).  I note strong herbal and spicy influences in much of our hops too, which may well stem from the fact that many of the prominent NZ hops are originally of central European origin (Germany and Czech Republic).  NZ hops, though still unknown in the wider world, are beginning to be exported to many of the leading lights of innovation in the brewing world.

We are also now seeing the infancy (or perhaps gestation) of a unique NZ malted barley terroir.  This industry is very much in its early days, and still has a lot of room for development and expansion, but I see it developing a lot in the next few decades.  Craft brewers were mostly using UK and German grown and malted barley and wheat for many years but are now slowly moving over towards New Zealand malt.

Every country has a different tasting room culture. Some tasting rooms are very formal almost like a stuffy wine bar, while others are quite informal. What should a traveler look for in a tasting room experience and what type of behavior should be avoided?

New Zealanders, especially in the metropolitan areas, are a pretty liberal bunch and will tolerate most behavior as long as it does not encroach on them.  We don’t mind if you want to drink wine or a macrobrewed beer (wink, wink).  Our bars generally don’t set concrete dress codes like they may have ten or fifteen years ago – and they certainly don’t expect you to wear a collar and tie into any restaurants, bars or clubs.

Bars serving craft beer vary from upmarket restaurant bars (even fancier than D4 where I met you guys the other day) to cafe-style bars or traditional “public bars”. I’m as comfortable at the formal end as the informal end, it all depends on my mood and the occasion.  Look for whatever you prefer in a bar, and where you feel comfortable.  Most craft beer drinkers are at the more open-minded end of the spectrum.

As a New Zealand beer expert, if a traveler could only sample 3 beers in New Zealand, which ones should they try and where would you get them?

This sort of question is always difficult as I’m the person that very rarely drinks the same beer on two different days in the same month.  I’m always looking for that perfect beer and enjoy the journey and the people I meet along the way. But, in saying all that, here goes:

Emerson’s Pilsner: The classic example of the new world style of “NZ Pilsner’ that has developed from our unique hop terroir.  Don’t expect a classic German or Bohemian style Pilsner from our beers.  Think of the classic interpretations with a fruity hop character more akin to an American Pale Ale (or New Zealand’s world famous Sauvignon Blanc!).

Moa Original (red label): Refermented in the bottle in the méthode traditionelle style that champagne is famous for. Floral and spicy, dry, bitter and complex. Extremely unique and an excellent apertif.

Renaissance Elemental Porter: A black hole of a beer – substantially malty with a complex array of fruity esters and hop flavor, and characterful roasty bittersweet finish.  It is much like, and goes well with, the very best dark chocolate or excellent espresso.

Brewery websites usually contain a section on where their beers are available.  These beers are generally available in New World supermarkets across the country.  The distribution information at www.ratebeer.com will help as well (it can be found in the header section of each beer).

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