Beer is a big deal in New Zealand and even as we drink less, its contribution to our economy grows. Simon Day spoke to the Brewers Association’s Dylan Firth about the industry’s growth. New Zealand loves beer – it’s been a constant and colourful part of our colonial history since the arrival of Captain Cook. The … Read more
Two beer experts share their tips for making the most of your brew, from how to store your bottles to the best kind of glasses to use. Too many of us aren’t treating our beer with the love, care and attention it deserves. It starts with the lack of respect we often have for beer, … Read more
How much do you really know about the beer you’re holding – and how it’s different to the one your mate is drinking? Elevate your Christmas party chat with the Spinoff’s guide to beer varieties. Standing in the chilled beer fridge at your local liquor store, the cold air carries a tinge of anxiety as … Read more
The Spinoff asks the experts for tips on what food to match with your beer. For millennia beer was the second-class cousin of wine. Whenever people were invited over for dinner, wine would be rolled out from the rack. A fruity Spanish something to accompany the chicken marbella, a Chianti to go with the spag … Read more
Five women talk about challenging stereotypes in New Zealand’s ever-evolving beer scene. When Nicola Kay started her first brewing job, there were no women’s toilets. There had never been the need. It was the early 2000s, and Kay was working for Lion in Sydney. She’d been running the tasting panels at Lion New Zealand, then … Read more
Put them together and malt, water, hops and yeast creates something beautiful. Henry Oliver looks inside his beer, and discovers it’s really quite simple. In some ways, buying beer is more complicated than ever. What seemed like a simple choice in the past – basically: lager, ale or something fancy-sounding – is now complicated by … Read more