Two Queensland brewers, two entries in the NZ Hops Great Brew Challenge featuring Nectaron, but two rather different beers. From the north, Hemingway's have sent out Nectaron Hazy Pale, complete with welcoming pink bird on its pastel-shaded cans. It's beyond hazy and as creamy on the palate as it looks; imagine peaches and cream mixed with a whipped tropical curd – plus a little added bite – from the hops and you're in FNQ with them.
Working Title earned the Breakthrough Brewery tag in our Best New Queensland Beers Of 2021 feature, and here deliver another of their high ABV tallboy tinnies. Lost Valley is a "modern DIPA": pouring a deeper golden orange than its state mate, with a solid yet far from hefty haze. There’s a crushed biscuit cake base sweetness accompanying the overripe citrus and sweet, sticky stone fruit flavours. Perceived bitterness is on the low side and hints of the 8.5 percent ABV are present in what's a well-rounded, well, modern DIPA.
James Smith
You can read about other beers in the NZ Hops Great Brew Challenge here: Molly Rose and Sailors Grave, CoConspirators and Working Title, Uraidla and Mountain Culture, Range and Your Mates and Deeds and Six String.
Published January 14, 2022 2022-01-14 00:00:00
