Revel Brewing NZ Pilsner

The labels for Revel's entry into GABS' early 2023 mixed packs showed a hiker admiring a vista of lakes and mountains, courtesy of illustrator Matt Vergotis. Said adventurer would appear to be in the South Island of New Zealand on the hunt for the Kiwi hop varieties that give the beer than called New World Pilsner much of its appeal.

Revel know their way around a lager and here the ingot gold beer – since renamed NZ Pilsner and given a new look too – provides a clean base for subtle tropi-citrus-stonefruit aromas and flavours (yes, that's a bit of almost every fruit found in modern hops, but that's also the way NZ hops are heading). The brewers claim there's a bit of pilsner spice in the mix too, but it’s playing second fiddle to the fruits, while bitterness is kept low in a beer reminiscent of some of the highly drinkable NZ pils that kickstarted the styles success.

James Smith