The first bottles are about to leave Otago's newest brewery, on the outskirts of Alexandra.
Manuherekia Brewery has been established by a couple of neighbours, Mat Bell and Jono Love, at Mat's place, where they are growing hops to go into their beer.
They approached local Ngai Tahu iwi to see whether there would be any offence if a brewery were called by that name. The response, Mat says, was none, ‘‘if you spell it correctly''.
Manuherikia (I hope you will spear birds) is the river that runs into the Clutha at Alexandra. However, its correct spelling is with a second ‘‘e''. The pair have made half a dozen styles, all named after regional geographical points.
They are Springvale Pilsner, Raggedy Range Porter, which is a chocolate porter infused with locally grown hazelnuts, Hawkdun Pale Ale, Ida Valley IPA, Leaning Rock Lager and Waikerikeri Wheat made from 50:50 barley and wheat.
Some debuted at the Alexandra Blossom Festival in September; others have been poured since late last year at the Lauder Hotel on the Otago Central Rail Trail, 35km from Alexandra. One is available in plastic at Henry's in Alexandra.
They have started bottling and the labels are about to go on. The first outlets for the bottled beer will be in Alexandra's Super Liquor and at Chatto Creek Tavern a few kilometres down the road to Ranfurly. Mat and Jono's is the second Manuherikia brewery.
The first was established in 1870 where the Alexandra Holiday Park is now, with the mud-brick bottling store still standing across the road. Joseph Kutze was the brewer. His son, Joseph Coutts, started the Waitemata Brewery in Auckland in 1929, which became Dominion Breweries the next year.
Pesty brewQueenstown brewer Altitude and the operators of Skyline gondola and restaurant have come up with a brew that highlights the battle in this part of the world with wilding pines.
It is The Tenacious Timber XPA (4.5%), a cross between a pale ale and an Indian pale ale, which is available only on tap at the restaurant on top of Bob's Peak overlooking the resort. Food and beverage manager Pierre Poyet says staff often have to explain to visitors why trees in the Wakatipu basin are dying, which is the result of a spraying campaign against the invasive trees.
‘‘The beer makes a good conversation starter.''
The brew uses hops from Australia because of the popularity of Skyline with Aussie visitors. Perhaps the pine-like aroma and resinous character of American hops is more appropriate for this one ...