Gift Guide

Craft beers for Christmas cheers

Craft beer nuts will enjoy nothing more than a six-pack of some of Aotearoa’s finest ale offerings; here are five of our favourites

Panhead Quickchange Pale Ale

Panhead have had an amazing year, rising from relative obscurity to national acclaim, and you’d struggle to find a more complex and rewarding pale ale than their Quickchange XPA. This full-flavoured, over-hopped pale ale is full of citrus and refreshing zing.

Wired iStout

For the enthusiast who likes their beer dark and stormy, 8 Wired iStout offers up coffee and chocolate malt flavours balanced by a bitter but fresh hoppy tones. Great to share with a slice of rich fruit Christmas cake, or decant into a glass with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a summer spin.

Hallertau Statesman

For that special person in your life bursting with opinions, here’s a beer that might finally shut them up. A floral bouquet with honey and citrus tones, it’s bound to leave even the boldest know-it-all speechless.

Sauvignon Bomb

Liberty Brewing have dropped the bomb with this amazing pale ale. Using Nelson Sauvin hops on a delicate pale crystal malt base, this is an explosive beer, full of citrus with sweet undertones.

Tuatara Belgian Tripel

Visit Antwerp in summer and you will find beautiful town squares full of umbrella-clad tables and locals sipping on their favourite beer. Tripel, with its monastic roots, holds an almost religious place in the Belgium heart – and Tuatara’s take on this classic will cement that in NZ. A rich, intense beer with a smooth drinkability. 

Our Picks