Heritage Apple Cider is back – the genuine taste of Southland is made from donated windfall apples from around the district in the timeless rack and cloth method of Summerset, all by hand by a bunch of hardy Southlanders keen to keep tradition alive.

The brewery put a call in April for surplus apples – and the fruit of that labour is now ready to drink.

Champagne yeast was added to hand-pressed juice, which was left to ferment out before being set aside to age, allowing the flavours to mature for five months.

This year, as always, apples came from throughout Southland, from those keen to use not waste, and from others looking for a tangible taste of Southland. Fuji apples from Darlings Orchard in Central Otago were used to bulk up the volume.

Like  Alex Glennie. Now retired and living at Otatara on the outskirts of Invercargill, he  returned to the family farm at Balfour to gather apples from the orchard  his grandfather planted when he arrived in New Zealand. Alex plans on taking a dozen bottles of Heritage Cider on a pilgrimage home to Scotland later this year.

Unfiltered with no preservatives, it pours an effervescent gold, the taste is pure apple with a touch of acidity and extra tannins delivering full mouthfeel with a dry finish.

Bottles have been set aside for apple donors and labour volunteers that can be collected from The Cellar Door from Saturday.

Heritage Cider will be drinkable from its release but, for those who are patient, this is a product that improves with age.

Invercargill Brewery has been hand-making cider since 1999.

                       HERITAGE CIDER FACTS        

Cider Makers: Steve Nally, Gina Kearney, Malcolm McKenzie, Chris Ellenden, Michael Bashford, Michael MacNamara, Susan Walker, Craig & Gemma Merrill, and Max Nally

Apples: Fuji (from Darlings in Ettrick), Roxburgh Plums … and all over Southland,

Yeast: Champagne

ABV: 7%

 

 

All good kegs must come to an end so it is for Pitch Black Boysenberry .

This year the brewers have been working on a couple of new stouts  – Pitch Black Moonshine  is a delicious barrel aged  stout on tap very, very soon at the Fork and Brewer  in Wellington and the Al Bar in Dunedin  – and coming soon, Orange is the new Pitch Black.

More about that one when it’s tapped.

 

 

Men’nskurrts is out now  .. this  latest offering from Invercargill Brewery is a welcome return to a strong scotch ale with a touch of smoke.

Men’nskurrts (say aloud for best effect) is in the style of a strong scotch ale, as a nod to the Invercargill’s forefathers, where full malt richness combines with a wee dram of peat smoke, making this a belly-warming tipple for the cooler climate.

Brewer Steve Nally said the peat smoke gave a very different flavour to that of the manuka smoked malt used in Smokin’ Bishop.

“Where Bishop has been described as bacon in a bottle, Men’nskurrts carries reminders of sitting around a peat fire in winter.”

First brewed in 2011 for the Rugby World Cup, the initial skepticism of the Scotmans Newsaper

The latest offering from Invercargill Brewery is a welcome return to a strong scotch ale with a touch of smoke.

Men’nskurrts (say aloud for best effect) is in the style of a strong scotch ale, as a nod to the Invercargill’s forefathers, where full malt richness combines with a wee dram of peat smoke, making this a belly-warming tipple for the cooler climate.

Brewer Steve Nally said the peat smoke gave a very different flavour to that of the manuka smoked malt used in Smokin’ Bishop.

“Where Bishop has been described as bacon in a bottle, Men’nskurrts carries reminders of sitting around a peat fire in winter.”

First brewed in 2011 for the Rugby World Cup, the initial skepticism of the Scotmans Newsaper  who on August 1 reported that Gil Hoye of kilt-makers Slanj, fearing traditionalists would find the beer insulting rather than refreshing proved unfounded, preferring the view point of Scottish Tartans Authority director Brian Wilton who said. “If we can’t laugh at ourselves then there is some far wrong. I think the rugby fans and players will take it in their stride and it’s very much in keeping with the tone of the event. Men’n Skurrts is a good name and the humour shines through.”

The Beer Facts:

 Name: Men’nskurrts

Style: Strong Scotch Ale

Colour: Roast Chestnut

IBU: 30

Hops: Green Bullet, Super Alpha, Motueka

Yeast: House Ale

Malt: English Pale, Dark Crystal, Peat Reek

Alcohol: 7% by volume

Best Served: Lightly Chilled to 8 degrees

Availability:  Limited kegs and 330ml bottles

http://www.scotsman.com/news/kiwi-brewer-hopes-scots-rugby-fans-will-take-to-men-n-skurts-1-1777335

 

Cumulonimbus Sour  is  3.1% sour beer that we devised for the Great Australian Beer Festival. This is extremely limited edition light beer was inspired by the Simpsonesque clouds of the Southern skies, made from raw wheat, malted wheat and malted barley it pours with a deliciously fluffy head.

The upfront aroma is Fejoa, which perfectly matches the tart flavour of this quaffable beverage.

A brilliantly drinkable example of a sour style and the first time in recent years that Steve has been allowed off the reservation to innovate for Invercargill Brewery.

Available on tap at the Great Australian Beer Spectapular Melbourne (and Sydney);  Invercargill Brewery Cellar Door  and (if you’re very, very quick) at your place.

 

Smokin’ Bishop and Sa!son won bronze medals at the Commonwealth Craft Beer Cup in Kentucky this weekend.

The win testament to the skills of our production team and the tenacity of our admin team who refused to give up in the face of red tape .. (and to the guys on point at LAX who love beer as much as the next man).

Cheers!

If you’ve ever driven your mum to drink how about buying her bottle. Whether it’s beer wine or cider we have a crafted beverage to her taste. Open til 6pm today.

INVERCARGILL BREWERY CELLAR DOOR IS WARM AND DRY.

OPEN TIL 6PM TODAY AND FROM 10AM SATURDAY.

(This message is sponsored by The Ducks of Southland)

Thanks to all our volunteer pressers and apple donations from throughout the South there’s now  850 litres of Southland apple juice fermenting as I write.

Will keep you posted!

 

Invercargill Brewery is calling on Southlanders to bring out their apples in preparation for Heritage Cider Day on April 18.

With room to brew at the new premises head brewer Steve Nally said it was time to revise the annual tradition, to both keep alive traditional skills and utilize a great resource.

 “Apples are part of our history and it seems a shame to bulldoze those orchards and forget about them. By making cider, we use them and create awareness – the best way to save something is to use it,” he said.

Invercargill Brewery has been hand-making cider since 1999.

The brewery’s last call for Heritage apples drew an amazing response, with people from throughout the South donating apples, including a real estate agent who collected windfall apples from an empty house he was marketing and a woman who bought in the cores and peels after doing her annual stewing and preserving.

“People are welcome to bring the apples to the brewery, or give us a call and we can collect them, if need be we’ll even arrange to pick them from the trees,” Mr Nally said.

Bowmont Meats have donated cool store space to store the apples until the big day.

Both Apple donors and volunteer cider makers would be presented with a bottle of the finished cider to commemorate their involvement.

Those wanting to know more about cider making can check out the brewery display be at the Riverton Harvest Festival  on March 20-21.

Creating a cider that’s 100 percent Southland adds to the occasion and the physically-demanding task will take place from 7am to 4pm on Saturday, April 18.