This is a continuation of the conversation we began with ourselves in the Hop Goblet series.

B.man IPA was developed as a tribute to the high alpha acid development work done by the NZ Hop Board. Generous portions of Waimea, Wakatu, Wai-iti and Pacific with a light malt body, delivering a highly sessionable IPA.

With it’s approachable alcohol content with big alpha acids, and huge stonefruit aroma, this is an authentically Kiwi IPA that definitely delivers the goods.

Hop Goblet IPA was Invercargill Brewery’s initial answer to the Westcoast IPA Challenge posed by Wellington Malthouse in 2014.

It began as a blend of seven hops (Kohatu, Chinook, Czech Saaz, Crystal (US), Dr Rudi, Cascade & Columbus) offering up a beer that’s as uniquely NZ West Coast as it is USA. The aroma was pure Kiwi, reminescent of the rich green of a Native forest half an hour after a drenching deluge; the flavour was USA – with strong citrus and bitter grapefruit foremost of the palate of this stylistically light-bodied beer. The result was a crisp, tight … Hop Goblet.

Hop Goblet Mark II was a celebration of Centennial – we used the same malt profile, aiming for the same IBU but featuring a single US Hop.

Next up was Hop Goblet Mark III – the Anzac Addition, where we teamed NZ-grown Gladfield Malt with a pair of Tasmanian hops – Summer and the deliciously aromatic Helga.  There was nothing brash about these Australians, our brewers detected hints of  tropical fruit salad reminiscent of some of our Kiwi hops, certainly a lot more subtle than the big bold American Centennial. MARK III still hit the same IBU notes, but was a very different tune.

So, which do you prefer?