What started as a brew collaboration in 2014 has evolved into an Brewing Seminar hosted by Invercargill Brewery.

Each year we invite key experts to talk about malts, hops and yeast , then they make a beer together and intersperse it with various education topics with a view to raising the standards of craft beer in New Zealand.

Ring June 27/28 on your calendars for 2018.

 

The Southern Malt Collective 2017 –  Invercargill Enigma

The result of the Southern Malt Collective collaboration between some of the best brains behind New Zealand’s craft brew industry is an Enigma.

Released by Invercargill Brewery in July it was named after the code behind the second World War, Enigma is a German-styled Altbier.

A beautiful balance between a blend of five Gladfield Malts, (three of them German styled) and Hopsteiner Melon – a general purpose hop with Noble tendencies that delivers an authentically clean finish – and a very drinkable drop.

“Because it’s not a common style in New Zealand, it’s difficult to say we nailed it but according to Martin (Invercargill Brewery’s Czechoslovakian-born brew hand), it tastes just like the beers he grew up drinking, so I’m taking that as a yes,” Invercargill brewer Steve Nally said.

The 2017 collaboration was the work of 27 brewers, with Enigma the first of two brews off the block, the collaboration’s second beer – a Trappist styled ale – still has a long way to go before uncorking.

“That one is Orval-inspired. It has completed its first fermentation with University of Otago yeast, and will shortly be infected with wild yeasts for second fermentation – then the only thing to add is age,” Steve Nally said.

The Southern Malt Collective puts ingredient suppliers in a driving role in the recipe creation to showcase, in very practical terms, the role individual ingredients play in brewing.

“In good brewing, less is more and it’s achieved by allowing individual ingredients to shine,” Steve Nally said.