Hopulist Issue Eight

This is quite a strange editorial for us to write. Firstly, we
need to apologise for being away for so long. It’s been a
hectic year or so for us, and as we make this magazine
with just the goodness of our hearts, it was undeservedly
put on the shelf for a while. Since we’ve been gone, ain’t
too much changed (besides a global pandemic that has
shut all bars and pubs in near enough every country in
the world). It’s crazy, but hopefully this issue will give
you some reading and enlightenment while you’re holed
away in isolation. Before the world went mad, we managed
to visit some awesome brewers in the Peak District and
Florida, and also managed a jaunt around New Zealand’s
craft beer capital Wellington. We also have the regular
dose of new beers, merch and industry news that will
hopefully keep you going.
Speaking of keeping things going, it seems poignant to
say that if you still want your favourite craft brewer to be
around when this finally ends, then it’s best to find out
how you can support them in this tough time. The craft
beer industry is one big family after all, and right now our
brewers and bars need your help more than ever. Support
them if you can, however you can, we hope to see you all
in a pub or bar on the other side.
Cheers,
The Hopulist team

06
It’s not all bad news
out there on planet
craft
10
Fresh new beers
to get your
chops round
12
When craft
brewing met the
Peak District
22
Crafty merch to
make you feel
warm inside
24
We visit a creative
brewer in Florida
34
England’s Trappist
brewer shows
how it’s done
38
We do the craft
beer circuit in
Wellington
48
Grab your crafty
garments here
50
What we’ve been
drinking
(in isolation)
58
Missed an issue?
Read it here

Craft beer
in the time
of COVID-19
As the craft beer world looked ahead
to 2020, we’re sure plenty of you
out there had your own ideas about
the challenges we might have to face and
overcome to ensure it is another successful
year. We’re not sure many people had in
mind what has ended up happening, this
new reality that we find ourselves in with
a pandemic sweeping the globe. It’s a
bizarre and barely believable situation, but
it is here and besides the obvious issues
it’s created, the pinch is likely to be felt
particularly hard by small independent
brewers and bars. Many of the beers you
know and love are lovingly brewed by very
small teams of hardworking individuals who
never came into this game to make a quick
buck, but to do something that they enjoy
and are passionate about. They need our
help now more than ever, because when
this is all over, we don’t all want to go back
to drinking tasteless macro crap.
But, what can you do? Every craft brewer
is in their own unique situation, with some
not able to brew at full capacity or even
at all. Some are still managing though,
and some are doing their absolute utmost
to continue serving the customer bases
they’ve worked so hard to build up. Many
of these brewers have had to resort to
relying solely on direct sales from their
websites and are working tirelessly to
ensure they can meet that demand. But
they are still selling beer. Get on your
laptop, smartphone or other internetconnected
device and search around,
there’s a good chance your favourite brewer
is selling online. Some of them are naturally
experiencing much higher demand than
usual and also working with a reduced

number of staff in a much slower way due
to extra health and safety precautions, but
you will be able to get your beer. During
the first few weeks of the lockdown we
managed to acquire tipples from several
big names including Duration and Left
Handed Giant. Another option is to try one
of the larger craft beer retailers – the likes
of Honest Brew and Beer Hawk have upped
their game considerably to ensure that
people can still make and receive orders of
their favourite drops.
One thing about adversity is that if often
brings out the best in people, and we all
know craft beer people are some of the
nicest people already, so it’s no surprise to
see some brewers going above and beyond
to help their local communities. Cloudwater
is offering local delivery in Manchester
and even throwing some organic food
and vegetables into the mix for those not
able to get out themselves. Magic Rock is
doing local delivery in Huddersfield and
also running virtual craft beer socials
online to keep people connected. Brewdog
has turned its hand to manufacturing
hand sanitser to fill the void left by panic
buying. The list goes on and on, there’s not
enough space to acknowledge all the great
companies out there doing great things.
The same can be said for many bars and
taprooms.
Our advice it to research those closest
to you and see what they are up to and
how you can get involved. Humankind has
leaned on beer for almost its entirety, so
let’s be sure to give something back to the
companies out there trying to make it in
this storm if we can.
Stay safe, stay happy and stay healthy.

BEER FINDER
There are hundreds of small independent
suppliers of great beer and they are
currently facing a challenge like no other.
With bars, pubs and independent retailers
currently closed, many of these hardworking
providers have set up take-out and delivery
services so you can still enjoy them!
In double quick time the Society of
Independent Brewers (SIBA) and Simply Hops
have created www.beerishere.org to help you
find these services and ensure that small
businesses can continue to sell to those that
love a well-crafted beer. Consumers simply
enter their postcode to find where they can
easily get beer delivered to their homes.
All money will go to the businesses you find
as this is a free service set up to support them
in this difficult time.

PUB IN A BOX
Signature Brew have devised an ingenious way of
filling the void left by Covid-19 pub closures... the
Pub In A Box. As well as a selection of Signature’s
award-winning beers the box includes glassware, snacks,
a music quiz and exclusive playlists curated by music
journalists to accompany the beers. Available throughout
the UK the boxes come in three sizes with either 8, 16 or 24
330ml cans.
Co-Founder Sam MacGregor commented:”We think it’s
best to remain calm, carry on with life, support local and to
support artists however we can, without being alarmist but
with a good eye on what the powers that be, advise us to
do.”
Check out www.signaturebrew.co.uk to see how you can
convert your front room into your local booze. We know it’s
not exactly the same but the positives include no queuing
at the bar, no loud mouth ‘Brexit’ guy and a toilet that isn’t
soaked with someone else’s piss – it’s the little things.

WANT YOUR LATEST BEER LAUNCH FEATURED
WEST COUNTRY MEETS WEST COAST
A 100 per cent pilsner malt bill, dry
hopped solely with wonderful Mosaic.
Left Handed Giant’s West Coast Pils
is inspired by the US West Coast’s
modern take on the traditional
German style. It’s clean, crisp and
juicy with an ABV of 5%.
Release date: Available now
DONE LIKE A KIPA
North Brewing’s recent collab with
Stillwater Artisanal is a 7% Kviek IPA.
Fermented with Kveik Yeast and dryhopped
with El Dorado and Sabro.
Flavours of stone fruits, mango and
pear, developing into a subtle spicy
bitter finish.
Release date: Available now

NEW RELEASES TO
GET US THROUGH
SOCIAL ISOLATION
? CONTACT US AT INFO@HOPULIST.COM
THE SECRET IS OUT
Nelson Sauvin + Vic Secret is a juicy
7% IPA loaded with gooseberry,
pineapple and passionfruit flavours.
Originally brewed as a one-off on tap
but, after great feedback at Brew/LDN,
Tooth & Claw decided to can it.
GOT MILK?
Newcastle based new venture Full
Circle Brew bring to us Breakout
Space, a New England IPA packed
with Citra, Azacca, Ekuanot, Mosaic,
Simcoe and Sabro. Hazy, hoppy, and
soft on the palate.
Release date: Late April
Release date: Spring

B
U
X
T
O
N
A PEAKY
BLINDER
From brewing its first beer in the cold light of a hungover New
Year’s Day to producing more than half a million litres a year,
it’s been quite the journey for Buxton Brewery. We headed to
the Peak District to see what makes this bold beer co tick.

Peak District
• BUXTON
• CHESTERFIELD
• BAKEWELL
Derbyshire
Dales
RIPLEY •
DERBYSHIRE
• ILKESTON
DERBY
By David Guest
Despite it being dark, cold, probably
hungover and generally miserable on
New Year’s Day, it is also a day where we
dare to look forward to the future with hope. It’s a
day for resolutions, for setting new goals and for
painting a picture of success in your head for the
365 days to come. It’s perhaps this rough train of
thought that was swirling around a basic mash tun
in Geoff Quinn’s garage in Buxton, Derbyshire, on
New Year’s Day in 2009 as he brewed what was to
become the start of something very special. Geoff
was brewing what would become known as Buxton
Brewery’s Special Pale Ale (SPA) – a beer still
available in its core range and bars a decade later.
In 2010, after generally positive feedback,
encouragement and a lot of tasting and trial and
error, Geoff packed in his day job and decided to
take brewing to the next level. Fast forward ten
years to 2019, Buxton Brewery has been through
several expansions and the annual production is
now approximately half a million litres, distributing
and selling beer in 15 countries around the world,
mostly in the UK and Europe, but also the USA,
South East Asia and even Australia. What a ride…
Buxton’s Paul Aitken believes that part of the
reason for this sustained growth and success is
down to having a clear and simple ethos, and
sticking to it. He says: “The original ethos is still

B
U
X
T
O
N

standing. It’s a simple one – strive to make the best beer possible,
always with ‘high-drinkability’, no matter what the style, sours,
IPAs, simple bitters or complex imperial stouts. There isn’t much
more to it than that really. Maintaining and staying true to this
ethos is the real trick - never to become complacent, or think that
we’ve mastered any aspect of brewing. There is always something
new to learn, or an improvement in technology or brewing science
to learn about and embrace.”
So, why the Peak District? This hugely popular outdoors
destination was one of the UK’s first National Parks and attracts
people in their thousands each year. Not necessarily the archetypal
craft beer brewing location – but because of that, Buxton has a
unique feel and approach.
Paul continues: “Geoff is an avid climber and one of the original
reasons he chose to move to Buxton in 2003 was to be closer to
the world-class rock climbing and outdoor life style the Peak
District offers. There was no plan to start a micro brewery, (even
though that was a far-off ambition held since 1992), but that’s
what happened. The various climbs, walks and natural landmarks
are the inspiration behind several names of Buxton beers. The
brewery owes a lot to the Peak District and what better way to pay
it homage than name some of its beers after its most awe inspiring
areas?”
Some of Hopulist’s favourite examples of Buxton’s beers inspired
by awesome outdoor spots in the Peak District include punchy
double IPA N’th Cloud and dainty session IPA Grinlow. But these
really are just the tip of the Derbyshire-based iceberg in terms of
what Buxton has to offer as a brewer.
The core range covers all the bases you might expect with
hoppy IPAs, porters, session IPAs, table beers, red ales and double
IPAs all well represented. Buxton has also had a long-standing
collaboration project with Swedish craft beer brewer Omnipollo,
with which it has created many iconic drops such as Yellow Belly,
Birthday Ice Cream Cake and Anniversary Coward. Buxton has
also worked with Lervig, Dugges and Magic Rock.
"
The original
ethos is still
standing. It’s
a simple one
- strive to
make the best
beer possible,
always
with ‘highdrinkability’,
no matter
what the style.
"

B
U
X
T
O
N
"
In 2018,
the site for
the Cellar
Bar became
available. It’s
a beautiful
little space
with loads of
character.
"
One of the most exciting developments that has occurred at
Buxton in recent years is the introduction of the Buxton Brewery
Tap House and then later the Cellar Bar – both in a prime location
in central Buxton, helping people to more easily enjoy the efforts
of its beer makers.
Paul explains: “The Buxton Brewery Tap House, opened its
doors in September 2013 after undergoing an intense nine-month
renovation. The brewery was doing well, the team had been
brewing and distributing their own beers for three years, and was
gaining a reputation in the UK as well as internationally. The time
seemed right to open a tap room, a dedicated outlet to showcase
the brewery’s beers.
“In 2018, the site for the Cellar Bar became available. It’s a
beautiful little space with loads of character. It’s just two doors
down from the Tap House but a lot smaller in size with a nice
little outdoor space. We modelled the style of the Cellar Bar on a
continental Belgian beer bar & wanted the atmosphere to be just
that as well.
“We also have a tasting room at the brewery, which opened in
2017. We often get a lot of requests from people wanting to visit
the brewery, and as a pretty small workforce of just 10 people, it
was difficult to be able to say yes. So, we thought, what about a
Tasting Room that overlooks the brew-house? It’s ticketed entry
and with each ticket people can get our super fresh beer, see where
the beer comes from and find out how it’s made.”
One question we ask every brewer we feature in Hopulist is what
has its proudest moment been. It’s something that feels important
in an industry full of small, independent and often family-run
companies to record the milestones that have meant to most of the
good people of this industry.
Buxton founder Geoff Quinn says that the answer to this
question used to be ‘overhearing positive feedback in a pub in
Sheffield in the early days when the people drinking the beer didn’t
know I was the brewer’. But nowadays, there are bigger successes
that the Buxton team hold dear to their hearts, as Geoff explains:

B
U
X
T
O
N

“It would be completing our most recent expansion project -
all the team pulled together under really stressful conditions,
continuing to produce really good beers among utter chaos of
builders, electricians, welders all on site together. I’m proud that
Buxton Brewery is about the Peak District and the surrounding
environment, and the people that make the beer, and who serve
and present it in our bars. I feel proud to have these guys in my
organisation, and without them I’d be in the garage still…”
QUICK FIRE Q&A
What is the future vision for both Buxton Brewery and its beers?
To expand our bars as well as the good word of Buxton to many more folk.
What is the thing that excites you most about the future of craft?
That’s a tough question as there are so many things that are exciting
about the future of craft! It’s great to see all the creativity, inclusivity and
ingenuity and we hope this continues.
What is the thing that worries you most about the future of craft?
Competition rather than partnership. Corporation rather than craft.
Are there any exciting plans on the horizon you can tell us about?
Probably – we’ll let you know when we know!

CORE BEERS
HIGH TOR
India Red Ale
440ml ALC. 6.3% VOL
A delicious, refreshing red ale. It brings
together a range of six speciality malts and
new world hops. Creating a characterful
ale with a toffee and dark fruit palate.
AXE^X
Hazy IPA
440ml ALC. 6.8% VOL
Axe raised to the power of X. Where X is
dry hopping increased by 200%. Extra oats
added to the grist for enhanced mouthfeel
and character with IBU’s significantly reduced.

TO SEEK OUT...
GATEKEEPER
Porter
440ml ALC. 4.1% VOL
A deep, dark porter to evoke a sense of
mystery. Big coffee and chocolate flavours
up front with strong finishing and a
roasted malt taste.
JACOB’S LADDER
Table Beer
440ml ALC. 2.8% VOL
A beer with big flavours that isn’t
massive ABV. Light, malty and fruity, this
low alcohol pale ale is a clear expression
of hopping excellence

STICK IT TO ‘EM
Think you’ve seen it all when it comes
to craft beer merch? Think again.
Northern Monk has surpassed its
usual levels of creativity with these
clean and stylish chopsticks. Yum.
DECK YOURSELF OUT
Tempest have a skate ramp in their
brewery and if that’s not hipster
enough they have also created a
collection of skate decks with artwork
from their core beer range!
W A N T Y O U R P R O D U C T F E A T U R E D ? C O

CHOPSTICKS AND
SKATE DECKS, MERCH
HAS GONE MENTAL...
PIMPED UP PINS
Revitalise your old denim jacket,
stylise your rucksack or jazz up your
baseball cap with this slick pin from
Signature Brew. It’s just under 3.5cm
long and 1cm wide.
GOOD BEER FOR ALL
Part memoir, part guide, part call
to action through discovery, This
Ain’t The Beer That You’re Used
To is an honest and approachable
introduction to beer from Dom Cook.
N T A C T U S A T I N F O @ H O P U L I S T . C O M

Home to far more than just Disney World
and alligators, Florida is one of the main
hotbeds of craft beer brewing in the United
States, as Hopulist found out when we took
a trip to Naples.

By David Guest
Cold, wet terror strikes me on
my left cheek just below my
eye. A single drop of rain that
holds the promise of a Biblical deluge
that’s just minutes away. I’m pedalling
fast, weaving my way through a hot
and dusty Floridian business park
desperately searching for a craft beerflavoured
pot of gold at the end of
this rainbow. The sky turns a shade
of black that is normally reserved for
the twilight hours as one of Florida’s
seemingly daily rainstorms is about
to take hold. Cycling the couple of
miles from the villa I’m staying in
to Naples Beach Brewery – one of
Florida’s premiere independent micro
brewers located in the town of the
same name – seemed a great idea at
the time, however panic has now set
in that all I’m going to end up with
on this endeavour is a right, royal
soaking. At last a sign appears – both
metaphorically and literally – a wooden
a-frame directing me to turn left and
be met with the promise of some of
this state’s best locally-brewed craft
beers. After hastily navigating a couple
of speed bumps and abandoning the
bike outside, I make it into the airconditioned
bliss of Naples Beach
Brewery just as the rain started to fall
– and then bounce another foot back in

the air, such is its severity.
The story of this oasis of tranquillity
in the midst of the Floridian humidity
actually started a long way from here –
in the much cooler and temperate
climes of Michigan. The brewer’s
founder, Will Lawson, decided to make
the move south to work as a golf course
superintendent after obtaining his
degree in turfgrass management. This
was in 2003 – and it didn’t take long
for Will to get frustrated that the beer
retailers in Florida didn’t have the same
variety and selection of beers that he
was used to up north. He began to hone
his skills as a home brewer in the spare
time when he wasn’t at the golf course
and eventually became a professional
brewer in 2007 after completing a
diploma course at the Siebel Institute of
Chicago. He decided that Naples needed
a micro brewery and after years of
planning he opened the doors of Naples
Beach Brewery in 2012 – the first micro
brewery of its kind in the city.
Since those early days, it has gone
from strength to strength. It brews a
staggering array of ever-changing beers
on a 15-barrel, three-vessel steam heated
brewhouse, which was actually built in
Will’s homeland of Michigan. Naples
Beach Brewery also has a 132 gallon,
three-vessel pilot system that helps it to
develop recipes for in-house sale and
large production runs in the future.
After hastily
navigating a
couple of speed
bumps and
abandoning the
bike outside, I
make it into the
air-conditioned
bliss of Naples
Beach Brewery
just as the rain
started to fall...

I’m already sweaty as Florida is a hot
and humid place, but after narrowly
avoiding a soaking, I mop a little more
sweat from my brow as I cast my eye
over the beers on offer. The choice is
pretty astounding, so it seems the only
sensible thing to do is to order a flight
and see if this brewery has the walk to
go with its ambitious brew talk. I start
with Blood in the Water, a blood orange
session IPA that really hits the spot and
has so much flavour it feels more like
I’m supping juice with my breakfast
than enjoying a refreshing beer. Then
I step it up and try something really
local – the Key Lime Crusher (well, we
are in Florida after all, and only about
a three-hour drive from the Keys). This
is a key lime coconut cream ale that
has a smooth finish and a really well
balanced mix between the intriguing
flavours it combines. Next, I try Short
and Skirty, a scotch ale that is darker
and brings that wonderful woodiness
that a scotch delivers but in a much less
potent package.
The other beer that really catches my
eye is Purple Grain, a blackberry and
jalapeño American wheat ale… I mean,
what? That is crazy. And it lives up to
that expectation with a fruity nose and
initial taste that gives way to a gradually
building heat. On paper it just shouldn’t
work but it does. I’m stung later in this
trip on a return visit when I decide to

ave a pint of this stuff but am reliably
informed that they had to brew this
latest batch with habanero as they
were out of jalapeños. No worries, the
foolish, macho side of my ego says. Let’s
just say, it was a challenge – both at the
time and later on that evening.
The boldness of Naples Beach to
create beers like this is one thing,
but having the skills, equipment and
talent to pull off beers that are actually
fantastic and not just gimmicks is
quite another. The beers here combine
unusual flavours and styles, but all that
helps towards the friendly and inclusive
atmosphere you’ll find here. There are
young and old, there are families, there
are solo craft beer junkies – everyone
is welcome and there is bound to be
something to meet everyone’s taste. It’s
what craft beer should be all about at its
core.
The other beer
that really
catches my eye
is Purple Grain,
a blackberry
and jalapeño
American wheat
ale… I mean,
what? That is
crazy.
FLORIDA
Naples •
INFO
Naples Beach Brewery
4120 Enterprise Ave
#116, Naples,
FL 34104, USA
É www.naplesbeachbrewery.com

09
TEN OF THE BEST FLORIDA BREWERS
01 Funky Buddha Brewery | Ft Lauderdale
02 Cigar City Brewing | Tampa
03 Cycle Brewing | St. Petersburg
04 Swamp Head Brewery | Gainesville
05 3 Daughter’s Brewing | St. Petersburg
06 7venth Sun Brewery | Dunedin
07 Tequesta Brewing Company | Tequesta
08 Due South Brewing Company | Boynton Beach
09 Oyster City Brewing Company | Apalachicola
10 Naples Beach Brewery | Naples
FLORIDA BREWERS GUILD
Naples Beach Brewery is a member of the Florida Brewers Guild – a nonprofit
trade association designed to preserve the rights and interests of all craft brewers
throughout the sunshine state. If you see a membership plaque somewhere you’re
drinking in Florida, you know you’re in a reliable watering hole. Not only that but the
Guild aims to promote the principles of advocacy, good education and good brewing
practices among its members. It currently has more than 100 members – so that’s
more than 100 reasons OTHER THAN Disneyland why you need to visit Florida.
Check out www.floridabrewersguild.org/breweries to make sure you’re drinking
proper craft.

04
05
06
03
02
florida
07
08
10
01

“I may not
have gone
where I
intended to
go, but I think
I have ended
up where I
needed to be.”
Douglas Adams

TYNT MEADOW
ENGLISH TRAPPIST ALE
TRAPPIST ALE | ABV: 7.4%
Your eyes do not
deceive you, England
has its first and only
Trappist brewer, and
the monks of Mount
Saint Bernard Abbey
in rural Leicestershire
have delivered a classic
ale with a quirky
British twist.
There is a saying among the
numerous Trappist monks of
Belgium that goes ‘beer should
be liquid bread, not coloured water’. It’s
a simple premise, but one that perhaps
had been lost at some stage in the beer
world not too long ago. Thankfully
the craft beer movement has helped to
restore beers of substance to the world,
as opposed to the reign of terror that
mass-produced largers imposed on
drinkers for so long.

IN THIS SERIES WE
EXAMINE THE BEERS
THAT WE THINK
HAVE TOUCHED
PERFECTION. JUST
HOW DO THEY DO IT?

It is a masterfully brewed beer that uses local ingredients
to their fullest and achieves a taste that is wowing beer
drinkers all around Europe.
In the background of the peaks and troughs
of decent beer, though, has been one constant:
Trappist. The select few officially approved
Trappist beers are brewed by monks in their
own monasteries, seeking to help make a little
money for their church, but also to continue
ancient brewing traditions, making beer from
simple, locally-grown ingredients. And now,
after many years, the UK has its own official,
approved Trappist brewer: Mount Saint
Bernard Abbey.
The monks who live, work and worship
in this abbey in rural Leicestershire have
a simple outlook on life, which is reflected
in the simple, pure quality of the beer they
have produced. Tynt Meadow, is so named
after the original cottage that these monks’
brethren arrived at in the area in the early
1800s, and is a full-bodied dark ale, full of
gently balanced flavours including dark
chocolate, pepper and fig. It has gentle
aromas of the same chocolate and fruits,
but also with a hint of liquorice and leaves
a warm and dry feel after sipping. Tynt
Meadow is brewed with English barley and
hops and also uses an English strain of yeast.
This gives it a distinctly different flavour
to Trappist beers you may have tried from
Belgium. It is unique. Another unique thing
about it is that it ferments twice – once in the
tank and then again in the bottle once stored
in a cool, dark place.
The monks of Mount Saint Bernard say
that work provides balance in their life
and keeps their feet firm on the ground
in the pursuit of spiritual perfection. This
attitude definitely comes across with Tynt
Meadow. It isn’t trying to do anything fancy
or innovative, it is a masterfully brewed beer
that uses local ingredients to their fullest and
achieves a taste that is wowing beer drinkers
all around Europe.
The beer has also recently benefitted from
a newly installed artisanal brewery at the
abbey. This means the brewing process
can continue, but only in small batch. The
monks deliberately want to keep production
small, just enough to meet its expenses and
support its charitable work. In more than
one sense, this beer is old school, and we are
proud to call ourselves big fans.

N
Z
WELLY
GIVE IT
SOME

WIDELY REGARDED AS THE CRAFT BEER CAPITAL
OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S PIONEERING CRAFT BEER
NATIONS, WELLINGTON IS HEAVEN ON EARTH FOR
THOSE WHO CHERISH A GOOD DROP. HOPULIST
TOOK THE CITY'S BEER TRAIL TO DISCOVER WHY IT
SHOULD BE FIRMLY ON YOUR BUCKET LIST.
By David Guest
To the untrained eye Wellington could be
viewed as a pretty unassuming capital
city. It lacks the iconic Instagramable
monuments or attractions that are ‘must-sees’
for visiting tourists that many other capital cities
boast. There’s no Eifel Tower, no Statue of Liberty,
nor Buckingham Palace. The weather is pretty
crappy most of the time – one of its nicknames
is Windy Wellington owing to its position on the
Cook Strait. It’s not even that easy to get to for a
large portion of the global population – most of
us are looking at a 20+ hour journey via multiple
flights to get there. But what New Zealand’s capital
lacks in the typical, it makes up for tenfold in the
atypical.
Wellington is probably one of the best alternative
capital cities in the world. It’s brimming with
culture, it’s friendly and it’s a place where art and
expression are welcomed with open arms. It is also
home to more than 30 craft beer breweries, which
tells you a lot about its vibe. As you no doubt well
know, by their very nature craft brewers are small
and independent, often family-run businesses that
are run by local people for local people, giving
back to the communities from which they spawn.
Wellington’s brewers are no different. They aren’t
in this game for the money or the fame, they’re
in it for a whole range of far more wholesome
reasons. Within the 171 square miles that make
up the city there’s a bit of everything – a brewer
that was set up in honour of a family’s loved one
sadly lost to breast cancer, a brewer that saved
a classic industrial building from demolition by
moving its brewing kit in, and even a brewer that
is named after and sponsors the conservation
efforts for one of New Zealand’s badass endemic
reptiles that is still hanging around from when
dinosaurs ruled the Earth. In short, Wellington
is an absolute melting pot of passion, quirkiness
and damn-near obsession with craft beer, so when
we got the chance to spend 48 hours within its
boundaries, we made every drop count.

N
Z

A PERFECT STORM
You might be asking yourself “why Wellington?” – why
does this relatively small and humble capital city have such
an enviable craft brewing scene. Like many of life’s great
questions, the answer isn’t straightforward. A starting point
may well be the outstanding quality and uniqueness of
New Zealand’s hops. The country’s particular geographical
location is like nowhere else on Earth, so subsequently hops
grow here that don’t grow anywhere else. If you can cast your
mind back far enough to Hopulist’s first issue (man, that
feels long ago) you might remember a few of them. Nelson
Sauvin, Kohatu, Motueka, Wai-Iti and Southern Cross have
cemented themselves as some of our favourite flavour and
aroma profiles in craft beer – so already New Zealand is
coming from a special place as a brewing nation.
These magical hops were quickly hoovered up when the
country began to see a huge rise in interest in home brewing.
Kiwis were taking to their garages, sheds and attics to brew
their own beers, which also fitted a more general pattern
in the country that saw beer drinkers focussing on quality
and not quantity. Overall beer volumes consumed by Kiwis
dropped some 10 per cent between 2008 and 2014, which
tells its own story. The craft beer industry was seeing regular
30 per cent annual increases in total value at this point. At
the same time, Wellington, which was already known for
a vibrant independent café and restaurant culture, started
to really take craft beer under its wing. People wanted to
support local businesses, they wanted beer that was big and
bold and not made for drinking by the tens of pints. They
wanted to savour a glass or two of punchy yet refined IPA
while chatting to their mates at the end of a hard day. Craft
beer had found its perfect petri dish (excuse the turn of
phrase, pandemic on the mind). Wellington had always had
great bars, now it had great brewers ready to sell you beer
fresh from the storage tank.
THE COUNTRY'S
PARTICULAR
GEOGRAPHICAL
LOCATION IS LIKE
NOWHERE ELSE
ON EARTH, SO
SUBSEQUENTLY
HOPS GROW
HERE THAT
DON'T GROW
ANYWHERE ELSE.

N
Z
IT WAS
STARTED
BY THREE
MATES WHO
ADMIT THAT
AT THE VERY
BEGINNING
WHAT THEY
WERE DOING
COULDN'T EVEN
BE CLASSED
AS MICRO
BREWING, IT
WAS NANO
BREWING.
FROM THE GARAGE TO YOUR GROWLER
Perhaps the brewer that best embodies what Wellington is all
about also happened to be the first stop on our beer trail tour of
the city: Garage Project. The company has been around since
2011 and still runs its brewery out of an old derelict petrol station/
automotive garage (hence the name), despite being one of the
real breakout success stories of New Zealand craft brewing. It
was started by three mates who admit that at the very beginning
what they were doing couldn’t even be classed as micro brewing,
it was nano brewing. Because of this they were able to take risks
with styles and flavours and quickly gained a reputation for being
one to watch for unusual beers and bold profiles. The beer began
to flow from the former Jaguar workshop garage and gas station,
which now has a cellar door where you can go to try some of the
best they brew for yourself. Expansion also lead to Garage Project
opening a small bar across the street from where the beer is born,
which was where we began our wander around Wellington. The
atmosphere crashed off the polished white tiles and mirrors that
adorned the walls of the long but narrow bar as we took on a few
of the Garage Project classics including East Coast anthem IPA
Party and Bullshit and triple hazy IPA Turbo Fuzz (featuring some
of that lovely Nelson Sauvin hops we raved about earlier).
From here, it was just a ten-minute walk down the famous Aro
Street to Arthur Street where we spied an old printing company
that had been niftily converted into a craft beer bar that is the
outlet for another of Wellington’s big hitters: Tuatara. Named after
that peculiar reptile we mentioned earlier, Tuatara’s beer can be
found all over New Zealand, but perhaps nowhere fresher than
this bar. It’s called Third Eye, a nod to the Tuatara reptile’s hidden
pineal eye located on top of its tiny head, and it gives you a chance
to open your own proverbial third eye in terms of what craft beer
should be. The Tuatara range isn’t too complex, it keeps things
simple but does them incredibly well – the Red Eye PA, Tuatara
Pilsner and Tuatara Hazy Pale Ale are all particularly fantastic
examples of the types of beer they are.

N
Z

SISTERS, BROS AND DOGS
The next three brewpubs on our list just so
happened to be so close together you could throw
a craft beer merch t-shirt over them. Okay, perhaps
not that close, but very suitably positioned for
people who were going to have more than three
beers inside their legs. The first stop was Black
Dog Brew Co, another brewer that sprung up
in 2011. In their own words this brewer likes to
do things a little different and smash opposites
together when it’s making its beer. The brewpub
is pretty unassuming, like most of the places here,
with fermenting and storage tanks crammed into
a relatively small bar that has plenty of character
and quite possibly the friendliest bar staff we
encountered on our adventure. The guys here
really took their time to make sure we were getting
beers we’d enjoy and even explained a little of the
thinking that went into each one. It’s also a bar that
heavily promotes the use of growlers, so it stokes
up some regular business for itself that way.
After this, it was on to a bar you might miss
if you were simply searching for those with the
names of brewers. Husk just looks like a regular
bar from the outside, but once inside you quickly
realise this is the home of another famous
Wellington name Choice Bros. Promising
innovative, experimental and occasionally mad
beers, Choice Bros claim to have a knack of
balancing both malts and hops in their beers and
this method has seen them rise to fame within
the city and the country alike. Some of the
highlights on tap when we visited included: I’m
Afraid of Americans, a smack-you-in-the-face
American IPA and the incredible On the Brain
peanut butter and raspberry ale (just trust us on
that one).
After Choice Bros we headed to one of the more
eye-catching of Wellington’s craft beer purveyors
Whistling Sisters. Nestled on the corner of the
wonderfully typical Kiwi named Ghunzee Street
and Taranaki Street, the bar is quite hard to
miss with large posters and branding occupying
billboards on the outer walls. Inside you’ll find a
very comfortable and welcoming venue that has
definitely placed huge emphasis on experience as
well as its brews. It is also a very good venue for
food, with a large kitchen hidden away behind
the mash tuns and fermentation tanks – while we
sampled the delights there was a steady flow of
diners from all walks of life.
FORTUNATE FINDS
We managed to squeeze in a couple of other visits
during our stay in Wellington (on the next day we
might add, our livers are not made of stone). First
up was Fork and Brewer, the bar and restaurant
of Fork Brew Corp. Blink and you might miss this
one as it is basically just a doorway, but it opens
onto a stairway to craft beer heaven. This brewer
has a slightly different business model to most –
it is the production arm of the Fork and Brewer
ale house and in its own words brews ‘outside,
inside and through the box’. A lot of its business
is catering for events and hospitality, giving more
mainstream mass events the chance to have decent
beer available to drink. There was only one choice
of beer for us at this place and that was Hyperlocal,
its New Zealand pale ale that is packed with
Riwaka and Nelson Sauvin hops.

N
Z
WELLINGTON
HAS SOMETHING
FOR EVERYONE
- CRAFT BEER
FLOWS THROUGH
THE VEINS OF
THIS CITY AND
LONG MAY IT
PROSPER.
01 Garage Project
garageproject.co.nz
02 Heyday Beer Co
heyday beer.com
03 The Third Eye
tuatarabrewing.co.nz
04 Black Dog Brew Co
blackdogbrewery.co.nz
05 Whistling Sisters
whistlingsisters.co.nz
06 Fortune Favours
fortunefavours.beer
07 HUSK
huskbar.co.nz
08 Fork & Brewer
forkandbrewer.co.nz
01
After our fill of fork, it was on to Fortune Favours, one of the
city’s younger brewers. Started by Shannon Thorpe, who had
grown tired of working for other brewers, Fortune Favours was
set up in an old industrial building and brews beers on site that
are fresh, fun and innovative. This is another bar that’s hard to
miss thanks to the large wooden hand sticking out from the
front of the building overhead as you walk by. Its motto is ‘be
bold, be brave, be lucky’ – a mantra we can all get behind in
these modern times.
Despite our best efforts, we weren’t able to get around all of
the brewpubs in Wellington, as several are a little out of town.
Honourable mentions to the best of the rest include Parrotdog
(we did pick up their beer in a supermarket and it is excellent),
Double Vision Brewing, Heyday and Waitoa Social Club. We
also haven’t mentioned any of the countless excellent bars and
pubs around the city that are not run by brewers but offer a
dazzling range of beer from all over this wonderful country.
Quite simply, you could live in Wellington for a year and not
master its craft beer scene fully, it’s that comprehensive. This
was something we contemplated with wonder as we sat sipping
on a few cans of very varied beers from another Kiwi brewer
Funk Estate. Wellington has something for everyone – whether
you know what you like and stick religiously to it, you like to
experiment wildly, or you’re somewhere in between – craft beer
flows through the veins of this city and long may it prosper.
•
WEBB ST
03
ARO ST
02
TARANAKI ST
CUBA ST
WILLIS ST
VICTORIA ST
04
VIVIAN ST
05
GHUZNEE ST
CUBA MALL
THE TERRACE TUNNEL
07
08
06
DIXON ST
WELLINGTON
JERVOIS QUAY
1
LAMBTON QUAY
Queens Wharf

ROADIE ALL-NIGHT
A white, hard-wearing tee with hand
screen-printed, four-colour design
based on Signature Brew’s Roadie
All-Night IPA can art. It fits the name
and the nature of the beer itself very
nicely.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Bristol’s Left Handed Giant has some
of the most eye-catching can designs
in craft beer, but it has kept things
clean and simple with this plain white
tee – we’re big fans. Sizes range from
X small to XX large.
W A N T Y O U R P R O D U C T F E A T U R E D ? C O

IT’S HOTTING UP!
TIME TO TOP UP ON
THE TEES FOR SUMMER
CLOUD FORECAST
Cloudwater’s unisex t-shirts feature
a double-printed logo on the front
(small) and back (large). Available in
black, white or orange these supersoft
single jersey tees are made with
organic ring-spun combed cotton.
WHAT DEYA THINK?
Uncomplicated logo tee from DEYA
but it checks out. Available in a variety
of colours from teal (pictured), arctic
blue, indigo, mustard, coral and sage.
Sizes small to extra large.
N T A C T U S A T I N F O @ H O P U L I S T . C O M

OUR FAVOURITE
CRAFT BEERS OF
THE MOMENT.
SO GOOD WE
ARE DRINKING
THEM AT HOME.

DURATION
BAUBLES OF
VANITY
WEST COAST
PALE ALE
When west coast is
done right you can’t
beat it in our eyes.
A full fruit basket of
aromas – citrus, melon,
strawberry, tangerine
you name it and we
think it’s in there –
dank undertones
and rich mouthfeel
culminating in a
refreshing bitterness.
An easygoing pale ale
true to its style.
ABV: 5.2%
Colour: Orange
Aroma: Malt/citrus
Taste: Tropical

LHG
MAKING
PLANETS
DIPA
If only everything in
life was as reliable
as Bristol titans LHG.
Aromas of mango,
pineapple and other
tropical goodness that
are mirrored in its taste,
leading to a bitter finish.
Soft and juicy its a real
citrus burst direct to
your feels.
ABV: 8%
Colour: Hazy gold
Aroma: Tropical fruit
Taste: Tropical fruit

BREWDOG
FUNK X PUNK
BRETT
FERMENTED IPA
AGED IN FOEDER
Brewdog’s flagship
IPA has been aged in
foeders and then dry
hopped to oblivion.
Perfectly balanced,
funky with complex
flavours. Tropical
fruit aromas, a chewy
mouthfeel with punchy
dry notes and packed
to the rafters with citrus
hop flavour.
ABV: 5.5%
Colour: Gold
Aroma: Citrus
Taste: Sour/Citrus

YOUR MATES
LARRY
PALE ALE
Brewed with the
inspiration of a mild
and relaxed summer
day in Queensland,
Australia, Larry is a
clean and simple pale
ale that offers modest
but interesting flavor.
If ever a beer could be
described as an ‘allrounder’
it might be
this one – it has gentle
tropical notes in both
aroma and taste and
offers a clean and
even mouthfeel and a
pleasing golden orange
colour with just the right
amount of haze. Perfect
for a sunny afternoon.
ABV: 4.7%
Colour: Hazy orange
Aroma: Pineapple/
passionfruit
Taste: Tropical fruits

NORTH BREWING
TRIPLE FRUITED
GOSE – MANGO
SOUR/GOSE
North Brewing have
created a real homage
to the tastiest of all
tropical fruit – the
mango. Showcasing
the stoned fruit in all its
juicy, sweet, soft glory
whilst creating a lovely
balance against the
salty goodness of the
base Gose recipe.
Did we menton the
mango?
ABV: 4.5%
Colour: Hazy yellow
Aroma: Tropical fruits
Taste: Tropical/mango

VOCATION
TWISTED SOUR
SOUR
For the uninitiated
Valencia oranges are
a sweet orange which,
despite their name,
originate in the States.
Gently kettle-soured
to complement and
enhance the citrus
notes of both valenica
and blood oranges
the result is a supercrisp
sour perfect for
summer.
ABV: 4.5%
Colour: Gold
Aroma: Orange
Taste: Tart/citrus

DURATION
BET THE FARM
CONTINENTAL PALE
Our second offering
from Norfolk’s Duration
Brewing is a hoppy,
lightly floral continental
pale which is dry and
elegantly balanced, the
natural accompaniment
to long late spring/
early summer evenings.
Duration have also
promised a rustic barrel
aged version off foeder
which will evolve this
into a farmhouse pale.
ABV: 4.5%
Colour: Yellow/Gold
Aroma: Floral/hops
Taste: Floral/fruit

MISSED AN ISSUE?
Hopulist have been around for a while now and we hace quite the cellar of craft
beer content. Whether you’re new to us or you’ve just missed an issue, we invite
you to come in, take a look around, chances are you’ll find something you like.
ISSUE 1
• Exclusive interview with Beavertown’s Nick Dwyer
• 11 interesting beers from Scandinavia
• Brilliant beer in Bangkok – a city on the up
• A breakfast stout to die for from Founders
• Why New Zealand craft beer is booming
• The story behind UK pioneer Beer Gonzo
CLICK TO READ
ISSUE 2
• Visit Cornwall’s Verdant to see what’s brewing
• Why Trappist brewers are still relevant
• Our guide to getting the most from a growler
• Walk the Bermondsey Beer Mile with us
• The cream of the crop in California
• We gush over Chimay Blue
CLICK TO READ
ISSUE 3
• Pull up a pew and tune in to the Craft Beer Channel
• The story of how Duration Brewing began
• Get glassware tips in our 101 guide
• The finest beers that Yorkshire has to offer
• A Guerrilla movement in Northampton’s bar scene
• The year that was – 2017 in craft beer
PHOTO CREDIT: ROBERT GIGLIOTTI
CLICK TO READ

ISSUE 4
• A Bison on the loose in Brighton is good news for beer
• Tune in to our interview with Signature Brew
• Sour power – our top picks in this genre
• Exclusive interview with To Øl designer Kasper Ledet
• Thornbridge hits the right notes in stouts
• Join us on a craft beer journey through Japan
日 本 特 産 品
CLICK TO READ
ISSUE 5
• Uncover a hidden gem of a bar in Sheffield
• Witness the first-ever craft beer world cup
• How homebrewing became a major scene
• A foodie mag’s take on our industry
• Why Jesus is the saviour of beer in New York
• Our guide to matching your snacks
CLICK TO READ
ISSUE 6
• Our guide to the craft beer scene in Birmingham
• Exclusive interview with Unity Brewing’s Jimmy Hatherly
• Inside the mind of Lervig designer Nanna Guldbaek
• Our pick of the best European Imperial Stouts out there
• How top writer Breandán Kearney got into beer
• The beers we are drinking and you might want to try
CLICK TO READ
ISSUE 7
• Take a trip to Singapore with us.
• Exclusive interview with top writer Matthew Curtis
• We prove craft beer on a budget is possible.
• A guide to 2019’s best craft beer events.
• Our picks of what beer is hot right now
• All the freshest beer merch to keep you looking slick
CLICK TO READ

! FACEBOOK.COM/HOPULIST/
$ @HOPULISTMAGAZINE
SEARCH THE HASHTAGS:
#HOPULIST #HOPULISTMAG
E: INFO@HOPULIST.COM
W: HOPULIST.COM
TO ADVERTISE
OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE
YOUR BREWERY, TAP ROOM
OR PRODUCT TO APPEAR IN
HOPULIST PLEASE CONTACT:
INFO@HOPULIST.COM
EDITORIAL: DAVID GUEST
DESIGN: MARK GRAFTON