A craft beer named in this year's New World Beer & Cider Awards has been described by its brewer as "an orchestra in the mouth."
"It's got musical notes all through it," says Alasdair Cassels, founder of Christchurch-based Cassels, a family-owned brewery. "When you smell its aroma and taste it, it's good from beginning to end and when you've finished the glass you want more – the sign of a good beer."
Cassels is recognised globally for the quality of its beers. In 2020 its Milk Stout won the top prize in its category at the World Beer Awards for the second time and this reputation was enhanced when its American Pale Ale - the 'orchestra' beer - was named in the New World Beer & Cider awards Top 30.
Now, the winning beer has been chosen as one of three finalists in the award's inaugural People's Choice Award. It was rated the favourite by many of the nearly 3000 people who had their say in the second week of the pool rounds, coming out on top against nine other Top 30 brews.
It joins the other two finalists – the 3D IPA (Indian Pale Ale) from Auckland brewery Isthmus and the Heart of Darkness Some Sorcerer IPA brewed by Behemoth.
The three will now go head-to-head in the final knock-out round in which members of the public can have their say on the overall winner.
People can rate the finalists by visiting newworld.co.nz/rate no later than 11.59pm this Sunday, May 30. The winner will be announced the following day.
The chosen brews are from the prestigious Top 30 beers and ciders judged best from hundreds of entries by a team of brewing experts led by beer writer and connoisseur Michael Donaldson.
Donaldson says they were judged blind, meaning "the panel didn't see any brands, bottles or cans so beer-lovers can have confidence these winners really stack up based on their quality and taste alone."
The full range is available at all New World supermarkets throughout May, giving shoppers the opportunity to discover new favourites.
Donaldson's tasting notes for New World's Top 30 describes the Cassels American Pale Ale (APA) as "nailing all the requisite flavours" for an APA while the other two finalists battle it out for the IPAs – one a classic West Coast IPA, the other an on-trend 'Hazy'.
The Isthmus 3D IPA showcases the three dimensions of a classic West Coast IPA – hops, hops and more hops says founder Hamish Ward, who is also head brewer at the Deep Creek Brewing Company which has two of its products in the Top 30 list.
He says the beer features hefty additions of American hops on a New Zealand malt base allowing the resinous, citrus and tropical fruit qualities of the hops to shine through.
Donaldson agrees, saying the judges loved the combination of technical excellence and tight intertwining of flavours in the 3D IPA describing it as "excellent" and a "well-balanced clean beer."
The third finalist, the Heart of Darkness Some Sorcerer Hazy IPA, is one of five trend-setting Hazy winners in the Top 30 this year and has both local and international links.
"Heart of Darkness is a Vietnam-based brewery with a New Zealanders as head brewer," says Donaldson. "They are quite the craft darlings in Vietnam and their beer comes to New Zealand thanks to Behemoth brewing it under licence in Auckland.
"This beer packs loads of ripe tropical fruit like a banana smoothie made with a tin of fruit salad blitzed in. But there's just enough citrus and grassy bitterness to hold all the sweetness in check. It has a creamy, lush mouth feel and a surprisingly dry finish."
During the three pool rounds more than 12,000 ratings were cast to determine the finalists and Donaldson expects the knock-out round to also prove popular.
"While the judges focus on technical excellence and that all important x-factor in judging the Top 30, ultimately beer preference comes down to personal taste and is something people enjoy having and sharing their opinion on," he says. "We're excited to see what comes out on top."
To view the Top 30 beers visit www.newworld.co.nz/Top30 or to learn more about the People's Choice Award visit www.newworld.co.nz/rate