Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Collabs to Try at Beervana
One of our favourite parts of Beervana is bringing brewers from across the country, and indeed, the world together. One of the ways this shows up is through brewery collaborations and we’re excited to have a beer list full of them at Beervana 2024!
Match Made in Beer Heaven
After taking out the top three spots in the beer rankings at Beervana last year, it just makes sense that Queenstown’s Altitude Brewing and Sydney’s One Drop would work together in 2024.
Down South, the team at Altitude have produced Extra Dose, a cinnamon roll golden pastry stout that’s like transporting yourself to a Swedish bakery on a Saturday morning. Meanwhile the team at One Drop have created their version of a Mallow Puff with Full Up imperial pastry stout.
But wait, what happens if you’re Full Up and you add an Extra Dose? That’s exactly what we’re about to find out, with these two beers to be blended (or spooned as they say in the beer industry?!) at Sky Stadium to create OVERFLOW! A pastry stout that’s like cutting a cinnamon roll in half, filling with mallow puffs and running it through the toastie pie machine.
Seeing Double? Double Vision Double Ups
Double Vision are one of two breweries going all in on collabs this year, with a pour list full of them.
They are particularly excited about getting to team up with Schneider Weisse, the historic German brewery who are here for the Beervana International Invitational (thanks, Singapore Airlines!). Incorporating the Schneider Weisse house yeast (which has been around since 1872), the team at DVB have produced Die Reise, a double dryhopped hopfenweisse. In Warren from Double Vision’s own words:
“It was such a massive opportunity for us as a small brewery, that breaks damn near every rule for the sake of experimentation, to work with these guys who have history, tradition, scale and follow all the best efficiency practices to a T.”
“We are using style as well as ingredients that meet right in the middle. This beer will have it all from the best malts and hops from their part of the world combined with ours here from New Zealand.”
We can’t wait to try it!
Suddenly, Duncan’s
Duncan’s have also teamed up with a Beervana International Invitational brewery, connecting with Sudden Death over a shared love of experimental sours. That has resulted in Mango Pudding - it’s sweet, fruity, and silky smooth; complimented perfectly with coconut milk, a touch of passionfruit, salt, and vanilla.
Behemoth’s Brew Buddies
Behemoth have left no stone unturned in their quest for collaboration at Beervana with three continents represented on their beer list. They joined forces with Japan’s Far Yeast Brewing for their “Extra Bossy” Japanese Coffee Stout, and Hong Kong Brewing Company on “Densely Hoppulated” Hazy IPA.
In an ode to our Bird of the Year (thanks, John Oliver), they’ve brewed the Pūteketeke Hazy IPA with MotoSonora Brewing from Tucson Arizona. They’ve also got four New Zealand collabs on the list with Beers by Bacon Bros, Saint Leonards, Heyday, and Jason Bathgate of McLeod’s.
Not Just Brewery Collabs
Auckland's Brothers Beer have been working with Pōkeno Whisky on their Belgian Dark Strong Ale, aged in ex-bourbon barrels. Beervana-goers will have the first opportunity to sample it before it’s released with Pōkeno’s beer barrel-aged whisky in September.
They've also teamed up with Māori chocolatier extraordinaire, Ao Cacao to create a beer of the same name. This imperial baltic porter is infused with Samoan cacao nibs. Ao Cacao has also made a chocolate using the beer-infused nibs!