Robin Shepard
Staying on the forefront of hoppy tastes is a tough challenge for brewers. Finding hop varieties with distinctive aroma and flavor combinations is a never-ending task, especially given the discerning palates of hoppy beer lovers. Madison’s Rockhound Brewing is turning to hops from the southern hemisphere to make a unique lager called Zealandia.
What is it? Zealandia from Rockhound Brewing Company of Madison.
Style: The New Zealand pilsner is a pale golden colored lager that showcases New Zealand-specific varieties of hops with their tropical, citrusy, fruity, grassy character. They are medium-bodied lagers with softness on the palate and finish. They’re similar to a German pilsner, only not as crisp and dry. They finish at 4.5 to 5.8 percent ABV.
Background: Rockhound brewmaster and owner Nate Warnke makes Zealandia with all New Zealand hops: Pacifica, Kohatu and Southern Cross. Altogether Warnke uses about one pound per barrel, not a huge amount but enough to provide tropical, piney, herbal, grassy and spicy character. “Look for the citrus and fruitiness up front, with the background of a crisp, clean lager,” says Warnke.
A few local brewers have recently used New Zealand hops to make some outstanding beers (NZF-IPA at Lucky’s 1313, and pale weizenbock from Giant Jones). Rockhound is different in that Warnke is using them exclusively in a pilsner. He got the idea while attending a homebrewer’s forum at Madison’s Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center last spring. “Homebrewers are one of the best sources of information because they are out there experimenting,” says Warnke.
As he scaled up the recipe for commercial purposes, his challenge was getting enough of the specific hops that would match the characteristics of a lager. “They are readily available for homebrewers, but it’s hard to get them in commercial quantities,” says Warnke. “I’m lucky that I am relatively small.”
Rockhound Brewing, as the name of the brewpub suggests, draws inspiration from geology in naming its beers. Zealandia is what scientists refer to the land mass that separated from Australia and eventually became New Zealand.
Rockhound’s Zealandia finishes at 5 percent ABV and 30 IBUs. It’s sold over the bar for $6/pint, $10.50/crowler and $18/growler (refill). Warnke intends to make a second batch; that should keep it on tap into early fall. It may migrate to a few other Madison taphouses, too.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: Light citrus aroma followed by hints of cinnamon and pepper.
- Appearance: Clear golden color. A medium soft white head.
- Texture: Light- to medium-bodied, effervescent, with malty softness.
- Taste: A crisp, light grapefruit start with a later wave of pineiness. A touch of spicy cinnamon lies in the background of the malt flavor.
- Finish/Aftertaste: Crisp dry grapefruit and pine. A light lingering spiciness.
Glassware: Rockhound Brewing pours Zealandia in a standard bar pint. When taking this home in a crowler, I’d go with the traditional pilsner glass.
Pairs well with: the mild sweetness of gruyere and baby Swiss cheeses, or lightly salted cashew nuts. From Rockhound’s menu, the salmon BLT is a nice choice because the citrus hoppiness complements the grilled preparation of the fish.
The Verdict: I’m a fan of this beer and would like to see more Madison brewers tackle the style with other combinations of Kiwi hops. The New Zealand pilsner is still emerging among craft beer makers. During a recent visit to Salt Lake City, I had one from Saltfire Brewing Company featuring Waimea and Moteuka hops and discovered why the style is putting that brewery on the map of craft beer travelers. It’s clean, drinkable and loaded with fruity hoppiness. Rockhound’s take is flavorful, light-bodied and comes in at a sessionable strength. I like what Warnke is doing with this beer, taking an easy-drinking lager and adding distinctive hop character without overwhelming or staining the palate with bitterness.
