The New Zealand hop variety Nelson Sauvin is one of the most sought after by craft brewers worldwide. However, being grown in a small country such as NZ, with a total hop acreage smaller than the UK, its popularity is countered by its low availability.

We’d waited a long time to brew a single hop IPA with our small 2019 allocation burning a metaphorical hole in our cold store, and what better time than the start of a new patrons series devoted to showcasing our favourite varieties individually?

We built a grist of super pale malt, wheat, malted and flaked oats, backed with a touch of maltodextrin for extra robustness. We added our first Nelson Sauvin as a 5g/l whirlpool hopping addition before dry hopping over 3 additions to a total of 26g/l through fermentation. As the name suggests, this hop contributes unique flavours of sauvignon grape to the beer, as well as distinct notes of gooseberry, lychee and elderflower, a hint of earthiness and some stone fruit to complement the esters of our house IPA yeast.