Invercargill Brewery: Journal Entry

Steve & Murray from Invercargill Brewery

From the NZ Craft Beer TV journal entry: 

Dunedin done, the next day was going to involve a bit of driving and Luke was amped to get down to Invercargill to catch up with Steve Nally of Invercargill Brewing. We cruised down and stopped in quickly to see Tom from Crafty Beers and Vicki from Beltane… their purple house is impossible to miss! It was then on to the Presidential Highway from Clinton to Gore (see what they did there!). We got into Invercargill and were amazed at the changes that had occurred in the place since we had last been down there over 10 years ago. Maybe Mayor Tim Shadbolt’s magic was working!

We met up with Steve and Murray from Invercargill Brewing, both passionate, energetic guys who are pumping out some incredible beers. We checked out the brewery, which Steve told us was about to be upgraded to allow double the amount of beer to be brewed. Invercargill do a lot of contract brewing and bottling for other NZ craft breweries including Yeastie Boys, Valley, Golden Ticket, Pink Elephant and Mussel Inn. Their own range of beers includes a delicious Honey Pilsner, Wasp, which had a hint of honey on the nose, some sweetness on the tongue and a nice dry, crisp finish. B.Man was another top drop, a great take on the NZ Pilsner style. Sister Gina was a Belgian style brew that Steve had brewed with a Witbier yeast and was a great example of an Abbey-style Dubbel with wisps of clove and fruity esters.

The Boysenbeery however, was the pick of the bunch for me. This beer is brewed and 15% Boysenberry juice is added near the end of fermentation. The resulting brew smells like boysenberry icecream, with a pleasant vanilla and berry nose. The vibrant red colour makes you think that this beer is going to be sweet and potentially syrupy, but this is anything but! The berry fruit makes itself known, but the beer finishes crisp and dry and your mouth stays filled with fragrant boysenberry notes without any cloying characters. Steve told us he was a massive fan of ciders and fruit and this is evident in the beer. His Nally’s Cider is another example of a greatly crafted product, aged for 18 months prior to release.

The one thing I think Steve gives to his beers that is paramount is balance and drinkability. They finish dry and crisp and are testament to his brewing skill.

Invercargill Brewery: About

From the Invercargill website: 

What began as a hobby for father and son team Gerry and Steve Nally grew to become the all-consuming business that is Invercargill Brewery.

When Steve graduated from Canterbury University with a handy degree in chemistry, his OE took him to Europe where he ended up playing rugby for Epernay in France – on Moet’s home turf.

“At the rugby club the major sponsors were champagne houses so we would drink champagne. That was one of the more surreal parts of my life but it was one of the more defining periods.”

On returning to Invercargill in the mid-90s Steve got a real job in a lab – just briefly mind. Even then the call of the brew was strong – Steve found himself at weekends touring abandoned orchards to fill a trailer with ground-bruised fruit to try his hand at cider.

Gerry, who by rights should have been thinking retirement, found himself spending more and more time thinking about brewing.

Eventually the bug took over. In 1999 Steve and Gerry leased the dis-used diary shed in Oteramika Road on the outskirts of the city and set up business.

When, just three years later, beer writer Keith Stewart released his Complete Guide to NZ Beer he described it as “an impressive wee brewery that epitomizes the enterprise and creativity of New Zealand’s next brewing generation.”

Stewart gave Pitch Black a 9/10 on the taste test, and awarded Biman “different but delicious” a 7/10.

Invercargill Breweries first brew – IBS – has since been superseded by a popular pale ale called Stanley Green. Lance Corporal Stanley Green was Steve’s maternal grandfather who survived Dunkirk only to die in a training accident in Scotland in 1942.

“I think he was an ordinary man doing something extraordinary” Steve reckoned, and a great inspiration for one of his favourite beers.

In 2005 the brewery outgrew the old blue dairy shed and moved to downtown Invercargill where the story continues.

Invercargill Breweries range of beers: 

Stanley Green - 4.7 % ABV Styled on a pale ale. A pale bronze colour, hints of fruitcake and a dry hoppy finish are all crammed into this traditionally styled ale, this is a good rounded beer that is best served at 13 º C.
BrewNZ Bronze Medal 2006

Wasp 5.2% ABV We’ve blended four malts and two hops with Kamahi honey from the Catlins Forest to craft an authentic taste of New Zealand. A great anytime beer. Best served well chilled.

B.man 5.2% ABV A smooth all-malt NZ pilsner with an enticing hop aroma of tropical fruits, styled to compliment authentic Indian cuisine. The perfect accompaniment to curry.
BrewNZ Gold Medal and Best in Class 2008; Bronze Medal 2006

Pitch Black 4.5% ABV It shouts stout… deep colour and rich hints of chocolate and coffee yet dry enough to want another pint… an excellent beer to match with chocolate cake and seafood like Bluff oysters. Can be served either chilled or at 10-15 º C for full hit of flavour.
Australian International Beer Awards Bronze Medal 2010
BrewNZ Gold Medal 2007 Silver Medal 2005

Specialty Brews: 

Sa!son – 6.5% ABV The latest addition to our seasonal range is a traditional French farmhouse ale. Upfront the aroma is dominated by tangerine and passionfruit. This hoppy, effervescent brew has the requisite hints of spice with layers of zesty orange that sparkle on the palate, before ending with a silky finish. A bitter sweet memory of summer in a glass.

Boysenbeery - 6.5% ABV Redolent of the Belgium-style kriek beer with a Kiwi twist. A light flavoured wheat beer brewed with a generous serving of berry to create a dark red brew with pink head. It’s the 180 kilos of boysenberry we put into every 1200 litre batch that accounts for the full flavour and strong colour. It’s no surprise that it’s all berry up front, fat and smooth through the middle with a dry finish. The yeast provides hints of spice and orange for added complexity.
BrewNZ Gold Medal and Best in Class 2008; Australian International Beer Awards Bronze Medal 2010

Smokin' Bishop - 7% ABV. A German style bock beer using our own Manuka smoked malt to give a distinctive smoke character that’s balanced out with the richness of the bock using our own yeast. In-house we reckon the 2010 vintage has the mellowness of 2008 with the smokier overtones of our 2007 brew.
BrewNZ Gold Medal 2007 and Best in Class
Australian International Beer Awards Silver Medal 2010