"The stuff of fantasy" to quote Michael Donaldson. And he would be right. I am some what lost for words (which some would say is rare), and not sure how to comprehend what it means to win BEST IPA at three different beer competitions, in three different countries (and with three different batches of Armageddon IPA). In the last six months Armageddon IPA was judged against nearly 400 IPA entries from over 35 countries. What are the chances of this beer winning the BEST IPA three times? An interesting quote from the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) "American-Style India Pale Ale...

 has just been released in time for the coming summer holiday season. Brewed as a session IPA, it is SMALL (4.7% alc/vol) and MISCHIEVOUS (generously dry hopped like an IPA. It has more dry hop than the Epic Armageddon IPA). When poured the aroma hits you with sweet ripe summer stone fruit and citrus as you look at its brilliantly polished pale copper colour. The flavour is of fruity citrus peel intertwined with a juicy caramel note, which finishes with a sharp but brief slap of bitterness. It drinks as though it’s much bigger than a responsible 4.7%, due to...

I just read this positive review about the new Epic IMP on the blog "buzz and hum". You should not only check out the other posts on this blog, but follow it to, as the reviews are thoughtful and a good read. I still need to finish writing something official for the release of this beer. This last week has been consumed by Taste of Auckland (which hasn't gone so well due to the weather). Quickly, the beer is a Session IPA, 4.7% alc/vol, 35 IBU. Dry hopping is greater than Armageddon IPA. It was officially released on Friday night...

Hop Zombie was arguably New Zealand's most successful craft beer release of 2011. With its invasion, Epic continued to push the hop envelope. Ravaging hordes of craft beer drinkers scoured the shelves of every bottle they could find, hunting them down via word of mouth and social media in what one could only compare to preparation for a coming apocalypse. Unfortunately, the supply of top secret special hops for this highly aromatic beer were exhausted - not only at the brewery but on the whole planet!! No one had any. Not only had the hops run out, but the next...

Epic Apocalypse Black IPA will start rolling out this week in bottle. So why a Black IPA? When this style started becoming popular in the USA I become fascinated by the style, which at the time was being referred to as a Cascadian Dark Ale (named after the Cascade mountain range, which also gave its name to the hop, because the beer style was being made in Oregon.) In 2009 we started bottling Armageddon IPA. The same year, Apocalypse was brewed for the first time. The key behind making a Black IPA is to keep all the hop aroma and...