Lost Palms have been keeping their heads down for a few months to focus on upgrading their brewery – not an easy task with global freight lines and floods close to home conspiring against them. But now, with a flashy upgraded brewhouse and more tanks than before, the team are ready to once again unleash special releases aplenty.
The first out of the gate is this NEIPA made with all New Zealand hops. It looks like straight-up orange juice on the pour, but this beer isn’t one-dimensional: a whiff of melon liqueur leads into bitter grapefruit and lime zest and some smooth mango juiciness. It’s less sweet than the fruits would have you expecting, with a dryness allowing a little bitterness and a touch of alcohol warmth to settle in the finish.
After a soft launch at GABS Brisbane, Riwaka Wai-iti NEIPA is out in cans, and what great-looking cans they are. The label is dusty rose (a colour that, until now, I thought only existed in bridesmaid dresses) with a clean illustration front and centre: an orange sun rising from behind angular mountains, complete with forest green lettering. I kind of love it. But then, Lost Palms aren’t strangers to thoughtful and attractive design.
Mick Wüst
Published May 23, 2022 2022-05-23 00:00:00
