Herevana – Renaissance – Kentishman
You’re think I’d learn when it came to the current iteration of Renaissance beers. I have absolutely no doubts as to the honestly and earnestness of the Brewer and their plans, but the recent beers were somewhat underwhelming. But it’s Fresh Hop season and I’m always up for the freshest of fresh beers. Once again I see they’ve gone with Kviek yeast, but have left out the lactose.
Renaissance Brewing make the Renaissance Kentishman Fresh Hop-beer in the lovely 🇳🇿 Blenheim, New Zealand and it’s a Pale Ale – American (APA) of 5.5% ABV and 20 IBU
It is a beer with a very hoppy aroma, and the pour is a dirty murky haziness with a lovely full and exciting head of bright white.
It is initially quite sharp, but has quite a soft undertone that mutes it somewhat.
I really want to like Renaissance beers again, but again I feel let down and disappointed.
It’s not that this is bad beer, far from it. it’s a fully acceptable tasty pale ale, but I want from Renaissance a punch, a zing, a firework, a leap into the dark, and explosion of taste.
I would drink this again, if I was out and this was on offer, but I’m not going to sing it’s praises and glorify it, sorry.
The Pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 7 on the arbitrary number scale. I’ve tried, a lot, lately, and honestly I don’t know where to go. Renaissance used to make some bangers and now it seems they’re clangers. I hope this is a platform from whence they rise and start delivering.
This beer is a tribute to Guy and Krista from KentishMan hop farm (whose names celebrates the Kentish hop growing tradition). Located in the Upper Moutere, it is one of the smallest and oldest hop farms in NZ dating back to the 1850’s.
Krista fondly refers to the hops as ‘her girls’, yes hops are females! The team love to enjoy a tasty brew to relax after those hot Nelson hop harvest days.
One of the most exciting days for any brewer is producing a Fresh Hop brew and this year we have created a single hop Hazy XPA. The brew is fermented with Kviek yeast which melds seamlessly with the fresh Motueka hops for a punchy citrusy aroma with a good bitter backbone.
Herevana beers are those I drink at home, I’m not at some beer festival, like, for instance, Beervana, but am just in my kitchen, usually, dining room table, sometimes, or outside, occasionally, where I can take an average picture and write in real time about the beer that I’ve invested in, both in a monetary and emotional way.
Philip himself.
A life just as ordinary 