The buzz on Wasp
Invercargill Brewery is providing a new twist on an old favourite, swapping a honey pilsner for a wheat beer under its Wasp label.
Brewer Steve Nally said for the past two years the brewery had maintained five standard brews, one more than optimum.
“We knew one had to go, so we let our customers decide,” Mr Nally said.
Their decision was an almost unamimous vote for the brewery’s unbranded honey pilsner – which had been outselling the wheat beer five to one.
The original Wasp, a 4.2 percent golden ale, was designed in 2000 for the Hokonui Moonshiners Festival who wanted a nice, easy drinking brew for the Gore festival. It was New Zealand’s only filtered wheat beer at a time when wheat beer was a relative rarity.
“Now the boutique market has grown there is a huge selection of very competent wheat beers out there so I’m happy there are plenty of alternatives for fans of the old brew,” Mr Nally said.
“There was defininitely a sadness in brewing the last batch, and I’d only give it up for a better beer.”
At 5.2 percent Wasp the Honey Pilsner has a higher alcohol content than its predecessor and is flavoured with Kamahi honey.