“It’s important to understand the source of ingredients before making a top quality craft beer, if you don’t understand the source, you’re not going to understand the finished beer,” explains Monteith’s Head Brewer Tony Mercer.
“We’ve looked at every single aspect of the beer; we figured if we did what we’ve always done we’d end up with the same results. We wanted to create something with real interest that reflected the influence of our unique land and climate. We wanted to be able to almost taste the locations the crops were grown in.”
The last year has been an intensive search for the best ingredients. The first stage was finding the best hops and the best barley in New Zealand. Specialist growers were sought; the superstars of hops and barley were needed. Monteith’s found Bill Davey from Rakaia and Ian Thorn from Motueka.
Bill Davey grows barley on his farm in Rakaia, he’s a meticulous man, and rumour has it that Bill’s paddocks are so immaculate, even the dirt is clean. Bill’s attention to detail is not lost on son Nick, who is learning to work the land alongside his Dad, following a long family tradition.
The Charmay barley Bill provides for Single Source is grown under carefully tended conditions in a unique climate, where the nor-westerly winds that roam the Canterbury plains ensure the barley is naturally dried to retain an optimal 14% moisture level. Bill’s Charmay barley has been specifically chosen for the lasting freshness and distinct flavours it gives to the beer.
The hops are grown by Ian Thorn in Ngatimoti. Ian grows Southern Cross hops, a specific variety that has been selected for Single Source because of a rare attribute; it provides both aroma and bitterness to the beer. Ian’s family have been growing hops on his property since 1928, and he takes great care at every stage of the process. People who know Ian’s passion for hops will not be surprised to learn that he actually sleeps next to the hops when they are drying during harvest, waking each and every hour to check for optimal moisture.
Ian’s worked out that Southern Cross hops really like the microclimate in his garden. It’s one of those varieties that respond well to the cold so he grows it on the far side in the corner under the shade of the hill. Usually a selection of hops will be used in the brewing process, bringing different qualities to each stage. But the Southern Cross is a hop of many talents and because of its unique characteristics; it stars alone in Monteith’s Single Source. The result is a delicate aroma of lemon peel and pine needles, layered beneath a clean spiciness and soft herbaceous undertone.
With the best ingredients sourced, Tony got to work to create the beer he envisioned. Monteith’s Single Source is made at the Mainland Brewery in Timaru where they share Monteith’s passion for doing things differently. Under the watchful supervision of Tony Mercer and Adrian Finlayson (Mainland Brewery Manager), great care has been taken throughout the brewing process.
“A limited run of a specific beer like Monteith’s Single Source takes a lot of thought and effort. We’ve had to change the way we do a few things”, says Adrian Finlayson.
The result is a crisp, refreshing lager that is a traceable reflection of climate, land and craft.
And how does it taste? Monteith’s Single Source is a bottom fermented batch brewed pilsner. Inside the pale, straw coloured lager is a flavour that begins with a soft bitterness building delicately with an aromatic balance of citrus and spice, ending with a sharp, dry finish.
Having gone to such lengths to create a beer of singular quality, it had to be protected. Monteith’s Single Source comes in a black bottle because UV rays are the enemy of a good beer. They can damage it and alter the flavour. The black bottle is the best way to protect the beer, so it can be enjoyed as it was intended. A bottle of beer left exposed to sunlight or light from fluorescent bulbs significantly damages the taste of beer by altering the flavours of the delicate hops. This can yield a taste that is often described as ‘skunky’ – an aroma not unlike the skunk itself.
From the paddock to the packaging, everything about this craft beer has been selected for a purpose, as Tony Mercer describes; “I guess what makes this beer different, is that nothing is left to chance. It’s a bottle full of interest — the best ingredients, the most meticulous and passionate craftsmen producing it, and the best brewing processes. After a long, hard journey I’m pleased to release a beer that tastes of the land and the people that helped produce it.”
Single Source is available exclusively at Monteith’s bars around New Zealand and online at www.singlesource.co.nz for $35 per dozen.
