TRY IT... YOU’LL LIKE IT
1 The low or no drinks market is booming and Kiwi company Bach Brewing has it nailed with their All
Day Non Alcoholic IPA. Citra, Mosaic and Nectaron hops give it a lovely tropical and citrus aroma making for a refreshing brew that’s kept us company all summer long. If you’re picky, strictly speaking it claims to contain no more than 0.5% Alc/vol and that’s good enough for us. 12 x 330ml cans $45. bachbrewing.co.nz
2 Coromandel Distilling Company,
the inventive micro-distillery in Thames, has released its awardwinning Awildian Coromandel Dry in a uniquely blue hue, thanks to clitoria ternatea, more commonly known as Butterfly Pea. But the best part is the magic that happens when you add tonic – it turns pink. $74.95 for 500ml. awildian.com
3 Gin and cheese? Well, it works.
Mooody Cow cheese (from the clever people who also make Cranky Goat cheese) comes together with Roots Gin in Foraged Roots. This soft, aged, washed-rind cheese has a dense fudgy centre and a pronounced herbaceous flavour with lovely buttery notes and a hint of the grapefruit at the end from the gin. $12. crankygoatltd.co.nz
4 Hands Down Tortillas are 100% natural corn tortillas out of a small factory in Napier. The tortillas are made from fresh masa, which they make themselves from nixtamalised corn. Nixtamalised? We didn’t know either but the website tells all. What you need to know is that they are NZ made from NZ maize. Don’t just take our word that they are the best tortillas we’ve tasted: chef Al Brown says they are ‘extraordinarily delicious’. handsdown.co
5 Take paté made in Nelson in the French style by a pastry chef from Bordeaux and gin from Marlborough’s own Elemental Distillers and you have Craft Wild Pork and Roots Gin Rillette. The juniper flavours of the gin are a perfect match with game meat and citrus gives it a fresh finish. Coming soon from craftpate.co.nz
6 We’ve long been a fan of the The
Taipa Salt Pig – the natural sea salt evaporated from the pristine waters of the Karikari Peninsula in Northland. The new Togarashi blend combines salt (naturally) with nori flakes, chilli, pepper, sesame and citrus zest. 50g bag $7.50, 125g tube $15. thetaipasaltpig.com
7 You can’t have missed that RTDS are having a moment, but sometimes squeezing the last drop from a cardboard box or swilling from a can just isn’t the vibe you want. Terry
Vodka and Soda and Terry Gin and Tonic come in 750ml glass bottles that wouldn’t look amiss at the swankiest drinks soirée. $16.99. bringterry.co.nz