16/10/2026
BREWER’S PERSPECTIVE | HAZY NZ IPA | 5.9%ABV | 25IBU
With this Hazy NZ IPA, I wanted to explore just how much character we could build from some of my favourite New Zealand hop varieties while keeping the b**r soft, balanced and incredibly drinkable.
The foundation is a simple combination of Pilsner malt, rolled oats, flaked wheat and Chit malt, designed to give the b**r a soft, rounded mouthfeel and provide the right canvas for the hops to shine.
For the hop profile, we used Motueka, Riwaka, Nelson Sauvin and a new experimental variety CIP-076, with a reasonably substantial 7 kg dry hop charge. These hops bring an incredible combination of fruit, passionfruit, citrus and stone-fruit characters, and together they create the big, expressive NZ hop profile I was looking for.
One of the key process changes was in the whirlpool. Rather than adding the hops at a higher temperature, we cooled the wort to around 80°C before starting the whirlpool, finishing around 78°C. The intention was to maximise the beautiful hop flavour and aroma while keeping the bitterness soft and integrated.
Fermentation was kept clean and relatively straightforward using a well known English Yeast strain, starting at 17°C before allowing the b**r to warm towards the end of fermentation for a thorough cleanup. Once fermentation and VDK checks were complete, we gradually cooled the b**r through 10°C and 4°C before bringing it down to 0°C for cold conditioning.
The result has been exactly the sort of b**r I enjoy brewing — soft, juicy and packed with tropical NZ hop character, with a smooth medium bitterness and a beautifully rounded mouthfeel.
I'm particularly pleased with the way the b**r has stabilised through the cold conditioning period, while the hop character has continued to develop and integrate.
This b**r is all about showcasing what these beautiful New Zealand hops can do when you give them the right environment to shine.
Soft, tropical, juicy and unmistakably New Zealand.
— Paul Bergamini,
Head Brewer, Ward’s Brewery
https://wardsbrewery.com/b**rs/
