Renaissance Brewing

Microbrewery in Blenheim, Marlborough, New Zealand 🇳🇿

Established in 2005

Contact
1 Dodson Street, Blenheim, New Zealand
Description
Renaissance brewing was established in 2005 when experienced brewers Andy Deuchars and Brian Thiel purchased the lease on the historic Grove Mill in Blenheim. Andy and Brian, both natives of Southern California, had one goal in mind - to produce stunning beers in a region more renowned for the excellence of its wines. We are committed to using local ingredients and are one of the pioneers of craft brewing in New Zealand.

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7.5
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Bottle from Brewery Creek, Vancouver
Cloudy amber color with small head. The hop aroma is very fruity, orangey, peppery; then there is some nice caramel and toffee too; finally some jasmine tea. The body is fairly lean; good malt and toffee flavor; robust bitterness, with strong hop presence, resiny and also quite fruity; there is a very light astringency in the final.
It doesn’t give the impression of extreme freshness. Not very refined, but good.

Tried from Bottle on 30 Dec 2013 at 02:46


6.8
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Bottle - fuzzy amber pour with a medium white head. Aroma and taste of citrus fruity hops, peachy, mandarin, grassy, sweet malty, caramel, slight pine, good bitter finish.

Tried from Bottle on 22 Dec 2013 at 11:07


6.6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Bottled. A hazy amber beer with a white head. The aroma has notes of straw, citrusy hops, malt, and caramel. The flavor is sweet with notes of malt, citrusy hops, and caramel, leading to a bitter finish.

Tried from Bottle on 16 Dec 2013 at 12:22


6.8
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

50 cl bottle. Pours cloudy orange with a small white head. Aroma is dry grapefruity and light peachy. Lingering fruity. Bubbelgum. Fruity, peachy and dry grapefruity. Light citrusy. Bitter and medium dry herbal finish.

Tried from Bottle on 16 Dec 2013 at 11:20


7.5
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Growler, 10C. A beer I’ve passed on many times because of unease about bottle age. Pale amber with a modest white head. Aroma of oranges and flowers, peaches, lychees. Sweet stone and tropical fruit with clean pale malt malt supporting, then a floral peppery bitter finish that’s moderate but cuts through nicely. Reminders of some of the newer English golden ales hopped with new world hops, though presumably this came first. Delicate, refreshing and highly drinkable.

Tried from Bottle on 13 Dec 2013 at 03:54


7.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

New Beer Distributors, NYC 50cl ($8.25): It is really inconvenient to make a yearly batch of beer and not place the date anywhere on it; however, since I have never seen this beer before or at that store I will assume it is this batch. The ABV listed on the bottle was 5.6%. Anyway, pours black with a tan head. Aroma is coffee and chocolate and roasted malts... really nice full stout aroma. Taste is not at all sweet, but more like semi-bitter dark chocolate and medium-roasted coffee. Nice, easy drinking body. Good beer.

Tried from Bottle on 21 Nov 2013 at 09:00


6.6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Pours reddish brown without much head or lacing, some sediment floating around on bottom. Opens with explosive carbonation - sprayed all over the place. Clove and pumpkin with some trace of malt. Finishes a little sweet. Bottle.

Tried from Bottle on 09 Nov 2013 at 19:21


7.1
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Bottle from Capitol Beer in Sacramento, CA. Pours ruddy amber with a transient beige head. Aroma is rather strong pie spice; cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg - one or more is strong. Full bodied or nearly. Flavor is clove/nutmeg among other things. Sort of roasty brown malt. Quite smooth. Somehow it’s not as wow as many, but much more so than many others. Finishes less than dry with a little bitter, but more spice.

Tried from Bottle on 02 Nov 2013 at 17:04


7.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

Bottle - Espresso, licorice, soy sauce and dark chocolate. Jet black with a foamy brown head. Dark roast, soy sauce, chocolate and coffee bitterness. Reminds me of Bells Expedition Stout. Nice stuff.

Tried from Bottle on 28 Oct 2013 at 21:39


7.5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

500 ml bottle. Pours a garnet red/brown with light head of big bubbles. Slightly sour aromas of toasted malts and dark fruit with a light smokiness. Smoky flavor, with rich malts and raisins.

Tried from Bottle on 27 Oct 2013 at 17:01