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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7.3
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 7

Draft at Dodson Street. Seems that this latest version is a bit stronger than in previous years. Extremely dark maroon color, beige head with good retention and solid lacing. Aroma of pure milk chocolate. Taste is Italian coffee soda. Decent.

Tried from Draft on 11 Aug 2013 at 23:15


7.8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Draft at the source. Dark maroon color, brown and beige head with good retention and solid lacing. Aroma of dark cocoa and caffe macchiato. Taste is sweet and roasty dark chocolate and espresso. Nice.

Tried from Draft on 11 Aug 2013 at 23:11


8
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8

Draft at Goldings Free Dive courtesy of the Good George staff, thank you gentlemen. Pours almost completely black, brown head. Nice aroma of pine needles dipped in coffee taste is roasty with a bright bitter finish. Nice.

Tried from Draft on 10 Aug 2013 at 22:13


7.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Bottle from Belmont Station. Pours hazy amber with no head. Aroma of brown sugar/maple. Full bodied. Not too sticky. Flavors of brown sugar/maple/hop, and light berry. No heat. Quite pleasant.

Tried from Bottle on 29 Jul 2013 at 16:48


6.2
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

Third Renaissance of the night. Pours a slightly hazy amber colour with a bubbly warm cap, decent retention and lots of lace. Grassy hops aroma with some heavy grain, mostly caramel, with hints of raisins and wood. Medium-bodied with a slick oily mouthfeel and a very mild dry finish. Again, heavy cereal grains of bread form the base of the taste, with the hop right over it. Pretty close to their English Pale Ale, but not as hoppy, thinking they should probably change their names around for their Pale Ales. Maybe someone played a joke and changed the recipes around.

Tried on 24 Jul 2013 at 22:56


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

Just finished their American Pale Ale and did not like it, so let’s hope this one is much better (as I do like all of their other brews). This English Pale Ale has a huge bubbly head that lasts longer and delivers some light patchy lace. Slightly hazy and golden-amber, but more on the amber side for this one. Hoppy nose at first, but after breathing, fruit malt come out to balance the grassy aromas. Medium-bodied with a some light dryness in the finish. Bitter and grassy flavours with the fruity and mild grain malts. So, much better than their American Pale Ale. Just not sure this one is an English-style one, as the hop is way present. Probably should be the American one instead.

Tried from Can on 24 Jul 2013 at 18:38


5.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 4.5

Single at the LCBO with a neck label written, Silver Australian International Beer Awards 2010. Pours a slightly hazy golden-amber colour with a bubbly head that disappears quickly, but has a little lacing, here and there. The nose seems off-balanced, with some light hops at first which are good, but then, this big cereal puff comes up, and seems all over. A mix of caramel malts with dark fruits and other aromas that don’t blend very well. The taste is pretty much the same. Maybe a got a bad bottle, but I am not a fan of this one.

Tried from Bottle on 24 Jul 2013 at 17:03


5.8
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6

Bottle: Poured a clear golden color ale with a large foamy head with average retention and some lacing. Aroma of dry British Fuggles hops with light fruity notes form the Kiwi hops. Taste is also a mix between the dry hoppy notes of Fuggles and some fruity ester from their kiwi hops with light grainy non-descript malt base. Body is a bit light for style with OK carbonation. Too much Fuggles for my own taste.

Tried from Bottle on 17 Jul 2013 at 19:15


7.8
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8

From a 500ml bottle (batch 313, BB 7/2014, shared by Butz with thanks). ABV is listed as 6.5% not 4.9%. Pours a very dark brown with a smallish head. Has quite a strong aroma of dark chocolate with a touch of roasted malt. The flavour is lots of dark bitter sweet chocolate, a good dash of cocoa, and a medium roasty bitterness. Moderate carbonation and medium body. Very nice stuff.

Tried from Bottle on 14 Jul 2013 at 02:21


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

A malt heavy pale ale along the English style more than American. Finishes malty sour. Not a great deal going on here. Bottle.

Tried from Can on 13 Jul 2013 at 22:23