NZ Pale Beer Review – Freedom Brewery

NZ Pale is a New Zealand Pale Ale brewed by Freedom Brewery of Staffordshire, England. They have been around since 1995, however although the journey started in London, it moved to Staffordshire some years later. So what is NZ Pale like?

NZ Pale is pretty good, but not like your typical pale ale. It pours a light straw gold with just a thin white cover on top. On the nose is fruity, but not citrus with a slight malt note. It tastes just like it smells, sweet up front with fruity berries and a decent bitter finish. It’s like a hybrid lager pale ale, but nice, I give it 4.3 out of 5.0.

It won’t blow your socks off, but it is a decent quality beer.

Contents

NZ Pale Beer Review

NZ Pale stands in a 330ml brown bottle with a black label and gold writing printed in an arrangement of circles. In the middle of the circles is a pink six pointed star. The star the 6-point Zoigl star a historic symbol of beer brewing.

There are 3 New Zealand hops in NZ Pale, Pacific Jade, Nelson Sauvin and Motueka. It weighs in at a sessionable 4.0% ABV and is brewed with spring water.

So it stacks up to be a decent beer, but is it?

Cracking the top and pouring it into a glass, it settles to a very pale straw gold. There is just a thin white cover to the top, which quickly fades to nothing, but has plenty of rising bubbles.

The nose is not what I expected for a pale ale. A slight malty aroma, which is normal, then plenty of fruity notes. However these are not citrus, but more like berry fruit, it smells like the chewy sweet, fruit salad tasted.

Going in for a sip and it tastes exactly like it smells, a sweet malt up front then fruity berries and a decent bittier finish. Again the fruity body tastes just like the fruit salad chewy sweet.

I quite like it, but it is not like your typical pale ale, more like at mid point between a lager and pale ale. It’s like a hybrid lager/pale, but nice though. It won’t blow your socks off, but it’s a decent quality beer. I score it 4.3 out of 5.0.

M’Lady likes it too, saying “It’s crisp, fresh with berry fruitiness, but not like a normal pale ale. I find it quite a strong bitterness for my palate.” Lou scores it the same at 4.3 out of 5.0.

So a slightly weird pale ale, but a decent beer all the same.

Freedom Brewery

The Freedom Brewery was started in 1995 by Matthew Farthing in Fulham, London. His mission was to produce quality beers using organic quality ingredients.

Since then the brewery has gone through many changes including its move from London to Abbots Bromley in Staffordshire, England. And is now owned by Oakfield Capital, a private equity firm, which holds the majority stake alongside private investors and management.

The brewery continues to brew with the best quality ingredients and water, with a mind for sustainability. And has a fixation on only brewing lagers, which is probably why this pale ale is a lot like a lager.

Freedoms Beers

The brewery doesn’t seem to brew many beers, and they are all lager, with the exception of NZ Pale. All the beers are session beers, meaning they are all under 5.0% ABV.

So lets have a look at them.

Lager

Lager is Freedoms premium lager, light gold in colour and is said to be crisp bright and utterly refreshing. It weighs in at just 4.0 % ABV.

Helles

Helles is Freedoms take on the Munich Helles style lager. It has malty base and uses Hallertau hops for those delicate floral notes. This beer is their closest to the session ceiling, weighing in at 4.0% ABV.

Pils

Pils is a Czech inspired Pilsner style lager with a modern twist. It is brewed with both European hops as well as American hops delivering citrus hits over a bittersweet body.

Sounds like a nice beer, and weighs in at 4.4% ABV, this might be the next Freedom beer I try.

Final Thoughts

Freedom then are a decent brewery with high standards of quality producing good beers. Their range may be small, but you know you are getting quality when you are drinking one of them.

The NZ Pale is a little confusing at first because you are not getting what you would expect from a pale ale. But once you get your head around it, you know you are drinking a decent beer with a good body and a crisp slightly bitter finish.

Like I said a decent beer, so if you have tried it, or any of the other Freedom beer, the do share your thoughts below and let us know what you think.

Cheers