The gap between crack and thunder is closing in... Look out for these rampaging Monsters near you in the next few weeks.

Both beers are 6%abv, built on a solid malt base of Golden Promise and Caramalt, fermented with an American Ale yeast and have been hopped to 56ibu with the same amount of hops at the same times in the kettle.*  The specific hops used were:

• Yakima Monster (USA) - Nugget, Simcoe and Amarillo.
• Motueka Monster (NZ) - Southern Cross, Nelson Sauvin and NZ Cascade.

Like the Nerherder series before them, the Monsters are a unique opportunity to experience the same beer with different hopping schedules.  But where the Nerdherder series was a chance to witness the 'cross town rivalry of Motueka v Riwaka, the Monster series gives the drinker a chance to try their own side-by-side David and Goliath battle of transpacific proportions.

Both beers, in keeping with Joseph Wood's original recipe (and going completely against Stu's usual hopping philosophy), are heavily dry hopped.**

* there is a very slight variation in hop grams per Litre added at 60min to ensure the bitterness units were the same across the two different beers.

** Joseph Wood is the owner of www.libertybrewing.co.nz (previously owned by Yeastie Boys' own Stu McKinlay).  Joesph is a huge fan (and local homebrew supplier) of US hops. This collaboration has been in the pipeline for well over a year and, although originally intended simply as a chance to get his wonderful beer out into the public domain, has turned into an education in hop terroir. As with all great collaborations, it was hatched over a few sample beers!  Joseph has also recently teamed up with White Cliffs Brewery for their excellent 9% Mike's IPA, so his pedigree is growing fast. Look out for that at your local craft beer outlet - stocks of both Yeastie Boys and Mike's IPA beers are very limited, so be in quick.

Photo of customised Hashigo Zake tap badges pre-prepared (by Sean Golding) for the birth of the Monsters.