A super-limited edition beer to celebrate our 10th birthday.

When it came time to blow out the candles on a decade of Balter, we knew exactly what style of beer we wanted in our hands. XPA is the beer that built us. It’s the first style we slid off the canning line. It’s what most people think of when they sip a smile-stamped tin.  

But rather than just rolling out the usual suspect or tweaking a few ingredients, we decided to give the recipe a full rebuild as a collaboration. Why? Because birthdays are best celebrated with friends.

Enter Parrotdog Brewery over in Wellington, New Zealand. Like us, these absolute legends are also hitting the big 1-0 this year. Our Head Brewer, James Belsey, got chatting with Parrotdog founder Matt Warner at the USA Hop Harvest last year. A few beers later the idea for a birthday collab was born. 

After a heap of emails, phone calls, and flicking recipes back and forth across the ditch, ‘Balter X’ became a reality.

A New Take on a Classic

Over the last few years, we’ve been experimenting heavily with the magic coming out of the NZ hop market, and this beer puts that local flavour centre stage. If our classic XPA is all soft, rounded tropical fruit, ‘Balter X’ is its punchy Kiwi cousin. 

We threw in a solid dose of Motueka, which drives that signature NZ hop fingerprint of herbaceous resin, lemon/lime, and eucalyptus. But the real wild card was a hop called Superdelic. It was a recommendation straight from the Parrotdog crew, and honestly, we’re stoked they slid it across the table. It brings this great red lolly and mixed berry character that perfectly balances out the flavours nicely.

The result is a totally fresh take on the Extra Pale Ale style. It’s light, golden, and packed with exactly the kind of hop swagger you want at a milestone birthday. 

James is even heading back to the NZ Hop Harvest next week, smuggling a case of Balter X over to share with Matt so they can finally cheers this thing in person.

Here’s what’s printed on the tin…

X is a pretty amazing letter. It means ten in roman numerals. It marks the spot where treasure lies. It’s the first letter in our favourite style of beer. It also just looks kinda cool. This little tin of liquid gold hits all those marks, in celebration of our 10th birthday. An ultra-limited edition riff on the XPA that got us to where we are. Cheers to a decade of good beer made, and sipped, with enjoyment.

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Light golden colour with a fine, persistent white foam and a moderate hop haze in the glass.

• Aroma & Flavour: Moderate herbaceous resin and eucalypt balanced with rich, underlying red lollies and tropical fruit notes of soft, round mango and red fruits.

• Mouthfeel: Medium body with a moderate, soft rounded bitterness that leaves a generous, lingering hop resin finish.

The Stats

• ABV: 5.5%

• IBU: 35

• CO2: 2.65v/v

Where to get Balter X?

The thing is, there aren’t a lot of these tins getting around. These very limited edition 375ml packs will only be in the fridges of our Currumbin taproom, so call your Goldy mate if you're interstate and say pretty please grab me a pack and post it to me.