Surfboard design has evolved and gone through many changes over the years, and, as with most things, necessity has been the mother of invention. Just like with Beer, the craft has evolved, changed, and gone through many innovations over the years to find that perfect finished product for that perfect moment.
Surfboard tails have a significant impact on key moments in the surf, such as acceleration, control, manoeuvrability, drive, speed, stability, hold, and release. The pintail tail design is the shape of choice for those seeking to get barrelled in dramatic conditions - the tail holds tight in the face of the wave and minimizes lift.
It features the narrowest width of all tail shapes, which results in a directional surf, and maximum water flow. Pintails are mostly found on gun sized boards for big wave riding due to the hold the tail can give, where traction is more important than manoeuvrability. Pintails are still widely used today on big wave guns to provide ultimate control at high speed in powerful waves.The weakness of the pintail is that it limits manoeuvrability. This means that the board is going to be digging much deeper into the waves, and not recommended for smaller waves where you cannot get that much momentum.
When we chose the Pintail name for our first core range beer, I sat down with Greg Bennett in the factory and asked him which board over the years was the most special that we could be inspired by and use as our beer name. Greg pondered for a while, and I could see him thinking through so many different board designs and shapers that have gone through the factory over the many years – it was not an easy choice. The Bennett’s have been so famous for supplying the entire surf industry with polyurethane blanks, should we call the beer - Foam or Blanks?
Greg, then said to me Pintail. I said OK, and he described the design and how it was shaped and crafted by legendary shapers that came through the Bennett factory over the years including Geoff McCoy and Nat Young.
So, there it is, we said done, that is a very cool name, a brilliant design and has a special piece of history with the Bennett factory. We then sat down with Kirrily and Dave with the Bennett’s, told the Bennett story (story first) and shaped the ingredients and style of the beer inspired by their story. The team chose a Lager, one of the most popular beer varieties in Australia and across the world, made by many of the world's best breweries. The beer is smooth, elegant, crisp, clean, and refreshing, and best enjoyed chilled after a surf.
The Pintail Lager celebrates the pioneers of modern-day surfing known as The Brookvale Six. We have collaborated with one of the Six and one of the longest serving surfboard manufacturers in Australia, Bennett Surfboards, who since 1956 has been a beacon of innovation amongst the surfing community. We take inspiration from the forward-thinking philosophy of the Bennett’s and have shaped a refreshing, well-balanced lager with a unique twist. Using NZ hop Nelson Sauvin, a hop that was a little innovator itself with its unique Sauvignon Blanc and gooseberry characters, we pay homage to those who can take something seemingly relatively every day and elevate it to new heights. Our Pintail Lager does just that.
Pros: Gives the surfer better control on bigger waves and tastes great after a surf.
Cons: Makes the board less manoeuvrable, they are so good its hard to just have the one.
Photo: Matt Chojnacki Launching into Deadman's on a Pintail.