Craft Beer & Brewing in New Zealand
The Southland palate received a crash course in craft beer on Saturday, with brewers from all over the country attending the inaugural Hop’n’Vine beer festival.
Some of New Zealand’s top craft breweries were showing their wares at the event, which was held at the ILT Stadium Southland Velodrome.
Downie said the festival was an opportunity build the profile of craft beer in the region, and in particular showcase Southland brewers. (full story)
What happens when your hobby and passion become your business? And what happens when business booms?
The incredible growth of craft beer in the past decade has created a difficult dilemma for many of the nation’s craft brewers, who suddenly find themselves running multimillion-dollar operations.
The craft beer boom has transformed the industry.
Statistics released today show total beer consumption is growing again for the first time in years.
The high alcohol category – which tends to reflect the craft beer end of the market – has doubled in the past five years and rose 17 per cent last year.
But some breweries have been growing much faster. (full story)
Why should people try craft/local brews? Apart from some styles, beer tastes best fresh. Always drink local, as the freshest beer has travelled the shortest time from fermenter to face! Also, NZ beer is no longer only brown and fizzy: Craft brewers produce such a wide variety of flavours and there is a beer for every palate, you must go out and find your favourite.
DB Breweries managing director Andy Routley, left, and Tuatara founder and master brewer Carl Vasta at Tuatara’s brewery in Paraparaumu.
“About bloody time.”
Those were the first three words out of my mouth when I saw craft brewer Tuatara had been sold to Heineken-owned DB.
The Paraparaumu company has been linked to all three of New Zealand’s big brewing companies – Lion, DB and Independent Liquor – for years, and was always going to be an attractive buy after winning champion New Zealand brewery in 2016. (full story)
“Last drinks” have been called by Dunedin craft beer outlet McDuffs Brewery – the first in the city with a micro-brewery in retail premises – as the owners wind up the company after 25 years. (Full Story)
Dermot Haworth, with part of the new Abbey Brewery set up.
Brewing beer was only supposed to be a winter hobby for Hawke’s Bay man Dermot Haworth – to keep him busy during the region’s colder months.
But five years later his hobby has grown into one of the region’s largest craft breweries with the potential to produce a million litres of beer a year.
Haworth and his family own Abbey Estate Winery in Bridge Pa, which produces their Fat Monk beer.
Alongside the fermenting vats wine, Abbey Brewery has been pieced together over the past few months and will open to the public this weekend. (full story)
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Kiwi hop growers are expected to invest $20m into an expanding industry in the next three years, as it responds to surging global demand for craft beer ingredients.
The growth of craft beer has transformed the niche industry, which has 19 New Zealand growers.
Last year, trade reportedly delivered around $20m a year in turnover and $14m a year in export returns.
The grower-owned cooperative harvested about 750 tonnes from 389 hectares in 2015.
About 85 per cent of the hops, which are largely grown in the Motueka and Riwaka areas west of Nelson, are exported. (full story)
The staggering growth of craft beer in New Zealand means it’s almost impossible to keep track of every new brewer and the bars serving their products.
Demand from discerning drinkers means more places than ever are popping up where you can indulge in an IPA or polish off a few pilsners.
And while the boom in boutique brewing has traditionally been driven by Wellington, which stakes its claim as the ‘craft beer capital’, or Nelson the ‘brewing capital’, Auckland is growing quickly with a rising reputation for quality beer.
So whether you’re a beer beginner or a craft connoisseur looking for somewhere different, here are our picks of Auckland’s best established and up-and-coming venues.
The prospect of Donald Trump becoming the United States president is a bitter pill to swallow for many, but what if it was a bitter beer?
Auckland-based brewery Behemoth has answered the question head-on, with the release of ‘Dump the Trump’.
The American IPA, which will be available next week, also features a caricature of the well-coiffed Trump on the label.
Fourth generation Nelson grower Brent McGlashen of Mac Hops says the industry is unrecognisable from 10 years ago.
“We had only a handful of customers, now it’s in the hundreds which has really helped because things weren’t looking too good. Hops were a commodity where the big brewers thought they could turn up and offer a price – that’s changed around,” McGlashen said.
Fourth generation Nelson grower Brent McGlashen of Mac Hops says the industry is unrecognisable from 10 years ago.
“We had only a handful of customers, now it’s in the hundreds which has really helped because things weren’t looking too good. Hops were a commodity where the big brewers thought they could turn up and offer a price – that’s changed around,” McGlashen said. (full story)