Beervana has always been one of my favourite beer festivals. And when I say 'always', I mean from 2005 when I first went to it. From the early days in the basement of The Old Bank Arcade through the wilderness years in the Overseas Passenger Terminal, and the muscle-flexing times at the Town Hall, to its current incarnation at the Stadium. I've met people here who have become friends; I've formed memories and lost others; I've seen brewing trends come and go; I've seen hops, hops and more hops; and I've tasted many many beers.
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| A couple of hoppy people peering through the lights |
This year I flew back to Wellington for the weekend. Direct flights between the New Zealand and Australian capitals were clearly meant to assist politicians, but the added benefit for beer drinkers is pleasantly palatable. I saw friends and family (and the much-mentioned four seasons in one day) and (according to my records on Untappd), I drank 62 beers. This was the best of the booze (in alphabetical order).
5 Favourite Beers:
- 8 Wired Brewing Wild Feijoa (6.7%) - when he tasted this, Him Outdoors made a sound a bit like a kookaburra; 'Woohoohohohohohahahaha!' I think that means he liked it. I did too - it's sour and tart and packed with fruit flavour and for the first time ever feijoas don't taste like soap.
- Behemoth Brewing Company Brave Bikkie Brown (6%) - Exceptional! Coconut and biscuity bready spices supported by a great English brown ale.
- Emerson's Brewery Barrel Proof Imperial Stout (11.5%) - Decadent Imperial stout with big boozy flavours and fantastic balance of malts.
- Te Aro Brewing Company Flanders Red Ale (7.6%) - Sour red, oak-aged funk with strong base malts: insanely good.
- Yeastie Boys Royal Tanninbomb (8%) - I love this earl grey tea marvel. Two of my favourite things (tea and beer) are combined by one of my favourite brewers. The tannins in this brew are perfect.
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| Stu McKinlay and me |
Behemoth Brewing Company had this whole beer and sweet matching thing going on; the theme was a chocolate factory with helpful oompa loompas in orange t-shirts handing out treats (chocolate fish; coffee beans; spoonfuls of nutella; Anzac biscuits) to enhance the flavours of the beer.
5 Favourite Breweries (Based on a complicated points system I can no longer remember):
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| Tasting paddles from Kereru |
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| Fabulous kereru head-dresses for the people serving the ale |
