BrewNZ looms

Next week there may be little time for writing about beer as BrewNZ, our annual festive beer week takes place..In April this year I had my first crack at beer judging at the International New Zealand Beer Awards which are held in Nelson and are in many ways a rival competition to BrewNZ. It was an amazing experience and very much a stepping up to the mark moment, after years of talking, writing, brewing and not least drinking beer suddenly I was in the hot seat where my opinions counted.
In the past I have worked as a steward at BrewNZ but next week I will be acting as an Associate Judge which is a new junior judge position, designed to foster some of the new blood that’s coming through. One of the awesome things about being involved in these competitions is that brewers from around the world often enter them even though their beers aren’t exported to New Zealand commercially. Perhaps the classic example of this is the massive American 'craft' brewer Sam Adams who enter every professional beer competition that’s open to them on earth. However other US brewers such as Rogue, Full Sail, and Deschutes also regularly enter the two New Zealand competitions. It should be a fantastic week, a lot of hard work (no really! it actually is) but also a chance to try some new beers and hone my skills.