CT Column 11/08/2010 : Let’s get festive

AT the end of this month Wellington will play host to Beervana: the biggest event in the New Zealand beer calendar.
On August 27 and 28 the Town Hall will be a bustling hub of activity as the country’s finest brewers, publicans and retailers combine to showcase everything that is fantastic about beer. Over 160 different beers will be on offer which you can either buy by the “tasting sized” sample or by the full glass.
Highlights will include special beers from overseas that may never be seen again in New Zealand, beers that seldom find their way to Wellington from breweries in far flung parts of the country and festive brews that have been brewed specially for the event.
This year the festive brew theme is “Lets go Native”. Brewers have been encouraged to use native or identifiably “Kiwi” ingredients that are not usually found in beer. Roll on the feijoa, Kiwi fruit and kumara ales!
The festival isn’t just about tasting, it will feature workshops on everything from beer matching with chocolate or cheese through to seminars about beer for women. This year Beervana will play host to Sam Calagione, one of the “stars” of the American craft brewing scene.
Sam is famous for having built up his Dogfish Head Brewing Company from an initial batch size of 50litres to the point where it now brews over 12 million litres a year. Sam is a proponent of beer and food matching and brewing with unusual techniques and ingredients. He will be running a seminar covering some of his history and looking at where craft beer is going in the future.
As a somewhat lesser attraction I will be manning the Regional Wines stand serving up my own beer, R.S.B. along side some rare beers from the cellar and some special imports. See you there.
Cheers