Brewers prove to be a crafty lot – again
Wellington’s craft beer crown remains in place after three breweries recently scooped top national prizes.
Lyall Bay brewery Parrotdog is particularly pleased with its achievement, after its Pandemonium Pilsner won the championship pilsner title for the second year running in the New World Beer and Cider Awards.
Brewer and Parrotdog cofounder Matt Warner said it was stoked with the win
‘‘The cool thing about that is it was brewed at two different breweries.’’
A year ago, Parrotdog moved from Vivian St to Lyall Bay and the brewers set up new equipment to go along with it.
Warner said there was always a risk things would change when shifting to new equipment but it didn’t take long for staff to dial it in.
Despite the shift, they still managed to brew champion-level beers. ‘‘It’s been a really good test of consistency across different equipment,’’ Warner said.
As well as the pilsner, Parrotdog also took out the championship title for its Forget-me-not IPA and scooped three gold medals for its Falcon APA, Pandemonium Pilsner and the Forget-me-not.
‘‘These are the two trophies that mean a lot,’’ Warner said.
In the awards, beers and ciders can be awarded gold, silver or bronze medals.
Each gold medal winner goes through to a championship round for its respective class, from lager to fruitflavoured cider.
Out of 12 championship classes, Wellington breweries took out three titles – Brewer and Parrotdog co-founder Matt Warner Parrotdog’s two brews and Fortune Favours for its American-style Oregonian All-American Amber.
Garage Project also nabbed a gold medal for its kettle-soured beer White Mischief.
There were nearly 600 entries into the awards and judge Michael Donaldson said the winners held their own.
‘‘Parrotdog now wears the coveted IPA crown, retains its Pilsner trophy from 2017 and added a third gold medal to boot.
‘‘It was the biggest year ever for the awards with nearly 600 entries and these winners held their own through an exacting judging process,’’ he said.
‘‘These are truly world-class beers and ciders, and every one delivers to the promise of the gold medal sticker attached to them.’’
The championship and gold medal beers are available in New World supermarkets until the end of June. Arguably the southern hemisphere’s, if not the world’s, smallest beer festival is back – this time at Scots College Assembly Hall, Monorgan Rd, Strathmore. Profits from this festival will go to the rowing club to buy a new boat, so you can feel big about community and small in guilt. Starts at 2pm. R18 and tickets cost $30. Bring the family to ride on the Kapiti Family Express to experience the nostalgia of travelling on a real heritage steam train. Rides will be offered between Paraparaumu and Paeka¯ka¯riki and the round trip will take about 45 minutes. Rides start at 9.40am from the Join a group of dogs for the 2018 Great Global Greyhound Walk, an international event consisting of coordinated walks around the world involving thousands of hounds and their humans to raise awareness and promote greyhound adoption. From 9am to 11am at Queens Wharf. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a complete novice come along and K1P1 at Hutt City Libraries today from 10am to 5pm for World Wide Knit in Public Day. Feel free to bring a creation you’re working on or make peggy squares for the Suffrage125 blanket. Petone Library, 7A Britannia St, Petone, Wainuiomata Library, Lower Hutt War Memorial Library and Taita Library.
The Weta Cave, the world-famous tourism hub of Weta Workshop, is turning 10. Get ready to celebrate Wetastyle tomorrow. The day’s celebrations include guest appearances from Weta crew and co-founders, one-of-a-kind prizes, $10 retail deals, and birthday cake. The Weta Cave, 1 Weka St from 9am to 2pm. Free entry. @chamfy
I was wrong. Peak Wellington is getting a tweet featured in Capital Chatter @CapDayDom @emtvnews @NZLainey @simonpnz @KalistaCampbell @AMidnightVoyage @kathleen_w1 @ryancrawcour