Down on the West Coast Legends, Larrikins abound

Down on the West Coast where men are Men and the Women are Grateful, Legends and Larrikins abound

Down on the West Coast where men certainly are men and the women certainly are grateful, it has been an area where legends and larrikins certainly exist in abundance

And when Paddy Sweeney, the original Good Bastard comes up with an idea there is no telling where it will end.

Sweeney and a bunch of mates recently bought Miners Brewery in Westport and have renamed it The West Coast Brewery.

Already the non PC brewery has the seeds of becoming an iconic establishment on the West Coast.

Since taking control the brewery has doubled the number of establishments that have its kegs on tap and are slowly spreading their wings into Nelson Marlborough and Canterbury while having a firm and solid base on the West Coast.

“This hasn’t been all that difficult” said Sweeney “given that our beer is a dam sight better than any thing else on the market. The big bad brother breweries tend to make their brews in an accelerated fashion using liquid sugar that knocks your health around something chronic”

“Our brews have no liquid sugar, so you don’t get crook, your heart is likely to stay ticking longer and your liver won’t shrivel up like a walnut, well that’s what my doctor mate tells me.” Said Sweeney.

As part of the drive forward Sweeney has come up with an intriguing innovation called Legend or Larrikin of the week.

Every week, one of the pubs that has the West Coast brews, puts forward a legend or a larrikin of the week.

Brewery manager Dean Lamplough reveals who that is every Thursday morning on Coast FM at 7.15 am.

In determining the difference between a legend and a larrikin, The West Coast Brewery say a legend is someone who has achieved such status by being great at sport in the past, has had a successful business that has been around for a long while, has done great things within the community, been to the war or just a pure legend in what they have done and who they are.

“A larrikin on the other hand’ said Sweeney “is someone who is a bit of a hard case bloke or Shelia that has a happy and positive disposition and is always up to some sort of mischief around the place, the life of the party and someone who can take and give a bit grief in a fun manner.”

So far there have been three Legend and Larrikin weekly nominations

Graham Ford can be found holding court at the Paroa Hotel just south of Greymouth. A legend in his own right he has been a builder and a shearer and claims the title fisherman by choice. Its well known that more Fish have been caught across the bar of the Paroa Hotel, than were ever caught across the bar of the Grey River.

Colin Champion (Champ); larrikin and previously a cement worker. A dab fisherman and professional drinker from the Criterion Hotel in Westport. He loves nothing better than taking the mickey out of his mates. He spins a great yarn and could give a fair account of himself when he was a young bloke. Mellowed somewhat now, a popular and gentle man

Owen Duncan from the little Wanganui just north of Westport has been a client at the pub for over fifty years, he saw the first pub burn down, a temporary bar merge into a new pub and he hasn’t missed a week being at the bar sharing views on all things interesting, past present and current. A bundle of knowledge about everything around the region. A true Legend of the Little Wanganui area.

Every week the list grows and will cumulate each year with an event to find out just who is the legend of the Year and who is the Larrikin of the Year for the West Coast.

This event will be in keeping with the spirit of legends and larrikins and likely see a bit of whitebait, mussels, venison and wild pig available to be washed down with a cleansing ale at The West Coast Brewery. And who could resist an invitation to a booze up in a brewery.

While the promotion is currently contained to the West Coast, Sweeney intends to take it far and wide to where ever the West Coast brews are sold. If Sweeney has anything to do with it, that will be from North Cape to Stewart Island.

Have they got a pub in Antarctic yet?

ENDS

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