Kiwi brewers aim to put success on tap

MEDIA RELEASE

22 September 2016

Kiwi brewers aim to put success on tap

A record number of New Zealand breweries are vying to be crowned champion at New Zealand’s most prestigious beer awards, the 2016 Brewers Guild of New Zealand Beer Awards.

Entries for the beer awards officially closed last week with more than 950 beers from 98 breweries nominated across 14 beer categories. A total of 88 New Zealand breweries are entered, joining 10 breweries from Australia, Germany and the United States.

Brewers Guild chairman Jonathan Alve said strong domestic and international sales of New Zealand beer was underpinned through more variety in the taste, quality and originality of brews produced. This made the task of separating the best from the best exceptionally difficult.

“We’re expecting this year’s brews to be among the best ever submitted. Being named Champion Brewery is the ultimate accolade for a brewer. They are the only awards in New Zealand that are internationally recognised and judged independently by some of the world’s best beer brains.

“The honour roll of previous Champion Breweries includes large, established players through to small, and even one-man operations. All of them have demonstrated excellence in brewing skill to be crowned New Zealand’s Champion Brewery.”

The Brewers Guild of New Zealand Awards is an international competition, with entries from throughout New Zealand and the world. Judging will take place over two days from tomorrow (September 23), with the judging panel comprising 25 national and internationally qualified judges.

All beer entries will be rated against a style guide for each category for aroma, colour, bitterness, flavour and presentation. Top brews are judged on the overall balance of all characteristics and awarded gold, silver or bronze medals.

Winners of the 2016 Brewers Guild of New Zealand Beer Awards will be announced at the awards ceremony on Saturday, October 8, at the Langham Hotel in Auckland.

Melissa Cole, an award-winning United Kingdom beer writer and beer adviser to Michelin-starred restaurants, will announce New Zealand’s Champion Brewery for 2016.

This year, Auckland has the most number of breweries vying for awards, with 26 breweries entered. Last year, LION was crowned New Zealand’s best brewery.

For more information, including a list of all categories and beers nominated for the awards, visit www.brewersguild.org.nz/awards

BEST OF THE BEST– PREVIOUS CHAMPION NEW ZEALAND BREWERIES

2015: LION

2014: Townshend’s

2013: Harrington’s

2012: Renaissance

2011: 8 Wired

2010: DB

2009: Tuatara

2008: Emerson’s

2007: No award

2016 AWARDS – REGIONAL ENTRIES

ENDS

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