BrewDay: Good George a fit for Wild Kiwi

May 6, 2019

Wild Kiwi has found the perfect beer partner: Good George has been selected as the ale and cider provider to New Zealand’s newest whisky distillery, opening next month.

This weekend [Saturday, May 11] BrewDay, Wellington’s biggest beer festival, is on at Brewtown, Upper Hutt. Twenty makers of fine ales will be on site including Good George. The team will be in their instantly recognisable VW Kombi van chock full of beautifully brewed beer and cider.

“It’s the perfect introduction for them as we get the distillery almost finished,” said Wild Kiwi director and head distiller Russell Kirk.

Mr Kirk wanted to partner with a brewery which would complement the craft breweries already at Brewtown, and that had similar values. “We’ve found that in Good George; a team focused on making beautifully crafted ale to match our New Zealand whisky.”

Since setting up their brewery in 2012, Hamilton-based Good George beers had scored a heap of national and international awards.

“Like us, these guys are focused on beautiful flavours, making a premier range of brews that are accessible to all.”

Mr Kirk said he couldn’t wait to get the distillery fit-out completed. The copper still had arrived on site and would be installed over the next two weeks. Standing about six metres tall and nine metres long, it would be impressive.

He had hoped to have the distillery open in March, but that had to be pushed out. “It’s about being patient. We have pulled in great whisky-making mentors, had the still handmade by the best, and sourced the finest ingredients. Not to mention building a fantastic bar. All that takes time.

“But we are the masters of patience, which is just as well given the time it takes to mature fine whisky.”

Whisky would be “first cab off the rank” through the still; “The sooner we get it into the

casks, the better”. That would followed by bourbon, gin and vodka.

While the Wild Kiwi team waited patiently for the whisky to age, they would be serving up nips of 200 of the finest whiskies, sourced from around the world, “and, of course, a taste of Hamilton; Good George ales and ciders”.

ENDS

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