Banjo
10-26-2009, 01:45 PM
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26260598-5013512,00.html
By Rory Gibson
October 26, 2009 11:00pm
ONCE, when the Wallabies were consistently towelling the All-Blacks (I know, I know, it was a while ago) a Kiwi commentator wrote a very funny article about what he believed was the reason for the mighty Blicks' slide in fortunes.
I say funny but that was from an Aussie's point of view. I suspect the author was serious. His contention was that the All Blacks were never going to win because there were too many players with what he considered effeminate names.
The All Blacks, he reasoned, would remain ineffective while they had people with names such as Reuben, Todd, Christian and Justin playing against a Wallabies team full of names like John, Tim, Phil and David. Manly names, reliable names, traditional names.
The same could be said for Kiwi beer. While the perception persists that Steinlager is the flagship of New Zealand beer, who will take its brewing industry seriously?
Steinlager as a name is about as Kiwi as a pretzel, and as a beer it is what the branding types refer to as an international beer, which means it is like McDonald's – wherever you are, you know what to expect.
However, the reality is that New Zealand has a really vibrant brewing culture and makes some great beers in a huge range of styles. It is way ahead of Australia in terms of what it brews and the variety of beers its population drinks.
It is estimated there are more than 100,000 New Zealanders living in Queensland's southeast, and their beers are now joining them in seeking residency here.
They have solid Kiwi-sounding names too, like Monteith's and Mac's, both of which are working their way into the Australian market.
They have just been joined by beers from Harrington's, a sturdily named brewery in Christchurch. The brewery was started in 1991 by former publican John Harrington, and proved an instant success, to the point where he built another brewery nearby to boost capacity.
"I started the brewery as a little hobby because I wasn't really enjoying retirement," said John last week. "But I underestimated how well it would take off."
Harrington's is now making more than 20 different beers, and the first six I got to sample are terrific.
They are available in Queensland courtesy of wine exporters Q-Vino, who during their years shipping wine to EnZed came to recognise that the Kiwis had some pretty good beers and maybe the many expats here might like to have the chance to drink them again.
"We thought there might be an opportunity here," said Q-Vino's Tom Turner, who, having got the Harrington's beers to Queensland now has the task of finding somewhere to sell them.
So far he has them in the Spotted Cow in Toowoomba, Nectar at West End, the Grand Central Hotel in Ann Street in the city, the Purple Palate on the corner of Adelaide and Macrossan streets, city, Golden Beach Tavern in Caloundra and in Treacle restaurant at Days Road, Grange.
Tom kindly let me try Harrington's Wobbly Boot porter, Clydedale stout, Kiwi Draught lager and the Classy Red American pale ale, Rogue Hop pilsener and the Lazy Sunday summer ale.
Those last two are really interesting. The Rogue Hop is an organic pilsener with some hops chucked in to add a flavour kick you wouldn't normally find in a traditional pilsener, and the Lazy Sunday is sort of like a Hoegaarden with some ginger added – tart but not tacky.
Depending on how well those six beers sell, Queensland may get a look at some or all of the other styles.
Harrington's brewery itself continues a Kiwi tradition that it would be nice to give citizenship to here.
Locals can rock up to the brewery with their own "flaggins" and fill up with their favourite beer.
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26260598-5013512,00.html
By Rory Gibson
October 26, 2009 11:00pm
ONCE, when the Wallabies were consistently towelling the All-Blacks (I know, I know, it was a while ago) a Kiwi commentator wrote a very funny article about what he believed was the reason for the mighty Blicks' slide in fortunes.
I say funny but that was from an Aussie's point of view. I suspect the author was serious. His contention was that the All Blacks were never going to win because there were too many players with what he considered effeminate names.
The All Blacks, he reasoned, would remain ineffective while they had people with names such as Reuben, Todd, Christian and Justin playing against a Wallabies team full of names like John, Tim, Phil and David. Manly names, reliable names, traditional names.
The same could be said for Kiwi beer. While the perception persists that Steinlager is the flagship of New Zealand beer, who will take its brewing industry seriously?
Steinlager as a name is about as Kiwi as a pretzel, and as a beer it is what the branding types refer to as an international beer, which means it is like McDonald's – wherever you are, you know what to expect.
However, the reality is that New Zealand has a really vibrant brewing culture and makes some great beers in a huge range of styles. It is way ahead of Australia in terms of what it brews and the variety of beers its population drinks.
It is estimated there are more than 100,000 New Zealanders living in Queensland's southeast, and their beers are now joining them in seeking residency here.
They have solid Kiwi-sounding names too, like Monteith's and Mac's, both of which are working their way into the Australian market.
They have just been joined by beers from Harrington's, a sturdily named brewery in Christchurch. The brewery was started in 1991 by former publican John Harrington, and proved an instant success, to the point where he built another brewery nearby to boost capacity.
"I started the brewery as a little hobby because I wasn't really enjoying retirement," said John last week. "But I underestimated how well it would take off."
Harrington's is now making more than 20 different beers, and the first six I got to sample are terrific.
They are available in Queensland courtesy of wine exporters Q-Vino, who during their years shipping wine to EnZed came to recognise that the Kiwis had some pretty good beers and maybe the many expats here might like to have the chance to drink them again.
"We thought there might be an opportunity here," said Q-Vino's Tom Turner, who, having got the Harrington's beers to Queensland now has the task of finding somewhere to sell them.
So far he has them in the Spotted Cow in Toowoomba, Nectar at West End, the Grand Central Hotel in Ann Street in the city, the Purple Palate on the corner of Adelaide and Macrossan streets, city, Golden Beach Tavern in Caloundra and in Treacle restaurant at Days Road, Grange.
Tom kindly let me try Harrington's Wobbly Boot porter, Clydedale stout, Kiwi Draught lager and the Classy Red American pale ale, Rogue Hop pilsener and the Lazy Sunday summer ale.
Those last two are really interesting. The Rogue Hop is an organic pilsener with some hops chucked in to add a flavour kick you wouldn't normally find in a traditional pilsener, and the Lazy Sunday is sort of like a Hoegaarden with some ginger added – tart but not tacky.
Depending on how well those six beers sell, Queensland may get a look at some or all of the other styles.
Harrington's brewery itself continues a Kiwi tradition that it would be nice to give citizenship to here.
Locals can rock up to the brewery with their own "flaggins" and fill up with their favourite beer.
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26260598-5013512,00.html