Hop on board for taste of our best
Relevant offers
Beer
Tasting tours of Marlborough's wineries have been available for many years but, to my knowledge, there's never been a beer equivalent.
Now a local company, Grapelander Tours, has started offering organised trips around the region's craft breweries.
The Marlborough Beer Trail begins mid-morning at an agreed local pick-up point, either a hotel or a private address. The bus sets off towards Rarangi for a sightseeing stop.
Here, with panoramic views over the Wairau Valley and out to Cook Strait and the North Island beyond, morning muffins are served along with beers from the Pink Elephant range. The province's longest-established craft brewery doesn't have a cellar door facility, so this is the ideal opportunity to sample some of Roger Pink's quirky limited release and vintage dated ales.
The Grapelander bus, which can accommodate groups of up to 16, then returns to Blenheim for a visit to Renaissance Brewing. A guided tour of the brewery is included and a tasting tray of five Renaissance beers can be sampled, along with a leisurely lunch at The Creek next door. The Dodson St pizzeria and bar is also a good place to check out the latest seasonal release from the region's newest brewery, 666 Brewing.
After lunch it's off into wine country for a visit to Moa Brewery. Set among the vines in a tranquil location just off Jackson's Rd, Moa's rustic tasting room is the perfect venue to sample some of the brewery's excellent bottle refermented ales and lagers. There's even an internal window looking through into the brewery and bottling area behind, so you can admire Moa's smart but compact (1200 litre) brewhouse while sipping a brew.
Tours can be arranged by phoning Allister and Heather Christie on 035781088.
One brewery you won't be visiting on the trail is Emerson's of Dunedin. That's a pity because the country's most respected and awarded craft brewery has recently released a real gem for the cooler months.
While most wheat beers are golden or amber in colour, slightly tart and refreshing, Emerson's Dunkelweiss, a Bavarian style dark wheat beer, is none of those things; in fact it's pretty much the opposite.
Brewed with a cocktail of wheat and barley malts and only very lightly hopped, the beer pours a deep brown colour with a yeasty haze.
A heady aroma of caramelised bananas jumps out of the glass and the palate is silky smooth, sweet and mellow, with chocolate, toffee and caramel notes and a suggestion of warming alcohol.
At 6.3 per cent this decadent brew is most definitely a sipper rather than a quaffer. Enjoy it late on a chilly autumn evening or with a book at bedtime. At around $7 for a 500ml bottle, it's a steal.
Cheers!
- The Marlborough Express
