Top pourers perform Belgian beer ritual
BY GEOFF GRIGGS
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Last week work took me to both ends of the country. On Monday, I travelled to Dunedin for a meeting at Emerson's Brewery, and on Friday it was off to The Food Show in Auckland to judge at the Stella Artois New Zealand Draught Masters competition.
Richard Emerson and his senior brewer, Chris O'Leary, had invited me to Dunedin to discuss the brewery's beers and its strategy. It was a rewarding couple of days, which left me convinced that Emerson's is still totally focused on quality and has every intention of strengthening its position as New Zealand's most respected craft brewery.
In many ways, the trip to Auckland fulfilled a similar purpose. The Draught Masters competition is one of New Zealand's few initiatives designed to improve the quality of beer knowledge and presentation among bar and restaurant staff. That is an issue that is very close to my heart.
The competition, which has been running for 12 years and is held in about 36 different countries worldwide, requires contestants to individually perform a seven-minute Belgian-beer pouring ritual.
This includes greeting a group of customers (the judges) and welcoming them to the cafe, introducing themselves and the beers available and then taking orders.
The contestants then returns to the bar to compile the orders, each of which includes three tap beers and one bottled beer.
Having been scrutinised for correct glass washing, hygiene and pouring techniques, the contenders then return to the judges' table, where the four beers are presented, each in branded glassware and on its respective coaster.
Last Friday at The Food Show, in front of the judges and the public, 15 regional winners vied for a place in the world championships in New York in October.
New Zealand already boasts two World Draught Master champions, and if this year's winner, Avril Maxwell, from Christchurch's Belgian Beer Cafe Torenhof, can match her performance in Auckland, she must be in with a good chance of becoming the third.
Finally, I'd like to apologise to Canadian beer writer Josh Rubin. It was his piece for The Toronto Star which alerted me to the sad news that English brewer O'Hanlon's had decided to cease production of Thomas Hardy's Ale and inspired my recent column on the subject. In my column, I included several quotes from Josh's piece and failed to credit him for them. Sorry, Josh.
Meanwhile, on the subject of Thomas Hardy's Ale, the latest whisper is that with other English brewers reluctant to take on production of this world-classic vintage ale it takes eight months from brewing to bottling the brand's American owners are now looking closer to home.
If that happens, regardless of how well the beer is replicated, chances are we won't see it again in New Zealand.
The beer's Kiwi importers have confirmed they still have a few cases left of three recent vintages, but they're selling fast. My advice, therefore, remains the same. Buy some now while you still can. Cheers!
- The Marlborough Express
