GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

Next weekend I'll be in Nelson to host a beer tasting for a small family group.

IAN ALLEN - The Marlborough Express

"People enjoying beer from a glass and not attacking each other; the shock," joked Renaissance head brewer Andy Deuchars yesterday at the Summer Beer Fest.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

I guess my mother-in-law must have finally forgiven me for marrying her daughter, because for my birthday last July she bought me a $50 bottle of beer. I was mightily impressed I can tell you. And very grateful.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

It wasn't so long ago that Wanaka Beerworks was in a bit of a backwater. I don't mean geographically – although the attractive Central Otago lakeside town isn't exactly on the main road to anywhere – but more in terms of its beers and where the business was heading.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

Now that the warmer weather seems to have finally arrived, it's a good time for me to write about one of my favourite thirst-quenching golden lagers.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

When it comes to their contribution to a healthy diet, the world's most popular alcoholic beverages are often viewed very differently.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

Returning to work after the Christmas and New Year holidays may seem slightly depressing, but there's still plenty of cause for celebration – we're fast approaching beer festival season.

A new beer festival is being organised as a family-friendly alternative to the Marlborough Blues, Brews & BBQs festival.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

With 2012 almost here, now is the perfect time to review the Kiwi beer scene over the last 12 months.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

Leafing through the final pre-Christmas mailers it occurred to me just how much the supermarkets tend to favour wine over beer.

ROB MACINTOSH - The Marlborough Express

The Marlborough District Council liquor licensing sub-committee that banned glass from the Blues Brews and BBQs festival had to answer questions from colleagues about their decision yesterday .

ROB MACINTOSH - The Marlborough Express

The ban on glass at Blues Brews and BBQs has prompted all Marlborough's breweries to pull out of the festival.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

The decision to ban glasses at next year's Blenheim Blues, Brews & BBQs has upset local brewers and means there will be no Marlborough-brewed beer at next February's festival.

ROB MACINTOSH - The Marlborough Express

The Blenheim Round Table will be $9000 out of pocket after dumping 3500 glasses they bought for this year's Blues Brews and BBQs festival.

ROB MACINTOSH - The Marlborough Express

The Marlborough District Council has been accused of double standards after it banned glass at the Blues Brews and BBQs festival but allowed it at the Marlborough Wine Festival.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

Dale Holland is living what must be every home brewer's dream. Last year one of his beers took the supreme award at New Zealand's largest home brew competition.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

When it comes to the enjoyment of fine beer, nowhere comes close to challenging Wellington.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

The apparent willingness by the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) to allow the trademarking of generic names has been much in the news this year.

A Norwegian craft brewer dropped by Renaissance Brewing Company to put down a brew and meet with the Blenheim brewers yesterday.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

Thirty years is a long time in brewing. When Prime Minister Robert Muldoon opened McCashin's Brewery in the Nelson suburb of Stoke in September, 1981, it was New Zealand's first new brewing company in living memory.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

On Monday morning the courier delivered a package I've been eagerly anticipating and I can't wait to explore the contents.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

Having grown up to the sounds of The Beatles and Rolling Stones (I preferred The Beatles), by the time I left school my taste in music was changing and I remember going to places like the Hammersmith Odeon, Earls Court and Wembley Arena to see the likes of Led Zeppelin, Yes, Genesis and Pink Floyd.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

As the birthplace of lager brewing and home to a dozen or more of the world's classic beer styles, Germany is notably blessed.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

Golden Bay has to be one of my favourite Kiwi holiday destinations. It's got everything I love about New Zealand

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

On Friday evening the first of a pair of beers I brewed last month at Emerson's in Dunedin was revealed to the public.

BILL MCELHINNEY - The Marlborough Express

He's a lucky bugger, that Geoff Griggs.

MICHAEL BERRY - The Marlborough Express

A shortage of American hops that has caused some Kiwi brewers to put their hoppy varieties on hold was sidestepped by one Marlborough brewer who bought large while the going was better.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

Try a Whinging Pom at The Old Bank on Friday evening.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

After a damp, chilly and shaky day in Christchurch it was a relief to escape to Wanaka and enjoy some glorious spring weather. I was in the picturesque Central Otago town at the invitation of David and Susan De Vylder, the new owners of its award-winning local brewery, Wanaka Beerworks, to attend the launch of the first in a series of bottled seasonal beers.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

Just a couple of weeks after my brewing trip to Dunedin I'm on my way south again, this time on a beer-hunting mission to Wanaka, via Christchurch.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

A whingeing pom is coming to a bar near you.

The Marlborough Express

The real Oktoberfest is still a week away, but Marlborough beer-lovers started the celebration a week early with a Kiwi Oktoberfest celebration yesterday at Drylands Restaurant, near Blenheim.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

Last weekend I was in Wellington to present a couple of beer and food tasting evenings in memory of my friend and colleague Michael Jackson.

Marlborough district councillors have given a cautious welcome to plans for a Speight's Ale House in Blenheim, but say further negotiations will be needed to make sure it fits with council plans.

The Marlborough Express

Sunday, 11am till 6pm, free entry

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

Although the drive from Blenheim to Nelson takes less than two hours, it's a trip I haven't made anywhere near often enough. In fact, in the 15 years I've lived in Marlborough, I've probably averaged only about three visits to Nelson a year. That's way too few.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

You may have missed the news, but next month there'll be a new force in Kiwi brewing, Asahi of Japan. Last Friday the Japanese company announced it will pay $1.5 billion for Independent Liquor, New Zealand's third largest brewer.

The Marlborough Express

This week's icy blast reminded me of winters in England and started me thinking about the rich, malty warming dark ales that I used to enjoy in my old country in the depths of winter.

The Moutere Brewing Co has lost its bid to trademark the term "shandy".

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

Twelve months ago the New Zealand brewing industry was digesting the news that its second largest player, DB, had won the champion brewer trophy at BrewNZ

The Marlborough Express

OPINION: Congratulations to Soren Eriksen for winning the title of champion brewer of the year.

MICHAEL BERRY - The Marlborough Express

Marlborough brewing company 8 Wired edged out Emerson's by a single medal to win champion brewer at the 2011 BrewNZ awards.

The Marlborough Express

Blenheim craft-beer maker 8 Wired Brewing has been crowned champion New Zealand brewery at the BrewNZ Beer Awards.

Marlborough craftbeer 8 Wired has been crowned champion New Zealand brewery at the BrewNZ Awards.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

If you have anything more than a passing interest in beer then you'll probably know that Wellington is the place to be this week. For the 10th year the capital is playing host to BrewNZ, the brewing industry's annual celebration of all things beery.

The Marlborough Express

The Moutere Brewing Company is trying to trademark the term "Shandy" in its battle against DB Breweries and the Intellectual Property Office.

© Fairfax NZ News

I remember my first taste of Kiwi beer only too well. It was in the cellar bar of a downtown Auckland hotel on a Friday evening in October 1990. Having just flown in from Britain and checked into the hotel, I was tired and thirsty as I made my way downstairs. It was early in the evening and the bar was packed with office workers celebrating the end of the working week and jostling to be served. I remember it was also extremely noisy.

The Marlborough Express

Moa Beer head brewer David Nicholls will be talking people through the Marlborough brewery's range at a free beer tasting evening on Thursday, July 28.

GEOFF GRIGGS - The Marlborough Express

Since departing my homeland in 1995 for a new life in New Zealand, there have been few occasions when I've regretted my decision to migrate here, but last Thursday was certainly one of them.

Society of Beer Advocates president Geoff Griggs, of Blenheim, is "sad but not surprised" at big brewer DB's victory in its long-running fight to trademark the word radler.