Plastic doesn't measure up to glass class at craft beer bonanza

It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it. The Marlborough Express news editor Bill McElhinney volunteered to sample the beers on offer at A & P Park on Saturday. He didn't manage to get around them all.

Bring back the glass!

That's the unanimous cry from craft brewers at Saturday's Blues, Brews & BBQs.

The reason is simple: it takes just as much time, effort and skill to produce a fine craft beer as it does to produce an award-winning wine. The people who craft these products are understandably proud of them, they want to present them in the best possible way, and polycarbonate just doesn't cut it. They want glass, and all hope that next year the proper beer vessels will be reinstated.

Brian Thiele from Blenheim's Renaissance Brewing, who has been at the festival for the past four years, made it quite clear that although Saturday was a great day, not being able to serve their brews in glass was a disappointment.

Despite that, there was agreement among the brewers that the festival was a great opportunity to showcase their skills and the public response had, as always, been very positive..

"It's an awesome day," said Tom Jones from Green Man in Dunedin, a sentiment echoed by Peter McGrath from Bays Brewery in Nelson, which has been at every festival since the event started 15 years ago.

Hoppy pale ales seemed to be the most popular poured on the day, not surprising, given that it was a sunny 26-plus degrees, although Tamar Scott from Harringtons in Christchurch said they were also selling quite a lot of their dark beer.

"It's mainly the older chaps," she said. "They like the darker style." Harrington's customers were certainly spoiled for choice, with nine varieties on offer.

Also popular at Harrington's was their Lazy Sunday, a summer lager brewed with an infusion of tangelos, coriander and crushed root ginger.

Over at the Moa tent Blenheim's Josh Scott and his team were pouring plenty of their popular Weka and Moa Blanc, an elegant wheat beer with hints of spice.

Surprisingly, Moa was the only site offering a wheat beer on a day when the weather was most suited to that style.

The wonderful thing about beer is that these days there is a huge range of styles to suit moods, climates and food.

If, like me, you enjoy craft beers, then you will know that what you drink will pretty much depend on the day. If it's the middle of winter, it's hard to go past a malty stout or porter.

On a blazing Marlborough summer day, the lighter styles will find more favour, as was the case on Saturday.

 

BILL'S BEST

There's no way one person could sample all the beers on offer at Saturday's Blues and Brews but here, for what's it's worth, are my top five favourites on the day.

Renaissance Blonde: What started out as a seasonal release has found a permanent place in the Renaissance lineup. Crisp, dry, hoppy, perfect for a bright, hot Marlborough day.

Moa Blanc: Moa's wheat beer with more fruity notes and less hop bite is summer in a glass. An echo of the days when the Wairau Plain was covered with golden grain instead of grapes.

Three Boys IPA. This India Pale Ale has always been a favourite. While I like hops, sometimes you can have too much. But these guys have got the balance just right.

Brew Moon Amberley Pale Ale. Clean, nutty with a crisp hop finish. Always worth a visit on trips to and from Christchurch.

Renaissance Elemental Porter: Dark, rich, mellow and malty  the perfect finish to a fabulous day.

- The Marlborough Express