Field Theory by Hadyn Green

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Field Theory: No draught in here

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  • Just thinking,

    Thanks Hadyen, I wonder if they were talking about me?
    They didn't sell the glassware last time I asked.
    Cheers & good health.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    I'm sure there are reasons to live in other cities, but not being able to buy Emersons from the brewery at decent prices (it's painful to pay $10 for a glass at most pubs) and take it home by the boxload would just be too much I think.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • David Cryer,

    Hayden great you could come along to Beervana and enjoy yourself due to the Brewers Guild generously allowing you to come in and cover it. It is just a pity your journalistic side did not check the facts before typing up your blog. There were in fact eight entries in the Draught section not the one you so derisively trumpet. You can also check the brewers Guild website for a a description of the Draught Style if you wish to broaden your beer knowledge
    Your source also gave you an unbalanced view of the judging and if you had questioned people who were involved they would have been glad to inform you. In certain categories where a gold was not awarded a Silver and even a Bronze can win. Beer must be judged to style so must be put in categories and yes you can get multiple golds in categories and none in others that's judging!
    Lastly Speight's Distinction Ale is in fact a Lager, Lager uses bottom fermenting yeast and this is what this product uses. Ale is a top fermented product such as Epic Pale Ale.
    I suggest next time either look for me or anyone from the Guild to give balance to claims made by unquoted sources who on the surface may seem to know what they are talking about.

    Auckland • Since Sep 2009 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    Hayden great you could come along to Beervana and enjoy yourself due to the Brewers Guild generously allowing you to come in and cover it. It is just a pity your journalistic side did not check the facts before typing up your blog. There were in fact eight entries in the Draught section not the one you so derisively trumpet.

    I see yes, I did get that wrong. I should have said no other "medalists" rather than entries and I apologise (and I'll correct that).

    You can also check the brewers Guild website for a a description of the Draught Style if you wish to broaden your beer knowledge

    I did actually, and if it's there I couldn't find it (Wait, just did! a pdf at the bottom of this page, though "draught" is spelled "draft"). But, you'll see that I did link to the excellent piece by Fraser McInnes discussing the style.

    Your source also gave you an unbalanced view of the judging and if you had questioned people who were involved they would have been glad to inform you. In certain categories where a gold was not awarded a Silver and even a Bronze can win. Beer must be judged to style so must be put in categories and yes you can get multiple golds in categories and none in others that's judging!

    I believe I did actually say that. My "source" were the brewers themselves. One was incredibly outspoken about the judging (even though they were Trophy and Gold winners), but I felt that I wouldn't name them even though they knew I might.It seems to be a small industry and I don't want to "out" people.

    I also perhaps didn't make it clear that I wasn't critiquing the judges or the judging (well, except maybe the Tui). The Speights brewer himself pointed out that he won the Lager section with an "ale", and we laughed about it.

    None of the brewers were bitter (pun!) about the categories or the judges. Some were offhand about the Tui win, maybe a little curious about why the style was there and how Tui won.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Yalnikim,

    Nice to come across this, great to see anything about Beervana and BrewNZ.... three weeks in Australia and I'd forgot all about talking to you.

    A few points:

    I agree with the food and know this is on the agenda for next year.

    Beers can win a category trophy if they are generally available for sale in New Zealand. Baltika met this requirement, hence the win.

    I agree that NZ Draught should be incorporated into an international lager category but the argument is certainly not entirely one sided. It is in my mind but not when people start arguing back.

    On the lager/ale debate... Pretty much anything made by Lion or DB, besides a few Mac's beers, will be a lager. Examples: Speight's Golde Medal Ale = lager. Tui East India Pale Ale = lager. It's a story worth following up but it does get complicated (lager yeast fermented at ale temps and vice-versa). None of these beers are are worth the water (and sugar) that they are made with. Let alone the ink that they lie with.

    You say: There are a certain amount of Golds, Silvers and Bronzes to give out.
    This is not correct. There is no limit - every beer or zero beers can receive medals. Gold, silver and bronze medals are are given to each and every beer that meets the required style standard. So, in theory, all 8 NZ Draughts could have received gold - in reality, only one beer was good enough. Good enough for the judges, against the style, but not for your beer fridge or mine!

    Congrats to the champion brewer - an inspirational man - and to David Cryer and his Brewer's Guild Committee who pulled off a phenomenal event on the smell of an oily rag (or alcoholic rag) and the sweat of volunteers.

    Finally - I (as Yeastie Boy owner) am not the trophy + gold medal winning person who is outspoken against the judging. I've worked in the awards for 5 years so probably have a better understanding of how it works than the one who do complain... perhaps they should get involved. I'm proud of our beer being champion of the "Porters and Stouts" (and even more so the People's Choice one) and, too, of all the people I have volunteered with over the last 5 years. There are still improvements to be made but we're streets ahead of where we have ever been.

    Cheers
    Stu - www.yeastieboys.co.nz

    Wellington • Since Sep 2009 • 8 posts Report Reply

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