Me, the chief boozer was too cheap to go this year, I ended up spending the entry fee at Brothers Beer instead. I hit up a friend who was going for their take on The New Zealand Beer Festival and got their post-event run down. We met immediately afterwards for a beer. He’d had a few by then. I make no apologies for the quality of this post. It is what it is, and better than nothing.
I received a status report during the day, my friend admitted the Crafty Girls were very friendly, but didn’t know fuck all about the beer. If you don’t know what Crafty Beggars is all about read this – status report as below:
The crowd
Four years ago there were a lot more pot-bellied, bearded men, and more promo girls than female patrons. The Beer Festival is no longer ‘the boys club’, there’s was a fairly even split 45/55 of ladies and men. There were a lot of people out to get wasted, and a lot of people dressed up as pirates, vikings, beer wenches and several Popes. The costume standard was ‘sexy halloween’.
The beer
Beer of the Festival: My friend’s favourite was the Mata Festival Beer – which tasted like a Christmas Plum Pudding in a beer.
Notable mentions: The Epic IPA (couldn’t remember name)
General comments: There were a few gimmicky beers. More cider than last year and fewer ‘big breweries’. Good food options.
Toilet report
Initally good, there were a lot.
Describe in three words?
Environment and beer. It’s moving to a festival vibe.
Ok, so perhaps not the best review but there you go.
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