Holy smokes, I Live in New Zealand.

The rain didn’t slow up much yesterday, but that failed to stop me from attending the 2008 New Zealand Beer Festival at the Ellerslie Racecourse.

The name is self descriptive. Beer, noise, music (not live), portable toilets, fast food, and everybody crammed inside due to the ceaseless rain.

Alternate link.

Alcohol representation included the usual international brands with New Zealand distribution deals (Miller, Carlsberg, Amstel, …), not-all-but-most big New Zealand brewers (Monteith’s, Lion), and a wide range of small brewers that none of my friends had ever heard of.

Everybody was given a ballot to vote for their favourite beer on the day (a People’s Choice Award). I was torn between two choice beers but, much like any election, a decision had to be made. My choice beer of the day was…

…Sunshine Brewery’s Black Magic. It was nicely mild, not too bitter but definitely the heavy finish I want from a stout. The coffee flavour was a nice way to enjoy java without the caffeine fix, too. I think they only sell it in bottles at the liquor stores.

My other choice was the Epic Pale Ale from Epic Brewery. It has won a tonne of awards. There was a lot of flavour in it. Certain pale ales back home should learn something from these guys.

There was a third beer I liked too but not for winning best in show. West Coast Brewery’s Good Bastards Dark Ale. I’m all for cute branding, but it’s a previous award winner for a reason as well.

There were also $40 t-shirts. I did not buy one.

Alternate link.