Beer Haiku Friday and Tasting at the Backbencher

Beer Haiku Friday exposes the best way to watch the fireworks with a poem called, unsurprisingly, "Fireworks":

at my secret spot
with a wagon full of beer
watching fireworks

The October Backbencher beer tasting had the theme "Best of Brew NZ":

The October Backbencher beer tasting had a “Best of Brew NZ” theme. A number of senior MPs were spotted in the immediate vicinity though they were probably present for the filming of “Backbenchers” (TVNZ 7) rather than the beer. There were over 370 entries in this year’s Brew NZ Beer Awards and only 23% of them received medals. This month’s selection showcased a range of medal winning beers accompanied by some fine food matches from the kitchen.

Glass Tips - Beer Haiku Daily and Backbencher

Beer Haiku and Beers from the Edge

Today's beer haiku belatedly recognises International Bacon Day (September 6) which really should replace Labour Day as a public holiday. The poem is titled "Bacon Lattice":

Any recipe
That includes “bacon lattice”
Has got to be good

From the Malthouse blog, the latest post has a look at the mainstream media, beer judging and the Mata range. It is called "Beers from the Edge":

One of a beer writer’s constant frustrations when trying to push craft beer into the mainstream media is the frequent impact a journalist or editor’s pre-conceptions and prejudices can have on the final article. It can be as simple as the choice of pictures used to accompany positive or negative stories about alcohol. If you look closely, negative stories usually have stock photos involving beer or RTDs while positive stories tend to use pictures featuring wine, usually in a quite sophisticated setting.

Glass Tips - Beer Haiku Daily and Malthouse Blog

FREE MATA - ON TAP - YOUR LABOUR WEEKEND TREAT

If you are headed to the Eastern Bay for Labour Weekend mark this in your diary!!

Even in this time of "Crisis" we understand that everyone deserves something to smile about :-) So, please join us and celebrate the first permanent MATA TAP at the Commercial Hotel, Whakatane.

http://www.mata.net.nz

Guess which beer this is?

" [insert beer name here] we believe will come to be known as an easy drinking lager beer with a smooth finish and a clean crisp aftertaste," he said

Find out which beer

Beer on the edge

When the smart international lifestyle magazine BellaOnline discovered Mata beer, they apparently also discovered New Zealand. Mata’s Manuka was described by Bella’s Beer and Brewing editor as a topaz wonder but the serious adjectives were saved for its country of origin.

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Thinking big

Microbrewery Aotearoa Breweries opted for a computer system that matched the big boys’ despite the upfront cost.

According to the company blurb, SAP Business All-in-One is targeted at companies with revenues from around the $100 million mark up to $1 billion. Or “put it this way”, says Bratton, “the software we put into Aotearoa Breweries is exactly the same software we put into Fonterra”. (Yet Aotearoa’s turnover this financial year is likely to hit just $250,000.)

To date, Magan estimates the business has cost him, Viitakangas and their business partners, Viitakangas’ mum and dad, Gloria and Jouni, close to $500,000. The SAP system cost them about the same amount as they paid for all their brewing equipment, bought from a defunct brewery in Wellington for $45,000 from the Trade and Exchange website. But it is money well spent, says Magan, now the brewery is being recognised and sought out for its beer.

With its Foodstuffs supply deal, its second export order from Japan for 100 cases of beer, and plans for expansion in the South Island and the US, as well as into Finland and India through family connections, Aotearoa Breweries is planning to upscale its facilities to increase batch production from 1,000 litres to 5,000 litres this year. But with all that selling to do the family members running the brewery are going to be on the road a lot. Fortunately that relatively expensive computer system includes comprehensive, secure remote-access capabilities, says Magan. “It’s simply essential for a company with such few staff. Basically it allows us to concentrate on the business. We don’t have to think about the day-to-day tasks so much.”

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