Hawke's Bay lager gets top nod

Geoff Edwards, head brewer at Hawke's Bay Brewing Company. PHOTO FILE

The Hawke's Bay Brewing Company has taken the title of Top Lager Champion at the just announced 2017 New World Beer and Cider Awards.

Hawke's Bay Pure Lager triumphed in the hotly contested class with chair of the independent judges Michael Donaldson describing it was "a revelation in the lager class".

He also said the diversity of the individual winners across the 10 beer classes showed the strength of the local brewing industry, and that the standard in all classes meant selecting an individual champion for each was a challenging and "very difficult" task for the 19-strong judging panel.

Which was more than satisfying to hear for the brew crew at the Meeanee-based brewery which has been part of the local and national brewing scene since 1995.

"Yes it's very good news - we must be doing alright," head brewer Geoff Edwards said.

"We are quiet achievers," he added with a smile.

It is the latest title to add to a growing number for the brewery.

In 2014 Hawke's Bay Brewing picked up seven awards at the annual Brewers Guild of New Zealand Awards and did the same the following year.

And, as Mr Edwards pointed out, among those awards were those for top lagers.

He said what drew him to the job about four years ago was the brewery's devotion to consistency - so that when a customer bought a specific ale they'd know it would be the very same every time they bought it again.

"It's so important - you make it for the customer and it has to be spot on."

Mr Edwards said the lager had initially been made for the "on tap" market.

"Only last year we started putting it in bottles and it has gone very well."

It had become one of the brewery's top three sellers.

Mr Edwards said he was proud of the brewing team as they did all the "hands-on" stuff.
"I just direct the traffic," he laughed.

More than 500 beers and ciders were entered by 81 local and international breweries and were all blind-tasted for technical excellence, balance, mouthfeel and above all, drinkability.

All the champion and gold winners across the classes will be available in New World stores from today with Foodstuffs managing director Steve Anderson saying it was pleasure to be able to support the local brewing industry.

"And in turn give our shoppers ready access to such fantastic award-winning brews."