Ever fancied a beer made with crickets, milk, or even someone's belly button lint?
Well those looking to indulge in the most unique flavours the beer industry has to offer can raise a glass of the unusual - or, you know, just the world-reknowned-made-in-New-Zealand - at the Great Australasian Beer Spectacular (GABS) festival this weekend.
Almost 100 stalls will be plugging in kegs at the ASB Showgrounds offering samples of some new and often bizarre drops to satisfy a variety of tastes.
With ingredients such as bubblegum, cold brew coffee, sea water and breakfast cereal, we asked GABS Founder Steve Jeffares how beer producers manage to walk the line between creative just plain weird.
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Advertise with NZME.Jeffares certainly doesn't think things are being taken too far, but knows the competition is certainly heating up among producers to create the most unusual offerings.
"Two years ago there was a group of brewers who cultivated yeast from their respective belly buttons. They produced a beer out of it and it became a worldwide sensation," he told Herald Focus.
While the drop born of tummy fluff certainly made waves internationally, he notes it's not just local brewers' odd creations that have the rest of the world talking about New Zealand beer.
"We have unique hop varieties other brewers across the world are clamouring for. New Zealand, for a relatively small country, does amazing things."
As well as unique flavour varieties, brewers are also looking to have the most interesting artwork, ensuring their beer "stands out" to consumers who continue to show a "growing willingness to try new things."
If you want to get among the latest offerings in beer, wine and cider, then head along to the GABS festival this Saturday 30 June.
For more information check out their website.
