Craft beers draw in the thirsty

Luc Waite from Sidewinder brewery in Wanaka serves up a pint of pale ale at the Wanaka Beer Festival on Saturday. Photo / Tim Miller

More than 200 beer enthusiasts squeezed into Post Office Lane in Wanaka for the first Wanaka Beer Festival on Saturday.

Wanaka's five breweries offered up 25 different beers for people to sample including Pilsners, pale ales, stouts and saisons.

One of the more exotic styles came from Ground Up brewery which was serving a peat smoked scotch ale using nitrogen gas instead of the usual carbon dioxide.

Tickets for the festival sold out before the event and organisers were confident it would only get bigger next year.

Festival organiser and B.

Effect brewery owner James Hay said the day could not have gone better.

"What we really wanted bring something to Wanaka that celebrates craft beer ... where people can come and celebrate what the Wanaka breweries are doing."

One of the aims was to let people know Wanaka had a growing craft beer scene, Mr Hay said.

"Coming at it from a brewers point of view ... we put these things on for the public so they can come along and see what we are all about."

Another aim of the festival was to promote a sensible drinking culture where beer was enjoyed and not just a way to get drunk, he said.

It was the first time small Wanaka brewery Sidewinder had attended a beer festival.

Co-owner Luc Waite was impressed with how many people had attended and their knowledge of craft beer.

"There was quite a bit of queuing which is something you like to see when you're selling something you've made yourself."

Mr Waite and fellow brewer Dave Telfer brewed about 1000 litres of beer a month but had plans to expand at some point.

"Until then, we are happy brewing from a garage and making the best beer we possibly can."