Dunedin Craft Beer, top food and a good crew

Celebrating the soldout Dunedin Craft Beer and Food Festival ahead of the event on Saturday are New New New brewery owner Ian McKinlay (left), festival event manager Jason Schroeder and festival marketing manager Katrina McLennan at the New New New brewery on Thursday. Tickets to the event sold out two months ago. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery

It takes more than hops, malt, water and yeast to run a successful beer festival.

From small beginnings at the far end of Forsyth Barr Stadium to selling all 6200 tickets two months in advance, the Dunedin Craft Beer and Food Festival has gone from strength the strength since the inaugural event in 2013.

On Saturday, more than 85 stallholders will offer more than 400 different varieties of beer, cider wine and spirits, as well as a large array of food.

Dave Dobbyn will headline the entertainment line-up which includes alternative pop-punk bad Goodshirt.

Event manager Jason Schroeder put the festival's success down to a combination of a roofed stadium and a well-refined atmosphere - as well as the beer.

"I think the point of difference between us and other beer festivals around the country is the atmosphere."

"We're lucky we can have it in an all-weather stadium with a roof, which obviously helps, but I also think it's the balance of showcasing the really diverse range of beers but in a really community-focused event."

Everything from the entertainment to food choices and the furniture used were all specifically chosen to cater to the wide range of people who attended the event, Mr Schroeder said.

Preparations were well underway, with 62 volunteers collecting and distributing all of the furniture and signs for the festival and receiving all of the kegs shipped by the more than 80 breweries, he said.

"Our team have spent the last six months planning and preparing for the festival and we just can't wait to share what we know is going to be an unforgettable day with the city."
More than 10 of the breweries were from Otago and Southland.

Head brewer at Dunedin brewery New New New, Brendan Bransgrove, said beer festivals were an avenue for breweries to have fun and be creative.

As well as the brewery's regular lineup, Mr Bransgrove had brewed a couple of beers which would debut at the festival.

The new beers included a black pilsner brewed with rice and an "amped" up version of the brewery's rye beer.

"You just want to give people something new, because usually they know this brewery does this, this and this but what else can they do."

tim.miller@odt.co.nz