Platinum plaque awarded for a grand Irish brew

Beer ambassador Karl Gross (left) hands the platinum plaque to Grand Hotel manager Werner Lamprecht. Photo / Bevan Conley

Kurt Gross knows when a pint of Irish dry stout has been well poured and he dropped in to Whanganui's Grand Hotel for a pint of Guinness.

"I slipped in as a secret shopper to do a taste test and I was very impressed," he said.

Mr Gross is a beer ambassador for Lion Beer in New Zealand and he wanted to make sure the Grand Hotel is worthy of a platinum plaque again this year.

"We wanted to make sure we were up to standard again," said manager Werner Lamprecht.

"We are doing a countdown to St Patrick's Day and we want people to know that we are still platinum standard."

The Grand has received the platinum plaque every year since 2012 and Mr Gross said they are the only hotel in the Whanganui region to receive the Guinness award.

The favourite stout beer that was first brewed in 18th century Dublin by Arthur Guinness
is now brewed in almost 50 countries and Lion Beer is the licensed New Zealand brewer.

"We send a keg to Ireland where it gets tasted by their experts and the New Zealand Guinness always does well," said Mr Gross.

And what if a hotel does not pass muster with the quality of their beer?

"It is usually just a matter of checking that everything is up to standard and sometimes taps or feed lines might need fixing or replacing," said Mr Gross.

He said he also checks that workers at a venue are up to speed as sometimes new staff have not yet learned the art of pouring Guinness correctly.

"It has been established that it takes 119.5 seconds to pour a perfect Guinness," he said.

Local Irish band Muirsheen Durkin will play at the Grand Hotel for St Patrick's Day on Saturday, March 17 and Mr Lamprecht said there will be Irish-themed food and entertainment throughout the day as well.