July 9, 2010

This week's dispatch is short and delayed, for which I apologise. It's been another frantic week here at HZ and we've been busy re-stocking for the weekend. Rest assured though that there will fridges and shelves full of the best beverages we can muster waiting for you this cold, rainy, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Immediately below...

• Barley Wine
• On Tap Now and Soon
• New Shipment of Baird Beer
• Meet The Brewer(s)

Barley Wine

The first of our Winter Tastings takes place on Tuesday, this one dedicated to Barley Wines (and a few even more rare but similar styles).

This will include some rock star beers and like a good rock festival you never know what the final lineup will be until the oversexed stars you thought you booked step out of the 1st class section of a 747. However the lineup will include:

• Mikkeller/Brewdog Devine Rebel
• Baird West Coast Wheat Wine
• Baird Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine
• Mikkeller Oatgoop
• Rogue XS Old Crustacean Barley Wine
• Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine

There are still places left, so reply to this email if you would like to join in the decadence.

On Tap Now and Soon

We've had indulgent fare lately - Summ!it Imperial IPA, Yeastie Boys' Yakima Monster, Invercargill Smokin' Bishop, not to mention having three (3!) Oregon beers on tap at once. So it will be a relief to have a slightly more restrained lineup, with many returning favourites from Three Boys, Croucher and Renaissance. But the truth is always a little more complicate, because we still have stock of the aforementioned Summ!t and Yakima Monster, not to mention more Hallertau Statesman.

We're also expecting a keg of Golden Bear's Winter Ale, and more of the sensational Invercargill Saison. Look out too for more of Renaissance's Craftsman Chocolate Oatmeal Stout.

It must added though that at this time on late Friday morning we remain at the mercy of freight companies, so many of the above commitments are made with fingers crossed.

New Shipment of Baird Beer

Speaking of being at the mercy of freight... another pallet of beer from (arguably) Asia's finest brewery is believed to be closer to Wellington than Yokohama. In fact our customs broker is giving an ETA of early next week. This shipment will replenish our stocks of wonderful beers like Suruga Bay Imperial IPA, and the award winning Numazu Lager. It will also include a handful of new seasonals, including the much-anticipated Biere du Japon.

Meet the Brewer(s)

It was a pleasure to see the bar much fuller on Monday than is customary for that day of the week. Thanks are due to Regional Wines and Spirits and Founders Brewery for allowing us to host Matt Duncan and distribute samples of that brewery's Duncan Weizen.

In association with Regional Wines and Spirits we are planning a similar event later this month involving the one and only Richard Emerson. Stay tuned for more information.