Thursday, December 29, 2011

December 22, 2011

Sentiments of the Season... Our Business During Xmas and New Year... Christmas Eve Music... New Release Tuesday...

Sentiments of the Season

It’s de rigueur at Christmas to reflect, show a little sentiment, invoke the spirit of the season and pass the result off as wisdom and goodwill. It’s time we tried the same.

2011 was Hashigo Zake’s second full calendar year. After a successful and enjoyable first year or so we might have been overdue a period of adversity when good fortune deserted us, competition sprang up and we suffered some kind of backlash. Perhaps all of those happened – our underground heritage premises threw up some significant expenses and a trickle of dissenters sniped at us on various electronic fora. Meanwhile since late 2010 there has been a goldrush-like outbreak of purported craft beer bars in Wellington.

We also created plenty of challenges voluntarily – trying to turn our importing operation into a serious business in its own right; launching our own festival; bringing a guest brewer all the way from Norway; and dabbling in other new lines of business such as corporate tastings, keg leasing and the distribution of New Zealand beer.

On top of this we and our customers and friends had to contend with an economic crisis, terrible natural disasters and a much hyped sporting event that wasn’t nearly as lucrative as predicted (even if it was, at times, good fun).

So to be still here, still trading, still enjoying ourselves and still consolidating our relationships with customers and suppliers feels like a bit of a triumph.

We aren’t in a hurry to put 2011 behind us (though we sympathise with those who do), but we’re looking forward to 2012 as much as anyone. The New Zealand craft beer industry is changing and growing faster than at any time before, so there has never been and may never be a better time to be fully involved in it.

Our Business During Xmas and New Year

Not everyone has the luxury of time off during this period and we don’t believe they should be further penalised by finding their preferred food and beverage outlets closed. Likewise Boxing Day shoppers surely have the right to have their thirst quenched after a long afternoon's bargain hunting. So we remain open every day that we’re allowed.

This means a single day off – Christmas Day. We’ll reopen at midday on Boxing Day, leaving plenty of time for certain customers to find a comfortable spot in front of a telly to watch the Boxing Day Cricket Test from Melbourne.

Now we’re far too new a business to have a lot of end of year rituals, but for the second time ever we’ll be running our nice and easy end of year survey asking what our regular customers really preferred in 2011 and what you think about an issue or two. It will be quick, un-taxing and participants won’t go into the draw for an iPad. We'll launch the survey as soon as 2011 is actually over.

Please read on to find out about our Christmas Eve entertainment and Tuesday's New Release. And be ready to accept next week's edition of this email to find out about our New Year's Eve Tapstravaganza.

Christmas Eve Music

The postponed Adam Page and the Counts gig is on this Saturday. And this Saturday happens to be Christmas Eve. That postponement was one of 2011's minor tragedies, such was the momentum the first three instalments of their four week residency had built up. We're hoping that enough of you are still in Wellington and looking for entertainment this Saturday to help make this free performance the climactic musical event it should be.

Remember that our legal obligation to close early on Christmas Eve means that the music starts at 9pm.

New Release Tuesday

Next Tuesday, December 27th (which should be one of our quietest evenings of 2011 or 2012), will be our first post-24/24 New Release Tuesday. We're kicking off this new tradition with a Danish Witbier. From 5pm next Tuesday we'll be serving our one and only keg of Mikkeller Vesterbro Wit. There can be no holiday for completists.

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