Only 2.5% of beer consumed in NZ is Kiwi owned

[nzbrewer]

Now that Lion is to be purchased 100% by Kirin

97.5% of all beer sold in New Zealand profits foreign interests and breweries.

Lion = Japan
Mac's = Japan
DB = Singapore / Holland
Monteith's = Singapore / Holland
Independent Liquor = Australia

Support the 50 small independent kiwi owned breweries and keep the money in New Zealand.

Drink Local, Support New Zealand

[James P]

I'm a conspiracy theorist, however I'm coming for the beer... and I will let the judges do the judging as they are the educated ones.

I do however reserve the right to make my own determination of what I consider to be good and bad, and I don't expect others to agree. Some of the beers made by the big boys are no longer to my taste (thanks to you craft brewer type bastards on here making good beer!!). However, that is not to say mega swill isn't a well marketed product. Hot chicks, bbq's, sheep shaggers and a seal slapping you have some comedic value and appeal.

If the big boys want to sponsor this event, excellent, that means they support and are willing to play on the same field as all the craft brewers when it comes to having their beers judged. This is the one playing field where there should be equality... just too bad you can't enter a saison or radler in the event....

[Reviled]

There ya go Luke, all you need is some advertising with chicks in bikinis cooking on the bbq drinking epic, sales would boom! lol

[Stu McKinlay]

have you not seen his flickr pics? he's already doing that ;-)

[Reviled]

Haha no I havnt, no flickr at work cos its apparantly a porn site :oP lol

[Stu McKinlay]

I'm coming for the beer

very well said... aren't we all.

In the end it is nice to see friends do well in awards but I just love being involved and drinking great beer with a whole lot of beer geeks.

[Greig McGill]

Too right.

[Stu McKinlay]

I can't help myself. I'm not a style nazi... and I'm definitely not anti big breweries. But I am a metadata/information nazi, and all this does is to totally confuse (some may say trick) the average beer drinker into believing that we do really have these unique beer styles. They are not really all that unique.

[Tony]

Hmmm, I don't think I'll even start ( do I hear a huge sigh of relief?), I totally agree with Stu and Greig, except I will say I am anti the 'big boys'. They're less about the beer and I think their beer and ethics suck!

[Stu McKinlay]

C'mon Tony... I seem to remember you being NZ's biggest greatWhite fan... what happened? And Brewjolais. are you taking the piss? Mac's beer does not suck at all. And I can stomach Stella and Steinlager on tap too.

[Tony]

OK I will relent on some Macs, but the rest I can leave. I was taking the piss a little and I realise they are here to stay and a necessary evil. It's really not that difficult to make a descent tasting/quality beer, but they regularly find ways not to. But while everyone else seems to be dancing around the fire and not saying it, I will. I still think they suck. Mind you, I suppose if they did make a descent ale or lager, we wouldn't have so many fine microbreweries to choose from?..........Wait, go the big boys!

[Stu McKinlay]

I'm not dancing around the fire. I just realise that not all beer needs to be 7% and 70IBU.

Monteith's... now their beer really does suck. I can remember the last time I remember one tasting ok (it wasn't even quite at the level I'd describe as "good"). It was a Monteith's Pilsner about 3 or 4 years ago. I was sitting in Chow, judging the Monteith's Wild Food Festival. I actually caught the faintest hint of Riwaka on my peripheral palate...

I agree with "go the big boys" to some degree. If Mac's started making a really decent APA then I'm sure Luke would be feeling nervous. As it is, I'm sure he's not worried because there wouldn't be a good enough margin (or volumes) in it for them.

[nzbrewer]

Stu I feel nervous everyday with how thin my margins are, even at the prices I have to charge.