BrewNZ Beer Awards and Beervana

MEDIA RELEASE For immediate release
Wednesday 8 April 2009

BrewNZ Beer Awards and Beervana - 24 to 29 August 2009

During a week of celebrations, the BrewNZ Beer Awards and the public Beervana sampling event will showcase some of New Zealand’s finest beers and give the public the opportunity to sample a range of beer styles and meet local brewers. The event will be held in Wellington from 24 to 29 August.

The BrewNZ Beer Awards will feature entries from over 60 breweries, judged over three days by a panel of experts, led by US-based judge David Logsdon. Internationally recognised and New Zealand’s premier beer competition, the BrewNZ Beer Awards culminate in an awards evening on 27 August at the Wellington Town Hall.

Beervana is the sampling event for the public, featuring New Zealand brewers and well known celebrity chef Martin Bosley. To be held on 28 and 29 August at the Wellington Town Hall, guests will have the opportunity to taste and learn about different beer styles, the art of beer and food matching, and the chance to meet brewers. Tickets will cost $25 and will be available for purchase through www.beervana.co.nz from 1 June 2009.

BrewNZ is the official New Zealand beer event, endorsed by the Brewers Guild of New Zealand. The Guild aims to grow the beer category in New Zealand by facilitating brewer and consumer education about beer, being the united voice of the brewing industry, and by developing BrewNZ into a globally recognised, world class beer event.
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The official event website is www.brewnz.co.nz which will be updated regularly with programme details.

EVENT DATES

Dates Activity Location
Mon 24th –Thurs 27th August Judging Wellington Town Hall
Weds 26th August Opening Function The Malthouse
Thurs 27th August BrewNZ 2009 Awards Ceremony Wellington Town Hall
Fri 28th & Sat 29th August Beervana
Wellington Town Hall
(all day event)

BACKGROUND

THE TRENDS
The New Zealand Premium beer scene has grown exponentially in the past few years, following a similar trajectory to the wine industry – in fact some are saying that beer is the new wine. If overseas trends are anything to go by, we can expect this sector to continue to grow as beer drinkers are consuming less beer and demanding a more sophisticated and handcrafted product.

LENGTH OF TIME RUNNING
This is the eighth year of this event. However, BrewNZ 2009 promises to be bigger and better than ever before. BrewNZ 2009 will showcase the finest examples brewers have to offer – over 60 breweries will be entering the awards and exhibiting their premium/craft beer.

THE FINANCIAL FACTS
Premium/Craft beer accounts for 6% of the total beer market and is growing. Total beer revenue in Aust / NZ is AU$7.0 Billion. Therefore 6% of this is AU$420 Million per annum in Australasia. In USA, around 15% of market is Premium/Craft, we expect NZ to trend this way, making future craft beer revenue in 5-10 years time greater than AU$1 Billion in Australasia.

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