MEDIA RELEASE
21 08 14
Townshend Brewery crowned New Zealand’s Champion Brewery
Nelson based Townshend Brewery has been named New Zealand’s Champion Brewery. The announcement was made at the 2014
Brewers’ Guild of New Zealand Beer Awards held last night (Thursday, 21 August) in Wellington.
Townshend beat stiff competition, with a record 670 beers from 84 breweries entered across 15 different categories this
year. In total, 74 New Zealand breweries entered the awards.
Founder and brewer, Martin Townshend, said the award was the ‘icing on the cake’ in what’s been an excellent couple of
years for the brewery.
“Being named New Zealand’s Champion Brewery is a massive accolade. It seems like only yesterday that I created my first
brew in the shed.”
“Like most things in life, the secret to success is passion, hard work and dedication to the task. I still enjoy brewing
now as much as I ever have and I think most brewers will tell you the same. That said, it’s huge to be recognised and
this award is the best possible recognition a brewer could get.”
Founded in 2005, Townshend Brewery remains a one-person operation, producing approximately 50,000 litres of beer per
year. The 650 litre brewery is still located at the Townshend family home in Rosedale, near Nelson.
In addition to being named Champion Brewery, Townshend was also awarded the Champion New Zealand Manufacturer trophy and
won the New Zealand Specific Style category for his Oldhams Tap Riwaka Pilsner. 12 of his other brews also earned
medals.
The fifteen other beer category winners were:
CategoryBrewery BeerEuropean Lager StylesEmersons Brewery (Dunedin)Gladiator BockInternational Lager StylesDB Draught Brewery (Timaru)Monteith's BlackBritish Ale StylesWigram Brewing Company (Christchurch)Tornado Strong AleOther European Ale StylesEmersons Brewery (Dunedin)JP 2014US Ale StylesParrotDog (Wellington) BloodyDingoInternational Ale StylesPanhead Custom Ales (Upper Hutt)Boss HogStout and Porter StylesThree Boys Brewery (Christchurch)Three Boys Oyster StoutWheat and Other Grain StylesRenaissance Brewing Ltd. (Marlborough)Black the RIPAFlavoured & Aged Styles (incl. Fruit/Spice/Herb/ Honey/Smoke)Wigram Brewing Company (Christchurch)Captain Cook Spruce BeerNew Zealand Specific StylesTownshend Brewery (Nelson)Oldhams Tap Riwaka PilsnerSpecialty, Experimental, Aged, Barrel, Wood-Aged StylesPanhead Custom Ales (Upper Hutt)Black SabbathCider and Perry StylesZeffer Cider Co. (Auckland)Slack ma Girdle CiderCask ConditionedMoa Brewery (Marlborough)Moa Five Hop HandpullPackagingTuatara Brewing (Kapiti)Delicious NeckFestive Brew Behemoth Brewing Company (Auckland)Brave Bikkie Brown Ale
The Boston Beer Company claimed the Champion International Brewery award while the Morton Coutts Trophy for Innovation
or Achievement went to Steve Nally from Invercargill Brewery. Nally conceived the idea of packaging low carbonated
draught beer in 20 litre bags to be used in bars with traditional English style hand-pumps. Media/Beer Writer of the
Year went to Wellington’s Neil Miller.
Competition Manager, Craig Bowen, said the Awards capped another vintage year for New Zealand brewing.
“Each year, more New Zealanders are getting into beer and cider brewing. And each year, the task of judging at these
Awards becomes much harder.
“Whether it’s a one man band or the larger more established breweries, New Zealand is enjoying a golden period in terms
of the variety and quality of beers produced. That’s what the Awards are about – recognising and celebrating excellence
in our profession,” he said.
Now in its eighth year, the Brewers’ Guild of New Zealand Beer Awards is an international competition, with entries from
throughout New Zealand and the world. All beer entries were rated against a style guide for each category for its aroma,
colour, bitterness, flavour and presentation. A beer’s overall balance of characteristics was judged by a panel
comprising 25 national and internationally qualified judges.
A total of 61 gold, 121 silver and 169 bronze medals were awarded this year.
For more information including a list of all medalists visit www.brewersguild.org.nz
Ends