Cheers To Crustaceans: New Species Named After Welly Brewery

Scientists are raising a glass to newly discovered animals, naming a species after favourite Wellington brewpub Fork and Brewer.

Pentaceration forkandbrewer - a marine isopod found off the east coast of New Zealand - was given its formal scientific name after Fork and Brewer brewed the best beer as part of The Crustacean Beer Competition at the 10th International Crustacean Congress last year.

The competition was the brainchild of Rachael Peart and Kareen Schnabel, marine biologists at NIWA.

Rachael said it was a great way to engage people with New Zealand’s wonderful sea creatures.

"We were hosting the 10th International Crustacean Congress at Te Papa and wanted a unique way to showcase and celebrate our marine world. People love beer, so we thought - why not immortalise a local brewery by giving them the chance to be forever included in scientific literature?" said Rachael.

The competition was co-organised by Beervana Festival Manager, Ryan McArthur.

"The initial pitch email wasn’t so attention grabbing: ‘Beer Competition… Wellington breweries etc’ - we have plenty of those. Sure, a Crustacean Congress sounded fun. Who wouldn’t want to party with crustaceans? But it was the prize that grabbed my attention. A prize that no other beer competition in the world could offer. To be immortalised with a species of crustacean named after your brewery! Hell yeah! This was kind of beer story that only Wellington could tell. So, I jumped onboard," said Ryan.

Seven breweries entered the competition, including eventual winners Fork and Brewer, who presented a beer inspired by the low country boil-up from the south-eastern States of the USA.

Head Brewer Brayden Rawlinson came up with the concoction.

"Potatoes and flaked corn were mashed in with the stout grain to give a clean fermentable. They also provided the gimmick of being key components of a low-country boil! At the end of the boil, a small number of prawns were added to infuse a subtle briny foundation to the beer, reminiscent of an Oyster Stout. We also infused it with Creole seasoning steeped in Bourbon Whiskey. This gave it a super savoury, complex, aroma and flavour, with top notes of fusel (warm) alcohol, which gave the impression of it being a higher alcohol beer," said Brayden.

Brayden’s invention was chosen as the best by popular vote from Crustacean Congress delegates from around the world, as well as members of the public during the 2023 Visa Wellington on a Plate event.

NIWA’s Kareen Schnabel said that as a token of their gratitude for Ryan’s support, they decided to give him a special honour too.

"We had a few new species that needed a name, and Ryan had been so helpful with organising the competition, so as a thanks, we decided to name a deep-sea ghost shrimp Vulcanocalliax beervana," said Kareen.

"I had every plan to cheekily ask if Beervana could have its own crustacean, but Rachael and Kareen were way ahead of me… A ghost shrimp! How wonderful," said Ryan.

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