Take me to the April Sun in CubaDupa

It may surprise many gentle readers but I spent a year working on Cuba Street while at university. It was at the Charcoal Chicken shop at the top of the street. I had a lovely yellow shirt and received the minimum wage. The main perk was that we got a free meal so it became a contest between employees to see who could fit the most food between two buns and still count it as one burger.

Working on Cuba Street gave a genuine insight into the locals. One guy walked into Chicky’s Charcoal Chicken and asked “what do you have for people who hate chicken?” The boss said “potatoes, coleslaw or directions to McDonalds”. Another chap came in, bleeding but unworried, and ordered an elaborate chicken meal. We gave him whatever was ready at that moment just to get rid of him. He seemed happy.

There was one lesson I learned that is applicable to brewing. When sales were slow the owner would tip chicken fat over the hot charcoal. This would release a wave of delicious smoke which was picked up by the internal extractor fan and spread over the neighbourhood. Almost immediately customers would start coming in. One chap actually said “I was heading home to cook dinner for the family but I could not resist that smell. I think they will prefer your chicken to my cooking!”

I dubbed this practise “olfactory advertising”. [2] The same phenomena can occur during brewing. That smell of fresh baked bread is hard to resist. [3] After I left there was a block of apartments built across the road and the new residents immediately complained about the smell from a business that had been there for years. It is like the people who move into apartments on Courtenay Place and complain about the noisy night life, or punters who buy a cheap house near the airport and then moan about the plane noise. They need a long cool glass of concrete juice and harden the frack up.

Each year there is a celebration of Cuba Street and the Cuba Street Quarter. It is CubaDupa which is billed as “Wellington’s vibrant street festival revering the epic creative spirit of Cuba Street and the Wellington community.” There will be food, drink and live performances on Saturday 19th March (noon to midnight) and Sunday 20th March (noon to 5pm). A link to the festival’s webpage is below.

Malthouse is near Cuba Street and is getting in on the action by pouring CubaDupa Brew #2 (5.2%). This is a collaboration brew from Kelly Ryan (Fork Brewing) and Carl Vasta (Tuatara). They note that “while immersing yourself in the celebrations that are uniquely Wellington, the CubaDupa brew is the perfect drop to complement the total sensory experience. Relax and soak up the atmosphere.”

Brew #2 is a pale ale made using three malts (Gladfield American Ale, Gladfield Toffee Malt, Gladfield Light Crystal) and three hops (Centennial, Columbus, Nelson Sauvin). It weighs in at 23 IBU with floral notes and tropical fruit flavours. The colour is described as “morning sunrise” which I’m pretty sure is Kelly’s words rather than the more down to earth Carl Vasta. [4] One third of the money raised through sales of this beer goes back to CubaDupa to support the festival.

Malthouse will also be launching a new beer from former Champion Brewery of New Zealand 8Wired. Brewer Soren Eriksen has been busy thinking up new beers from his sparkling brewery in Warkworth (near Auckland). Kegged just yesterday, 8Wired Str8up IPA will be pouring at Malthouse from midday on Sunday. Ciaran Duffy, the bubbly, balanced yet bawdy Malthouse Unit Manager, describes it as being “very, very fresh.” [5] Additionally, Ciaran reports that 8Wired brewer Soren Eriksen “will be in Malthouse having a few scoops on Sunday from about 7pm.” Now some words from the brewer “It’s 6% Simcoe, Amarillo, Galaxy, 60ish IBU. I’d call it a very standard west coast IPA. Citrus, pine etc etc. Designed to just be a straight up, to the point, easy drinking IPA.”

Finally, to acknowledge the on-going link between Cuba Street and weirdness, here is a passage by Jane Peyton (British Institute of Innkeeping Beer Academy of Beer Beer Sommelier of the Year) [6] which appeared in the Summer 2015 issue of Beer and Brewer magazine. She was asked “what is the connection between brewing and witchcraft?” [7] Here is her answer:

“Until the late medieval era most beer in Europe was produced in the home by women. Not all women brewed beer – only those with enough financial resources to afford the material and equipment for brewing beer. People who did not have access to beer brewed in their own home would buy it from the local ale-wife.

When witch-hunting became rife many of the women accused of witchcraft were brewers. Until the 19th Century people did not understand yeast and fermentation so it was considered to be magic. All the cartoon motifs of a witch are also the tools of trade of a brewer. Cats are necessary to control vermin that would eat the malted barley. The cauldron is the kettle in which the wort is boiled. During fermentation the yeast creates a froth, which appears to bubble and grow before the eyes.

In England during the medieval era, people selling ale had by law to erect an ale-stake outside their door. The ale stake was a long piece of wood with twigs at the end, like a broom. A broom is also a useful tool for sweeping spilled malts from the floor. The ale-wife would often sell surplus ale in the market and in order to be seen in a crowd would wear a hat with a pointed dome. Does all that sound redolent of a witch’s fancy dress costume at Halloween?”

Next time we drink to the mighty Scottish rugby team who thrashed the French in rugby this week. It is worth celebrating even if the result did hand England the Six Nations Championship.

[1] As a registered member of the National Party I can only make brief, unpublicised visits to Aro Valley and then only ever to visit Garage Project brewery.

[2] Sales by Smell.

[3] I’ve never managed to.

[4] If the tasting notes said “it looks like beer you idiot” then I would have believed that Carl wrote it.

[5] Well, that was the gist of it. This is a family blog after all…

[6] Three mentions of beer in your job title is mightily impressive.

[7] I think we all wanted to know this.

Cheers

Neil Miller

Beer Writer

Beer and Brewer Magazine

Cuisine Magazine

TheShout Magazine