“Yeast transforms wort made by the brewer into beer.” Those nine words are how the new Oxford Companion to Beer describes what is essentially the single defining ingredient of beer.

Rated by The Times as one of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945, the late Sir Kingsley Amis penned more than 20 novels,

It is now less than a week until what is traditionally the biggest day of the year for the New Zealand hospitality industry.

Actor John Russell was the star of long-running television drama Lawman, the chief villain in a Clint Eastwood film and the voice of a cartoon blue-skinned alien from Alpha Centauri.

Stephen Beaumont is a globally famous beer writer. Author of acclaimed grimoires such as A Taste for Beer, The Premium Beer Drinker’s Guide and co-author of the keenly anticipated World Atlas of Beer

There is no stereotypical New Zealand craft brewer. A quick look over the field reveals they range from small to hearty, youthful to wise, hirsute to bald and from acolyte to expert. Some are formally trained, others self-taught. Many have been home brewers but a few started out brewing for money from day one.