New Zealand is about as far away from Ireland as it is possible to get yet Saint Patrick’s Day is an unofficial holiday here and one of the biggest drinking days of the year.  This year was certainly no exception.

Since opening its elaborate glass doors in March 2007, the new Malthouse has hosted brewers, rock stars, writers, sporting heroes, actors and journalists from around the globe.  It has opened many minds to the variety and complexity of beer. 

A beer tasting has a number of key differences from a wine tasting:

Generations of travelling Kiwi’s have made fun of English beer.  Their beer is, according to popular legend, warm, flat and weak.

The revelation that I love trying new beers probably ranks between “the Hurricanes are inconsistent” and “Paul Holmes loves to offer unsolicited advice” on the Surprise Scale. 

Perhaps the only thing better than having a beer in front of you is having thirty seven beers in front of you.