Quake Fails To Dampen Christchurch Brewing Success

Shaken but not stirred seems to sum up the Christchurch brewing community after Saturdays 7.1 scale earth quake.
 
The disaster comes hot on the heels of a BrewNZ Awards night that proved very successful for Christchurch brewers with Three Boys Brewing Co just missing out on the Champion Brewery Trophy with two gold medal best in class trophies, a silver and a bronze, the Twisted Hop earning a silver best in class trophy and two bronze and Harrington’s achieving a silver medal.
 
Saturday’s quake could have threatened the Christchurch brewers ability to exploit the limelight the awards have thrown on them. However by luck or divine intervention the reports have come back that the impact on the breweries has been relatively light.
 
Three Boy’s Ralph Bungard says his large stainless steel fermentors had a good dance around the brewery but have come out largely unscathed. Fears were grave for the Twisted Hop as its located in the historic Poplar Lane, an area of predominantly old brick buildings of the type that have feared the worst through the city however it to seems to have come through structurally sound. The reports are that Harrington’s also have come through mercifully in one piece. Craig Bowen from Christchurch beer distributor BeerNZ was happy to report that his sole loss at his bulk store was one bottle of Mussel Inn Captain Cooker he says proving there's "strength in craft beer and pigs just can’t fly”
 
I can only hope that the impact on the private properties of the Christchurch brewers is as light as it has been on the breweries themselves.
 
Kieran Haslett-Moore
Source: Regional Beer Blog