Harrington’s Breweries are still celebrating in the wake of their big win at this year’s Sutton Group Brewers Guild of New Zealand Awards.
For the Christchurch-based, family-owned brewery taking home New Zealand Champion Brewery for 2012 is certainly a feather in their cap, especially in light of the earthquake disaster that struck their hometown in recent times.
”It’s been a tough couple of years no doubt,” says owner Carl Harrington. “But the Christchurch brewing community has stuck together and worked hard, and the results from the Awards Night show that Christchurch is producing some of the best beers in the country.”
Picking up Gold medals for their Pig & Whistle Mild Dark Ale and their Brewer’s Reserve Baltic-Ler Baltic Porter – as well as Silvers for their Rogue Hop Pilsner and the 2011 Anniversary Dark Ale, and Bronze for their Saddler Lager – is a direct result of their dedication to style, flavour and hard work, according Harrington.
”It’s our dedication to producing beers true to style, whilst still passionately seeking out new craft beer flavours that has led to this success”, he says.
And Head Brewer Mark White couldn’t agree more.
”I’ve been brewing here for two decades, which says a lot about the brewery in itself, and I know how important it is to never rest on our laurels,” White says. “We’re a production brewery which keeps us honest, but as our recent Brewer’s Reserve series shows we still have a few tricks up our sleeves.”
And the brewery certainly has no intention of slacking off now that they have found themselves judged among the likes of much-loved previous winners such as 8 Wired, DB, Tuatara and Emerson’s.
” It’s still sinking in,” says White. “But it’s already made the whole brewery more determined to keep making great beers. We’ll continue to respect our history but this is an exciting opportunity to move forward and grow.”