Overview
Every year, the Society of Beer Advocates (SOBA) rolls out its red carpet for a week-long celebration of all things craft beer. It's appropriately called Auckland Beer Week, and this year it's taking place across the city's finest hop-forward establishments from 21–30 June in the lead up to epic beer festival The Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular (GABS).
The festivities officially kick off on Friday, 21 June with the #ABW19 Launch Party at Vultures Lane. It promises a rambunctious night with a tap lineup of new, limited and cellar release beers.
Food is big on this year's agenda; Newmarket's The Lumsden will prove how well fresh oysters go down with a pint of dark beer, Kingsland's Flight 605 will pair brews from around the country with hot chips, Hallertau is hosting an evening of fermented food and sour beer, and Garage Project is teaming up with sourdough pizza joint Umu for a week-long collaboration.
Elsewhere, Little Creatures is presenting a beer tasting masterclass at The Chamberlain, Grafton's Beer Jerk Bunker will host a beer cocktail evening, newly opened Save Ferris will open its barcade for an evening of IPA and karaoke featuring all the best 80s rock, ballads and synth pop, and Grey Lynn's Bottlestop will team up with tattooist Braden McMahon for a flash tattoo event — six lucky punters will walk away with some new beer-inspired ink.
Annual beer and cider festival GABS is the event on everyone's lips. Happening on Saturday, 29 June at ASB Showgrounds, the festival is a breeding ground for interesting new brews — previous events have seen brewers experiment with everything from marshmallows to cold brew coffee and snails. This year is set to be no different with more than 90 unique beers and ciders being brewed especially for the event and a further 300 concoctions up for the tasting. Also on offer: a delectable street food lineup, a beer-themed mini-golf course, silent disco, panel discussions and masterclasses.
For some pre-GABS sustenance, Vultures Lane is offering free wings to ticket holders. And to soak up the previous night's wrongdoings, beer personality BrewJesus will pair a Sunday roast with hair of the dog beers, and free bacon sandwiches will be flowing at Beer Jerk.
There's also a bus to Hamilton for some reason.
Auckland Beer Week 2019 will be held across Tamaki Makaurau from 21–30 June. For more information, visit soba.org.nz.