NZ brewers win top awards

Two New Zealand brewers have taken out two of the top awards in the prestigious Australian International Beer Awards - one for its beer and the other for its six pack holder.

Dunedin brewer Emerson's wheat beer Wiezenbock won the HGM Trophy for champion wheat beer and Auckland's Scotts Brewing, which brews gluten-free beer, took the University of Ballarat Trophy champion packaging award for its Scotts Pale Ale six pack holder.

The 8 per cent alcohol by volume Wiezenbock is a seasonal beer usually produced around August. It is described as "a strong and malty offering which is rich, full-bodied and warming and should be served at 8degC".

The beer awards, held in Melbourne, are the largest in the southern hemisphere and which attracted 1170 entries from 34 countries this year.

New Zealand brewers took home about 45 gold, silver and bronze medals from the awards.

- NZPA