Dunedin home brewers leaders in national awards

Dunedin man Simon Woods has found success at a national home brew competition. PHOTO: LINDA...
Dunedin man Simon Woods has found success at a national home brew competition. PHOTO: LINDA ROBERTSON
A hobby of brewing beer from home has "surprisingly" paid off for Dunedin man Simon Woods.

Mr Woods received best new brewer and champion beer in the Society of Beer Advocates 2019 National Homebrew Competition, with more than 688 entries.

The Fisher and Paykel chief engineer for cooking products said winning two of the six major national home brewing awards was "totally unexpected, I was very pleased’’.

The champion beer he brewed was a Wild Specialty Beer — a Golden Sour with white peaches.

The 38-year-old has been brewing beer since his university days, but invested in his hobby seriously in the past seven or eight years.

"During university I was just using basic kits, but when I moved to Dunedin in 2011 I started a more advanced process."

It was Mr Woods’ first time taking part in the competition, with five of his home brews entered. Four won gold medals.

He had decided to enter it this year as he felt "more qualified".

Mr Woods said he was not planning to make brewing beer a full-time venture.

"It would be a good way to ruin a hobby I think."

Dunedin man Jared Reeves received one of the six major awards, winning champion lager for a German Pilsner.

emma.perry@odt.co.nz

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