As a result, Monday could be the “Mega Quiz with Mega Jug Drink Specials All Night” while Wednesday might be the “Unnaturally Red Alcopop Super Happy Joker Poker Hour.

Malthouse would never do that – not least because it is officially and deliberately an RTD-free zone.  It is clear that Malthouse patrons don’t need a particular reason or gimmick in order to enjoy good beer.  However, from time to time, there are beer events which can heighten the enjoyment.  Last week for example, the Malthouse’s Saint George’s Day celebrations made it (temporarily) cool to be English.

Given the Handsome yet Softly Spoken Proprietor and this humble beer blogger were both born in Bonnie Scotland (one in the teeming slums of Glasgow and the other in the only place that Glaswegians look down on), it is perhaps natural that a Scottish event would be on the cards.

That event will take place on Wednesday May 12 starting in the Malthouse at 6:30pm.  It will involve tutored tastings of Scotch whiskies, Scottish beers and Haggis at an outside mystery venue.  No expense has been spared securing the services of a revered Scotch expert, a prolific beer commentator and the nearest Scottish guy who already worked at Malthouse.

Already dubbed “Scotchtoberfest” or “Happy Haggis Day” *, places are strictly limited.  Enquiries should be sent directly to the specialist booking facility – haggis@themalthouse.co.nz

On the delicious subject of haggis, this gem appeared on multiple media sites last week under the marvellous headline “Britons believe the hills are alive with haggis”:

“One in five people in Britain thinks that haggis, the traditional Scottish dish made from the lung, liver and heart of a sheep, is an animal that roams the Highlands, according to a survey Friday.

Commissioned by the online takeaway food service Just-Eat.co.uk, the survey found that 18 percent of Britons believe that haggis is a hilltop-dwelling animal.

Another 15 percent said it is a Scottish musical instrument while 4 percent admitted to thinking it was a character from Harry Potter.

The survey questioned 1,623 people across Britain to see how well they were acquainted with traditional Scottish food.

Even 14 percent of the 781 Scottish people polled said they did not know what haggis was.”

Continuing on the theme of Malthouse events, a brand new beer will be launched on Wednesday evening. 

No, your ears do not deceive you.  There is the faintest hint of air guitar on the wind.    This groovy soundtrack traditionally accompanies Luke Nicholas, the Impish Brewer of Epic Brewing Company.  He has chosen to launch his latest beer at Malthouse from 4pm on Wednesday 28th April

The beer in question is Epic Thornbridge Stout, a collaborative beer he made with Kelly Ryan from the award-winning English brewery Thornbridge.  These two previously made Epic Halcyon in England.  This time, they have put their heads together to create a hoppy stout (68 International Bitterness Units).  To save space on Twitter, Luke often refers to this beer as ETS, seemingly oblivious to the fact that this acronym has been forever tarnished by Emissions Trading Scheme.

No bookings are required for the launch – just turn up and look for the impish fellow in a black Epic t-shirt holding a glass of black beer.

* Though only by me at this stage.

Cheers


Beer Writer
Real Beer New Zealand
Beer and Brewer Magazine

Links

Hills are alive with haggis – http://www.stuff.co.nz/oddstuff/3619606/Britons-believe-the-hills-are-alive-with-haggis
A touch of Kiwi in Thornbridge ales – http://www.themalthouse.co.nz/index.php/blog/122-a-touch-of-kiwi-in-thornbridge-ales
Impish Brewer – http://imp.epicbeer.com/
Epic Thornbridge Stout – http://epicbeer.com/epic-thornbridge-stout/
Malthouse Facebook Group – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wellington/Malthouse/7084276173
Real Beer – http://www.realbeer.co.nz/blog/blog.html
Beer and Brewer Magazine – http://www.beerandbrewer.com/