The rather unusual nature of my job as a beer writer means I get a very imprecise and not entirely representative view of a city I’m visiting for work purposes.

Way back in April last year I made an application to take Monday 8 April 2013 off work. Despite my undoubted value to the company, the request was promptly approved by the human resources department and the senior management team.

One of my earliest regular watering holes was the kind-of infamous Loaded Hog on Bond Street in Wellington.  I was attending Victoria University at the time and had yet to discover the joys of craft beer.

As a self-employed writer, I don’t pay much attention to public holidays. Technically, I can have absolutely any given day off work but it is just that no one will pay me to do so.

On 27 February 2013, Tuatara Belgian Tripel was officially launched to a salivating drinking public.  Or was it really? 

I was sitting on my usual seat at my usual table in the Malthouse the other day while drinking craft beer and talking animatedly about beer.