Beer and Burgers at Wellington on a Plate

New Zealand’s annual Wellington on a Plate culinary festival, which runs from 14-30 August, features in a Daily Telegraph travel feature. The newspaper takes a tour of the city’s breweries and seeks out the best burger. First up, a trip to Aro Valley brewery Garage Project.

For the past four years out of a converted garage, “Pete and Ian Gillespie and mate Jos Ruffell have been brewing iconoclastic beers that have won worldwide acclaim.

“What began as the ambitious 24 in 24 project – where they brewed a different beer each week for 24 weeks with kegs rolled out to the craft bars in town – has grown into an operation that includes a busy cellar door and distribution throughout New Zealand and now Australia.

“Next month, the brewery will create the Garage Project Milk Bar pop-up, where, in a homage to the corner store of yore for four days a range of beers will be served that include a Cereal Milk stout, Ziggy’s Carrot Cake (brewed with carrots) and the Two Pot Flat White, a double coffee stout topped with a nitrogenated cream ale that has been wowing the bearded brigade at beer festivals around the world.

“This pop-up is just one of more than 130 events that make up Wellington on a Plate.

“Now in its seventh year, the festival has grown into the country’s largest showcase of food, where individual ticketed events are complemented by dining experiences ranging from two-course set menus at the city’s best restaurants, through to burgers and beers.”

Original article by Dan Stock, The Daily Telegraph, July 11, 2015.