For a craft brewery, beer festivals are a chance to stretch their creative muscle, experimenting with flavours and talking to enthusiasts to see what lights a spark. “Definitely one of the most enjoyable aspects of craft is coming up with challenging, weird, wonderful, colourful or all of the above, brews for festivals,” says Tuatara’s Brewery Manager Brett Oliver.

The Tuatara Crew begin brainstorming 6 months out (as pictured hard at work below!), sorting through various trial brews. “Beer festivalgoers are generally a knowledgeable crowd so boring won’t cut the mustard,” says Oliver.

GABS is one of the ‘got to be there’ events for Tuatara and the Brew Crew work hard to ensure their beers are ready to feature at the Australian festivals and Auckland event – which runs this weekend at the Auckland ASB Showgrounds from 16th-17th June.

Hosting the Tuatara stand will be Brewery Tasting Room hospo' honcho Corey Taylor alongside the trademark Tuatara "landy" with its retro fitted taps pouring pints for GABS goers. “It’s becoming an expectation to have it at events these days. It just depends on whether we’re allowed to drive it in to a venue,” laughs Taylor. 

Going to GABS?

This year from the Tuatara landy taps, GABS-goers can enjoy:

• Tuatara Urban Dankster – a great tasting, hoppy American style IPA
• Tuatara Hypernova – a specialty NZ hopped, fruity, West Coast style IPA

Not going to GABS?

Don’t stress, there are a few ways to get your mitts on Tuatara’s speciality GABS beers:

• If Tuatara Urban Dankster and Tuatara Hypernova go well at the festival, the brews will move from keg in to Tuatara’s trademark spiny bottle so GABS punters can play a part in Tuatara’s upcoming beer launches.
• Selected craft-minded Liquorland stores are bringing the brews to the people by providing GABs brews at ‘fill your own’ stations around the country.
• Tuatara will also have Urban Dankster and Hypernova on tap at their Wellington CBD tap room The Third Eye or up at the brewery in Paraparaumu. Keep an eye on their Facebook pages for brew updates, and in the meantime, enjoy some of Liquorland's favourite Tuatara beers below.