You. Drink. This. #1 - International Women's Day

Lucie Campbell, Chair of Pink Boots NZ, Organiser for Fresh Hop, Auckland

YOU.

I’m Operations Manager for The Lumsden Freehouse, Save Ferris, Wood Street Pizzeria and The Village Wines. Alongside that, I'm Chair of Pink Boots New Zealand, organise Fresh Hop Auckland and started the Auckland Beer Mile. Aside from all the beer stuff, I'm all about Bruce Springsteen, an avid watcher of Arrested Development, love to rock a bold nail colour, and despite being so beer-focused, I'm incredibly anti-beards and tattoos. Also, I'm known for being a drunk Etsy shopper (a.k.a. Regretsy).

DRINK.

I love a good Stout - big, boozy and bold. So many great ones out there in New Zealand, but can't go past the beauty that is Epic Coffee and Fig Stout.

THIS.

My current penchant is listening to hyped-up, crazy motivational speeches over dramatic music. Have become obsessed with the paranoia these motivational speakers have in their head that everyone is dragging them down.

Stacey Walsh, Owner of LBQ and Mockingbird, Wellington

YOU.

Howdy, I'm Stacey, owner of LBQ and Mockingbird. LBQ has been open for almost nine years, so that has been a good run of some amazing beers and brewers. I'm from Dunedin originally but my time spent in Wellington is inching closer to taking over the formative years spent there - although you can't replace my Speights youth and time spent at KC's Bar (it’s in my DNA) - Wellington, with its walkability, eclectic folk and dubious weather, is home.

DRINK.

I'm actually not a full power, danky hop fiend. My favourite styles are a red or brown ale. If 8 Wired would bring back Rewired and Parrotdog would brew me some Bloodhound, I might have to buy it and drink it all. I'm happiest drinking beer with good people. It really does enhance the flavour. I'm liking lower alc beers with a decent body too. Townshend on the handpull and clones of [Emerson’s] Bookbinder types suits me fine. I'll have a whisky too please; Jura for a weekday and anything put in front of me on the weekend. Sharing is caring.

THIS.

I'm obsessed with finding more balance in life: reading more, hanging out with loved ones, being good to myself... LBQ is heading into its 10th year, so that means a fair bit of reflection. This industry and world is always a bit of a challenge, and navigating that fills in the days. I still love good beer and great people, so life is a win.

Emma Bell, Head Brewer at Kereru Brewing Co., Upper Hutt

YOU.

I’m originally from West Auckland, but I’ve lived in a few places, including Sydney, Australia; Powell River, BC (Canada), and I’ve been in Wellington (for the second stint) since 2016. I’m on my third career now. I started out in the finance industry, then worked in TV as crew, in theatre as a lighting and sound technician, and now I feel like I’ve found my niche as a brewer. I see it as being a commercial witch of sorts. I brew up science, art and tasty magic. I’ve always been a bit of an oddball and in this industry, it works in my favour. I still do some community theatre on the side and I feel extremely lucky to be following my dual passions; beer and the arts. 

When I’m not herding yeast, I’m into tending my small garden, day hiking, knitting (badly), collecting crab and raccoon-related memes, and seeing as much live music as I can afford. 

DRINK.

I'm sure this will come as a total surprise, but I am really quite into beer. My first ever beer was an Export Dry at a camp ground in Waihi Beach (I loved it), but I like to think my tastes have become a little more refined since then! 

In general, my favourites are IPAs, but shortly after I moved back to Wellington I fell in love with a man over a beer. We locked eyes over our pints of Tainted Love from Fork Brewcorp, “accidentally” made out on the first date and... you can imagine the rest. The man lasted a few months (OK, the name of the beer might have been an omen), but the beer is an enduring favourite of mine to this day. The bright passion-fruit and juicy, wheaty, softly sour base makes my eyes light up and my heart flutter every time. 

Don’t tell anyone, but I’m also quite partial to the odd stupidly-expensive Speyside single malt. I can never afford to buy my own bottle, but the whiskey tastings at Regional Wines and Spirits are an affordable way to try a lot of lovely drams while nerding out with like-minded folk.  

THIS.

I'm not just a yeast herder at work; I can often be found making bread and bread-adjacent things at home. While I'm capable of fancy sourdoughs, substantial no-knead grainfests and crispy French loaves, the most versatile dough is my basic white bread recipe. You can do a lot with it - roll balls of it in cinnamon and sugar for monkey bread; bake it in buns in coconut cream and sugar syrup for panipopo; blanch it in baking soda solution to make pretzels. You can roll it, bun it, braid it, cheese it; more or less do anything you like with it.