Fancy a short ride and a long pint?

NELSON, New Zealand - June 20, 2013 - PRLog -- Fancy a short ride and a long pint? Nelson, the craft brewing capital of New Zealand might be the place to go then. Three of Nelson’s craft breweries have got together with local cycle tour provider the Gentle Cycling Co to offer a dreamy beer-tasting-bike-touring experience that celebrates Nelson’s iconic status as the home of craft beer.

The three breweries, McCashin's, Bays and Lighthouse, are conveniently located within a 7km bike ride of the Gentle Cycling HQ, where Rose Griffin will kit you out with bike, helmet and easy to follow map. From there you can pedal along the flat, mostly off road and not too bumpy route to sample some of the beers on tap in the Craft Brewing Capital.

First stop is at Bays Brewery where owner Peter McGrath, who has been behind this iconic local craft beer label for twenty years, will give you a taste of Bay’s delicious range of ales, lagers, dark beers, pilsner, bitter and natural lemonade, all brewed on the premises with local ingredients.

Next on the itinerary is McCashin’s Brewery Café, the home of Stoke Beer and the historic Rochdale Cider Company. Craft beer lover Terry McCashin started brewing beer here in 1981 and his family are behind the latest venture in this historic building, so it’s a chance to taste history along with McCashin’s Ciders, Stoke Beer and Ginger Beer and enjoy a delicious café lunch.

And for the finale, pedal your way to New Zealand’s smallest brewery, Lighthouse Brewing Company, where micro-brewer Dick Tout will share his passion for all things beery as you sample the flavours of Nelson in one of the four to six brews on tap. Beer is Dick’s hobby as well as his business, so he’s happy to talk hops and malt till the cows come home (or the cyclists have to leave….)

So what’s so special about beer touring on a bike? Well for starters you pedal at your own pace so there’s time to chat to the brewers, learn all about their craft brewing process and taste the results.  And there’s a synergy there – craft brewing takes time, skill and special ingredients, so visiting on a bike means you have something in common with the brew boys and girls – no-one’s in a hurry.  When you’ve tasted as much as you want at one brewery there’s a gently active intermission before the next one.

As well as bike hire and return shuttle to Nelson accommodations, the price includes all tastings and lunch at McCashin’s Brewery Café.

Key inclusions:
Cost $75 NZ pp includes: bike and helmet hire, fantastic idiot-proof map, 3 brewery tours with tastings, light lunch at McCashin’s Brewery Cafe, return shuttle from Nelson accommodation to Gentle Cycling base.

Info and Contacts:
Bookings

The Gentle Cycling Company

www.gentlecycling.co.nz  e: info@gentlecycling.co.nz

Ph 0800 we bike or 03 929 5652

Breweries:

www.mccashins.co.nz Emma McCashin 03 547 5357

www.baysbrewery.co.nz Peter McGrath Phone 03 547 8097

www.lighthousebrewing.com Ph Dick Tout 03 547 0983

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Media: for further comment or to arrange a famil

Contact Rose Griffin

info@gentlecycling.co.nz

Freephone 0800 we bike   or 03 929 5652