Scientists have named a new species of crustacean after Wellington brewpub, Fork and Brewer.
Pentaceration forkandbrewer – a marine isopod found off the east coast of New Zealand – was given its formal scientific name after Fork and Brewer brewed the best beer as part of The Crustacean Beer Competition at the 10th International Crustacean Congress last year.
The competition was the brainchild of Rachael Peart and Kareen Schnabel, marine biologists at NIWA.
Peart said it was a great way to engage people with New Zealand’s wonderful sea creatures.
“People love beer, so we thought – why not immortalise a local brewery by giving them the chance to be forever included in scientific literature?” she says.
The competition was co-organised by Beervana Festival Manager, Ryan McArthur.
“The initial pitch email wasn’t so attention grabbing: ‘Beer Competition… Wellington breweries etc’ – we have plenty of those. Sure, a Crustacean Congress sounded fun. Who wouldn’t want to party with crustaceans? But it was the prize that grabbed my attention,” he says.
“A prize that no other beer competition in the world could offer. To be immortalised with a species of crustacean named after your brewery! Hell yeah! This was kind of beer story that only Wellington could tell. So, I jumped onboard.”
Seven breweries entered the competition, including eventual winners Fork and Brewer, who presented a beer inspired by the low country boil-up from the south-eastern States of the USA.
“Potatoes and flaked corn were mashed in with the stout grain to give a clean fermentable,” says Head Brewer, Brayden Rawlinson.
“They also provided the gimmick of being key components of a low-country boil! At the end of the boil, a small number of prawns were added to infuse a subtle briny foundation to the beer, reminiscent of an Oyster Stout.
“We also infused it with Creole seasoning steeped in Bourbon Whiskey. This gave it a super savoury, complex, aroma and flavour, with top notes of fusel (warm) alcohol, which gave the impression of it being a higher alcohol beer.”
Rawlinson’s invention was chosen as the best by popular vote from Crustacean Congress delegates from around the world, as well as members of the public during the 2023 Visa Wellington on a Plate event.
NIWA’s Kareen Schnabel said that as a token of their gratitude for Ryan’s support, they decided to give him a special honour too.
“We had a few new species that needed a name, and Ryan had been so helpful with organising the competition, so as a thanks, we decided to name a deep-sea ghost shrimp Vulcanocalliax beervana.”
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