Invercargill's Hop’n’Vine organiser is hoping to break even after losing thousands of dollars when a ticketing company went into receivership.
The beer and wine event was held on Saturday for the fourth time. It was meant to be held earlier in the year but was delayed due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
Organiser Kevin Downie said that when ticket company Ticket Rocket "went bust", Hop’n’Vine lost $24,000.
There was "no chance" of receiving any of that money.
"We’re hoping we will get a lot of walk-ups today. If we get 400 ... we can break even".
More than 20 brewers had come from all over the country, and just short of 2000 people attended, he said.
He said there would be some sore heads all around Southland yesterday.
"It was a big party."
Among the brewers was Norm MacLeod from Catlins Brewery.
"I started the brewery in 2014 — it started as a hobby and look at me now, the hobby got a bit out of control."
He said they made up to 600 litres a day double brewing and hoped to build a new brewery next year.
"We’re giving these guys a taste of The Catlins, and a wee taste of Scotland too."
The range included beer and a new cider, which had been aged for six months.
"We aged cider like a wine. We do dry cider, not sweet cider."
The next event was planned for March 27 next year.
