Some light reading before beer o'clock

From the Wellingtonian, my latest column on the world's largest fair, Oktoberfest:

German beer has a deservedly fine reputation around the world. Their voluntary adherence to the world’s oldest food standard (the Bavarian Beer Purity Laws of 1516) ensures that only malt, hops, yeast and water are used in their beers. Additive-free beers were not invented by Steinlager Pure in 2007.

Continuing the Oktoberfest theme but taking it a oddly magnificent direction, a report from the latest Cellar Vate tasting:

This month’s tasting at the Backbencher had a genuinely unique theme – Moa-toberfest!

Will Moa-toberfest be the next big thing? What is Moa-toberfest anyway?