After tasting the way through the north, Stuff’s five-part series finds its way to Hawke’s Bay and the Kāpiti Coast, noted lower North Island sunshine magnets popular with those intent on a more relaxing style of holiday.
And when it comes to relaxing, is there a better option than a delicious thirst- quenching craft beer? This week offers some sours, to vary the relaxing experience.
Ready? Right then, off to Hawke’s Bay, then south to Kāpiti.
READ MORE:
* A day in the life of a North End brewer
* Tuatara toasts being named New Zealand’s best brewery for the second time
* Craft breweries and their eclectic properties
Havelock North (population 15,150)
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Chris Ormond at the bar in the Giant Public House.
Who: Giant
What: Giant Brewing was established as a wholesaling operation in 2014 by brothers Chris and Tom Ormond, and their mate George Mackenzie.
After a couple of reinventions and relocations, a partnership was formed during Covid 2020 with another couple, Inga Wallace and Hugo Fitzsimmons, and the Giant brand extended to an on-licence brew-pub.
It was an intense renovation from one yeast to another. A vacated Havelock North Subway sandwich building, was completed in time to open Giant Public House a week out from Christmas 2020.
Havelock North’s village was last month rated the most underrated place to visit in Hawke’s Bay, with a thriving café, restaurant and boutique shopping scene. Giant spotted the craft beer space, and moved on in.
It’s a 20-minute drive from Napier, four hours from Wellington, and about half that from Taupō.
Flagship ale: Having worked several years for NZPA (New Zealand Press Association), the brewer’s first creation was an NZPA (New Zealand Pale Ale).
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Giant Brewing in Havelock North has a pub, called Giant Public House.
Made entirely with NZ malt and hops, it has been constantly brewed ever since, and remains the beer most closely associated with the business.
The pub’s 12 taps are an ever-rotating mix of Giant and other craft beers and ciders from around the country, along with wines and spirits.
Food: When Giant Brewing opened the brew-pub it teamed up with Good Company Catering, which sub-leases the kitchen and serves up anything from bar snacks and kids’ menus, to burgers, noodle, salad and poke bowls, to fish and chips, schnitzel and pork ribs.
Open: Giant Public House is open six days a week, closed on Mondays. Summer hours include midday openings on all six days, shifting to 3pm openings on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during quieter times.
Waikanae (population 13,850)
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North End in Waikanae is named after the northern tip of Kāpiti Island.
Who: North End
What: A small team producing out of its brewery in Waikanae, 40 minutes north of Wellington on the Kāpiti Coast. North End came to life in 2013, in an area noted for beaches, walkways, nature reserves, a nice golf course, and an older population.
It takes its name from Kāpiti Island, where its ‘north end’ is visible from Waikanae Beach.
Kieran Haslett-Moore, head brewer and partner, had a background in ageing and selling cheese, managing, brewing, writing about and selling beer. Now he has reached his “dream”; head janitor, keg washer, and cleaning manager.
Partner Todd Cameron says he spent years avoiding the family building profession by waiting on tables, working in bar, then running a successful restaurant and bakery.
CAMERON BURNELL/Stuff
Brewer Kieran Haslett-Moore, the owner of North End brewery. (File photo)
Now they are brewing up a storm together. North End has a range of beers, inspired by traditional European styles.
“We appreciate local, including this in our ingredients, branding, and brew-pub,” the owners say.
Salt and Wood Collective, adjoined to the brewery, is open all day, serving American-style BBQ and North End Brews to dine in or take away.
Sister companies include Olde Beach Bakery, which uses spent grain to make bread, and Long Beach Tavern at Waikanae Beach with its garden bar.
Flagship beer: Super Alpha, a zesty pacific pale ale. North End is known for sour beers, such as Become the Ocean Gose, Belgian beers such as Bines that Bind Us from its hoppy saison range, and English beers such as Iron Sands Oatmeal Rye Stout.
Food: The brewery has a smokehouse BBQ restaurant called Salt and Wood Collective attached, so you can eat low and slow BBQ meats such as brisket, and pulled pork, burgers, and vegetarian fare like Korean Fried Halloumi.
Open: 8am till late daily.
Paraparaumu (population 29,700)
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The team at Duncan’s, minus one. From left: Waimatao Familton, George Duncan, Shane McGregor, Llew Bardecki, Dan Jackson (absent Compy Gardiner, he does deliveries).
Who: Duncan’s
What: Just down the road from Waikanae, just 40 minutes north of Wellington, is Paraparaumu. It’s there you’ll find George Duncan and Wai Familton, and their microbrewery, Duncan’s.
With a tight little team of six, Duncan’s produces around 150,000 litres of beer annually, and some of it is out there in taste and colour.
“We supply domestically, and also export to parts of Europe, Asia and Australia. We love sending it with big, fruity colourful brews. We think we make great beer. And we’re proud as f… about it!,” Familton tells Stuff.
Duncan’s is the result of a 22,000km road trip around the United States, where Duncan and Familton drank their way through a multitude of session-able and sometimes questionable beer offerings.
A beer obsession was born.
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Duncan’s sour beers come in a wide array of fruity flavours.
Flagship beer: It’s Duncan’s Ice Cream Sour, or Ripple range. It started with Raspberry Ripple in 2019, which placed second on the leaderboard at Wellington’s Beervana.
That seasonal range has expanded to include Passionfruit & Lime, Strawberry & Mango, Blueberry, Tangelo, Lychee, Key Lime & Coconut, and Pineapple & Chocolate. There’s more, but you get the idea.
Food: OK, pay attention here. Normal open hours (Wednesday-Thursday 12-5pm and Friday-Saturday 12-6pm) are for cellar door/takeaway sales. Duncan’s have only an off-licence.
BUT, it does operate a monthly Popup Bar (once a month), where you can grab a table and sit down for a beer and some food (special on-licence). The food comes from Smoked & Pickled (it’s burgers, chicken wings, loaded fries and so on).
Open: Cellar Door/takeaways sales: Every Wednesday-Thursday 12-5pm and Friday-Saturday 12-6pm; Popup Bar dates: Saturday, January 8, 12-8pm; Saturday, February 12, 12-8pm; Saturday, March 12 12-8pm; Saturday, April 9, 12-7pm