The Insider's Guide to New Zealand
Catlins Brewery
Scotland’s Outer Hebrides and the Catlins share similar characteristics, both wildly picturesque, somewhat raw, and full of good-natured and humoured folk such as Norm MacLeod of the Catlins Brewery. Hence the likely reason why the Lewis Isle-born lad feels right at home in Kaka Point, lured here by the Kiwi lass he crossed paths with back in Scotland.
As a jack-of-all-trades and always keen to try something new, there was no turning back when a local neighbour introduced him to allgrain brewing. Reconditioning a copper hot water cylinder producing 50L batches started the brewing ball rolling, and now the small commercial plant is capable of producing 300L, which all happens in the basement of the family home where, with just a couple of inches to spare above head height, every bit of the tight space is efficiently used.
Brews brought to life here meld MacLeod’s Scottish and New Zealand tastes such as the signature dark ale Scotch Mist as a tribute to the early Scottish settlers who arrived in the Catlins. Traditionally brewed in Scotland using peat-smoked malt, MacLeod has created a distinctly local brew by replacing peat with manuka, which also just so happens to go very nicely with the local Point Café’s seafood dishes.
Not shy of experimenting and always one for a story, MacLeod shares how the White Squall Wheat Beer infused with earl grey tea came to life after a visiting auntie left some earl grey tea behind. Not partial to that variety of tea, some mates dared him $20 to make a beer out of the discarded tea bags. Proving a Scotsman will do anything for a few dollars he did just that, the surprise result being an easy summer drink infused with subtle lemon and bergamot flavours.
Humour keeps on rolling with his recommendation that the Nuggety Black Stout is a perfect breakfast brew as each batch contains 500g of coffee. Cider is also on the menu with a locally inspired brew Honey Scrumpy using apples from the trees beside the historic McLennan railway line, which grew from cores thrown out the windows by passengers.
In a small community such as Kaka Point it’s all hands on deck so the business of brewing can be interrupted at any moment if MacLeod is called away for his volunteer work with the local fire brigade and search and rescue.
3 Brighton Street, Kaka Point. (03) 412 8661, catlinsbrewery.co.nz