Brewing up craft beers in Stratford
Linnea Robinson and Anita Selby never intended to run an alehouse – Selby doesn’t even drink – but then their husbands got together and started making home-brew beer.
Rugby mates Caleb Robinson and Mike Selby began brewing 15 years ago, a hobby that became Stratford’s first commercial craft brewery five years ago. Then, a year ago, the two couples added an eatery.
The women are now hands-on at 43 Brewing and Alehouse, pouring beers from their own brewery.
‘‘When we started out, I said yes, but I don’t want to run a bar,’’ Linnea said. ‘‘We brought a craft beer business to a town of Tui and Export drinkers; that was a challenge.’’
Anita left her job at Fonterra to take on the front-of-house role, while Linnea does the management and administration of the business.
‘‘It was not my goal to become front of house; it was my husband’s dream to become a brewer. We are doing our husbands’ dream,’’ Anita said with a laugh. ‘‘We want people to be relaxed and feel welcome.’’
The husbands still have their day jobs – Mike is an engineer and Caleb works in the petrochemical industry.
During the past 15 years, they’ve perfected the art of brewing, and offer about 12 styles at the bar.
‘‘Mike has taken point in the brewing; he’s got it down amazingly. He’s quite scientific,’’ Linnea said.
‘‘Caleb fills in everywhere we need him in the business, he’s our everything guy, and our Bingo caller, the fixer if it’s broken, and he really enjoys the business management side of it.’’
The women’s friendship started on the sidelines of a rugby game at Toko, when Caleb dislocated his shoulder.
Linnea rushed to help him, and Anita, whom she then didn’t know very well, stepped in to look after their toddler son, Sean.
They got to know each other while helping bottle their husbands’ home brews.
Although she doesn’t drink, as a rule, Anita has a very sensitive palate and gets called upon for tasting when a new brew is being bottled.
Their top-selling beer is Rotokare, a lager named for the Rotokare Scenic Reserve near Eltham.
‘‘Lost Track, one of our first brews, is our ode to the track in the bush that became our railway and road. And because the guys lost track of what they were doing with the brew, lost track of time and had to go back . . . but because the guys are meticulous and write down what they’re doing, that became a method,’’ Linnea said,
The business has grown alongside their boys (each couple has two sons), so life can be hectic.
They started trading commercially just over five years ago, from their brewery just down the road on Broadway.
‘‘That became a cellar door, which was pretty cool, and that evolved to a little bar, then on June 10, 2022, we decided to take the plunge and opened at this location on the beginning of SH43,’’ Linnea said.
‘‘It’s another string to Stratford’s bow, to attract people here. We have the bike park, a gin distiller, a beautiful old theatre and the new swimming pool. If we can help, that’s awesome.’’