Hospitality | Harrington’s Breweries
Far left: Head brewer Mark White and general manager Tamara Scott.
A better
Left: Three Harringtons — John, his wife Val and son Carl.
brew A cold beer on a hot summer’s day after mowing the lawns, or down at the pub while cheering on the All Blacks has long been a Kiwi staple. But unlike its cousin — the glass of wine — beer has often been thought of as a cheap and not especially tasty drink. However, craft beer sales have been skyrocketing over the last five years, and the demand for it is only increasing, says John Harrington, owner of Harrington’s Breweries. The business was started in 1991 and this year celebrates its 20th birthday. Today it is New Zealand’s largest privately owned brewery. “My family had been in the tavern business for years, so I knew about beer,” John says. “I had a crack at retirement but I didn’t like it. I had long been interested in the brewery side of things, and that’s how we began.” Originally established on the site of the original Wards Brewery in Kilmore St, Harrington’s had only a 1000 litre brewing capacity and hoped to brew 3000 litres a week. But within two weeks of opening, John realised he’d underestimated the brewery’s potential. Urgent alterations soon took the brewing capacity to approximately 12,500 litres a week. In 1993 a second brewery was opened in Ferry Road to help keep up with demand. New tanks were commissioned, with the capacity of brewing batches of 6000 litres
Above: Festivities at the Ferry Rd brewery, celebrating 20 years of crafting fine beers.
per tank, allowing a weekly total of 35,000 litres. In May 1999 Castle Rock Brewery was purchased by Harrington’s in Ferrymead, at the opposite end of Ferry Road. This expanded brewing capacity by a further 30 percent. Today Harrington’s produces over 20 different styles of beers, including limited releases and special editions, an alcoholic ginger beer and a non alcoholic version. It also produces a number of different RTDs (ready to drink premixes) and spirits in bottled form or available when you bring in your own bottle to a store for a refill. There’s several bottle stores, a restaurant in Belfast and a smaller version in Hoon Hay. The bottled beers are available at all leading liquor retailers nationwide and a number are served in restaurants and cafes throughout New Zealand. Another division of the brewery is the export side which exports to Australia, France, Ireland US and Rarotonga. And why are the sales of these high quality beers doing so well? “Because attitudes towards beer are changing,” says Mark White, head brewer. “Young people, the new generation, have travelled to Europe where beer is respected more; they want a quality craft beer. Also, more restaurants, bars and cafes are offering a selection of craft beers. The restaurant/café owner wants to offer the customer a beer of a difference, and not just have the mainstream beers available from the larger breweries. The culture is changing.” Like wine, beer can make a delicious accompaniment to a meal.
Brewer Matt Thomson recommends Harrington’s Lazy Sunday (summer lager) served with a salmon dish. Other beers in the range compliment different meals, such as steak (Saddler lager). Some compliment desserts like tiramisu — Pig & Whistle mild dark goes down especially well. Looking back over the last 20 years, John Harrington says the brewery would not be the success it is without his strong team. He credits brewers Mark White, Matt Thomson and Nathan Crabbe with producing consistently high quality beers. Harrington’s has remained a family business, with his wife Valerie helping in the office and his son Carl working as the general overseer
at the brewery. Carl’s son Mason, the third generation actively involved in the business, produces the RTDs and cider. All up, Harrington’s Breweries employs 75 staff over its many divisions. “Our staff are fantastic,” John Harrington says. “I appreciate and respect them all.” Harrington’s Breweries PO Box 10-149 Phillipstown T (03) 355 5632 F (03) 366 3542 E info@harringtonsbreweries.co.nz www.harringtonsbreweries.co.nz — Advertising Feature
NZ Beer Awards 2011 GOLD Trophy Winner Harrington’s Breweries 1 Normans Road Elmwood, Christchurch
Brewers of craft beers since 1991 www.harringtonsbreweries.co.nz www.canterburytoday.co.nz December 2011/January 2012 | 73