BUZZ CLUB BUZZING

being able to poke their finger through the honeycomb to get a big scoop of fresh honey. The sweet honey and or sugar rush took hold, and with it, Wilbur’s interest in bees.

In 2016, an opportunity for Wilbur to start beekeeping arose, and he spent the next summer on the West Coast learning the trade. He did everything bee related for the summer and took over managing the hives the next year.

What hooked Wilbur the most was the symbiotic, perfect relationship between plants and bees. After a few years of beekeeping, the issues in the industry become clearer to him. Manuka was fetching record prices locally and internationally, but other native plants that rely on pollination had been forgotten about, causing the market to plummet for these items. This saw many beekeepers walk away from their hives. Wilbur was determined to find a solution for the forgotten honeys. Around this time he started experimenting with fermentation and got in touch with long-time friend, Edward, who was keen to help find a solution to the problem.

The pair started brewing in Wilbur’s dad's (Pete Morrison ) back office as there was a heat pump that helped keep the room at a constant temperature (this is required to control the fermentation process), and the space included a wee kitchenette also. They spent every viable minute working on their product. After hundreds of trials, they decided to approach a local craft brewery in Christchurch to help them scale up. There were a few challenges in changing the batches to commercial size, but nothing that could deter the pair. They asked friends and family for feedback before starting more batches to perfect their product.

The only ingredients used in Buzz Club premium sparkling meads are honey, fruit, and water.

“We use modern brewing techniques to perfect our mead, adding a dash of water ahead of fermentation to balance the weight and flavour profile of the finished product,” commented Wilbur.

“It’s no secret that mānuka honey has commanded plenty of global attention over the last ten years, but there are so many beautiful honeys native to Aotearoa that deserve the spotlight just as much. The kāmahi, rātā and pōhutukawa honeys in our sparkling mead support not only bees and their beekeepers but the integrity of our native forests. Bees are critical to the pollination process within our ngahere (forest) and encourage continued biodiversity,” said Edward. Having recently moved their operation to Two Thumb’s state -of-the-art solar-powered brewery, Buzz Club continues to flourish, with plans to crack the Australian market this year.

“It feels amazing to have come so far in such a short space of time. We’re really only getting startedmead is having a moment, and we’re thrilled to be able to shine a spotlight on the great native honeys that make Buzz Club sparkling meads what they are,” Wilbur added.

The range includes five meads produced by Buzz Club, these are sold in bars, restaurants, through retailers and online.

They are now also in a pop-up bar in Christchurch’s stunning Riverside Market, allowing locals and visitors to the city to enjoy their range in the relaxed surroundings of the market. Signature cocktails using the mead as a key ingredient are also on offer.

“The bar has been packed most of the summer. We love having the opportunity to share what we do with people and explain that what they’re sipping not only tastes great, it also helps create a future for our native forests,” Wilbur concluded.