Salt District Brewing shuts down despite success
Popular beer festival feels heat from protests over media partnership. Best Super Bowl beer ads. Pernicious Weed tops popular vote. Eddyline collab with endurance hiker raises money for Forest & Bird.
Happy Beer Love Day!
And welcome to another edition of Friday Night Beers.
We start tonight with news that a bright newcomer to the beer scene is closing up after less than three years — and not because they weren’t successful.
Liam Blunden started Salt District Brewing in Whangamata in 2022 with a tiny 100-litre brew kit located in a relaxed tasting room. It was the first craft brewery in Whangamata.
He’s closing shop for a number of reasons — personal, regulatory and societal.
First up, the building he’s in is up for sale.
Second, he and his partner Emma found their “dream home” in Piha late last year and are expecting their first child, so the travel back and forth to the Coromandel was draining.
But he also dreamed of elevating Salt District Brewing from a tasting room/retail shop to a brewpub but found council regulations just too demanding.
“I seriously looked at five buildings in two and a half years and every single time I would approach the council and they’d say, ‘you have to do this, this, this and this’, and it was going to cost close to $100,000 each time. That’s a lot to spend in uncertain times.”
Not that the council was against him, he said. “They were actually really supportive, but they still can't change the regulations, you know. The guy that heads the council was actually one of my best customers.”
But Liam was had concerns as to where the industry was headed given emerging social-cultural attitudes to beer.
“It’s [council regulations] and then it's also like the industry itself. I feel like the industry is in a tricky spot.
“I’m only 30 and a lot of people my age aren’t even drinking beer and I never thought that would happen.
“And even with my best friends in Whangamata, if we went to barbecues they would consistently buy six packs of Mac’s or Monteith’s at $16 bucks a six-pack.
“And they’re like ‘oh yeah, it’s beer, it tastes okay, I'm happy’.
“I also find consumers are getting a little bit confused. They’ll pick up can because it’s got cool artwork and then they go ‘that tasted rubbish’. They’re not willing to really dive into who’s making good beer and doing things authentically and stuff like that.”
Blunden said Salt District had a “fantastic” summer but with so many factors lined up against him, he decided to pull the pin and will return to his previous career as a butcher.
“I’ve sold my little brew kit and a few bits and pieces to a young guy who’s starting something down in Taranaki. And then I've just got a few tanks I need to sell.
Salt District will close after a “bit of a shindig next weekend for customers and friends to come down and basically drink all the kegs dry”.
Having met Liam and talked to him a couple of times, he’s a loss to the industry as he is a real character, and I also think Salt District Brewing was a super-cool name.
Protests force Marchfest to “scale back” media partnership (updated)*
Popular Nelson beer festival Marchfest has “scaled back” its partnership with online radio station The Platform after a barrage of criticism both online and via email.
The cross-promotional deal initially involved Marchfest sponsoring Sean Plunket’s regular “It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere” segment — which featured a beer review — and in return Plunket talked up the festival as part of the 10-minute weekly slot.
The Platform, founded in 2022 by the controversial Plunket and bank-rolled by Tauranga millionaire Wayne Wright Jr claims to tackle issues that mainstream won’t.
It’s described as conservative and right-wing. It also publishes cartoons by Garrick Tremain.
A number of people complained about the relationship on social media or wrote emails to the organisation.
In a letter to brewers attending the festival, owner Shelley Haring wrote:
“Hi Marchfest Brewers,
We wanted to take a moment to acknowledge and address some recent feedback regarding our decision to promote Marchfest through The Platform.
Our goal has always been to showcase the incredible breweries participating in Marchfest and to reach as many craft beer lovers as possible. The Platform is just one of many media outlets we work with as part of a broad promotional strategy aimed at maximising exposure for the festival and its breweries. While we may not always align with every platform’s broader content, our focus remains solely on promoting Marchfest and ensuring its success for everyone involved.
We are continuing our marketing with The Platform but have scaled back our involvement from what was originally planned:
There will be no brewer interviews or any interviews at all, including with the Marchfest team.
The Craft Beer segment on the show will continue as usual however it will not be ‘sponsored by Marchfest’ the presenters of this segment may choose to feature a beer from a participating Marchfest brewery, however there will be no direct alignment with the festival in this segment.
Generic Marchfest ads will continue to run throughout The Platform’s shows, similar to the advertisements we place with the various MediaWorks stations.
Generic Marchfest ads will run on The Platform’s social media channels, in line with other digital advertising efforts.
A ticket giveaway will be hosted on The Platform’s website.
The Platform’s logo will remain on our website as a supporting sponsor.”
In a separate statement, explaining why they would continue to work with The Platform, Marchfest said:
“While we do not necessarily share or endorse all views expressed by any media outlet we work with, our focus remains on making Marchfest a success for everyone involved…
“We understand that not every partnership will resonate with everyone, but we remain committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming event for all.”
Last week The Platform’s logo was no longer visible on the Marchfest website and at the time of writing it appeared there was no Marchfest advertising on The Platform website.
(UPDATE: Monday, February 17: Marchfest advertising is back on The Platform’s website.)
I asked Marchfest for comment, to try to understand the status of the partnership but did not get a response in time for this newsletter.
There’s a lot more that can be said about this situation, and the reactions of various people involved, but for now I’m leaving it here until it’s fully resolved.
I’m sure there will be plenty of opinions about this, but I might let the temperature go down a bit before analysing it further!
As one friend said this week, it’s just an “awful, awful mess”.
This post was amended on Monday, Feb 17, to reflect new information.
Beer of the Week No 1
Funk my days! Marion Street Inner City Saison from Garage Project is named for the street that houses their Wild Workshop brewery. It’s a saison but not as we’re used to — just that little bit funky from the mixed ferment, a little tart from the addition of some aged sour beer, a little tannic from a barrel-aging, a little hoppy, a little this and a little that … to me it kind of represents what I used to understand saison be: slightly mongrel (in a good way) with bits of everything going into it.
It’s also now a 4.2% ABV beer — the first release of this a few years ago was 5.3% — and there is so much going on for that level of ABV. There’s some noble hop character that comes through as the beer warmed and all-in-all it was a delightful trip.
Pernicious Weed a cut above
I’ve got an on-again, off-again relationship with the GABS Hottest 100. Yes, it’s a popularity contest and the outcomes are dependent on how many people feel inspired to cast a vote and how well breweries manage their marketing around it.
Yet it also throws up some intriguing results.
This year, Garage Project’s Pernicious Weed returned to the top of the podium for the first time since 2018, ending a four-year haze run that included Behemoth’s Brain Smiles (twice), Parrotdog Birdseye and Garage Project’s Sunrise Valley.
Is there something to read into that? Do people now prefer a crunchy, big-tasting, big-hitting IPAs over fresh and fruity hazies?
Perhaps judging by the results there’s something of a bold IPA resurgence, with Brave Brewing’s Tigermilk IPA in third and both Epic Hop Zombie and 8 Wired Hopwired returning to the top-10.
But threaded those four were the country’s bigger-selling hazies — and of course Panhead Supercharger, the only non-IPA in the top-10.
Of note in the results was the Hazzy Hunter x Beanbag collab popping up in seventh. Big congrats to Joshua Lee aka Hazzy Hunter for the social media PR push and for creating what seems to be a very tasty beer.
Also, a hat-tip for Shortjaw in Westport for not only getting a handful of beers in the top 100, but for having the top-rated dark with their Kiwi Dark landing in spot 32. For a small brewery without a huge profile that’s a pretty cool outcome.
Garage Project had the top non-alc with Tiny (original) but three non-alcs in the top-100 (Good George Virtual Reality Hazy and State of Play Golden Lager) tells you something about where the industry is shaping.
Urbanaut had the top-ranked sour with Gummy Worms Sour.
Beer of the Week No 2
I didn’t intend to have GP in here twice (I do try to plan the beers I review), but given Pernicious Weed’s podium-topping week I figured I better try it again … as it’s been a while.
After drinking lots of lagers, pilsners, Cold IPAs, Bright IPAs, and pale ales in recent months, this was a full-on palate invasion.
It’s a chewy, lush, abrasive, bitter, all-consuming IPA that leaves you in no doubt you’re having an experience. This is not for mindless necking on a hot day, it makes you pay attention to it and rewards you in return with a salvo of flavour. Worthy winner.
You can get this beauty the same place I did, your local New World supermarket — your home of craft beer.
Eddyline’s Trail Magic raising funds for Forest & Bird
Nice work from Eddyline in Nelson to hook up with endurance athlete Billy Meredith to create a beer that raises money for Forest & Bird.
Meredith is a world-renowned hiker, who is attempting to traverse New Zealand’s Te Araroa trail in record time.
Meredith, aka “Wahoo”, completed America’s three biggest trails — the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide — in just over seven-and-a-half months in 2023, the fastest on record.
“I was averaging about 52 kilometres a day for 234 days in a row,” he told Radio New Zealand.
Meredith has been in New Zealand for some months in preparation for his epic hike, and in that time he got work at Eddyline Pizzeria.
The beer, Trail Magic, is a Pacific Pale Ale, and all proceeds from sales will go to Forest & Bird.
New Zealander George Henderson has the Te Araroa trail record of 49 days, 14 hours and 27 minutes, set in in 2020.
Meredith is aiming to trek the 3000km in 45 days.
Tim’s Beer of the Week
Once Canterbury brewers have picked it up, then a style has officially hit the mainstream… that might be a slightly facetious take in these modern times, but as a Canterbury drinker, I think I’m qualified to say that’s still a little bit true. Nevertheless, Cold IPA has finally reached our cautious brewing enclave, and this release — Yeti Fuel (6.5%) from Chinchiller (Kaiapoi) — is a splendid example.
An all-American hop bill of Citra, Mosaic and Idaho 7 drives a powerfully tropical aroma of sweet orange, pineapple and Hawaiian punch. Extra maize amongst the malts lightens the palate and amplifies the sublimely fresh and fruity hop notes, while a commanding bitterness holds sway over the finish. A Cold IPA that most confidently occupies the West Coast end of the style’s emerging spectrum, and (perhaps consequently) one of my favorites so far. — Tim Newman
Emerson sells family home
A bit of publicity goes a long way in a slow housing market it seems, with Richard Emerson and his sister Helen selling their family home almost as fast it takes to down a pint of Emerson’s Pilsner.
The villa in Brownville Crescent sold for $821,000 in just two weeks.
Columbs & Co sales director James Columb said there had been a lot of interest in the house, thanks to its location in one of the city’s prized school zones, although many potential buyers were also aware of its link to Emerson’s brand.
Dusty’s Beer of the Week
New summery sud tube from Wellington’s Heyday Brewing Co is their 4.8% Coastal Pilsner featuring the enigmatic Saphir hop with support from Motueka. A lot to like here from the peppery cracker malt backbone to the citrusy lime to the unexpected undertones of soft red berries. A light effervescent mouthfeel pulls together a crackin’ pilsner! — Dusty
The pick of the Super Bowl ads
The Super Bowl, won convincingly by the Philadelphia Eagles over the Kansas City Chiefs, remains the pinnacle space for businesses to catch eyeballs with new advertising.
There were a number of beer commercials as you’d expect, and a lot of discussion as to which was the best.
Plenty of people liked the David Beckham X Matt Damon “twin” ad for Stella Artois. And I have to say Matt Damon’s performance sealed it for me.
Budweiser went sentimental with the Clydesdales.
Bud Light brought you the neighbours from hell.
And this Coors Light one with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was just a bit “meh”
And Michelob Ultra. Yeah-nah.
Beer of the Week No 3
I’ve been enjoying a few West Coast Pilsners lately, and one of the reasons is the contrast you get with New Zealand-style pilsner which generally presents more tropical-fruity and slightly sweet. West Coast Pilsner is punchy citrus and dryer, cleaner on the finish.
I think the West Coast pilsner suits the hotter months as it’s just that bit snappier than a New Zealand-hopped pilsner (in general).
Waitoa Paradise (5.5%) — presented in beautiful Bird of Paradise can art, is a great example — bristling with Citra hops on a super-light malt base.
The balance is dialled to precision, making it a clean, refreshing and pleasingly just-bitter pilsner.
I’ll leave you this week with a long read from the doyen of British beer writing, Pete Brown. Appropriately for Valentine’s Day, it’s a love letter of sorts: to a traditional way of brewing and serving beer in the historic town of Burton upon Trent, and to those keeping that tradition alive.
A Torch In The Infinite — Burton Bridge Brewery in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire — Pellicle
Cheers!
Michael
The haze craze may finally be passing. As not-a-fan of that juicy taste, I for one am glad to see regular IPAs making a comeback.
Gutted to read about Salt District turning off the taps. Liam is a bloody great asset to the industry, the local community and the fridge. Lucky Piha.