Tuatara Loves APA

While all the media talk recently has been about credit cards and vuvuzelas, an important news item about Tuatara has largely been over-looked. A pair of University of Otago science masters students won two awards at the New Zealand Reel Earth Environmental Film Awards. Their film, In Cold Blood, is easily the best Tuatara romance movie you will see this year – guaranteed. It even has its own blog.

Speaking of Tuatara love, the team here is loving the new Tuatara APA. Judging by the speed of sales, we are not the only ones. There have been some pleas on our Facebook and Twitter profiles for a list of venues where APA may be available (depending on stocks of course):

• Malthouse – The home of Tuatara is naturally the home of Tuatara APA
• Hashigo Zake – Underground cult beer bar
• Bar Edward – Good beer in Newtown
• One Red Dog – Pizza and beer on the Wellington waterfront
• D4 – Upstairs Irish hospitality with a fine selection of beers
• House on Hood – the ‘home of great beer’ in Hamiltron.

The beer critics have had a few nice words to say too. Here is an excerpt from Kieran Haslett-Moore’s piece in the Capital Times:

“Last week saw the first new release from Tuatara since last year’s malt accented Helles Lager. Last Wednesday Tuatara APA, a hoppy aromatic American style pale ale, was released at the Malthouse. While Helles had been aimed at bridging the gap between craft beer and the mainstream, APA is very firmly aimed at the growing numbers of ‘hopheads’ who have helped to catapult brands like Epic onto supermarket shelves around the country.

Tuatara APA was developed after Head Brewer Carl Vasta returned from attending the World Beer Cup in Chicago this year. A blend of three American grown hop varieties, Cascade, Amarillo and Simcoe were used over a solid English malt backbone of Marris Otter Pale and low colour Crystal malts. Pouring a rich shade of light amber, APA throws up aromas of grapefruit, tropical fruit, pine resin and biscuity malt, in the mouth the beer has a complex range of zesty, fruity hop flavours, and a solid lightly caramel flavoured malt backbone.

Tuatara APA really stands out from the pack of American Pale Ales currently available in New Zealand by striking a fantastic balance between malt character and hop flavour making it incredibly drinkable.”

Absolutely – what he said.

Cheers from the team at Tuatara

Tuatara Makes a Key Appointment

Tuatara is pleased to announce that Will Cass has taken up a newly created role at a very exciting time for the company. Here is what he had to say about his experience, expectations and beer preferences.

Will, what is your job title?

I’m the National Sales Manager for Tuatara Brewery.

When did you start?

Monday 1 June 2010.

What did you do before that?

I’ve been in IT. In 2008, I sold my IT company Aangel Messaging to a London-based firm. I spent the next couple of years working for them while looking for something new and fresh. I had the opportunity to participate in the TradeMe 'On the Job' competition and discovered the Tuatara position. I knew pretty much straightaway it was what I wanted to do. It ticked all the boxes – small company, growing quickly, iconic brand and fun.

What will you be doing at Tuatara?

I will be managing the sales side of the company. We will be looking to consolidate our operations, fulfilment and logistics processes. The idea is to further improve our supply and create a champion brand – both business-to-business and business-to-consumer. I think Tuatara as a brand is already nearing iconic status, particularly in Wellington. Overall, we want to drive on ahead and become a significant brewery in a burgeoning craft beer scene.

Where do you see Tuatara in two years?

We would have continued our linear growth as a company but also be recognised as the brand which really helped lead the mass adoption of quality craft beer.

Which is your favourite Tuatara beer?

It has got to be the IPA. I’m becoming a little bit of a hophead and at my stage of life it’s all about quality, not quantity.

If you weren’t drinking Tuatara, what would you have?

Well, it depends on the environment really. I’m a fan of wheat beers and a fan of big stouts. I enjoy beers like Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, Guinness, Leffe Brune and Erdinger.

What are the challenges for the craft beer industry?

The big challenge for the industry as a whole is to make craft beer more accessible. We have to lower the barriers to the mass market. We need to help people make taste discoveries which put them on a new beer path. That does not mean we rush it or push them – people just get annoyed that way. We need to be confident in our products. For Tuatara, we also have the challenge of dealing with explosive growth. That will require dynamic and responsive management.

How will you know if you succeed?

I want Tuatara to continue to be a business and financial success. It will take a large-scale business approach but that success will always be based on the amazing skill of our brewer. We need to strike the right balance between bringing in new drinkers and keeping our loyal customers happy. That will require producing consistently good beer as well as the big fun of more seasonal releases which put our spin on the classics.

Welcome aboard Will. We will be hearing a lot more from him over the coming months.

Cheers from the team at Tuatara