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

Silver Lining in Awards Week

It’s been a big week for Tuatara. Tuatara APA was launched at Malthouse and is now available there while stocks last. Head brewer Carl Vasta introduced the beer to a big crowd who certainly seemed to enjoy it. Carl said he had been looking to make an American Pale Ale for several years and was very pleased with the way it turned out.

Last week, a number of the Tuatara team spent several enjoyable days in Melbourne attending the Australian International Beer Awards and the Beer and Brewer Expo. Although Melbournians proclaimed the temperature to be “freezing” and visitors from the Northern Territory would not step outside, the weather was actually very pleasant – certainly far, far nicer than it was in Wellington. The team took the opportunity to try some new beers from across the ditch and around the world.

The big event was the Australian International Beer Awards which received 1170 entries from 243 breweries across 34 countries. There were beers from Norway to New Zealand, Myammar to Mexico. Norway did very well - Mexico less so. Tuatara was delighted to be part of a strong New Zealand contingent in the medals at the Awards.

All six regular Tuatara beers were entered and four of them won Silver medals. Our medals were:

Class 1C Pilsner	Tuatara Pilsner	Silver
Class 3D IPA	Tuatara IPA	Silver
Class 5 Porter	Tuatara Porter	Silver
Class 11D German- Style Hefeweizen	Tuatara Hefe	Silver

It was particularly pleasing to see our Pilsner ranked just behind Trumer Pils. Trumer is one of the most famous names in Pilsners and is pretty much the international benchmark for this style.

The rest of the team were back home representing Tuatara at the 2010 Wellington Gold Awards where we were one of the five finalists in the Emerging Business category. It was a flash event and packed with the best in Wellington business. We were delighted just to be short-listed and want to extend our congratulations to Yellow Brick Road which won the category this year for their funky sustainable seafood business.

There is no shame finishing behind such a cool little company. Of course, we would always be happy to receive a consolation seafood hamper from them – perhaps some nice snapper or cod…. Overall, the supreme Wellington Gold Award this year went to skincare company Trilogy. Congratulations to them and all the other finalists.

Cheers from the team at Tuatara

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Tuatara APA Unleashed on Unsuspecting World

There is an old saying about buses – none for ages and then three turn up at once. That’s not quite the case either for Wellington (none for ages then three go on strike) or Tuatara (no new beers for three years, then two in twelve months).

Tuatara is proud to confirm the launch of Tuatara APA (American Pale Ale) both in kegs from 26 May 2010 and, later, in very limited edition 750ml bottles. The official launch party will take place at Malthouse the 26th from 5pm. It will be a chance to try the new brew and mingle with the best and brightest from the Wellington beer scene. We might even get mentioned in the newspaper again! Friends of Tuatara do not need to RSVP – just pop in after 5pm till late.

Now that everyone wants to come to the party, it is probably an appropriate time to explain a little more about the beer. It was inspired by Head Brewer Carl Vasta’s recent visit to Chicago. He had gone to meet Tuatara’s American distributor and later tried some very good APAs over there. He was particularly taken with the phenomenal products from Dogfish Head (“off-centred stuff for off-centred people”) and thought “it must be about time I made one of these.”

So, in his usual matter-of-fact manner, he did. Tuatara APA is the first Tuatara beer to draw its inspiration from America, rather than Europe. It also uses American hops, an exception to the usual brewery policy of using the best local ingredients. American hops really bring a lot to this particular style of beer.

For the beer geeks, it uses US Cascade, US Simcoe and US Amarillo hops. The speciality malts are Maris Otter and Low Colour Crystal which is needed, Carl explains, “to balance out the big hop.” Those big hops produce around 60 IBUs (International Bitterness Units) and there is plenty of weight at 5.7% alcohol. It is the biggest, hoppiest beer Tuatara has ever made and we think it will sell well.

APA is a style New Zealand drinkers are a bit infatuated with at the moment, to be honest. Kiwi tastebuds have come a long way in a relatively short period of time. Tuatara Director Sean Murrie recalls having to “tell off” Carl at the old Polar Brewery for making the lager too hoppy. Back then, people wouldn’t drink it. Today, they can’t seem to get enough.

Tuatara APA is an assertive hoppy ale built on a solid malt foundation. The nose is big and floral while the body is silken yet slightly resinous. There are notes of fruit (passionfruit, grapefruit and even peach) before a cleansing, lingering finish. While the alcohol content is relatively high, it does not dominate the beer. Tuatara’s APA is not as over-the-top as some other offerings. Carl reckoned he needed a bottle of water handy to rehydrate after sampling some of the truly massive APAs in the US. He wanted to create an APA which would allow people to comfortably have a couple of pints.

There is only one way to be sure – try Tuatara APA for yourself.

Cheers from the team at Tuatara.

Tuatara Invades Melbourne

While Tuatara (the Species) and Tuatara (the Brewery) are proud natives of New Zealand, there are numerous connections between Tuatara and the Victorian Capital of Melbourne. Certainly, Mr Chris Tuatara played rugby league for the Melbourne Storm though perhaps unfortunately for his bank balance he appears to have left just before the salary cap scandals.

A scientist from the University of Melbourne helped produce a report which predicted that climate change could spell the end for Tuatara. According to their research, Tuatara would gradually die out as they would increasingly only give birth to male offspring. Their press release gave this rather depressing prediction the slightly jarring title of "Male Tuatara are desperate, and may soon be dateless." Let’s just say they are not on the Tuatara Christmas Card List anymore.

In terms of beer, Tuatara Brewery has been exporting to Melbourne for some time now. We have some big customers there but it is a truly huge market and we are looking to expand even further. This week, most of the team has headed off to Melbourne to work on a week of beer events centred in and around the Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA).

First up, we will be participating in the brewing equivalent of 'speed dating' with a number of potential large customers. New Zealand Trade and Enterprise has set up an event to try and match up craft New Zealand breweries with big Australian beer buyers.

Each brewery has a table to display their beers, promotional material and a bit of food. In the allocated ten minutes, the idea is to talk the buyers through our products and hopefully make a connection. When the bell rings, all the buyers move on one table. It’s going to be fun, intense and hopefully productive. Big thanks have to go to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise for getting behind the craft brewing industry.

On the 19th we will find out the results of the Wellington Gold Awards. Those members of Team Tuatara still in the country will put on their party best and head out to the posh Awards dinner. Fingers crossed all round.

The next day, the Melbourne-based contingent will be at the Australian International Beer Awards in the swanky Crown Palladium in Melbourne. They probably will not be quite as well dressed but will all be hoping for a bit of success at this prestigious contest. The entire Tuatara range has been entered into the awards which have been running since 1993.

Tuatara will also be represented at the Beer and Brewer Expo at Young and Jackson’s. Melbourne readers should buy a ticket and head on in.

It’s a big week for Tuatara – no wonder we feel like a beer!

Cheers from the team at Tuatara.

More Tuatara sightings in the Dominion Post

On Monday 10 May 2010, the Dominion Post reported that "for only the second time in more than 200 years, a baby tuatara has been spotted on the mainland, leading experts to believe there could be more breeding in Wellington. The rare reptiles are usually elusive, but staff at Wellington's wildlife sanctuary Zealandia say the newcomer has been causing a stir through its lack of shyness."

Although Tuatara Brewery is a decade older than this little reptile, we have been pretty shy and elusive at times, preferring instead to concentrate on brewing award-winning local beers and getting them out for sale. However, earlier this year we put aside our usual modesty and entered the Wellington Gold Awards. As noted in the last blog, we were delighted to be selected as a finalist in the emerging business category.

On Tuesday 11 May 2010, the Dominion Post did a piece on us headlined "Vat’s Gold – Tuatara a finalist in emerging section."

Here are some of the article highlights:

"It’s a nomination that has been brewing for 10 years. Tuatara Brewing Company is one of the five Emerging Gold Finalists for the Gold Awards, a category for firms that employ fewer than 10 people for most of the previous year, and who are ‘shining beyond their size…’ Tuatara Brewing still employs only six people, but has gone from a craft brewery supplying two Wellington pubs, to being an award-winning brewery that sends its products around New Zealand.

The company partnership started when Sean Murrie, who then owned the Malthouse pub and Bar Bodega, wanted a quality, consistent craft beer. He teamed up with Carl Vasta who had run Polar Brewery in Petone, and they started Tuatara at Reikorangi on the Kapiti Coast.

Mr Vasta, who apart from being the brewer was also the builder, plumber and electrician, made the brewery out of former dairy tanks, and that helped with the set-up costs. But it was also the pure Tarapua water that drew them to the coast, and that is the foundation of their six key beers.

A number of craft breweries have come and gone since Tuatara started. Mr Murrie says its survival has been due to always having a ready market through the two pubs, which as meant it has been able to build its fan base as the popularity of craft beers has grown.

“It’s taken a long time for the market to develop, and I think a lot of those small brewers who went away, if they had opened now they would probably be fine. There has been a lot of carnage bringing craft beer to New Zealand. Having said that, there are a lot of new ones that seem to keep opening, like the Yeastie Boys in Wellington, and Invercargill Brewery. They’re really good.”

The brewery has won awards for most of its six beers, including its India Pale Ale, Hefe and Pilsner labels, and once it gets things right it sticks with what works. “A lot of breweries muck around with their recipes. They get something that works and they get a bit bored and throw a few more hops in. I think it’s one of those classic mistakes that small businesses can make. People like how it was, and you think you’re improving it, and they’re going ‘well, no, you’re not.’”

Mr Murrie says his own favourite beer is the IPA but that could change, because the brewery is bringing out an American Pale Ale. They may be similar TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms) but there is a world of difference between the beers. It is real Old World-New World Stuff, he says. The IPA is very hoppy, having been brewed in England to be sent out to India, with some extra hops thrown in to preserve it during the trip.

The APA was developed on the West Coast of the United States ("they’re at the forefront of cutting-edge brewing") and the APA has a huge amount of hops, but with plenty of fruit as well. "It mellows it out to make it an incredibly big flavour. It’s pretty much as big a beer as you can possibly get."

Tragically, the article is not up on the Stuff website – at least as far as this particular living dinosaur can tell – but fortunately a copy of the article has been ‘snapped’ by a person who is both a fan of technology and good beer. You can see the whole piece over at his site.

As for the title of the Dominion Post article, it appears that "Vat’s Gold" is a play on the "That’s Gold" catchphrase used occasionally on the NRL Footy Show. While we are not entirely sure how many readers will get that particular cultural reference, we certainly do appreciate the coverage.

Coming soon – more about the APA: what it tastes like, how it was made and when it will be launched.

Cheers from the team at Tuatara.

A Hint of Gold for Tuatara

Way back in January, Tuatara Brewing Company decided to put aside our traditional Kiwi modesty and enter the Wellington Gold Awards.

These awards, now in their twelfth year, “seek those businesses, both large and small, that keep Wellington sparkling.” The snazzy website is not exaggerating – the list of previous winners does indeed resemble a “who’s who” of Wellington business, which made it all the more humbling to be recently named as a finalist.

We are one of five finalists in the Emerging Gold category – "Illuminating smaller enterprises which are shining beyond their size." Now, we are a pretty shiny little company but we are up against some very tough competition. The finalists are:

Dazzle Tickets	A fresh new event ticketing system
Pet Angels	Wellington’s largestpet care company
The Baby’s Room	A retail store and Australasian baby goods supplier
Tuatara Brewing Company	Producing craft beer from time honoured, traditional recipes
Yellow Brick Road	Moving those cooking seafood closer to those catching it

To put our challenge in context, the lovely Rachel from Yellow Brick Road not only sources some amazing fish, but she was a finalist in the Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of the Year 2010. In fact, some of us think she should have won.

The actual winners of the various Gold Awards will be announced at a black tie dinner on May 19. The biggest hurdle for the Tuatara crew may just turn out to be the formal dress code. Still, it is a great chance to continue to lift our profile and introduce our beers to more movers and shakers in Wellington business.

That’s certainly what happened when the Deloitte Fast 50 ranked us as the 39th fastest growing company in the country. Reporting on the launch event, Patrick Smellie from InBusiness Magazine started his article with the observation: "but what stayed with me, apart from a new love of Tuatara Ardennes Ale, was the clips of the winners saying when they get their best ideas. Here’s a secret: none of them said at work."

Wise words indeed – we will post details about some of our best ideas over the coming weeks.

Cheers from the team at Tuatara.

In Pursuit of the Perfect Pint

Tuatara is delighted to welcome Mike Neilson on board at our busy brewery. He has made a great start and we thought it would be a good idea for people to get to know him a little better. Here is what the man who is “in pursuit of the perfect pint” had to say:

Michael, what was your brewing experience before Tuatara?

I have been home brewing for a few years and got to the stage where I needed to do something different.

[Note: Michael is being quite modest: He won two gold medals, a silver and two bronzes at the 2009 SOBA National Homebrew Championships – the first homebrew competition he ever entered.]

What was your day job before you started brewing?

I was a sales rep for the Plaster Warehouse. Before that I was self-employed.

What do you think you will learn from your time at Tuatara?

To brew big! Basically, it is exactly the same as home brew but on a much larger scale. All the proper practices still apply no matter how big the brewery.

In terms of brewing, what do you bring to Tuatara?

I hope to get a chance to help in the development of new beers. I want to please people’s palates but also to test them.

Which is your favourite Tuatara beer to drink?

Tuatara Pale Ale, definitely.

Not including your own beers or the Tuatara range, what beers do you like to drink?

India Pale Ales – that’s my favourite style. Overall, it would be [Russian River] Pliny the Elder and Ballast Point Sculpin IPA. For Kiwi IPAs, it would have to be 8 Wired Hopwired.

Which Tuatara beer are you looking forward to making the most?

The next one!

So, what’s it like working for Carl Vasta?

Awesome - it’s just good to learn from him. What that man doesn’t know about brewing isn’t worth knowing.

Finally, thanks to all the predominately female Tuatara fans for their many phone calls, emails, text messages and tweets about obtaining a “Men of New Zealand Brewing” calendar featuring Tuatara’s own Carl Vasta. The calendar was promoted on the Malthouse blog and was, of course, an April Fool’s joke by our friends and part-owners there. Seriously, there is no calendar. Please stop calling!

Cheers from the team at Tuatara.