Pure Nectar
Blown away by local support
My husband Sam and I own a small batch craft beer brewery based in Fernside, North Canterbury. Running a successful craft brewery was not in the initial plans when we originally moved out to Fernside from Christchurch. We purchased a lifestyle block in 2008, however by a chance encounter at a friends house a few years later, this all changed for the better.
We started from small beginnings when trying a friends “home brew” and not recoiling at the taste, Sam, our brewer extraordinaire, was convinced to join his friends in taking up brewing as a hobby. Once started, it quickly became an obsession that spiralled out of control. He’s built on his knowledge and skills with every brew, joined the Christchurch home brew club and has entering local and national competitions.
Fast forward a few years, two children later, we took the opportunity to take the leap into commercial brewing, our craft brewery was born in 2018.
When you start a brewery you first need a name. So why Derelict? Well, the definition of Derelict is “In a poor condition as a result of disuse and neglect”, not really the image you would want customers to associate with a brand right? We think it’s the perfect name for our brewery. Throughout our brewing journey we have had to be resourceful when obtaining equipment as brewing gear can come at a high price.
When starting out Sam wanted to brew good quality, flavour forward beers, but was not able to get his hands on brand new equipment, so we started with a mixture of borrowed, older and repurposed gear. The large number of demolition companies that popped up after the Christchurch earthquakes became a main source for equipment. Decommissioned Kegs that were repurposed into HLT’s, mash tuns and kettles. Beer systems from demolished bars and old brewery equipment. So when transitioning to a commercial brewery, we decided to carry on the upcycling theme throughout the build. Sourcing a brew rig that was being on sold, a chiller unit from a building that was being torn down and buying tanks that were no longer being used by larger breweries. Mixing the new with the dis-used and giving a new life to the tired, was not only the innovation needed when sourcing equipment, but is also our ethos at now.
The brewery is situated on our 10 Acre lifestyle block in Fernside, in a converted farm building. We started as a wholesale brewery, selling kegs to local Canterbury restaurants, bars and filleries. Soon after releasing our first beer to the public, we entered the inaugural National Stout Competition and picked up a Peoples Choice win for RUBUS, a chocolate, raspberry and toasted coconut pastry stout. As it happens we have won Peoples Choice every year since, which has blown us away in terms of the huge local support we’ve been shown.
Four years in, we have developed a cult following in New Zealand for producing fun, boundary pushing beers in a range of popular styles. We decided early on not to have a core range of beers but instead, we chose to play with hop combinations and ingredients, as we continued our love of experimental research and development. Beers that are either our favourites, quick sellers, or are repeatedly requested by our customers, often get brewed again.
As our availability grew through bars, restaurants and beer festivals, we were enjoying good progressive expansion in our business, until March 2020 had other plans. With the onset of Covid19 and the restrictions on the hospitality industry, we had no choice but to diversify which has been such a blessing in disguise.
The implementation of a small bottling line, has been an exciting new adventure for us. We have learnt many new skills transitioning to bottled beer. Everything from the brewing, bottling, labelling, marketing and distribution is completed in house, a move that has allowed us to get the freshest beers into the customers fridges as soon as possible. Job done!
In August 2021 we launched our online website, just before the second lockdown shut the hospitality sector orders again. This actually proved to be a good move, as our popularity had gown. Our customers around NZ were directly purchasing beer fresh from the brewery, shipped straight to their door. We now also provide a local delivery service for customers and businesses in the vicinity of our brewery. Plus our bottles are now stocked nationwide in good bottle shops, bars and restaurants.
What does the future hold? First and foremost with the demand not slowing, more beer is needed... We are making plans to create a dedicated home for our brewery on our land. Ideally we would love a purpose built structure to house a bigger brewery and in time, have a vision to invite people to come and enjoy a delicious cold beer and a bite to eat.
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Written by Sam & Natalie Cottier
Derelect Brewing Company - Fernside
