Sale of Emerson’s signals new future for Craft Beer in NZ

7 November 2012

Sale of Emerson’s signals new future for Craft Beer in New Zealand

The sale of Emerson’s brewery to Lion yesterday has been given a mixed reception by beer drinkers across New Zealand. Some see it as an end of an era, even going so far as to say that they won’t be drinking Emerson’s any more now that it’s owned by one of ‘the big two’.

SOBA‘s view is much more positive. Lion have seen a really good brewery and have decided to invest in it. By doing so they have shown that they are intent on building their craft beer business; Emerson’s are not a ‘rival’ to be taken over.

As far as SOBA is concerned, the size of the brewery should have no bearing upon the quality of the beer; Sam Adams the much admired craft brewery in the United States is producing around 2.5 million barrels – compared to Lions’ East Tamaki plant which produces 1.5 million barrels per annum.

With any luck, with some capital investment from Lion, New Zealand will soon see Emerson’s excellent beer being made available on tap at more outlets across the country and, who knows, even abroad.

Congratulations are due to Richard Emerson and team who hopefully are reaping some reward from the years of hard work, having pretty much built the craft beer industry from scratch.

SOBA was formed in 2006 in order to increase awareness of and appreciation for flavourful crafted beers.

www.soba.org.nz

ENDS

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