A Ponsonby local brew is born

A Ponsonby local brew is born

Luke Dallow unveils Ponsonby craft beer for locals to be consumed by the famous to the hard working man

Ponsonby is home to numerous iconic people from restaurateurs, artists, fashion designers, musicians, comedians and raconteurs so what better way to celebrate than create a Ponsonby local brew that represents the people and the place.

Publican and well-known Auckland identity Luke Dallow has founded the Dedwood Brewing Company with its headquarters at the popular Tin Soldier Restaurant and bar located on the corner of Anglesea Street and Ponsonby Roads (directly across the road from Dallow’s other well known establishment Chapel Bar and Bistro).

The creation of Dedwood started with Dallow making test batches in the tin shed behind Chapel.

From his first batches, he quickly found the flair and the important taste factor for the brew. Every week Luke also brews 20 litres in a special VAT at Tin Soldier which is poured when the batch is ready.

On tap at Tin Soldier is the two premium Dedwood Beers. They are Ponsonby Road Pilsner and The Ponsonby Road Lager.

“You can pretty much say the mix today of people is how it has been for as long as the place was established’, say Dallow. “We have an eclectic mix of wonderful characters all along Ponsonby Road. From famous faces, musicians, actors and prominent public figures to a host of colourful street urchins, there is no other place that has such a cross section of society.”

To celebrate this unique community a special Hall of Fame leaders board will be unveiled at the launch tonight. Twenty dedicated beer mugs and nameplates will encapture the leading newsmakers and shakers of today.

Who will make the list and who will not?

Dallow says the inspiration of what he see’s out his window everyday, gave him the idea of Dedwood.

A brew made locally for the locals.

Why Dedwood?

In 1845 the suburb now known as Ponsonby was originally called Dedwood. The name was derived from a farm in Shelly Beach Road. It was changed to Ponsonby in 1873 in a nod to Major General Sir Henry Ponsonby (private secretary to Queen Victoria, 1870- 1895).

Luke Dallow says that 140 years later he wants to reclaim the name Dedwood back. He says the hard working people of Ponsonby and the wider area of Freemans Bay, Herne Bay and Grey Lynn were all honest working class people who cleared the land and built their cottages.

Interspersed with this was Governor Hobson’s secretary, Bishop Pompallier and a heavy presence with the establishment of the sisters of Mercy, which still exists today.

Additionally Dallow says that other bars up and down the strip are showing a keen interest in taking barrels of the beer and having it on tap!

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