Beer – Sorting out The Sawmill

Will the real Sawmill please stand up? The recent move by Sawmill Brewing from its birthplace at the iconic Leigh Sawmill Cafe to a new purpose-built brewing facility closer to Matakana has been causing confusion in local quarters and wider afield. Customers and suppliers have been turning up at the wrong venue in recent weeks in a big case of mistaken identity that has got some locals frothing in their beer. So, just to clarify the situation, here we go:

The Leigh Sawmill Cafe has been on the site of the original Leigh Sawmill for nearly 20 years and is a brilliant venue to see some of New Zealand’s best musicians and DJs, and they serve a range of good craft beers from a variety of breweries around New Zealand.

The Sawmill Brewery (formerly Leigh Sawmill Brewery) has moved from its former location at Leigh Sawmill Cafe to a stunning brewery and tasting room (MM, August 3) on Leigh Road, closer to Matakana, where, incidentally there never was a sawmill. They will now make their award-winning beer from this superb new facility. Right then, I hope that clears that up.

Still on the subject of The Sawmill(s), there was sad news on the brewing front with the recent passing of pioneering Sawmill Brewery founder Peter Freckleton. Peter succumbed to cancer on July 29. Born in North West London in 1947, Peter and his wife Decima emigrated to New Zealand. The Sawmill Brewery was set up 11 years ago in the grounds of the Sawmill Cafe in Leigh. The brewery was groundbreaking, producing beers of a style not seen in the region before and releasing their beer in cans. Cans were unheard of by a craft brewery back then, but today are de rigueur for many of the current crop of brewers. Peter was determined in his approach to all that he did and brewing was to be no different for the likeable Londoner. He sought advice from a brewing legend, the late Barry Newman of The Shakespeare, New Zealand’s first brewpub in Auckland, and went from there, producing pale ales, pilsners, wheat beers and two beers that gained local notoriety: The Doctor and 12 Gauge Pilsner.  Cheers to you Peter Freckleton.

August 12 and 13 sees the highlight of the New Zealand Beer calendar when Wellington hosts the annual Beervana event. Over 60 breweries from around the country and a few from overseas offer up their wares for sampling. From lychee to lemongrass, the brewers set out to astound your taste buds and local chefs compete and complement the beers with superb culinary treats .

That’s me. I am off for a beer.