Mac’s beer, one of NZ’s most successful craft brews, is aiming to win a slice of the growing Australian craft beer market, with a maverick attitude and tongue-in-cheek humour.
Mac’s won two trophies at last year’s Australasian Beer Awards, having started life as the ultimate ‘home brew’.
It was the creation of former All Black, Terry McCashin, a farmer and publican from Picton, NZ who couldn’t find a beer he wanted to drink, let alone one he wanted to serve his customers.
When told by one brewery rep that his pub would have to take what the brewery had on offer, McCashin decided to make his own beer.
The dream was not accomplished without difficulty. Six months of red tape were the first hurdle – no-one had asked about brewing a new beer for 50 years and the man who knew which forms to fill out had passed away.
The second problem came when local breweries bought out all stocks of bottles and caps.
This didn’t stop McCashin.
By then he had acquired a site for Mac’s Beers, the old Nelson cider factory and he found the solution to his bottle dilemma in the warehouse – hundreds of the factory’s original cider bottles complete with rip top caps.
In 1981, Mac’s beer came to life – in cider packaging – a unique style that sets the brand apart to this day.
With a state of the art brewery in Wellington enabling Mac’s to make naturally brewed beers without additives, Mac’s sources the most expensive hops and natural ingredients.
“We have our mainstay beers, but love to make a short-run limited release when the creative urges hit,” said Mac’s Australian brand ambassador, Kurt Gross.
Gross will introduce three Mac’s beers this year to Australian craft beer drinkers: Mac’s Gold, the original beer and biggest seller; Hop Rocker, the premium Pilenser; and Spring Tide, an all organic, lower carbohydrate style.