Founders Brewery - Background

From the Founders Brewery website:

Welcome to New Zealand's and Australasia's first Certified Organic Brewery. Brewed on location at Founders Heritage Park in Nelson, New Zealand, we make a full range of organic beers for the discerning drinker. We source the highest quality, certified organic ingredients: hops grown in Tapawera near Nelson, pale malt grown and malted in Canterbury and specialty malts imported from Germany. John Duncan and his sons Matt and Callum (fifth and sixth generation brewers) combine the brewing traditions of yesteryear with the newest technology of today to produce our full range of organic beers.

Brewing is essentially a natural process, requiring only 4 ingredients: hops, malt, yeast and water. We brew according to the Bavarian purity law (Reinheitsgebot) which is one of the oldest food regulations in history. Our beer are free from genetic engineering and are vegan (no animal products or by products). We are also certified Kosher. Currently we make three lagers and two ales as well as seasonal and special brews.

Founders Brewery owned and operated by the Duncan Family comes from a long association of brewing in Nelson. John is a fifth generation brewer, carrying on a family tradition established back in 1854, when J.R. Dodson owned and operated a brewery in Nelson. So you could say brewing is in his blood.

In 1854 when John Dodson arrived in New Zealand from Australia he went into the brewing business. For 115 years the family owned and operated a brewery in Nelson until 1969 when it became a subsidiary of the Dominion Breweries Ltd. Family members operated as Master Brewers, Malters, Hop Growers, Wine and Spirit Merchants, Cordial Makers and General Importers.

Renowned as leaders in the field, they introduced the latest technology, equipment and methods to New Zealand from their training and experience gained overseas. This well respected company won numerous international rewards and recognition. 145 Years later John Duncan carries on this family profession as a fifth generation brewer with the same dedication as his forbears. With a science background he started in the wine industry and ended up in the brewing industry when he moved to Nelson, and worked at MacCashins Brewery for 12 years.

In 1999 John & Carol Duncan opened New Zealand's first ORGANIC brewery at a historic location, Nelson's Heritage Founders Park.

John combines the brewing traditions of yesteryear with the newest technology of today to produce their four styles of organic beer. Brewing is essentially a natural process, requiring only 4 ingredients: hops, malt, yeast and water. John brews according to the Bavarian purity law (Reinheitsgebot) which is one of the oldest food regulations in history. Two of John and Carol’s sons have taken up the family tradition, Matt and Callum both learnt to brew on site with John, both are employed as fulltime brewers and have gone on to create their own new beers for the Founders range.

Founders Brewery Range of Beer: 

Fair Maiden Ale – NZPA. This NZ interpretation of an American Pale Ale greets the drinker with a big hop aroma with hints of Orange rind, and pineapple, followed by a strong, slightly biscuity malt Character. There is a big hop focus, which balanced nicely by the sweetness of the malt, finishes the beer with a pleasant lingering bitterness. Hints of clean alcohol on the palate point to the stronger nature of this Pale Ale. Sitting at 5.4% ABV this is a big beer all round. Founders brewery pride themselves on brewing full flavoured organic beers, which maintains a high level of drinkability. True to Form, Fair Maiden Ale achieves this, and will have you hooked after the first glass.
Awards: Gold BrewNZ 07, Bronze BrewNZ 08 

Generation Ale – Hearty, nut brown ale. Savour the nutty malt flavour, which gives the beer a delicious smooth, satisfying biscuity taste. Enjoy the fruity ale character and medium hop bitterness. A beer for all generations.
Awards: Silver AIBA 2007, NZIBA 2006 & 2005. Bronze AIBA 2006

Long Black – German style Schwarzbier. Sit back and enjoy the long smooth character of this black lager. Savour the roasted malt flavours with a hint of coffee and chocolate.
Winner at the Australian International Beer Awards 2002.

Red Head – Vienna style amber lager. A beautiful copper coloured beer, it is medium in body with a slight sweetness in malt and clean hop bitterness.

Tall Blonde – Golden Lager. Four malt varieties and two types of hops are crafted together to make this full bodied "hoppy" beer.