Closing in on re-opening

The old bartop's been pulled from the Brewer's Bar in Mount Maunganui this week as the remodeling of the business enters its final phase.

The bar will re-open as The Rising Tide – Brewhouse and Eatery on July 30, it's an expansion publican Glenn Meikle is required to meet growing demand.


Virginia and Glenn Meikle, rebuilding Mount Brewers. Picture: supplied.

'Our operation reached maximum operational capacity in the last 12 months and due to high demand during the peak summer season we have struggled to maintain production of all our beer varieties, both locally and around the country,” says Glenn.

'With a complete overhaul of our iconic Newton Street brewery and the opening of The Rising Tide - Brewhouse and Eatery, we will be able to meet the high demand for our beer from both customers and suppliers around the country.”

Glenn and Virginia Meikle, started their family brewing operation from an industrial premise in 1996 when their daughter was just six weeks old.

Nearing their daughter's 21st birthday, the Mount Brewing Co brewery and bar is being given a much anticipated facelift and expansion.

While the brewery has been able to increase production by up to 100 per cent in the past, the renovation provides more space for a new bottling machine and new fermentation tanks so that production can continue to rise.

The renovation will also create a whole new sensory experience, with the Mount Brewing Co brewery and The Rising Tide - Brewhouse and Eatery becoming one large eating, drinking and working space where customers can interact with the brewers working on their latest creations while taking in the aromas of the fermentation process.

'Instead of the bar and brewery working as two separate enterprises, we are bringing the core of our business centre stage and the bar, while reducing in size will operate as our cellar door to really strengthen and showcase the foundation of our business,” says Glenn.

'There will be 32 taps dedicated to craft beers and local wines - a mix of our breweries own as well as showcasing other local artisan wines, beers and ciders on high rotation.

'Committed craft beer drinkers want variety and they want to try freshly made beer on tap - it's the way the brewer wanted it too so we're really excited to be increasing our cellar door offering.

"It provides a unique opportunity for our brewers to experiment with new and innovative styles and directly let the customers try and give feedback.”

The Rising Tide - Brewhouse and Eatery will feature popular local street-food vendors, Johney's Dumpling House in the kitchen.

They will be offering their famous homemade dumplings and pork buns, as well as creating a specialised fusion menu to match many of Mount Brewing Co's beers.

'Customers palates have really changed and they are asking for more robust flavours in craft beer paired with full flavoured food,” says Glenn. 'Following international trends, we have seen the demand for mainstream products has dropped and a 15 per cent rise in our craft beer sales in the last year.

"Tauranga is still young in terms of being a craft brewery town, but the gaining interest is encouraging. Our new-look premises will provide our customers with the complete food and drink experience to take us into the future.”

The expansion of the brewery footprint and the purchase of additional fermentation equipment increases production capacity and means the brewery can now brew larger batches and bottle sizes to meet the varied New Zealand market demand.

'Our new bottling machine can adjust to several different sized bottles, making production more efficient and providing additional options for our customers in terms of consumption.

"Many of our suppliers traditionally can't or won't stock our flagons, but now bars, supermarkets and off premise customers will be able to stock our six packs of bottles as well as the popular individual 500ml bottles in the future.

"We're knocking on the door of a whole new local hospitality market too with the ability to offer local restaurants these options.”

The new look brewery and The Rising Tide - Brewhouse and Eatery will also feature solar panels on the entire roof which will reduce power costs by half and provide the business with carbon credits for the future.

'Sourcing locally and being as environmentally friendly as possible has always been at the heart of our business model.

"We are already planning for the next stage of expansions in the most sustainable way possible, with the ultimate goal of becoming as self-sufficient by 2019,” says Glenn.

The Mount Brewing Co brewery is located at 107 Newton Street, Mount Maunganui, with the opening of The Rising Tide - Brewhouse and Eatery on Saturday July 30.

For more information regarding the expansion or to stock Mount Brewing Co beers, click here.

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1 comment

Overit

Posted on 24-07-2016 11:52 | By overit

Wonderful news guys but are you still doing bands.


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