Scott Taylor, one of the founders of Deep Creek and the face of the brand, is starting a new brewpub in Tauriko, just outside Tauranga.
Taylor had a 1% stake in Deep Creek, which was liquidated last year in the biggest beer shock of the post-Covid economic crunch.
In the wake of Deep Creek’s liquidation and following the death of his mother, Taylor and his wife Debbie sold their Auckland home and the family moved to Papamoa.
“It was a rough time after my parents passed away and Deep Creek went under, so we sold up in Auckland and moved down here to Papamoa. I used the equity from the sale of the Auckland house to fund this project,” Taylor says.
“Hospo is in my bones, and when Deep Creek failed I had to decide whether I wanted to stay in hospo or do something else — but I just love it so much.”
Taylor’s brother also has a brain injury and requires long-term care, so moving back to the area means he’s able “to put a roof over his head”.
Neck Of The Woods will open early next year in a brand-new wooden building on land owned by Tauriko Sawmill & Timber Supplies.
It’s near the well-known Tauranga Crossing — the intersection of State Highways 29 and 36 — and within the busy Tauriko Business Park and in an area that is set to grow further in coming years, with up to 5000 more houses to be built in the suburb. Mpac, the largest Kiwifruit packhouse in the country, is next door.
Taylor is partnering with Virgile Meiller, who was previously general manager at The Barrel Room in Tauranga.
The Tauriko Sawmill is owned by Rob Moores, a lifelong friend of Taylor’s late father, Lindsay. Moores and his son Andrew built the new premises, which faces west towards the Kaimai Ranges.
A new driveway has just been poured and a garden bar and covered deck are coming ahead of opening in February or March.
Taylor hopes the positioning of Neck Of The Woods will be a drawcard.
“The beach-side of Tauranga is pretty full with the likes of Mount Brewing and The Island in Papamoa, and you’d include the Lumberjack taproom in Te Puke. Out where we are, there are a couple of smaller breweries like Alchemy Street and Fitzpatrick’s. I figured Tauranga could use another brewery.”
Taylor has learned plenty of lessons from Deep Creek, including the value of starting small and being part of a community as Deep Creek originally was when it began as a brewpub in Brown’s Bay on Auckland’s North Shore
“The brewing industry in New Zealand has taken a massive hit and Deep Creek was a major casualty, but I feel the future of the brewing industry sits with brewpubs and building up a local base, and having locals discover you and having a sense of ownership.
“That’s what Deep Creek was when it started up in Brown’s Bay.
“It’s also the model that the likes of Mount Brewing and Shining Peak in New Plymouth have followed — they are perfect examples of building a local base and growing out from that.
“They are both incredibly successful because of the quality of the beer and the quality of the people who run the business — it’s about making good beer and being local.”
Despite Deep Creek’s crash-and-burn, he believes craft beer has a solid future.
“I don’t think people are sick of craft beer. Yes, that discretionary spend is down but if you take a hit on margin to get a slightly cheaper pint in people’s hands — that still works.”
He’s also putting an emphasis on food, with a “tuck shop” to serve day-long food on a site that will eventually feature a 20m-long covered deck, garden bar and a natural amphitheatre that could be a music venue.
Taylor says Hallertau in Riverhead, north-west of Auckland, “is a massive inspiration for this”.
“I’ve always loved what Steve and Hayley [Plowman] have done. They were one of the first to truly embrace the concept of the big garden bar. And they’ve proved good beer and good food will attract people even if you’re a bit out of the way.”
Taylor has yet to hire a brewer but he has secured a second-hand brew kit from another brewery that is set to transition from on-site brewing to contract brewing.
