Hectic doesn’t even begin to describe the past winter months at New Plymouth brewpub, Shining Peak.
They have commissioned a spanking new bottling machine for limited release and barrel-aged beers; claimed their second title (back-to-back, no less) of Champion NZ Small Brewery at the NZ Brewers Guild Awards; and continue to work on a Top Secret Project™️, in which all will be revealed towards the end of the year.
Amongst this beery whirlwind, Shining Peak welcomed its new head brewer, Emma Elmslie, formerly of Mountain Culture Brewing in Australia.
“It doesn’t seem like I’ve been here that long, but it also feels like I’ve been here forever — not in a bad way!” she says.
Aussie twang aside, Emma is a grassroots Kiwi: born in Whanganui, shortly followed by a move to Waverley on the outskirts of Taranaki to be closer to her Dad’s whānau. Then came a short jaunt to Te Puke, before her family jumped the Tasman to settle in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales when she was still a tike.
But connecting with her Kiwi heritage has always beckoned.
“I came back to New Zealand for a gap year to experience my roots. I worked on a dairy farm by Waitomo Caves and travelled the North and South, before heading back to Australia for uni, where I got a business degree, majoring in economics and finance,” she says.
Out of uni, she scored a corporate banking role in Sydney. But living in the inner-west suburbs — the city’s craft beer hub — she discovered a passion for beer and began home brewing.
“Home brewing really interested me, and I was right in the middle of it. It was the right place to be with so many breweries, brewpubs and pubs — I couldn’t even count!
“But after five years at the bank, I was in a senior role and well paid but not fulfilled. I just thought, ‘Am I gonna be working in the bank for the rest of my life?’
She took the leap, swapping KPIs for ABVs.
“Since I started brewing, I haven’t once regretted leaving the banking industry — I definitely made the right decision.”
With four years’ brewing experience under her belt, Emma initially cut her teeth as an entry-level brewer at Sydney’s Wayward Brewing Co.
“It was sort of an apprenticeship, and I was able to do a TAFE course — which is like Polytech here — in brewing, alongside my role at Wayward,” she says.
She was working at Mountain Culture Brewing Coin the majestic Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, when:
“I was ready to take a step up in my brewing career and had been living in Sydney for eight years. I was keen to make a scene change, either in Aussie or New Zealand.
“I wanted to live in a smaller town, and work in a smaller brewery, doing limited releases or a barrel programme. So, I started cruising the net one day for roles, and came across the Shining Peak ad. It had literally just been posted!
“I looked at the business side of things — like its 5% Project [Shining Peak’s in-house philanthropic programme, which donates 5% of its revenues to local organisations] just really spoke volumes about the culture, and last year’s win at the Brewers Guild Awards spoke to its quality and professionalism.
“So, two massive ticks for me! And once we had that first interview, I felt we were pretty much aligned,” she says.
Needless to say, moving from Sydney to New Plymouth has been a change of pace, but “that was what I was looking for”. And despite the downsize in population, Emma says there’s still a fair bit going on in Taranaki: great venues, a buzzing food and drink scene, weekend markets and a year-round calendar of festivals, concerts and events.
“I’m living in Oakura — about 15 minutes out of town. It’s beautiful with the ocean on one side and Mt. Taranaki on the other — I’m constantly pinching myself on the drive to work!”
And her favourite part of the job?
“I’d have to say the people. It’s a great culture. I’ve been made to feel at home since day one. That’s such an important thing – you often end up spending more time with people you work with than you do at home.”
So how does she approach working in a brewery that has pocketed back-to-back NZ Champion titles?
“A big focus will be developing a thorough limited release schedule and the barrel-aged programme, whilst coordinating that with our everyday core range. Getting the foundations in place to ensure we have a tight schedule with consistent releases,” she says.
Like any good brewer, it’s difficult to pin down her favourite beer to brew.
“To be honest, I like making most styles, but it’s been a goal of mine to get into barrel-aged beers. I’m pretty excited to be expanding on that. I brewed a saison last week, which went into barrel that I probably won’t see for 12 months!
“But I also love brewing beers that people love to drink. A hazy is fun — you have that juicy hop character. But then, I love to make a clean, crisp lager. These beers are arguably harder to make because there’s no room to hide.”
Shining Peak co-founder and GM, Jesse Sigurdsson, says Emma has made a seamless transition into the Shining Peak culture. As Beer Director, he’ll still have a say in its brewing, but having Emma as head brewer will give him some breathing room to tend to the business development side of things.
“For a small, close team like us, it was really important to find someone who had a personality and approach that fit – she’s slotted in perfectly,” adding that, not only has she kept up with the pace in the brewery, she’s also kept up with the industry’s packed events calendar, which included that celebratory win at the NZ Beer Awards.
Of Shining Peak’s second Champion Small Brewery gong, Emma says, “It’s a testament to the brewery and all the hard work that everyone in the Shining Peak team has put in. It was one of the reasons why I applied for the role, and the proof of quality was right there.
“It was a great night, and really special getting to celebrate with the team. No pressure for next year!”