Hop Federation
Hop Federation was founded by Simon and Nicki Nicholas, who moved from Auckland to take over the old Monkey Wizard brewery in the hop-growing town of Riwaka, at the foot of the Takaka Hill.
Simon, who earned his brewing stripes at Hallertau and started Hop Federation in 2013. They gained a strong following for their iconic Red IPA, which remains one of the best examples of the style in New Zealand.
In 2020 Simon and Nicki sold the business to Kono the Nelson-based, Maori-owned food and beverage company. Simon stayed on as the brewer and Nicki as operations manager.
In recent years the brewery has become best known for their Green Limousine Fresh Hop IPA, using hops grown on a Kono-owned farm.