“Brewing is a beautiful mix of art, science and engineering… I think we all start our beer careers based on the art of beer and brewing and then it kind of moves into science and as you grow then engineering becomes even more important.” Mike Sutherland of Sawmill brewery on the philosophy that brought him into beer.
Martin heads up to the Smoko Room at the beautiful, rural Sawmill Brewery to sit down with Kirsty and Mike, who have been at the helm of the independent operation since 2010. The conversation kicks off with a look into their origins in the industry, with Mike sharing how his childhood fascination with visiting factories with his father eventually translated into a love for the brewery floor. He reflects on the wonderful philosophy that brewing is the ultimate combination of art, science, and engineering—starting with artistic passion before inevitably requiring a deep dive into process and mechanical efficiency as a business scales.
The episode takes a fascinating, deep dive into the concept of sustainability—a core pillar for Sawmill, which has seen them repeatedly take home the sustainability trophy at the Brewers Guild of New Zealand awards. However, Kirsty and Mike explain their refreshing approach: they view these efforts not as a “pious” moral crusade, but as relentless business innovation. They pull back the curtain on some of their most impressive projects, including a massive, land-based anaerobic digester for their wastewater that captures biogas to run their boilers, ultimately offsetting their costly LPG usage by up to 80%. They also discuss their journey to becoming New Zealand’s very first B-Corp certified brewery, and how measuring their environmental and social impact has unexpectedly become their greatest tool for attracting top-tier talent.
Eventually, the trio does get around to talking about the beer! Mike and Kirsty discuss their commitment to local ingredients through their Aotearoa series and share the story behind their unexpected trophy win for their classic German-style Hefeweizen. They also offer their thoughts on the current craft beer market, noting the enduring need for flawlessly executed, simple lagers alongside the massive hazy trend. Finally, Kirsty outlines her ultimate goal for the industry: empowering consumers to vote with their wallets so that independent, New Zealand-owned breweries can reclaim a much larger share of a market that remains overwhelmingly foreign-owned. Grab a fresh, cold Pilsner and tune in for an incredibly inspiring chat!
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