Blog Archive
Blog Archive
2023
Power of Two
It's hard to believe we're coming up to 2 years of 'bigger and better.' We hope you'll join us celebrating our milestone.
Seasonal Ups & Downs
We use local ingredients to make seasonal beer. That's because we want our beer to evoke a time and place.
Making!
Of all the 'bigger and better' things we looked forward to manufacturing topped our list. But even at bigger scale we can't stop making.
2022
Looking Forward
When we signed up for 'bigger and better' we didn't foresee an empty neighbourhood, hollowed out by isolation and WFH.
New vs. Old
We started Steamer Basin with a 50L brewkit and with weekly feedback from the farmers market, built up a range of 40 beers.
Old vs. New
Like Belgian brewers, we don't make beer to 'fit' any particular style. But like cooking, we look to the classics for inspiration.
Great Place
Like other South Island brewers, we're lucky to have great malt and hops, grown by great people, right on our doorstep.
Good Place
As we approach our 1st 'bigger and better' anniversary we've been asking ourselves how can we give the best of us.
2021
1000 True Fans
We started Steamer Basin with the optimistic belief we could make a living with '1000 true fans.'
Small Steps
Apple founder Steve Wozniak once said "All the best things I did came from (a) not having money, and (b) not having done it before, ever."
Third Place
At the risk of being too romantic, we've also imagined being a third place — a social space for people to meet, gather, and linger.
Neat Place
They say it takes a village to raise a child. We reckon it takes more to restore old buildings.
Yes We're Open!
We've finally achieved our founding idea: to be a neighbourhood brewery. And it's been worth the wait, with a great building in a great location.
Beer in the Tanks
This week is a much anticipated milestone for Steamer Basin. After all the wait we're no longer a 'building' but a brewery with fermenting beer in our tanks.
Light at the End
Since 2018 we've watched our 'brewery' take shape in the dark, boarded up for building security. Now we can see it a whole new light.
2020
Back on Track
They say whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. It's a comforting idea — that we can respond to stresses by becoming stronger.
2019
Taking Shape
Winston Churchill famously said, "We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us." He was speaking about re-building the House of Commons but his words still ring true today.
Worth the Wait
They say you should plan for a new brewery to take twice as long and cost three times as much. We now expect it will take twice as long again.
Backyard Brewing
Five years ago we were freezing in a shed behind Spelt Bakery when we decided to go for it. Looking back, we barely knew what it was, but we knew what it wasn't.
Making vs. Manufacturing
The biggest change in moving to a bigger brew system is we’ll actually be manufacturing beer.
Consistently Good
Of all the reasons we’re looking forward to our new brewing system the biggest is temperature control.
2018
Choosing the Right Brewing System
Compared to deciding how big, choosing our brewing system was easy. We wanted equipment made locally, and we needed a custom-fit design.
How Big is Big Enough?
We started Steamer Basin with the idea of being a neighbourhood brewer. With a 50L brewkit, we imagined we could ‘make and sell’ enough beer to get by.
Bigger and Better
They say that if you grow slowly you put down strong roots. We hope so, because after 4 years, we’re going to get a whole lot bigger.
2017
Better More Often
There’s a saying that if you want beer to be any good, make it in small batches. Not because smaller is better, but because you brew more often.
2016
Brew Local, Buy Local
All the beer we make started as a local beer somewhere else. We use yeast collected from those places — a Belgian monastery or British brewery — to make our own local beer, using local ingredients.
Beer Local to Dunedin
We started Steamer Basin with the idea of being a neighbourhood brewer, making beer local to Dunedin. We’ve since been inspired by the US trend to make seasonal beer, and by our farmers market to use fresh ingredients.
2015
Getting Better, Faster
The best thing about brewing small batches is you get to brew a lot. This helps you get better, faster, and gives you chance to experiment.
Small Batch, Seasonal Beer
One of the great things about Dunedin is the change in seasons. It gives you a new appreciation for the natural beauty we’re lucky to enjoy.
Put Mud-edin to the Test!
Prior to Christmas we thought we had the ‘final candidate’ for our Mud-edin brown ale. In fact, we’ve brewed 5 more versions since then.
2014
Mud-edin Coming Soon
We’ve just bottled version 26 of our brown ale, and like Australia trying to attract tourists, we can’t help asking: So where the bloody hell are you?
Beer Made in Dunedin, for Otago!
Well it’s been a busy few months here at Steamer Basin. We’ve been focusing on the quality and consistency of our beer, and looking at ways to make it more available.
Beer made in Dunedin, for Dunedin
In Dunedin, we’re blessed with time and space to appreciate the small things.