Sawmill Brewery: Like-minded, locally owned and independent

Here at Swanndri, we’re big believers in going all in on great ideas. In giving something a go and sticking to your guns. In thinking for yourself and doing things your own way. Because that’s how you make your own luck. Like making a bush shirt in a bathtub back in the day. Or building a brewery in the middle of nowhere north of Auckland not that long ago.

Jo Currie Photography

When Kirsty McKay and Mike Sutherland first moved to ‘the middle of nowhere north of Auckland (Matakana), owning a brewery wasn’t actually part of the plan. But the opportunity came up in 2010, they grabbed it by the proverbials, and the rest is history. Sawmill Brewery is now recognised and enjoyed by people all around the country.

At the time, however, Matakana wasn’t exactly a hub for craft brewers (quite the opposite, in fact). But Kirsty and Mike believe that this isolation has helped, not hindered. In a way, it forced them to forge their own path. Surrounded not by other brewers, but a community of people of all types and trades, they’ve embraced doing things their own way, and built a thriving business around an ethos of independence, resourcefulness and creativity.

As Kirsty says, “isolation has fuelled our independent spirit.”

And it shows. Sawmill was the first New Zealand craft brewery to can beer. They have adopted zero waste goals at their facilities. They are New Zealand’s first B Corp Certified brewery. They’ve created a world-class experience in the Smoko Room and brewery, built in 2016, where you can enjoy generous hospitality, the best beer on tap, food with gumption, an idyllic setting and even see the crew brewing in the background in their Swanndri gear.

And they’re only just getting started. “It’s about thinking beyond beer,” says Kirsty. That means focusing first and foremost on how you do things. What you do (really, really good beer) is simply an output of your approach and attitude. Which, for Sawmill, is all about originality and innovation. Consistency and constant refinement. Protecting and preserving place while supporting people and community. Growing without getting ahead of themselves. Running a business that wears its values on its sleeve and has a strong sense of place.

It’s why we wanted to showcase our Swanndri summer range at Sawmill Brewery. Because we reckon what they’re doing and how they’re going about it is pretty special – and a perfect fit with what we value here at Swanndri. We love the attitude and the ethos of Kirsty, Mike and the whole Sawmill Brewery team. They’re giving things a go and sticking to their guns. They’re doing things their own way and doing it well. They’re making their own luck – and making plenty of it.

So if you’re ever up those ways, make sure you drop into see the folks at Sawmill Brewery. Trust us, it’s well worth the visit. And we’re not promising free beer, but it wouldn’t hurt to wear your Swanndri gear.