DB Breweries

The Redwood team recently had the opportunity to head out to the Motueka Valley to help lend a hand in a region still feeling the impact of the recent Tasman floods. They spent the day restoring some native tree plantings at Hinetai Hops, who farms hops that might find their way into some of our beer. This work was part of a wider DB commitment to a major conservation project run by The Nature Conservancy Aotearoa New Zealand and the Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Alliance to help accelerate riparian and wetland restoration in the Tasman District. It was a rewarding day out for the team working along the banks of a natural spring that feeds into the Motueka River, and we are grateful to have been able to help out in a small way. The Nature Conservancy in Aotearoa New Zealand Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Alliance

Meet Apiksha. Apiksha Kant has been our Quality and Training Manager for eight months, working in the lab with a team responsible for everything that happens between raw material entry controls and product release, to daily beer quality tasting. With a degree in Biology and Chemistry, First Class Honours in Food Science, and a career built in FMCG quality and lab work, Apiksha says that when she started at DB she was struck by the complexity and beauty of the beer brewing process.   “There’s a real beauty in the way beer is made. Making beer is a complex process and there are different things to consider with every beer product we make – even one thing being out of specification could have a domino effect. There is a huge amount of precise testing that is required to meet HEINEKEN’s high quality standards, which makes the DB lab a busy and exciting place to work.” Apiksha Kant

As part of our Brew a Better Aotearoa sustainability and responsibility strategy, we have been working on several major water-recovery projects over the last few years. This month, we finished installing a shiny new water reclamation system that is set to be a game-changer for water conservation and operational efficiency at our Waitematā brewery, and represents a major sustainability milestone for us this year. Thermal imbalances during pasteuriser start-ups, shutdowns, or stoppages can lead to significant volumes of heated water being discharged to trade waste. Our new system captures, cools, and reuses this water. Stay tuned for updates on how much water we save!

Happy international beer day! To celebrate the occasion we’re launching a delicious new beer, Tui Ultra Low Carb. This new crisp and refreshing lager has all the iconic Tui flavour, just in a cleaner, smoother style that is 99% carb free. With 89 calories per serve, it is a perfect blend of tradition, character and bold flavour.

Meet Dave. Our Master Brewer, Dave Eaton, has been working at DB since 1989 when he started as a lab technician at the Tui Brewery in Mangatainoka. The brewery was big in those days and it produced the biggest volume out of DB’s three breweries in 1992. After 10 years and several roles in Mangatainoka, including a switch to the brewing side of the business, Dave moved to Auckland where he put his new brewing skills to use. He was soon brewing Heineken and began to develop a feel for the process and the confidence to experiment. This deep understanding of the brewing process helps him innovate with different types of beer and flavour profiles, which is his favourite part of the job. Dave says his proudest career moment was becoming one of the first 25 Heineken Master Brewers. That was 13 years ago, but he says he never gets bored, “I’ve been here forever, but things change all the time.”

We’ve been brewing something special, and it’s finally ready to pour! Meet Monteith’s Driftin’ IPA, our latest India Pale Ale. This delicious drop features a vibrant hop blend of American Chinook and Citra which delivers zesty grapefruit and lime notes with a spicy undercurrent, as well as a splash of tropical brilliance from New Zealand’s Nectaron hop. The smooth malt bed perfectly balances a lingering bitterness, to deliver a delicious vibrant IPA with a crisp, clean finish. Available this July at a retailer near you.

Did you know that since 2014 we've reduced the fossil fuel consumption for steam and hot water in our breweries so much that we're now using the equivalent of about 700 homes' total energy requirement less per year?

In partnership with The Tomorrow Project and Life Education Trust, and as part of our Brew a Better Aotearoa sustainability and responsibility strategy, we help to reach around 20,000 students each year with our industry alcohol education programme, SMASHED. Using powerful live theatre, SMASHED educates students about the dangers of underage drinking and teaches them to develop strategies for resisting peer influence. Check out this video to see how the programme is brought to life for students around Aotearoa. https://lnkd.in/gpw3qDPA

Taramainuku is the new name of our on-site lake at Waitematā, gifted by local iwi at a special blessing and naming event last week. Taramainuku is named after the guardian, protector, and taniwha associated with the Manukau Harbour, Ōtara, and the southern rivers of South Auckland. The naming of this lake deepens our connection to the land, its history, the community and the mana whenua. This day will forever be special in DB’s history.

The hunt is over - we have a winner! After a nationwide search for Aotearoa’s wildest dish, husband and wife duo Josiah and Rachel Smits from The Smoking Barrel in Motueka, have officially taken out the 2025 Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge, crowned by our expert judging panel of Ben Bayly, renowned chef, Sam Wild, spear fisherman and marine biologist, and Emily Lucas, the founder of West Coast Pies Co. The winning dish, a ‘Wild Pitmasters Smoked Platter’ brought bold flavours, creativity and a whole lot of wild energy to the table, matched perfectly with Monteith’s Phoenix IPA. A huge thanks to all our chefs, judges and Monteith’s lovers who backed bold, wild food this year.