Hallertau: the craft beer jewel of the Nor West

The decision to open the Hallertau craft beer brewpub and restaurant would have been a big enough step, but to open in small, sleepy Riverhead must have required an even bigger leap. Not so says Hallertau founder Stephen Plowman who wasn’t fazed by such as decision, “Riverhead was smaller then but not sleepy and when we opened in 2005, people were already moving in here and it was growing.”

Stephen had trained as a geologist but held a passion for brewing, completing a brewing course at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia. A vision began to form: he wanted to make New Zealand beers in a distinct Kiwi style but informed by the best from international styles and flavours.

Stephen and wife Hayley opened Hallertau, “We bought an existing restaurant called Glennies and a separate brewery business (Pilot Bay Brewing) in a mortgagee sale. Pilot Bay had started in Tauranga in 1994 and moved to Riverhead where it ran for about 8 years.”  

The Plowmans merged the two businesses into one, rechristening it ‘Hallertau’ named after the Hallertau hop growing region in Bavaria, “The world’s oldest recorded hop growing region, growing them for 1,200 years, and still suppling 25% of the world’s hops to this day”, Stephen tells me.

“Beer tastes better when it’s drunk in the shadow of the brewery.”

Stephen regarded the local market as crucial to Hallertau’s success and involved local people immediately, “Locals came in and tried the beers and we worked with them to help name them.” Hallertau’s beers are numerically numbered so the agreed consensus must have been to have a simple naming protocol and move onto the next beer to try.   

“I feel that beer always tastes better when it’s drunk in the shadow of the brewery,” says Stephen. “80% of our beer is sold in Auckland which is great. We’re considered to be a regional brewery and that is something that we always wanted.,” Stephen tells West. Plowman remains an artisan brewer at heart and buy-in from the local market is important to him and craft brewers generally.

After Hallertau opened its doors it wasn’t very long before word was out. Soon day tripping Aucklanders were visiting followed by surfers and mountain bikers on their way back to the city, attracted by a convivial ambience, good beer and live background music. Hallertau was putting the Nor West on the craft beer map.

By 2015 Hallertau was an established destination and venue and a new 2,500 litre brew house was installed to meet greatly increased demand. The bar and restaurant was refurbished and a 250-capacity garden-bar opened, “We’re now close to where we wanted Hallertau to be,” says Stephen.  

The core Hallertau craft beer range comprises between 6 to 8 beers that take in international styles like Kolsch (from Cologne), IPAs, Schwarzbier to barrel-aged and sour beers, which are accompanied by a few one-offs and seasonal beers throughout the year. Stephen is not wedded to one style however, “I’m a fanatic but not a purist and I’ll throw convention out the window to get the best product.”

Hallertau is the undisputed jewel on Auckland’s North-West craft beer scene – a place to take visitors, enjoy some beer and/or wine and showcase a fine regional asset. It is a place for superb drinking and casual dining, where Stephen’s vision of producing tasty beers for thirsty people is fulfilled on daily basis.