northland craft beer
QBREW's
journey began as a dream shared among friends over countless beers, critiquing brews and imagining the possibilities of starting a brewery. That idea simmered for years, but to truly bring it to life, I needed to immerse myself in the wider world of beer.
2013
The Dream Begins
It all started in 2013, travelling from Bali to London via land, discovering craft beer scenes that ignited an idea: bringing that same creativity and independence back home to New Zealand. Every pour, every story, every brewery visit added to the dream that would one day become QBrew.
2014-2016
The Learning Years
After a year of travel, I arrived in London and soon found myself chasing an opportunity in Scotland, with one of the world’s fastest-growing craft breweries in Aberdeen. My background in water management from Melbourne caught their attention; they understood, as I did, that great beer begins with great water.
Though I stepped in with no brewing experience, I quickly became immersed in the craft, learning, experimenting, and absorbing every detail of the brewing process. Those years shaped the brewer I would become. After four years of travel and learning, I returned home to New Zealand in late 2016, ready to turn knowledge into action and passion into beer.
2017
Nano Brewery in the Orchard
Back home, the dream took form, a 100L nano brewery set up in a shed on our orchard. Without electricity, I relied on a petrol generator to power the system and solar lights for long brew sessions. Those early days were full of experimentation, with friends and family patiently sampling every cloudy, overly hoppy, or unpolished attempt as we worked to refine our recipes, and with each brew, the vision for QBrew became clearer.
2018-2019
Experiment, Refine, Persist
These were the years of trial and refinement. Every batch taught a new lesson, from recipe development to process tweaks. Between work on the orchard and evenings spent brewing, the foundation for QBrew’s signature taste began to form. It was all about patience, persistence, and passion, the real ingredients behind every great beer.
2020-2021
Level Up
In 2020, the next big step arrived: a 1000L steam-powered commercial brewery. As the world slowed during the pandemic, we sped up, assembling, testing, and refining our system one part at a time. By 2021, our new setup was ready to produce full commercial brews, and the first batches rolled out for testing in 2022.
2022
Going Public
2022 marked our debut. After years of quiet dedication, QBrew stepped into the market, pouring at local events, building partnerships, and sharing our craft with more people than ever before. The reception was overwhelming and confirmed what we’d known from the start: there’s a place for genuine, local, quality craft beer in every Kiwi fridge.
2023-present
Growth & Momentum
With new fermenters installed and production scaling, 2023 was a year of momentum. We expanded our range, refined our core lineup, and strengthened our presence in the NZ craft scene. What began in a solar-lit shed had grown into a full-scale brewery, but our spirit remains the same: independent, curious, and proudly local.