The Emerson's Story as told by Michael Donaldson

by Michael Donaldson, local beer guru Richard Emerson is happy to make jokes at his own expense – starting with the fact that being the “only deaf brewer in the world” was a great marketing tool when he started out in the 1990s. “Deafness helps people remember the beer; it’s a unique selling point,” he says with an ever-ready smile. These days Emerson no longer needs to rely on his disability for people to remember him – his beers do all the talking. And word is spreading further afield every day as the brewery continues to ramp up production to meet a seemingly insatiable demand On a more serious note, Emerson is adamant that because he’s deaf his palate is unusually keen, which is a bonus for someone who relies on his sense of taste. “My nose and taste buds tend to be more aware of what’s going on. I can identify subtle smells – like [when] a glass has been washed in a dishwasher . . . a closed room, the sulphur smell that beer can get.” Emerson was born deaf in 1964 after his mother, Ingrid, contracted rubella. He was taught to lip-read rather than use sign language. His disability was a problem when he first went into business. Telephone calls would go unheard and when he got voice messages he would ring his father, George, and ask him to listen to the message, write it down and then fax it to him. The advent of texting and email was a real bonus. That said, he still has to be careful with people. “Some people have really easy faces to read and other people hardly move their lips, and the worst are those who talk with a deadpan face, as you never know if they are being sarcastic or not. If you’re not sure [whether] someone is serious or joking.” Emerson first fell in love with beer on a trip to Britain in 1983 when his father, a biochemist at Otago University, took a sabbatical in Edinburgh. He loved the British beers and he loved the social attitude to drinking He was stunned by the “flavour and malty complexities” of English and Scottish ales and was deeply underwhelmed by New Zealand’s beer scene when he returned. “It was almost devoid of flavour.” He was also impressed with the drinking culture of the UK, which he found more considered than the Friday-night binge-drinking student scene in Dunedin and drove a philosophy best summed up “drinking less, but better.” So at the age of 18 he discovered his calling – despite his loss of hearing and with his compensatory sensitivity to smell and taste, he decided he would become a brewer. But it didn’t happen overnight. Some major home brewing practice and more overseas travel prepped Emerson for his future trade and he learned a lot from working at Cerebos Greggs in Dunedin, where they made malt extract which Emerson used to create his home brew. But it took a redundancy to spur him into business, with his dad rounding up enough friends, colleagues at his biochemistry department and fellow Taieri Gorge railway enthusiasts to put in enough money for Richard to start his brewery. The first beer off the production line in March 1993, was London Porter – a beer that still wins medals and awards 25 years later. His session ale, Bookbinder, took Wellington by storm in the mid-90s but the real breakthrough for Emerson’s – and New Zealand brewing – was the creation of Emerson’s Pilsner. “I wanted to make a lager completely different to all other lagers and, wow, it had a unique flavour. I told myself at the time this was the Sauvignon Blanc of beers.” The company’s flagship beer was one the most influential Kiwi beers of the 21st century, with its accent on fruity New Zealand hops over traditional “noble” European hops, which have a spicier character. There are now a whole raft of Kiwi-hopped pilsners on the market and all of them owe much to Emerson’s breakthrough beer. One of the most amusing stories behind an Emerson’s beer is the creation of Taieri George, a spiced ale. Emerson wanted the beer to honour his late father and the inspiration came at the wake following his father’s funeral. A friend was reading a framed certificate on the wall given to George Emerson by the Dunedin City Council for work he’d done on the Taieri Gorge Railway. The friend spotted a typo in it: “Thank you George Emerson for work on the Taieri George Railway,” it read. And so Taieri George was born, a beer released every year on George Emerson’s birthday. One stand-out quality of all Emerson’s beers is the balance and refined nature – something he’s never compromised on. Emerson’s beers are all classical in their own way, not gimmicky or tricked up and designed primarily for drinkability and flavour. The brewery has become a Dunedin institution but is getting a wider following thanks to the takeover by Lion in 2012. When Emerson’s was sold to Lion it caused an outrage in the tight craft beer community. Boycotts were announced as one of New Zealand’s most beloved battlers seemingly crossed to the dark side. Richard Emerson was the elder statesman of the beer scene, the godfather. He was well loved, highly regarded and his beers were shining examples of quality and craftsmanship. For many it was inconceivable the brewery could be sold. For Lion the deal was a no-brainer, they got a highly credible, authentic brand driven by passionate people. But the sale has been only good for Emerson’s and the beer drinkers of New Zealand. Lion has let Emerson and his brewing team do their own thing and the beers have only got better thanks to Lion’s investment in a new brewery, improved quality and the introduction of more sophisticated laboratory testing. With more outlets and Lion’s reach, production has gone up and up and Emerson’s now rivals Speight’s as Dunedin’s iconic beer brand. Lion’s financial input has also Emerson’s freedom to explore a wider range of beer and there’s some great stuff being brewed now – such as the delightful Bird Dog IPA – but if you’re new to this brand and want to discover the foundations on which it was built, try the Emerson’s mixed six-pack. It has four classic Emerson’s brews – London Porter, Pilsner, Bookbinder, 1812 Hoppy Pale Ale – as well as the newer Daredevil Red IPA and Phantom Lord Stout.