McCashin's Brewery in Stoke, Nelson is where New Zealand's craft beer revolution began. In the 1980s, Terry and Bev McCashin took on the country's corporate brewing duopoly of Lion and DB from a small Nelson factory, brewing their own recipes — a moment then-Prime Minister Robert Muldoon described as a 'David against two Goliaths'. Together with accomplished brewer Jim Pollitt, who had already made his mark in Europe with Carlsberg, they pioneered independent brewing and gave Kiwis choice.
Still family-run and crafted in Nelson since 1981, the brewery produces Stoke Beer, made with all-natural ingredients including water from a 14,000-year-old artesian well; Rochdale, a pure apple cider built on the finest New Zealand crushed apples, glacial water and yeast; zingy, zesty Stoke Ginger Beer; the now-famous Wakachangi lager — created as a joke, now a local classic — brewed under contract; and McCashin's Single Malt Whisky, aged six years and distilled, matured and bottled in Nelson. A non-alcoholic, gluten-free canned range covers ginger beer, lemon lime and bitters, tonic water and lemonade.
Visitors can book brewery tours through the Tap Room to experience the brewery's rich history, smell the enticing aroma of hops and watch the brewers in action. The full range is also available through the online shop, with wholesale and contract brewing enquiries welcomed via the contact page.
On a stretch of Main Road in Stoke, Nelson sits a brewery that helped change the way New Zealand drinks. McCashin's has been crafting beverages in Nelson since 1981, and its story is a quintessentially Kiwi one — a tale of determination and resolve, of passion and pride, told across two generations of the same family.
When Terry and Bev McCashin opened their brewery in the 1980s, New Zealand's beer was controlled almost entirely by a duopoly of two corporate giants, Lion and DB. From a small Nelson factory, using their own recipes, the McCashins took them on. When the brewery was opened by none other than then Prime Minister Robert Muldoon, he described it as a 'David against two Goliaths' moment.
Terry and Bev were stubborn, feisty and willing to stand up and be counted — and they gave people more than just something to drink. They gave the country choice, and in doing so started the craft beer revolution in New Zealand. Fate played a helping hand, introducing them to Jim Pollitt, an accomplished brewer who had already made his mark on the European scene with Carlsberg. With Jim's natural talent and passion for the process, and Terry and Bev's innovative mindset and relentless work ethic, the craft brewing revolution was born.
Brewing is in the family's blood. After a brief sabbatical, the next generation set about producing a new wave of great Kiwi drinks: Stoke Beer was born and the Rochdale cider name was revived, with unique flavours introduced and new technologies employed. What hasn't changed are the same grassroots principles and tried-and-true processes of the 1980s — the very best natural ingredients and an unflinching commitment to exacting standards guide everything made there.
That commitment shows in the details. Stoke Beer is crafted using all-natural ingredients, including water drawn from the brewery's 14,000-year-old artesian well. Rochdale is pure apple cider made with nothing but the finest New Zealand crushed apples, glacial water and yeast. Stoke Ginger Beer is batch brewed for a zingy, zesty and refreshing drink, while Wakachangi — the now-famous lager that was created as a joke and became a local classic — is brewed under contract at the brewery. There's even McCashin's Single Malt Whisky, aged six years and distilled, matured and bottled in Nelson.
Non-drinkers are looked after too: the Stoke canned range of ginger beer, lemon lime and bitters, tonic water and lemonade is all non-alcoholic and gluten free.
A visit to 660 Main Rd Stoke offers more than a chance to buy a cold drink. Brewery tours take you through the rich and vibrant history of the place, let you smell the enticing aroma of hops and watch the brewers in action — bookings and tour enquiries are handled through the Tap Room.
Can't make it in person? The website doubles as an online shop stocking the range, from 12-packs of the non-alcoholic mixers through to the single malt whisky. There's also a recipes section full of serving suggestions — think ginger beer Moscow mules and other ways to enjoy McCashin's beverages at home.
More than four decades on from that 'David against two Goliaths' moment, McCashin's remains what it set out to be: a family brewery refusing to compromise on purity, proud to put its name to everything it makes. Whether you come for a tour, pick up a Rochdale cider, or simply want a zingy ginger beer, you're tasting the same pioneering spirit that started it all.