The Brew Crew: The Home Brewers of Longridge

Before Longridge, Ian spent time brewing professionally.

At Longridge, you don’t need to head to the pub for a quality pint. You just need to find one of the residents with a keg in their garage.

You wouldn’t know it at first, but there’s a dedicated group of home brewers here in the village. And while they all do things a bit differently, they have two things in common. They enjoy making good beer, and they love sharing the results

From Yorkshire pubs to Paeroa patios

Ian has been brewing since 1974, when he was living in the UK and fell in love with real ale. “I discovered English bitter and wanted to replicate it when I came home,” he says.

Fast forward to today, and Ian brews like a professional: malted barley, precise water temperatures, hops, fermentation, bottling, it’s a full process. “I brew exactly the way commercial breweries do,” he explains. “The only difference is scale.”

His favourite style is a classic English bitter, but he has brewed plenty of others too. His most recent batch was a pale ale showcasing Nelson Sauvin hops. His advice is simple. “Buy the best ingredients you can.”

Ian brews with a group of mates known as the Paeroa Brewers. “Longridge have a craft day every year. My contribution is to brew. Everyone is welcome to pop in and watch and have a taste”

He has even taken Team Paeroa into competition. One beer, made with input from all five brewers, was judged top entry by both club members and certified beer judges through the Auckland Guild of Winemakers and Brewers.

His favourite brew story? That happened while he was working at a commercial brew pub. A group of visiting English brewers tried his beer, liked what they tasted, and invited him to brew for a Real Ale Festival back in the UK. The beer was a hit and they asked him back the following year. For that one, he brewed something with a bit more heart. A replica of the beer he made for his own wedding all those years ago.

His next creation is already in the works. “It will be a stout for St Patrick’s Day. I’m calling it Long Drop,” he says.

Alan keeping it simple – classic kit brew and a cold glass.

No frills and fizz

Allan takes a different approach. He’s been brewing for about thirty years, starting around the time Coopers malt tins arrived in New Zealand. “Mainly as a cost-saving thing,” he says, “but my father used to brew in the 40s and 50s, so I thought I’d give it a go.”

His method is about as simple as it gets. Half a tin of Lion Draught malt extract, sugar, yeast, a bit of boiled water then wait a week and keg it. Done.

He sticks to what works. “Not really into trying new stuff. I like Lion Draught. That’s it.”

He’s not in it for competitions, though he’s had some feedback. “I’ve had ‘Hell this is good!’ and also ‘this tastes like sh—’,” he admits with a grin.

Best disaster story? “I brewed a 22-litre batch and bottled it in glass. Four days later, every bottle exploded. Glass everywhere. I stick to kegs now.”

A collective with character

There are at least five brewers known around Longridge. Peter, Allan, Ian, Ross, and John. Some use full grain, others prefer kits. “We all sort of do our own thing,” says Ian.

Ross, our other resident brewer, with his garage setup. Yes, that’s a real tap.

But that does not mean they keep to themselves. Ian often hosts brew days where the others drop in for a taste, a yarn, and a bit of feedback. “We like to skite a bit,” says Allan, “but it helps when the really good brewers give you a few tips.”

Peter might be the most experienced of the lot. He’s a professional brewer who began his career in the 1960s after landing a job straight out of school. He moved into brewing and received training on the job, working in breweries across London, Holland, Hastings and Auckland. These days he brews using kits and tweaks them as needed. “I tend to brew IPAs but I’ve dabbled in stout,” he says. He hasn’t brewed recently but he’s still the go-to for advice when others want a second opinion. He’s even won a few professional brewing competitions. His top tip? “Cleanliness is more important than godliness.” And if he had to name one of his beers he’d call it Hopwyrm.

John with his brew setup. Simple, no fuss, and it works.

John, one of the newest residents, brews using a trusty Coopers kit he has used for years. “Nothing fancy, but it works,” he says. When asked what he would name his beer, he said Falcon’s Lane Lager—a nod to the street he and Linda now live on at Longridge.

Why they brew and why they chose Longridge

Whether it’s about flavour, fun, family history or just avoiding a twelve dollar pint, the brewers at Longridge all agree this is a great place to enjoy the craft and share the results.

From casual garage setups to full-scale grain brewing, it’s not just the beer that brings people together. It’s the chats, the laughs and the neighbours who always drop by when something new’s on tap.

Some brew for the tradition. Some for the company. Some for the cost savings. But all of them have found something worth raising a glass to.

Ask any of them what they like about Longridge, and you’ll hear similar replies: the community, the friendliness, the space to do what you love.

“I love the community,” says Ian. “If you like what you see, don’t hesitate. Move in.”

“All the residents are friendly,” says John. “It already feels like the right place.”

Allan keeps it simple. “Get in as soon as you can. That is the only way you can get the most

out of a retirement village.”

Peter says it straight. “It isn’t Auckland. Stop thinking and move.”

There is more brewing at Longridge than just good beer.

Come for a visit and see why the residents love calling this place home.

The welcome is real. The brews are just a bonus. And who knows. You might be the next to join the Brew Crew.