Outgrowing their former premises, last year First Scene relocated to Rosebank Rd and three high school friends: Bruce Turner, Thomas Rowe and Simon Watson moved into the abandoned Kingsland warehouse along with their mammoth-sized fermenting tanks, turning the entire upstairs from eclectic junk-yard to sparse, industrial brewery in only a matter of months.
Though the chums grew up together in provincial New Zealand, they’ve all spent a significant portion of their lives travelling, Bruce living in London for an impressive 14 years before returning home. So they’re travelers first, and beer-makers second. That said, there’s a wealth of experience between them; Turner worked in London at Fullers, then Meantime and most recently helped Paraparaumu brewery Tuatara “improve their processes and increase brewing capacity”. The others? Well, they’ve made (and sampled) a few brews in their time.
Urbanaut is a made-up name meaning urban explorer and is a nod to the friends’ worldly adventures, so each beer will express the flavour of a different suburb from around the world. A detailed map design on each label is a guide for the globe-trotting drinker. There are currently five beers in tank including Auckland’s Kingsland pilsner; Vancouver’s Gastown red IPA; and London’s Brixton pale ale with surprises to come at this weekend’s launch party – along with food by Dixie Barbecue – and several guest taps arriving soon too.
Urbanaut Brewery
2B Western Springs Road
Kingsland
urbanautbrewing.co.nz
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