Communal beer fridge a first for New Zealand

A central Auckland café and bar has launched a unique fridge concept to provide the community of home brewers a place to share their craft beers.

No.1 Queen Street owner Travis Field is hosting the project which launched last year.

“It’s cool to be able to provide a service where we can let home brewers bring in their beers and swap them. It’s a neat concept.”

Mr Field said the idea came about after the start up of the bar’s book swap station.

“We thought why not a beer swap? Home brewers can bring in the beer they made and swap it for someone else’s.”

“There is no commercial aspect to it, it’s just pure fun” Mr Field said.

Manager James Wakefield said contributors stand to learn more as well.

“Once a month we get a professional brewer on site to talk through processes with one of their beers on tap. We have a little competition and judge it.”

There are 80 members who contribute to the fridge.

“It’s free to join, free to swap your beer over,” Mr Wakefield said.

Jason Highet, whose beer ‘Iguanabrau’ features a picture of a tuatara on the bottle won the monthly ‘prestige shield’ said he was thrilled.

“I love home brewing as I get to make the exact kind of beer I want. I’ve been doing it for five years now.”

Once a year the budding brewers have a chance to win a chance to brew their beer professionally and put a keg on tap.

As to whether he will open his own brewery, Mr Highet joked: “Maybe if I won Lotto.”