Unique flavours key part of Duncan’s Brewing Company success

George Duncan inside his craft brewery. Photo / Ashley Alexander

One day, like so many before him, George Duncan bought a homebrew kit and started to make his own beer.

He loved the science behind the beer-making process, got heaps of satisfaction from creating something unique, and importantly — stuck to it.

His love of craft beer increased when, with wife Wai Familton, they toured the United States, and Canada, and tasted various craft beer.

He was so passionate that when they got home to New Zealand, he decided to get into contract brewing.

George, who back then was a carpenter by trade, would travel to an established brewery to brew his beer.

“It was like a hobby on the side.”

He did that for about four years.

Customer entrance to Duncan's Brewery. Photo / Ashley Alexander

“It was fun and a good way to learn about the industry as well as making beer commercially.”

Things were going well with his brews getting a following among craft beer connoisseurs.

One evening, George was invited to be the guest speaker event at Te Newhanga Kāpiti Community Centre, in Paraparaumu, to talk about his beers and others.

Among the assembled guests were the landlords of a warehouse in an industrial part of Sheffield St, Paraparaumu.

“Afterwards they approached me and inquired if I had considered starting my own brewery.

“I said, ‘No that’s a crazy idea’ but then I went and had a talk to Carl Vasta, who started Tuatara, and asked what he thought.

“Carl had a bunch of old gear that he was willing to get rid of. So it kind of went from there.”

George signed a lease on the warehouse, and did a major conversion, by himself and with the help of others, to create his bespoke brewery which he owns with wife Waimatao Familton.

“We got the brewery off the ground and then Duncan’s, as we know it, was really born.”

The focus was simple — pale ales, Pilsner and stout.

Inside Duncan's Brewery. Photo / Ashley Alexander

“It was about nailing the basics.”

And then George decided to do something that would really start to put the brewery on the map.

He started to make some very unique beers using flavours not normally associated with beer.

“The real starting point was the Whippy IPA which we did for Beervana.

“It was almost like pre-hazys in a way. It was something I had heard about and wanted to try because I like to experiment.

“That was the beginning but the real thing that set us on our way was the Raspberry Ripple which we launched at Beervana a year later.

“It really pushed us in the direction that we’re going in now.

“It was super well received and was about second overall for the popular vote.

“That was the point when we knew we had direction in the brand, and what we were making.

George Duncan and Wai Familton. Photo / Ashley Alexander

“Since then it has really grown.”

It will be 10 years in 2024 that Duncan’s Brewing Company has been in existence with about six of those years based at the warehouse.

Duncan’s is producing about 150,000 litres of beer a year.

About a third is exported to Singapore (its largest customer), Australia, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand and Europe.

It’s a sizable operation which has seen George employ various people as the brewery has grown.

“It’s pretty good having staff, and definitely a better way to be, because for the first three years I did everything and it was mental.”

Moreover, he has a hand in every aspect of the business, which is important, not to mention growing his own skillset.

The brewery is a sizable business operating in a relatively small space.

“The warehouse is too small, but it’s nice, and I like being here.”

It isn’t about trying to dominate the beer market anyway.

A selection of Duncan's brews. Photo / Ashley Alexander

“We’re about servicing a niche well, which has been really good for us.”

The brewery has also hosted numerous pop-up bars “which have been hugely successful and a really good way to connect with the local community as well as showcase what we do very well”.

George is working towards obtaining a fulltime on-licence too.

“That’s the next step for us.

“We’re probably going to work with local food trucks … but we’ll see how that goes. At the moment it’s about getting the on-licence across the line.”

While owning his brewery, and seeing it succeed, had been “great” there had been “some real ups and downs” too.

“Obviously being a new business is always difficult and then hitting Covid was a curve ball but we managed to sort that via online sales and export.”

Asked what he enjoyed about owning a brewery, George is quick off the mark.

Brew time at Duncan's. Photo / Ashley Alexander

“It’s the community.

“It’s always nice creating something, and then seeing people enjoying it.

“That’s a big part of what I enjoy in the beer industry.

“It’s also fun coming up with new beers, new flavours.”

And while his work day was “like working in a chocolate factory” his beer consumption is pretty low.

“At first it’s like ‘wow free beer’ but then it became normalised. I actually don’t drink a lot of beer.”

If he does imbibe it’s normally new flavours as part of the research and development, or lighter refreshing beers.

Who knows what would have happened if those landlords weren’t at the public meeting and got George thinking about creating his own brewery.

Whether it was fate or just being in the right place at the right time, the main thing is it happened, and a lot of people are appreciative.

There’s only one thing to say: cheers and good luck for the future.

- This story appears in the latest Celebrating Kāpiti spring/summer magazine