We are hosting a social fundraising event on Friday 5th July from 6 pm - 8 pm. We invite all past and present volunteers, supporters and beer lovers to join us at The Third Eye - Tuatara’s Temple of Taste. If you love trees and tasty craft beer - we would love to see you there!
Come on out to The Third Eye - Tuatara’s Temple of Taste to sample “Union Road", a limited edition karma keg ale brewed specifically in support of the Manawa Karioi Ecological Restoration Project. All proceeds will go to support native tree planting, trail maintenance, and other operations at this beautiful nature reserve near Wellington’s south coast.
Founded in 1990, the Manawa Karioi Ecological Restoration Project is one of Wellington’s oldest revegetation projects and is situated on land in Island Bay owned previously by Sisters of Compassion. It is a community-driven initiative, operated by passionate community volunteers to bring back the bush and the birds.
Union Road is a historic track at Manawa Karioi and was built approximately 100 years ago to provide access to the construction of the water reservoir which would supply the Home of Compassion. The name Union Road evokes the rich history of this area which now exists to regenerate native bush and further engage the Island Bay community with the whenua.
This social fundraising event was spearheaded by one of our committee members Kevin Thomas. It is fun to take some time out socially, have some chats and fundraise by drinking yummy craft beer at the same time, we think this fundraiser event is genius!
I asked Kevin some questions about brewing the beer and organising this fun event.
Tell me about your involvement in Manawa Karioi?
I discovered Manawa Karioi a few years ago when I attended a guided walk as part of the Island Bay Festival. I started volunteering for working bees, then I helped improve volunteer numbers via Meetup groups, and then more recently I joined the Board.
Can you tell me about what appealed to you about the Tuatara Breweries Karma Kegs as a possible fundraiser for Manawa Karioi?
I have seen karma kegs as charity fundraisers from various breweries around Wellington. I'm a big fan of Wellington's craft beer community and saw this as a fun opportunity to combine some of my personal passions.
What was the process of brewing 'Union Road' Beer like?
I thoroughly enjoyed working alongside Brayden Owlinson, Tuatara's Head Brewer, to create our karma keg beer at the Third Eye. We started the process on a Thursday at 7:00 AM and wrapped around 1:30 PM. Brayden kindly allowed me to help with some of the tasks such as the hop addition and beer transfer into the fermentation tank.
What did you gain from the process?
Brayden is incredibly knowledgeable about all things beer so I learned a lot about how different aspects of brewing, such as type of hop, temperature, and yeast variety, can dramatically influence flavour. I have home brewed before, but the Third Eye equipment is significantly larger scale and more automated than I have experienced before.
What are your hopes for the Friday night fundraising event?
I hope to raise awareness about Manawa Karioi because it's amazing little nature reserve just outside of the Wellington CBD with a fascinating history and a group of dedicated volunteer stewards. Also, I hope everyone in attendance learns a bit more about conservation and enjoys a tasty craft beer.
A big thanks to Kevin, Mary and Jerry for organising the event! We look forward to seeing you there!