STOKE BEER

The McCashin brewing story began over three decades ago when ex-All Black, Terry McCashin, and his wife Bev bought the old Rochdale Cider factory in the Nelson suburb of Stoke. Terry couldn’t have guessed that when he established the brewery he had started New Zealand’s craft beer revolution, becoming the most successful independent micro-brewery in the country. Following a period of ownership change, Terry’s son, Dean, reopened the brewery, named it Stoke and continues to produce high-quality beers using pure ingredients that include Nelson’s famous organic hops, premium malts, selected yeasts and Palaeo water.

Its award-winning 100% naturally-brewed beer revolutionised the way beer was produced and both its beer and cider won the hearts and taste buds of the nation. Today, McCashin's continues to pioneer beer and cider-making and has extended its range to include fine wines, spirits and the purest water in the world. Stoke has been awarded "eight medals in the 2012 International Beer Challenge, McCashin’s highest honour is a Gold Medal awarded for its Stoke Gold ale." - nelsonmail.

Sam Wilson

Born in sunny Hawke's Bay, Sam started creating beer at home before he was old enough to buy it and his love affair with the art of brewing began. After leaving school he moved to the even sunnier Nelson, and wound up working as a brewer for Mac's. A brief sabbatical, which saw him dabble in a variety of other jobs, came to an end when McCashin's re-opened their family brewery, enlisting Sam’s services as they continued their revolution of the craft brewing industry. After a lengthy pilot brew process, led by Sam himself, Stoke Beer was born, and this lad from Hastings, who’d started out in dad’s garage, could now put his name to one of the country’s finest beverages.