Canterbury’s well-known global wine producers, the Giesen brothers, have joined forces with local hospitality personality Campbell Parker and brewing legend Dicky Fife to open a new brew garden above Christchurch’s Riverside Market.
Kaiser Brew Garden will be the only working micro-brewery in the heart of the city with a beautiful roof terrace garden bar.
It has been developed by Theo, Alex, and Marcel Giesen who are behind the successful wine business, Giesen Group.
“Many will be surprised to learn that our family has a long history in brewing beer. Our great uncle established Kaiser Brewery in Bavaria in the 1830s, which was then bought by brewing giant Heineken in the 1970s.”
Alex Giesen says they were inspired to look at brewing beer following a trip to Bavaria when a German cousin gave them one of the original handwritten family beer recipes.
“The recipe had been tucked away but it arrived with us at the right time. The Canterbury earthquakes taught us that we had too many eggs in one basket in terms of our vineyards, we had brewing legend Dicky Fife on our Giesen team and, once he found out we had rediscovered our family brewing recipe … well, it was a no-brainer, Kaiser Brothers Brewery was born,” says Alex.
Dicky Fife is a name many Canterbury beer lovers will recognise – he’s a Master Brewer, Senior Beer Judge and created Dux de Lux’s famous Ginger Tom brew. His Kaiser beers are inspired from the family’s handwritten recipe.
The Kaiser Brew Garden will be the spiritual home of the Kaiser Brothers Brewery. “My brother’s and I have always been fiercely committed to Christchurch and often spoke about being part of a farmer’s style market in the city. We also wanted to pay homage to our family history, tell the Kaiser story and provide a place where people can engage with the brewing process. The Riverside opportunity was perfect. But to achieve it we needed to partner with a hospitality operator who understood our vision and could make the experience come to life,” says Alex.
That operator is Campbell Parker, a Cantabrian who has set up and run many successful hospitality ventures including the two Fox and Ferret Public Ale Houses, The Old Vicarage and Bootleg BBQ.
“Being asked to partner with Giesen on this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I was living in Spain at the time but packed up the wife and kids and moved home.”
Campbell says the Kaiser Brew Garden will be a place for everyone.
“Our focus will be on providing Bavarian-inspired hospitality which brings people together. We’ll have a wide range of beers, a selection of fabulous wines and a Bavarian-inspired menu. It’ll be a fun garden bar – green, fresh, social and in a stunning terrace setting.”
Master Brewer Dicky Fife is equally excited.
“Being able to brew on-site is pretty awesome. I’m known for loving to chat, so doing that while putting down a brew on-site is pretty much my ideal gig! Our on-site micro-brewery will continue the Kaiser family’s brewing tradition while engaging our customers in the process, getting their feedback about the flavour profiles we are building and creating a new experience each time they come in the door,” says Dicky.
Campbell Parker says Kaiser Brew Garden will be a perfect addition to the already popular Riverside Market. “It’ll be a relaxing, garden terrace above the hubbub of the marketplace, where people can pop in for a yarn. Our values sit nicely alongside Riverside’s. We’re keeping it fresh, fun and local.”
Photo: Dicky Fife and Campbell Parker.
Honey business 180 years in the making
NZ’s Paintvine launches in the UK
