Sawmill Brewery in Matakana and Waipu’s McLeod’s Brewery excelled in the annual Brewers Guild of New Zealand Beer Awards, taking between them a trove of medals, trophies and titles. Sawmill won the guild’s Sustainability Award for the fifth consecutive time – the longest winning streak in the history of the awards. “Sawmill Brewery’s consistent dedication and growth in their sustainability journey continues to pay off,” the judges said.
“Sawmill continues to strive for excellence in sustainability.” The award, sponsored by New World, is open to any business in the beer supply chain, from packaging providers and ingredient suppliers to retailers and the breweries themselves. Sawmill’s sustainability initiatives include efforts to reduce waste to landfill.
The company generates an average of nine kilograms a week – less than half of the amount produced by the average NZ household over the equivalent period. McLeod’s Brewery took no fewer than 18 medals – eight golds, six silvers and four bronzes – as well as the titles of Champion Medium Brewery for 2024, and Champion Beer out of more than 700 entries for its Tropical Cyclone Double IPA. “We’re incredibly proud of our dedicated brew team for their hard work and passion in crafting these amazing brews,” the brewery’s co-founder Geoff Gwynne says.
McLeod’s won eight golds across six categories with its Blue Sky American Pale Ale and Tropical Cyclone Double IPA taking trophies in their categor.