Pre History .
Once upon a time, Mmmmm, Let’s start about 1976.
I had been making kitset beers off & on for several years along with mead & some wine’s not with all that much success. My “ flavour of the day “ was Bourbon, money was in short supply so the only recourse was to start making my own.
Easier said than done, still, if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. The problem was not in the making of alcohol; this had been done before when I made my first still, but getting it to taste good.
Apart from only having a “ backyard “ homemade still & a couple of plastic 20L tanks, we did quite well. The only ingredients available to me were from a Home Brew shop in Petone owned by Pete. [A very helpful & informative person who over the years has helped me immensely]
Kitset brews are good, I’ve drunk enough of them over the years, but I’ve always wanted something different. Whisky had always given me heartburn, this is why I drank Bourbon, but the products that were imported from the U.S.A. in my opinion were not exactly to my taste.
With reference materials at a minimum & a move up country to Levin under way all thoughts on brewing were put on hold for a while. Beekeeping & two daughters left me with no spare time, but when the business was sold & the family went its separate ways spare time was available again.
1988.
While helping a friend who was experimenting with Lavender oil, the question was raised, had I found the right recipe yet? Answer NO! So I made up my mind to have a play at making a Bourbon style with the following prerequisites.
1: - No hangover.
2: - Mild flavour on the palate.
3: - Full strength ie 40% al by vol.
4: - No artificial ingredients.
A big ask you may say. It’s been done! By “Bourbon New Zealand Ltd”. Namely, “Old Busman”.
It wasn’t easy. It took about 5 years of frustration/mumbling & tipping down the drain. The difference over three different water supplies was amazing. Let alone the experimentation with malting methods of grain & various other recipe variations.
1990.
Yet another move, this time to Bruce Rd. Levin. Apart from building my mobile home, it was this period of time when the major work was done defining Old Busman. A new 50Litre still was built powered by L.P.G. for heat & mains water supply for cooling. This gave me manual control over the distillation. It was also decided to stay with pot stills rather than change to tower/reflux distillation. I had been given the opportunity to purchase an acre of commercial land. It was at this point in time that I allowed myself to be talked into setting up a commercial production facility.
At last, a Product I can call my own. No hangover, tastes OK to me, & no artificial ingredients. I must add that a lot of product had been tested on Human subjects [at their peril], but with their knowledge & consent, & consumed on the property of manufacture. It was never sold but freely given & questions were asked of the product. This method of in house trialing was the only avenue open to me under New Zealand Customs & Excise Law. You can make & consume it BUT not transport or sell it unless you are licensed by N.Z.Customs & pay duty at the appropriate rate. Trialed by approx 50 people, the general consensus of opinion was that: - No Hangover, A clear head after the alcohol effect wore off. A pleasant inebriated high with no unsocial behavioural changes. These, along with current Product testing prove that a quality alcohol Product such as “Old Busman”, when it is the only alcohol consumed WILL NOT give you a hangover when consumed in moderation.
1998
A building was designed, only a small one [2500 sq. ft.] to house the Distillery. The land was planted in peach trees & blackberries.
2001
Building completed & trees starting to fruit. Remember that income at this time was just about non-existent. The decision was made that if this venture were to go ahead, no venture capital would be raised until the production plant was ready to operate. This would reduce the debt servicing level and increase the asset base.
2002
Through winter & spring several major plant items have been completed.
1 30-sheet plate filter/pump unit.
2 2000Lbrew tank setup. (10x200L tapped tanks).
3 2600L storage for finished Product. (1200L & 1400L S/S tanks).
2003
Purchased 200L still
Purchased steam boiler
Started manufacture of 200L finishing still.
2004
All still & boiler plant operational.
Further 3000L storage for finished product installed.
2005
Further 2500L storage for finished product under way.
600L gravity filter in progress.
Second brew line fermenter (2400L) needs finishing
2006
April. Sales underway.
Saturday markets established.
September. Our own bottle shop opened.
2007
E-commerce website established.