Water & Soil

What makes the soil of Nelson and Tasman special? The valleys around Motueka and Riwaka are flat, with gravelly, well-draining soils through which rainwater quickly disperses. Hops love this mix, as their roots want moisture but not wet feet. Add to that a climate considered one of New Zealand's sunniest, with cool nights and sea breezes off Tasman Bay.

Behind the plains, the mountains rise. Kahurangi National Park and the Richmond Range capture rain from the west and feed the rivers that run across the plains to the sea, including the Motueka. From this mountainous land, farms and breweries draw their water where it doesn't come from the public supply.

In Golden Bay, the neighboring bay, Te Waikoropupū rises, often called Pupu Springs by Pākehā. The springs are considered exceptionally clear; for brewers, they're mainly a symbol of how clean the water from these mountains is. There are no standard figures on individual breweries' brewing water, and there's a reason for that: almost every modern brewery treats its water, softening it or adding salts.

That's why water shapes Nelson's beer less than the land itself does. The soil gives the hops their power, the climate gives them their aromas, and neutrally treated water lets both shine. Anyone drinking a Pale Ale from here tastes, above all, the hop gardens visible from the car between orchards and vineyards.