Free Houses...Independent Pubs???

[Ian Marriott]

 I have noticed recently the increased use of the terms Free House and Independents! I wish   that people would stop using soundbites and terms from a system that does not apply to the New Zealand situation. We do not have very many brewery owned pubs in NZ anymore. All bars make a choice as to whose beer they will sell, it is not forced on them as it is in the UK.

Some bars choose to sell products from major breweries but they have a choice to  eneter into a contract or not. Some bars sell craft beers but the taps are aligned to a major brewer but just because they sell craft beer, someone wheels out the term free house. It is nonsense people!

There are a handful of outlets throughout the country who for various reasons choose not to support the major breweries and sell only craft beer. These are champions of the craft industry not Free Houses!  ( This is not meaning to be derogatory to anyone selling craft and Major Brewery beers as all situations are different and every craft beer sold is great!)

 

I know it is petty but it just p*%*es me of when writers and columnists can't use proper phrasing  in their articles!!

[Reviled]

"had their dibs on it for years ... "

 

Im sorry but that is total bullshit eh, you should have a bloody product at least before you can trademark something - ugh, what a load of bollox, really, whats to stop me trademarking something just cos I might use it - I reckon, if you dont use it in x amount of time it should be fair game...

[JoKing]

I'd say the general public don't even know about contract affiliations let alone what the contracted bar is or isn't allowed to sell. I'd also hazard a guess, and say that if they go to these bars to drink the beer.... they probably don't care.

 

Down here in New Plymouth, every single bar has either an "Export" logo out the front a "Tui" one or a "Speights" one. The vast majority of the people will only frequent either of the establishments based on what logo is printed on the bars advertising banner. Based on that, they would not drink at a bar that has "Free House" on their fasade. Personally - I try to avoid drinking at these establishments.

 

This argument is starting to get a bit like the "Real Ale" one in that CAMRA wont let you can't call your beer "Real Ale" based on a whole swag of reasons. I'd hate if the Term "Free House" had to be in that school. I quite like how it is used in NZ, and don;t thnk that just because of how the term is used in the UK should have any weight on how we use the term at all.

 

I'd be pissed off if either of the big two opened a bar (like either the "Monteiths "Craft Beer" Bars", "Mac's "Brew Pubs", "Speight's "Ale" House: etc) and decided to call it a "Free House" just because it's the in thing at the time... Sort of how "Craft" beer is at the moment.

 

I think it's fucking awesome what you and Dominic are doing - so keep it up... and try not to get too hung up on semantics.

[Nigel Gregory]

** LIKE **

[AndrewC]

Andrew here from the Moutere Inn.  Just a couple of things......

"Freehouse".  It's a term that seems to be used in NZ even when pubs are tied.  But they're generally tied to craft breweries.  It doesn't make much sense to me either, but then neither does "Draft" out of a bottle or "East India Pale Ale" for what is clearly not.

"Craft Beer Capital" hasn't been trademarked by the Moutere Inn, but rather a new organisation in Nelson called Craft Beer Capital of New Zealand.  The term has been parked under our name as the new organisation is created.

The organisation will be promoting the craft beer industry in Nelson and it's history of growing hops.   Having 10 brewerys and 4 independent craft beer outlets (and 9 if you include the 5 Sprig & Fern outlets) spread amongst 90,000 people in the region gives us plenty to promote.

I see it as a positive thing for craft beer and a positive thing for craft brewing around the country.

[Kieran Haslett-Moore]

if a brewery owns a pubs lines, owns its taps, owns the furniture, owns the cool room and demands in return that beer is purchased from them, or from one of their distributors at a price set by the brewer , then Im not sure there is to much practical difference to a situation where that brewer owns the business or premise outright.

Free house seems like the correct term to me for an outlet that doesnt subject it's self to this situation.

 

As for Nelson and trademarking 'Craft Beer Capital' I think its really rather unfortunate and has the potential to turn what has untill now been a light hearted tongue and cheek rivalry between the centres of beer apreciation in NZ into something more divisive.

[Ian Marriott]

Hey as I said in the original post petty..but. Well at least is prompted some debate and quite right it is semantics and should not distract us ...collectively... from the task at hand;  Introducing the wider public to quality beer is my real focus.

May there be more people out there like Dominic and Myself and the many others here who choose to sell only quality, craft, micro brewed, boutique, GOOD ..call them what you like beers. I don't want to sell products that I don't believe in which is why I do what I do.

[Rhyno]

I just entered this in the online Tui banner competition

Do ya think I will win??

[denimglen]

Should say 'Tui is an India pale ale'.

[Ralph]

As an aside, I was in the "Freehouse" in Nelson over the weekend. Lovely pub with a fantastic selection of craft beer. They are quite happy for you to bring your food in and eat it there while enjoying their brews which is great too. Sitting around there with a curry and a pint before heading along to Marchfest was a great way to start the day, and we ended up back there after Marchfest as well!!

[Dave W]

Yeah the freehouse is awesome.... couldn't believe how close their inhouse IPA was to the one I brew!

 

I thought about going there after march fest but decided I was sozzled enough by that point and bailed back to the backpackers.