According to the Froth-blowers Manual of 1914, Kiwis were divided into two camps: those who drank Speight's and those who didn't.  No one who drank old-time Speight's could ever forget the exquisite taste.  In fact, the "froth-blower" refers to New Zealanders exiled in Australia and elsewhere around the world who nostalgically described their land of birth in a single word: Speight's.

In 1914 Speight's was the biggest brewery in New Zealand.  Speight's beer was sold in 13 outlets in Hawke's Bay and was bottled in Napier by Warren Smith & Co.

Now Speight's is one of New Zealand's biggest selling beer brands and, although you can find it in most pubs around the country, there's only one place in Hawke's Bay where you are lucky enough to have the whole Speight's range on tap: the new Speight's Alehouse, in Ahuriri, Napier.

Ahuriri and the port itself played a significant and eventful part in the life and development of Napier and indeed Hawke's Bay.  The port continues to impact on community life today.

In early European history of New Zealand, the East Coast was left mainly to the whalers.  Interest in the Hawke's Bay started with Captain Thomas Wing who charted the harbour of "Hairiri" (the lagoon) which was later called Ahuriri in 1837.

Port Ahuriri was to become the main port between Wellington and Auckland on the East Coast of the North Island.

The first settler was William Colenso, followed closely by the first trader Alexander Alexander.  The early history of Port Ahuriri is one of hardship, success and failure.  The People of Port Ahuriri bore the name of "Spit-ites" with pride and without these people and without these people, the city of Napier would never have become the success it is today.

The area has transformed from the main commercial centre to the main industrial hub, from slum to what it is today: a very sought-after residential area.  During these times, its character has changed and much of its history disappeared from view.  The Speight's Alehouse building itself was badly damaged by fire in 1923 and destroyed by fire again in the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake.

The Highlander

Greg Cooper was born in Gisborne and moved to Napier in 1970.  He ventured to Dunedin in 1984 leaving family and friends behind in Napier.

Greg, like his father Pat, brother Matthew, and uncle Ivan, played rugby for the Bay.

Greg then went on to play 180 first class games including over 120 for Otago as well as seven tests for the All Blacks.

Greg's passion for Otago and Speight's grew when he started working at the Speight's Brewery in Dunedin where he remained from 1992 until 2001, working firstly as a Sales Respresentative and then as Area Sales Manager Otago/Southland.

Currently Greg coaches the Otago Highlanders and has done so for four years: two as Assistant Coach and two as Head Coach.  Greg also coached the Otago NPC team for three years as Assistant Coach before becoming Head Coach.

Greg is now delighted to have a home away from home in The Speight's Alehouse in Napier!

Speight's

Like the Hawke's Bay, Speight's has a long history.

In 1876 James Speight, Charles Greenslade and William Dawson set up Speight's Brewery in Dunedin.  Situated on the same site today in Rattray Street Duneding, Speigh's is the Pride of the South.

Facts from "Port to Port" by Don Wilkie

The Founders

In 1876, in the bustling southern city of Dunedin, James Speight's brewing dream became a reality. With a couple of mates, Charles Greenslade and William Dawson, he purchased an evacuated bottling and malt plant, where all three had worked, and set up his own brewery.

The three men made a great team and they wasted no time in getting down to business -in fact, they put through their first brew on April 4th, a month before they received the lease on May 1st and two months before they had even obtained a license on June 6th!

By 1887, the combination of clever business sense and great beer had seen Speight's grow to become the largest brewery in New Zealand. But sadly, with his dream at last a reality, James Speight died in August of that year.

Gold Medal Ale

In 1879 a cask of Speight's Strong Ale won the fledgling brewery its first international award at the Sydney International Exhibition. Sales soared and the future of Speight's was secured.

Speight's Ale continued to go from strength to strength, winning major international awards including several gold medals, hence the naming of "Speight's Gold Medal Ale" in 1893.

Speight's Craft Range

Speight's Brewery Dunedin has brewed award-winning ales since 1876. The four brews in the Speight's Craft Range - Distinction Ale, Pale Ale, Porter and Pilsener - were originated from recipes of a bygone era in a quest to recreate flavours as true as possible to the original styles.

Three of the Craft Range brews, Pale Ale, Porter and Pilsener, are fermented in kauri gyles - open-topped wooden fermentation vats which are lined with beeswax. Small volume and labour intensive, these open, shallow vessels help to bring out the seamless character and full aromas of the brews. Only one other brewery in the world is still known to use kauri gyles.

With acknowledgements to Donald Gordon's Speights The Story of Dunedin's Historic Brewery.