THIS PAGE:
The main bar and
exterior of Emerson’s
brewery; its six-brew
sampler; and a can
of craft beer
OPPOSITE PAGE FROM
TOP LEFT: Emerson’s
interior;
inside Moiety
restaurant; on the
Ocho tour; and
a piece of Ocho
chocolate
Emerson’s is a cra brewery that kicked o with cra -
sized goals but has grown into one of the giants of the New
Zealand beer scene. Respected late English beer journalist
Michael Jackson even named Emerson’s 1812 India Pale
Ale as one of the top 500 beers in the world.
Cementing its reputation as a big player, Emerson’s
opened a custom-designed brewery that’s also home to a
restaurant, bar and cellar room. As well as being a practical,
multipurpose space, it doubles as a homage to the brand’s
humble roots and its connection to Dunedin. Mementos
from the brand’s early days dot the wall, including a
handwritten note from founder Richard Emerson to his
grandmother, stating that he wanted to one day own his
own pub. Although it has an industrial design, much
work has been done to give the restaurant and bar side of
the building a cosy, vintage-inspired look. ere are dark
woods, plush couches and atmospheric lighting. Its broad
but re ned menu matches with Emerson’s brews, much as
wines have traditionally been matched with food.
A popular option is the six-brew sampler, which comes
with a mix of its popular regulars and seasonal o erings.
e highlight for me is the low-hops, Chinese-inspired
Gaitan Dragon, which has a tingle of spice avour.
Moiety s interior is designed to re ect its menu;
inside, exposed brick walls both contrast but also blend
with the otherwise sleek, minimalist design of colour-
block padded chairs and benches, and Scandinavian-style
touches. at contrast is repeated in its stripped-back
menu, which features just a single ve-course degustation
and a handful of snacks.
Using as much local produce as is practical, Moiety
rotates its dishes regularly, with at least one dish
a week making way for a fresh spin on its
hybrid Japanese cuisine. “We want to
keep it interesting for our customers;
it’s a small, concise menu and we
already have a lot of loyal, regular
customers so it’s all about keeping
it interesting and getting their
feedback,” Gasson says.
Sitting at the bar, which overlooks
the kitchen, I’m served a delicate plate
of salmon that’s been gently grilled,
with a brush of nori paste and a garnish
of thinly sliced radish, laid out to mimic the
scales of the sh. e salmon melts in the mouth,
with the nori paste giving it an umami whack that makes it
scrumptious.
For dessert, the rather opaquely titled “chocolate
peanut butter, milk, mandarin” comes out as a chocolate
and peanut butter bar of semifreddo that’s topped with a
crunchy milk powder and droplets of intense mandarin
gel. It’s fresh, creamy and exquisite. When creating new
dishes, Gasson lets what local produce is seasonal at the
time drive his creativity, saying : “ ere are no limitations
to what we can do.”
BOOMING BREWERIES
Dunedin’s booming brewery scene is full of contrasts, from
small, highly experimental outlets to local cra breweries
EMERSON’Sthat have grown into big businesses.
Moiety’s interior is designed to re ect its menu;
