HOPS AND DREAMS

HOPPY IN HER WORK: Sunshine Brewery assistant brewer Arna Wilson has gone from skiing the slopes of Japan to brewing beer and surfing on the East Coast. Picture by Liam Clayton

Soul surfer Arna Wilson is fermenting her way to becoming one of the country's top brewers, thanks to a Covid-19-affected career path.

The 25-year-old assistant brewer at Sunshine Brewing last month completed her certificate in brewing with distinction from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling.

In the before times, Arna was flying down ski slopes in Japan only for her adventures to be cut short by the pandemic.

Returning to New Zealand, Arna enrolled in a brewing course in the South Island but had some time to kill.

“I came to Gisborne on a whim. I had three months before I started a brewing course in Otago, so me and a couple od friends came up here to work outside picking kiwifruit.

“I did three or four weeks of that and came to Sunshine Brewing for a beer one day and thought, ‘damn, I should work here instead'.”

Fate intervened and a job popped up in the taproom.

Arna was hired. She started off pouring pints before being offered a trainee job in the brewery itself, which meant giving up the brewing course in Otago and staying in Tairawhiti.

Coming from Nelson and having a surfer's soul, Gisborne was an easy transition for her.

“I kinda fell in love with Gisborne. There's surf and lovely people. It's real welcoming. It's just lovely.”

Arna caught the brewing bug managing the taproom in one of New Zealand's premier breweries.

“I got my first job at a brewery at Garage Project in Wellys (Wellington), and that just kicked it off. I had such a great job with real cool people.

“I'd always been keen on learning more but never thought that I could be a brewer. But the longer I worked and managed craft beer bars, the more I thought brewing would be sweet.”

Arna's favourite part of the job is the end product although 90 percent of the brewing business is cleaning.

“At the moment I'm learning. Lots of learning — following Jesse (Foley, head brewer) around, asking him heaps of annoying questions. He's patient and willing to share. He's really keen to help me get to where I want to be.”

Jesse says for Arna, brewing is a career, not a job.

“Having a green trainee is difficult for any manager but she has taken really well to guidance. She is a quick learner and we're really lucky to have her. She knows she's been given an opportunity and she wants to utilise that.

“Her work ethic is over the top. I have full confidence she will be one of New Zealand's top brewers.”

Being a female in a male-dominated industry has so far been smooth sailing for Arna.

“It's been fine in my experience. It's an awesome time to be a female brewer. There's lots of support.

“People recognise it is a male-dominated industry and want to change that, especially the guys here.”

When she tells people she is a brewer the response is always positive.

“All the guys are supportive but it would be cool to see another chick in the brewery.”

Down the track, Arna has visions of a place of her own.

“I'd love to have a little brew pub and music venue. That would be the dream.”