NORSEWEAR X SAWMILL BREWERY
Wool socks and cold beer make for a winning combination this winter.
Norsewear, which has been making merino socks, beanies and gloves in New Zealand since 1963, has teamed up with Sawmill Brewery to release a limited-edition cold-fermented IPA.
The new beer is crisp, clean and easy- drinking, brewed using exclusively New Zealand ingredients and crafted in the spirit of Norsewear. It is number 73 in Sawmill's Aotearoa Series, the only beer series in New Zealand made entirely with local ingredients, from New Zealand-grown malted barley and oats to local hops and yeast.
The idea had been brewing for several months before it made it into a can. Tim Deane, Managing Director of Norsewear, and Kirsty McKay, co-founder of Sawmill, settled on the IPA style of beer: widely popular, and made to be enjoyed after a hard day's work.
When it came to the brewing itself, Tim was happy to defer to the experts. As a drinker, he's a Pilsner man first and an IPA second. But for this collaboration, he put his ownpreferences aside. "We had a chat with the brewers about what was coming down their innovation timeline and what would have the widest appeal, and landed on the IPA. I had full trust in the team to create a fantastic beer. We worked together on the label design, which was also a highlight because it's kind of a winter beer," says Tim, who is chuffed that the Norsewear snowflake appears on the can.
"Incorporating the Norsewear snowflake into the design was really fun," says Kirsty. "It's this wonderful mix of heritage and innovation – what’s working now and what's going to work in the future.”
It's not the first time the two brands have joined forces. Norsewear previously made brewer's socks for the Sawmill team and crafted bespoke wool beer koozies – even conducting informal temperature tests proving Norsewear's 100% traceable merino wool keeps a beer just as cold as it keeps feet warm.
This collaboration runs deeper than a good story though. Both brands compete in markets dominated by foreign-owned companies, and for Tim and Kirsty, backing each other is part of a broader belief in what New Zealand businesses can achieve together.
The Sawmill Aotearoa Series #73 Norsewear NZ IPA (6.0% ABV) is available now for a limited time at supermarkets and good beer retailers nationwide – while stocks last.
www.norsewear.co.nz | www.sawmillbrewery.co.nz
CONGRATULATIONS
Sawmill Brewery has won the prestigious Community Award at the 2026 New Zealand Beer Awards – recognising their ongoing dedication to the local rural environment, its people and communities. Judges praised the breadth of Sawmill's impact, from educational partnerships and school support to environmental initiatives and fundraising.