The Hopfather - The Richard Emerson story

This year, New Zealand Pilsner has been introduced into the Beer Judge Certification Programme (BJCP) style guide. It’s a first for a New Zealand beer style, and something that both the beer community and wider should be proud of. The inclusion acknowledges both the uniqueness and the origin of the style created by Richard Emerson of Emerson’s Brewery in 1995 for the New Zealand BioGrains organic grain company to celebrate our access to high quality ingredients, including organic New Zealand malts. Years ahead of its time, it also celebrated the terroir of our unique New Zealand hops.

It seems fitting that this year we also get to be proud of, and celebrate, Richard himself through the publication of his biography, Richard Emerson: The Hopfather. It’s written by our regular Beer Writer of the Year, Michael Donaldson, who spent time with Richard, his family and friends, along with colleagues to bring the book together. Donaldson also gathered photos from far and wide, which add to the story. There are also profiles of Emerson’s beers scattered throughout which as not so appealing, feeling a bit like a marketing exercise.

Others in our food and beverage sector – such as wine makers and others selling their businesses for big-bucks – get awards, accolades, articles and books promoted through the mainstream media. It’s about time we saw a similar mainstream recognition of our brewers and their beers. Richard has been an industry leader and has also sold for big bucks! So, it is right that his biography is on the shelves in our mainstream bookstores and the book should have an appeal wider than that of just the beer community.

As the beer community knows, Richard’s story has more to it that just Emerson’s Brewery and its sale to Lion Nathan for cool millions. It is about how Richard gained and maintained his passion. The book’s prologue provides a succinct summary of this and the power of family, and as the book then tells us, enduring friendships even through challenging times.

Donaldson starts with Ingrid – Richard’s mum’s – pregnancy, and her reflections on whether or not she would have persisted with it given the chance again. She had rubella, the measles, when she found out she was pregnant. And, even in 1963 it was known that this put her and her unborn child at risk. What Ingrid didn’t know were her options. People didn’t talk about abortions in those days so it wasn’t something that was offered to her or that she considered herself.

Opening on the topic of whether Richard ever would have been born, if time and circumstances were different, felt somewhat awkward and uncomfortable, but Donaldson comments that Ingrid was insistent that it was a part of the story that needed to be told. It’s certainly timely given that New Zealand is currently undergoing a measles epidemic that is putting our herd immunity at risk, and therefore risking the lives of a new era of women and their babies. This initial chapter and subject, and that about Richard’s ex-wife Marion, were his most difficult to write. You definitely get the sense that there are things left unresolved in that chapter of Richard’s life.

As Donaldson tells the story, the impact of Ingrid’s rubella resulted in Richard being born profoundly deaf and her being committed – over long hours, days and years, to his learning and development, and integration into mainstream schooling and society. A key takeaway from The Hopfather is the generous spirit of Richard’s family. Ingrid taught him painstakingly how to lip read and seems quite remarkable in both her dedication and for the fact that she explored approaches outside what might have been seen as mainstream for the times.

Richard’s father also leaves the impression as being on the edges of mainstream. He leaves an impression of being somewhat scary in the book, but Donaldson assures us that his passion and discipline were founded in his love and commitment to his family. He also tells us of Richard’s sister’s commitment to him – playing the role of conduit to friends (and sometimes girlfriends). There is a warmth in their relationship that comes through in The Hopfather – both written and in the lovely photograph on page 154.

Richard’s deafness is widely known in the beer community but until the book, I am not sure if any of us truly understood the impact on him; his early life and his engagement in our community. Donaldson, and Richard himself, build a picture of some of the frustrations. It is interesting to learn that Richard had an angry streak when frustrated by his lack of hearing as a child. Upon reflection, it’s not all that surprising just as it is not surprising to learn more about his daredevil ways. You can still see that in him these days.

Hearing from Richard directly is the most pleasing aspect of the way Donaldson has chosen to write The Hopfather. And, for those of us that know him, his voice rings true throughout the book. You can hear him in the “faaaark” as he tells us a tale. That said, it does take a little time to get into the groove of the changing font and voices as the book moves between Donaldson as author and Richard as subject. And, the huge, bolded quotes as a third typeface would have been better left out. They are a little visually assaulting on the eye. These, along with the need for a bit of editing to refine the odd spot of repetition, were this reader’s two (minor) criticisms.

The story of Richard’s childhood, and the years leading up to the establishment of Emerson’s Brewery, along with its early development and growth are Donaldson’s real contribution to the beer community’s understanding of Richard. He rightly doesn’t dwell too much on the sale to Lion but it is interesting to read of Richard’s views on the matter and Donaldson’s own might be the subject of some debate. This reader certainly didn’t agree with all that was authored about craft and brewery sales but a little tetchiness is probably helpful to inspiring conversation post reading the book on a lazy holiday afternoon - over an (Emerson’s) beer or two.