YOU’D BE HARD pressed to find someone who enjoys a pint more than Grant Caunter. With a 25-year career in the belly of big beer (most recently as their Amsterdam-based global head of craft at Heineken), he has devoted much of his adult existence to talking, drinking and making beer. But an epiphany during lockdown created a sea change. Now this former big-night-outer has given up the booze and launched State of Play Beer, New Zealand’s first entirely zero-alcohol (contains less than 0.5% abv) craft-beer brand. “I love everything to do with beer – the people, the industry, the socialising and going to bars,” says Caunter. “For the first three years in Amsterdam I was living the dream, travelling the globe talking and drinking beer with the world’s leading craft brewers. Then Covid struck and suddenly I was stuck in my apartment spending 10 hours a day on Zoom, and happy hour was getting earlier every day. “I asked myself ‘what’s my state of play?’ I weighed 145kg and was living in a fog – something had to change. In July 2020 I gave up drinking. It was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

People have decided to take more control of their lives, and things like alcohol are at the heart of that.

After experiencing the health benefits of zero alcohol first-hand, he realised he was on to something. “Covid has been a circuit breaker. It’s given people time to assess their state of play. People have decided to take more control of their lives, and things like alcohol are at the heart of that. I think there are lots of people who’d be happy to change the way they drink.” Returning to New Zealand last year, he decided to champion that change. “I had a strong sense of wanting to give back. I became a New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Beachhead advisor, and started State of Play consultancy, helping Kiwi businesses re-engage in a post-Covid world. I also had this gnawing need – if there was anyone who was going to be able to add flavour to the New Zealand zero craft beer scene, I knew it should be me.” So he teamed up with Napier brewers BStudio, and launched State of Play beer. Since unveiling its flagship IPA in April, business has boomed. By July it was stocked in 100 supermarkets and liquor stores, plus numerous bars, restaurants and online. “It was a big leap of faith, but it’s grown faster than I anticipated. Repeat sales are TRETHEWEYwhat make me smile most.” Winning bronze at the recent Brewers Guild of New Zealand Beer Awards (which for 2022 saw the addition of a No & Reduced Alcohol trophy) was further validation. Why is it proving such a hit? “Timing is part of it. Zero-alcohol beer is a big trend overseas and it’s finally hitting New Zealand. Innovation and technology are also key. There’s no hiding when it comes to a naturally brewed zero beer – it takes many trials to perfect the recipe and repeatable brewing process,” he says. “You need a cutting-edge brewing team with a state-of-the-art brewery. We use the same method you would to batch brew any other full-flavoured craft beer, with new hop additions and a recently developed yeast that produces all the flavour with only 0.3% alcohol. That’s different from mainstream zero beers, which are created through an alcohol removal process.” State of Play’s success hasn’t prompted Caunter to go global yet. “I want to focus on New Zealand and win at home. Next year we’ll expand to Aussie and beyond, but for now it’s about getting the beer on as many lips as possible here, so people can taste how good it is. I want everyone to have choice, and with that choice will come change.”