Wedged in between a block of apartments under construction on Mt Eden Road and the emerging Maungawhau station down the hill, 2 Shaddock Street really does fit that overused descriptor “tucked away”. But duck into the tuck you should, because The Fridge & Flagon, which sits just at the end of the walkway leading down from Mt Eden Road, is a purveyor of a new kind of pub culture – it’s a small but mighty community hub that encompasses both “in real life” and online spaces.

It is run by dynamo Luke White, who has had a strong interest in beer since before he could legally drink the stuff. “I grew up in Shropshire, UK, which had a distinct beer culture – the real ale scene was already a thing when I was underage and sneaking out drinking and meeting these old guys with their porters and barley wines.” A uni job in a pub stoked the fire and when Luke emigrated to Aotearoa 13 years ago, he was captured by the fledgling craft beer scene and wanted part of it.

Aiming to create a beery version of a book club, Luke founded Beer Jerk eight years ago, a subscription model where customers receive deliveries of interesting beers with accompanying back stories from independent brewers. That trucked along nicely as a web shop, but not one to rest, Luke reckoned the warehouse space that was being used to distribute Beer Jerk orders may as well also be somewhere folks could call in to learn about, try and buy beer in a relaxed, social setting. So store/bar hybrid The Fridge & Flagon was born four or so years ago, its lofty industrial surroundings kitted out for next to nothing thanks to op shops, TradeMe and Marketplace. “My main driver was to create an authentic space here,” Luke explains. “Being authentic is always my main aim. I really dislike ‘fake’ anything, so it has to be without pretension.”

At The Fridge & Flagon, punters can order from a small selection of ever-changing beers on tap, or choose from the hundreds of beers standing to attention across half a dozen chillers, which can be enjoyed on-site for a small surcharge or taken away. You can also get your hands on releases from Luke’s own brewing project, Small Gods Brewing Co. Launched in 2020, Small Gods is nearing its 40th release and is dedicated to experimental, collaborative brewing and “keeping history alive” via the art of brewing. The eye-catching can art is also Luke’s handiwork.

“With beer, there’s always an excuse for a get-together,” says Luke. “Seasonality, new releases, highlighting ingredients.” Whatever the reason, Luke just loves connecting people, and the regular events he hosts are full of merriment, with a food truck, or sometimes a clever chef cooking over charcoal, and music. One event Luke fondly remembers was spurred by a chance meeting with renowned drag queen Elektra Shock at a K’Rd nightclub. “Elektra said to me, ‘Queens don’t drink beer – look at this face, I need a straw!’ Taking that as a challenge, Luke brewed a hefeweizen (a wheat beer) that boasted natural banana flavours and designed paper straws printed with bananas to drink it through. The launch party for Forbidden Fruit was a total hoot that went into the wee hours, complete with a runway show featuring Elektra in her own designs.

It’s not all party-party – one of The Fridge & Flagon’s most popular events is the weekly Run Club. Every Monday, a diverse group of folks meet at 5.30pm, run 5km, then balance their exertions with a beer. “I pretty much started the club because I wanted to get fit and I wanted company,” admits Luke. “I like that running is free, you don’t need any equipment, and it’s great for both physical and mental health.” The turnout reaches around 30, with all abilities welcome, and there are newcomers every week. Many friendships have been forged through the club and at least one romance, with a couple who met through running and drinking beer now married and shacked up in Uptown. So Luke can also add matchmaker to his long list of talents.