Paul Thomas is the manager of the Imperial Hotel and Eumundi Brewery.
What is your earliest childhood memory?
Holidays by the lake staying in the “bach” (that’s Kiwi for holiday house) in Lake Hawea near Wanaka on the South Island of New Zealand.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A policeman.
What was your first job?
My first full-time job was as a bank officer with the National Bank of New Zealand (now ANZ).
What is your most treasured possession?
My wife. Enough said!
What’s your favourite book?
Anything by Lee Child. I good a good bit of escapism with the adventures of Jack Reacher.
What do you do to relax?
Walks along the Noosa River or through the Noosa National Park. Pretty hard to beat.
What music or program have you been listening to/watching lately?
I’ve been playing lots of ’70s and ’80s vinyl lately – which can now be heard in the Tasting Bar of The Imperial Hotel. There’s nothing like the sound of vinyl and the grooves of one’s youth.
What is your greatest fear?
I dreamt last week that we ran out of beer. More of a nightmare than a dream.
I certainly hope this doesn’t ever become reality. The popularity of our new Eumundi Brewery Lager and Eumundi Brewery Pale Ale is certainly seeing them selling fast (thankfully our brewers are keeping up with the pace!).
What is your greatest regret?
None really. Life’s pretty peachy.
What is your next challenge?
Launching our Eumundi Brewery Tasting Tours in the weeks ahead. Members of the public will be able to take a 60 minute tour of our 100-year-old hotel and new brewery.
They’ll hear about the history of brewing in Eumundi, discover what makes our craft beers so great, learn about the beer making process and enjoy a ‘tasting log’ (Eumundi is an old timber town after all!) of our new Eumundi Brewery Lager, Eumundi Brewery Pale Ale and other seasonal beers.
What is your favourite dish at the moment?
Steak. To be more precise, the 400g rump steak on our menu. My preference is to have it served medium rare with mushroom sauce, potatoes and vegies. So good!
What is the most important thing in your life?
My health.
