Exploring New Zealand beer, one bottle at a time

When people think of the land of the Long White Cloud — New Zealand — usually the first things that come to mind are wide open spaces, stunning vistas, and Lord of the Rings. Occasionally people will mention the wonderful wines and fruit grown in the interior of the South Island, but never have I heard mention of the country’s beer scene. Well it turns out that not only does New Zealand grow some of the best and most varied hops, but they turn it into some really great beer.

Over the past 5 or so years, I have become increasingly intrigued and consumed by the craft beer movement in the United States. I have brewed my own beer and visited every new brewery to pop up around my most recent hometown of Washington, DC. And in planning my travels abroad, I decided that I would try to find the best craft beer on offer in each country I visited.

With my first stop in New Zealand, I realized I had never heard of a single beer from the country and knew nothing of their market dynamics.

Upon arriving in Christchurch and finding the first grocery store I came across, I realized that the beer scene has strong parallels to the United States. There are several big names that most people seem to drink, while countless small breweries vie from limited attention and remaining shelf space.

I wanted to take some time and chronicle which beers I found to be the best examples of their styles and also to note which should be skipped.

What’s Hot

Founders Brewery & Cafe

Nelson. http://foundersbrewery.co.nz
Established in 1854, Founders is the oldest continuously operated brewery in the country. They are based in an airy, cozy shop in the Founders Heritage Park, a living museum just a short walk outside of the main center of Nelson. Most of the country’s hops are grown in the small valley that Founders calls home. Located just north of the iconic Marlborough wine country, the hop fields stretch for as far as the eye can see. This close proximity allows Founders and other area brewers to have exacting control over the creation and care of the hop plants in their beers. Of their lineup, my favorite was their “2009” IPA, which I would rate 3.5 out of 5 stars. They are open seven days a week, 10am – 430pm.

Townshend

Nelson. http://townshendbrewery.co.nz
I had my first Townshend beer at the quirky Free House in downtown Nelson. The bar is in an old renovated church with a giant yurt outside where movies and other performances occur on a weekly basis. I tried their Last of The Summer Ale, a silky smooth and slightly sweet English-style extra special bitter. It was the first beer I tried that showed me the talent for great brewing in this little country. 4 out of 5 stars. Townshend beers can be found across the country, but if you can make it to Nelson, visit the Free House, Monday through Friday 4pm – late and weekends midday – late.

Garage Project

Wellington. http://garageproject.co.nz
After my first taste of good beer in the northern end of the Southern Island, I made my way across the narrow sea between the two islands to Wellington, the nation’s capitol. Many people I had spoken with raved about how much they liked Wellington, including its food and beer. I had seen a can of Garage Project beer while in Queenstown so I made a point to check them out. On my first night in town I walked a rain-soaked mile up into the Aro Valley neighborhood to check out the brewery. Upon arriving, I was greeted by a quaint, modern tasting room, designed to draw visitors to stop and stay awhile. The brewery has 8 tap lines and will bottle any for takeaway. After trying their full line-up, I was very impressed with their wide array of beers from styles all over the chart. My favorite was Venusian Pale Ale, 4.5 out of 5 stars, an intriguing ale brewed with coriander, kaffir lime, lemongrass, and grapefruit. Visit them 7 days a week. Monday 12pm – 6pm, Tuesday through Thursday 12pm – 8pm, Friday and Saturday 10am – 9pm, and Sunday 10am – 7pm.

Parrotdog

Wellington. http://parrotdog.co.nz
The crew at Garage Project recommended that I check out Parrotdog, another brewery in Wellington. The production brewery expanded with a tiny tasting room earlier this year as a way to reach customers directly. When I first showed up the 4 staffers were actively engaged in bottling a new run of beer with no one manning the small bar. After flagging down someone, I was treated to samples of their full lineup of 8 current beers. My favorite was Pitbull, a higher ABV than most American-style Pale Ale, Pitbull. 4 out of 5 stars. Visit them Monday through Thursday 10am – 6pm, Friday 10am – 8pm, and Saturday 12pm – 6pm.

Brothers Beer

Auckland. http://brothersbeer.co.nz
I happened upon these guys while searching for a cheap meal upon arriving in Auckland. I was at a visitor info center and saw their flyer and decided to check them out. Brothers Beer is set up like a low key beer bar that also happens to serve their own beer. There are couches, comfy lazyboy chairs and plenty of outdoor seating to hang out after a long workday. With that being said, I didn’t expect their beer to blow me away since it didn’t seem to be a high priority for them. Boy was I wrong. On a 6 beer tasting flight, I loved four of them, and three I rate 4 out of 5 stars.. My favorite was their Contraband IPA, a collaboration with Speakeasy Ales of San Francisco. Stop by Monday through Saturday midday – 10pm and Sundays midday – 8pm.

What’s Not

Tui

Nelson. http://www.tui.co.nz
This beer is named after a bird that is known to be able to mimic human speech and is considered quite intelligent. This general pale ale however is not the smartest choice if you are seeking out a great Kiwi beer. The owners brand this an IPA, but the New Zealand Consumers’ Institute disagrees saying it is actually an amber lager, very similar to the American beer Yuengling. Don’t buy this beer if you are curious about the Southern Hemisphere’s take on a classic American IPA. You will be sorry.
2.5 out of 5 stars.

Wild Buck

Papakura. https://www.brb.co.nz
The first time I tried this beer, it reminded me of malt liquor I’d had in college and I have no fond memories of the stuff. Coming in at the low end price range of most of the beers in this article, I understand why it is so ubiquitous – especially among backpackers. But I would much rather spend an extra dollar per bottle for something that has a bit more character.
1.5 out of 5 stars.

Steinlager

Auckland. http://www.steinlager.com/
Another cheap and readily available beer that I found bland and boring. Somehow this beer has won international accolades and is the country’s most exported beer. Maybe it’s that people see a name like Steinlager and mistake it for a Europe beer. Surprisingly enough, the company changed the original name as it too closely resembled Heineken.
2 out of 5 stars.

After trying over 40 beers in the tiny country, I would say that the beers on the What’s Not list were not at all representative of the breadth and wealth of great beers. Here’s hoping that more breweries, like the ones above in What’s Hot, gain a better share of the spotlight on New Zealand that they so rightly deserve.