New Zealand’s only dedicated craft beer magazine.
Bringing you news, reviews, features, opinion and travel writing from around the country.
Latest
Renaissance Takes Over Kaiapoi Site From Chinchiller
Friday 5 December 2025Renaissance has taken over the brewery in Kaiapoi that was previously home to Chinchiller and, before that, Eagle Brewing and Five Peaks. It’s the third home for Renaissance, which started…
Read MoreBeer Festivals — Your Guide To What’s On In Early 2026
Tuesday 2 December 2025There are plenty of beer festivals popping up around the country this summer. Here is a run-down on the main festivals coming up in the first part of 2026. Saturday,…
Read MoreThree Boys Sold
Monday 1 December 2025Three Boys, one of New Zealand’s most important craft breweries and a two-time champion brewery, is in new hands after being sold. The brewery, founded by Ralph Bungard and his…
Read MoreBach Brewing Polygamy Pilsner
Monday 1 December 2025Summer heat has now well and truly arrived so it’s time to crack out the Pilsner. Bach Brewing’s Polygamy (maybe one of the weirdest naming decisions ever) Pilsner is a re-brew…
Read MoreHop Federation Saved — Bought by DNA
Friday 28 November 2025Hop Federation has been saved. After the brewery was shuttered by previous owners Kono just a couple of months ago, Hop Federation will live on after Blenheim’s DNA Brewing stepped…
Read MoreThe Dalum CO2 Unit is designed for craft breweries to recover CO2 from fermentation and the purging of tanks.
Want to know more about carbon capture for your brewery?
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Features
Farewell To A Brewing Legend — Paul ‘Coops’ Cooper
Thursday 30 October 2025Before the internet, before Google, YouTube and AI, and before craft beer became a global movement, there was Richard “Paul” Cooper — or as everyone in the brewing world knew…
Read MoreNew Zealand’s Most Awarded Beers
Tuesday 14 October 2025It was Stay Gold that started this … the Brave Brewing XPA that won a trophy in the International Pale Ale class at this year’s New Zealand Beer Awards. I…
Read MoreSlow Walk Through Paradise — Visiting Every Brewery in NZ
Friday 10 October 2025There’s something about beer that’s always been part of my story. From the early days of sneaking sips of Lion Brown at my dad’s feet and walking around the house…
Read MoreKnocking On (Ben) Heaven’s Door
Wednesday 8 October 2025When Heaven’s Brewing burst onto the national stage with a Top 25 at the New World Beer & Cider Awards, it seemed like they’d come from nowhere. But I reckon…
Read More3D Puts Isthmus On The Map
Monday 6 October 2025For the husband-and-wife team behind Isthmus Brewing, winning champion beer at this year’s New World Beer & Cider Awards continues a nice upward trend following some “dark times”. Hamish Ward…
Read MoreRecommended
Bach Brewing Polygamy Pilsner
Monday 1 December 2025Summer heat has now well and truly arrived so it’s time to crack out the Pilsner. Bach Brewing’s Polygamy (maybe one of the weirdest naming decisions ever) Pilsner is a re-brew…
Read MoreWigram Mustang Pale Ale
Wednesday 12 November 2025Christchurch’s Wigram Brewery recently hosted an event to pay tribute to the late Paul Cooper, one of the founding fathers of New Zealand craft brewing. It was a quiet afternoon,…
Read MoreTwo Thumb SMASH IPA Series #1
Wednesday 12 November 2025From Christchurch City’s Two Thumb Brewing Company, S.M.A.S.H (single malt and single hop) is the first release in a new series of IPAs featuring a single malt paired with a…
Read MoreNews
Renaissance Takes Over Kaiapoi Site From Chinchiller
Friday 5 December 2025Renaissance has taken over the brewery in Kaiapoi that was previously home to Chinchiller and, before that, Eagle Brewing and Five Peaks. It’s the third home for Renaissance, which started…
Read MoreThree Boys Sold
Monday 1 December 2025Three Boys, one of New Zealand’s most important craft breweries and a two-time champion brewery, is in new hands after being sold. The brewery, founded by Ralph Bungard and his…
Read MoreHop Federation Saved — Bought by DNA
Friday 28 November 2025Hop Federation has been saved. After the brewery was shuttered by previous owners Kono just a couple of months ago, Hop Federation will live on after Blenheim’s DNA Brewing stepped…
Read MoreFriday Night Beers
Opinion
Festival check: Dunedin Craft Beer and Food Festival
Friday 14 November 2025A Wellington reader made the trip down south last Friday to attend the festival and filed this report. Arrival experience: The festival is held each year at Forsyth Barr Stadium in…
Read MoreNew Zealand’s Most Awarded Beers
Tuesday 14 October 2025It was Stay Gold that started this … the Brave Brewing XPA that won a trophy in the International Pale Ale class at this year’s New Zealand Beer Awards. I…
Read MoreFermented Culture — The Third Place
Thursday 9 October 2025Earlier this year a battle was fought in the leafy hills to the north of Wellington. A liquor license was being sought for what was once Dick Mead Motors and…
Read MoreTravel
Beer Festivals — Your Guide To What’s On In Early 2026
Tuesday 2 December 2025There are plenty of beer festivals popping up around the country this summer. Here is a run-down on the main festivals coming up in the first part of 2026. Saturday,…
Read MoreThe Mighty Moutere Inn Celebrates 175 Years
Thursday 9 October 2025They started off no different to everyone else. Four blokes used to British and European choices find options in New Zealand limited. In 2008 good beer is being brewed but…
Read MoreAles On The Camino Trail
Tuesday 29 July 2025I’ve been a beer guy forever. I love the taste, the industry and the social connection of sharing a beer. In the middle of Covid lockdown in Amsterdam in July…
Read More