Visit a Boutique Brewery!

New Zealand has always been renowned for its quality wines - most recently we’ve seen Kiwi bottles take centre-stage on royal
banquet tables. But boutique Kiwi brews are also growing in popularity, seeing hundreds of handcrafted ales being produced by a
booming number of micro-breweries across the country.

A micro-brewery, or brew-pub, brews, bottles and serves their own craft beers on site. What may have begun as some backyard Kiwi ingenuity has now become an innovative industry creating sophisticated and refined beers aimed at discerning drinkers – a far cry from homemade moonshine. Many micro-breweries are now holding their own alongside more well-known brands on store shelves, satisfying experimental consumers who are thirsting for something a little different.

Several of these boutique breweries open their distillery doors for guided tours which take you through the growing, fermenting, conditioning and refining processes - with a chance to taste their craft along the way.

Mike’s Brewery in Taranaki produces certified organic beers and on a tour here you’ll discover how chemical-free beer can be produced using all natural products – and still taste good! Try for yourself in Mike’s beer garden with some perfect food matches.

Marlborough is perhaps best-known as a wine-making region, but amongst the vines you’ll find iconic Moa Brewery. Moa Beer is crafted using traditional methods combined with wine-making techniques such as barreling and bottle fermentation. They use locally produced crops and a natural artesian water spring which flows directly beneath the brewery to produce several different ales, stouts and ciders.

Waiheke Island is already a popular day-trip for wine-tasting visitors, but try something different with a visit to Waiheke Brewery to taste some local brews produced on site at Wild on Waiheke – a unique multi-activity venue set amongst the vines. Another 30 minutes north of Auckland is Leigh Sawmill which produces its own premium naturally handcrafted beers and regularly plays host to a variety of musicians and concerts.

A brewery tour is the perfect way to sample locally-produced beer in scenic parts of the country with good food and great old-fashioned Kiwi hospitality.

Top banner photo credit: Hawke's Bay Tourism

Disclaimer: AA do not endorse drink driving. Always drive sober.

Mouth watering? Then enter yourself into the draw to win one of two large gourmet gift box prizes this month!