Winners in 2025 NZ Beer Awards revealed
New Zealand’s best beers and breweries have been announced at the New Zealand Beer Awards 2025, with 625 beers from 70 brewers in the running.
The national awards are run by the Brewers Guild of New Zealand and judging took place in Christchurch over three days in late July, with winners announced at a gala event in Christchurch on Saturday 2 August.
The top award of Champion New Zealand Brewing Company went to Hastings’ Brave Brewing Co, which also won the trophy for Champion New Zealand Small Brewery as well as three beer category trophies for International Pale Ale, India Pale Ale and Speciality & Experimental.
Wellington brewery Garage Project was named Champion New Zealand Large Brewery and won the Champion New Zealand Beer Trophy for Garage Project Chance, Luck and Magic 2021 - a sold-out blend of three years of spontaneously fermented beer. Garage Project also won two beer category trophies for British & European Ale, and Wood & Barrel Aged.
Queenstown’s Altitude Brewing won Champion New Zealand Medium Brewery and two beer category trophies for New Zealand Lager & New Zealand Pilsner, and the Juicy/Hazy IPA Trophy. Champion New Zealand Micro Brewery went to Karamu Barrelworks.
Matakana independent brewery Sawmill won the Brewing Sustainability Award for the sixth consecutive year —an unbroken run since the award’s inception in 2019. Sawmill also took home the Packaging Award and the Wheat and Other Grain Trophy.
New Zealand Beer Awards Head Judge Tina Panoutsos – who judges at global competitions including the World Beer Cup and the Australian and International Beer Awards – congratulated Kiwi brewers on the quality of their beers. “The New Zealand craft beer industry continues to show strong creative energy and a deep commitment to quality, even as it navigates an increasingly competitive and cost-conscious environment.
“Low and no-alcohol beers have improved remarkably in flavour and technical execution. While they once felt like an afterthought or compromise, many now offer a full sensory experience with clean fermentation, quality hop products, and a focus on drinkability.”
Tina Panoutsos noted that this year’s judges had been excited by seeing brewers push boundaries with ingredients and styles, including Italian Grape Ales – a relatively new style that has made an appearance recently. “We’ve seen different ingredients used creatively and represented across a range of styles from Fruit & Flavoured, European Ales and Experimental classes. Beyond that, there’s a trend toward using a range of fruits like the native horopito and stone fruits to influence texture and complexity.”
2025 NZ BEER AWARDS - CHAMPION AWARD WINNERS
Karamu Barrelworks, Champion New Zealand Micro Brewery
Brave Brewing Co., Champion New Zealand Small Brewery
Altitude Brewing, Champion New Zealand Medium Brewery
Garage Project, Champion New Zealand Large Brewery
Brave Brewing Co., Champion New Zealand Brewing Company
bStudio, Champion New Zealand Manufacturer
Garage Project, Chance, Luck and Magic 2021, Champion New Zealand Beer
2025 NZ BEER AWARDS - TROPHY WINNERS
Brew Moon Brewing Company, International Lager – Czech Please
Bach Brewing Co., NZ IPA, NZ Pale Ale & NZ Draught – BEDFORD NZ IPA
Altitude Brewing, NZ Lager & NZ Pilsner – Powder Day
Garage Project, British & European Ale – Chance, Luck and Magic 2021
The Emerson Brewing Company, Amber/Dark Lager & Ale – DCBC
Brave Brewing Co., International Pale Ale – Stay Gold
Shining Peak Brewing, No, Low & Reduced Alcohol – Little Fake
Brave Brewing Co., India Pale Ale – Tigermilk
Canyon Brewery, Juicy/Hazy Pale Ale – Vacation Hazy Pale Ale
Altitude Brewing, Juicy/Hazy IPA – Remarks
Beer Baroness, Stout & Porter – Madame Brown
Sawmill Brewery, Wheat & Other Grain – Hefeweizen
8 Wired Brewing, Fruit & Flavoured – Sticky
Brave Brewing Co., Specialty & Experimental – True Blue
Garage Project, Wood & Barrel Aged – Engeltjes Pis
2025 NZ BEER AWARDS - INDUSTRY AWARD WINNERS
Sawmill Brewery, Brewing Sustainability Award
Craft Beer Capital, Beer Tourism Award
Sawmill Brewery, Packaging Award
W: For the full catalogue of results visit brewersguild.org.nz/nzba
