Beervana

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Beervana is an annual beer festival held in Wellington, New Zealand which has on average 14,000 to 16,000[1] festival attendees over two days, with a maximum of to 4,000 attendees per session.

Festival goers can expect to try between 350-450[2] different craft beers as well as some ciders, hard seltzers, alcoholic ginger beers, and beer cocktails. There is a growing range of low and no alcohol beer options at the festival.

The majority of breweries come from New Zealand, and in the past has had visiting breweries from Australia and around  the world including the US, the UK and Japan. Typically the festival is held over four sessions across two days (Friday and Saturday) in August.

The entire festival is held within the Wellington Regional Stadium concourse, a large, oval corridor inside the stadium.

History

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Beervana began as the New Zealand Beer, Wine and Spirits Council's NZ Beer Expo in 2001 which featured events across Wellington celebrating the growing NZ Beer Industry. It was usually held just after the NZ Brewers Guild Awards, as a way for brewers to make use of the leftover beer they submitted for judging.

The BrewNZ Beer Expo then turned briefly into The Great New Zealand Beer Show, which in turn evolved into Taste BrewNZ, which was held at the Wellington Town Hall. The Brewers Guild of New Zealand then created "Beervana" in 2008.

The festival was sold to then Guild president, David Cryer, who in 2011 moved it out of the town hall and into the Wellington Regional Stadium. The Wellington Culinary Events Trust[3] brought Beervana in 2015 and has run the festival ever since.

Over the years there have been collaboration brews between international and locally based breweries.

Beervana today

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Festival goers can taste beer from brewers from around New Zealand, and there are usually brewers from overseas represented. In 2022 and 2023 Australian breweries from The Sunshine Coast[4] have exhibited.  There is always a Pink Boots stand which showcases females in brewing, and the New Kids On the Block stand which features new breweries which have opened up within the previous year.  The New Kids of the Block stand at Beervana has launched several breweries that are now well-known beer brands in New Zealand, including Panhead and Shining Peak. There is a growing range of low and no alcohol beer options at the festival.

The food at Beervana features food trucks and restaurants from Wellington, and around New Zealand.  Past food vendors include Boulcott Street Bistro, House of Dumplings, Soul Shack, Rosie’s Red Hot Cantina, Mahurangi Oysters, McClure’s Pickles, More Better BBQ, and Viva Mexico.

Festival goers can ‘praise’ the beers they try, recommending them to other attendees. These ratings are displayed in real time on screens throughout the stadium as the Beervana Leaderboard.  The top rated beer of each session is announced before the close of the session with the top rated beer of the festival announced after the weekend.

Other highlights include roving street and theatrical acts, live music performances, and DJs.

Breweries who have participated at Beervana since 2014 include:

BREWERY TOWN/COUNTRY
1up Brewing BLENHEIM
8 Wired Brewing Ltd MATAKANA
Abandonded Brewing Co. WELLINGTON
Abbey Brewery HASTINGS
Ad Lib Brewing Co CHRISTCHURCH
Adnams Southwold UNITED KINGDOM
Alchemy Street TAURANGA
Altitude Brewing QUEENSTOWN
Arrow Brewing Company ARROWTOWN
Aspall Cyder UNITED KINGDOM
B.effect Brewing Co WANAKA
B.O.P Brewery BAY OF PLENTY
Bach Brewing Limited AUCKLAND
Badass Beverages AUCKLAND
Ballast Point Brewery USA
Baltika Breweries RUSSIA
Basecamp Brewery USA
Bassline Brewing WELLINGTON
Baylands Brewery WELLINGTON
Beer Baroness CHRISTCHURCH
BEERS by Bacon Bros CHRISTCHURCH
Behemoth Brewing Company Limited AUCKLAND
Beltane DUNEDIN
Ben Middlemiss Brewing AUCKLAND
Bennetts Beer WELLINGTON
Birkenhead Brewing AUCKLAND
Black Dog Brewing WELLINGTON
Black Flag Brewing AUSTRALIA
Boatrocker Brewery MELBOURNE
Boneface Brewery Company Ltd WELLINGTON
Boogie Van Brewing AUCKLAND
Boundary Road Brewery PAPAKURA
Brauhaus Frings WHANGAREI
Brave Brewing HASTINGS
Brew Moon Brewing Co. AMBERLY
Brewaucracy HAMILTON
Brewcult MELBOURNE
Brewdog SCOTLAND
Bridge Road Brewers AUSTRALIA
Bridgeport Brewing Co. USA
Brooklyn Brewery USA
Brothers Beer AUCKLAND
Brouhaha Brewing AUSTRALIA
Brown's Bay AUCKLAND
Burleigh Brewing Co. AUSTRALIA
Buzz Club AUCKLAND
Capitol Cider BLENHEIM
Cargo Brewery QUEENSTOWN
Cassels & Sons Brewery CHRISTCHURCH
Cavalier Brewing AUSTRALIA
ChinChiller Brewing Co. CHRISTCHURCH
Choice Bros. WELLINGTON
Clear Head Drinks WELLINGTON
Commons Brewery USA
Concept Brewing Ltd CHRISTCHURCH
Coopers Brewery AUSTRALIA
Cowabunga AUCKLAND
Craftwork OAMARU
Crimson Badger QUEENSTOWN
Croucher Brewing ROTORUA
Crux Fermentation Project USA
Dales Brewing NELSON
Dead Good Beer NELSON
Deep Creek Brewing Co AUCKLAND
Derelict Brewing CHRISTCHURCH
Doctor's Orders Brewing AUSTRALIA
Double Vision Brewing Company WELLINGTON
Dr Hops CROMWELL
Duncan's Brewing Co. WELLINGTON
Eagle Brewing / Golden Eagle Brewing / Vs. Dog KAIAPOI
Ecliptic Brewing USA
Eddyline Brewing NELSON
Edgebrook Cider HASTINGS
Emerson Brewery DUNEDIN
Emporium Brewing KAIKOURA
Epic Brewing Company AUCKLAND
Far Yeast JAPAN
Feral Brewing AUSTRALIA
Fiasco Brewing Company AUSTRALIA
Fierce Beer SCOTLAND
Fork & Brewer - Fork Brewing Corp WELLINGTON
Fortune Favours WELLINGTON
Founders Brewery NELSON
Funk Estate MT MAUNGANUI
Galbraith's Alehouse AUCKLAND
Garage Project WELLINGTON
Gigantic Brewing Co. USA
Golden Bear Brewing Company NELSON
Golden Ticket Brewing CHRISTCHURCH
Good George Brewing HAMILTON
Goodbuzz Brewing Co TAURANGA
GP Crushed WELLINGTON
Green Man Brewery DUNEDIN
Greene King UNITED KINGDOM
Ground Up Brewing WANAKA
Halcyon Wine HAWKES BAY
Hallertau Brewery AUCKLAND
Harrington's Breweries CHRISTCHURCH
Hawkes Bay Ind. Brew Company NAPIER
Heart of Darkness AUCKLAND
Heretic USA
Heyday Beer Co. WELLINGTON
Highball Cocktail WELLINGTON
Holgate Brewhouse AUSTRALIA
Honesty Box Cider AUCKLAND
Hop Baron CHRISTCHURCH
Hop Federation Brewery NELSON
Hopmonger Brewing Co. CHRISTCHURCH
Hopworks Urban Brewery USA
Horsebox Brewing NELSON
Hot Water Brewing Co WHITANGA
Independence Collective / Change Maker KAPITI
Invercargill Brewery Ltd INVERCARGILL
Issacs Cider (Mac's) AUCKLAND
Iwate Kura Brewery JAPAN
James Squire AUSTRALIA
Juicehead Brewing Co. WELLINGTON
Kaiju! Beer AUSTRALIA
Kaimai Brewing Company MOUNT MAUNGANUI
Kaiser Brothers Brewery (Giesen Wines) CHRISTCHURCH
Kereru Brewing Company Ltd WELLINGTON
Kiwi Breweries
KJD Brewing co. CHRISTCHURCH
Lagunitas (Lion) USA
Lakeman Brewing Co. TAUPO
Lattitude 33 USA
Laughing Bones Brewing Company Ltd AUCKLAND
Liberty Brewing AUCKLAND
Lighthouse Brewery NELSON
Little Creatures AUSTRALIA
Little Empire Brewery AUCKLAND
Lobethal Bierhaus (Wheaty Brewing) AUSTRALIA
Lone Bee Mead AUCKLAND
Lord Almighty WELLINGTON
Mac's AUCKLAND
Maidan Brewing Co. WELLINGTON
Manaia Craft Brewers AUCKLAND
Martinborough Brewery MARTINBOROUGH
Mash Brewing / The Mash Collective AUSTRALIA
Massey University PALMERSTON NORTH
Mata Brewing (Aotearoa Breweries) COASTLANDS
Matilda Bay Brewing Company AUSTRALIA
Matsons CHRISTCHURCH
McCashin's Brewery- Stoke NELSON
McDuffs Brewery DUNEDIN
McLeod's Brewery WAIPU
Mean Doses WELLINGTON
Meenans Wines & Spirits DUNEDIN
Mentality NZ AUCKLAND
Mikes / White Cliffs Organic Brewery NEW PLYMOUTH
Misfit Brewing Co. AUCKLAND
Moa Brewing Company BELHEIM
Moa Brewing Company BLENHEIM
Modern Times USA
Moffat Beach Brewing AUSTRALIA
Monkey Wizard Brewery TASMAN
Monsoon Brewing Company Ltd WOOLSTON
Monteith's Brewing Company Ltd AUCKLAND
Moo Brew AUSTRALIA
MorningCider AUCKLAND
Mornington Peninsula Brewery AUSTRALIA
Mount Brewing Co MT MAUNGANUI
Mountain Culture AUSTRALIA
Mountain Goat Brewery MELBOURNE
Murrays Brewing Co. AUSTRALIA
Nail Brewery AUSTRALIA
Nasu Kohgen JAPAN
Native Sparkling WELLINGTON
Naturale GEORGIA
Nelson Bays Brewing Co. NELSON
New New New DUNEDIN
Ninebarnyardowls WAIRARAPA
Ninkasi Brewing Co. USA
Nomad Brewing Company AUSTRALIA
Northend Brewing WAIKANAE
Old Mout Cider NELSON
One Drop Brewing AUSTRALIA
Otago Brew School CROMWELL
Pacific Coast Beverages MANGAWHAI
Panhead Custom Ales WELLINGTON
Parrot Dog Brewing WELLINGTON
Paytners Cider HAWKES BAY
Peak Brewery MASTERTON
Peckhams Cider NELSON
Pink Boots NEW ZEALAND
Pink Elephant BLENHEIM
Pirate Life AUSTRALIA
Puhoi Beer PUHOI
Queenstown Brewers QUEENSTOWN
Range Brewing AUSTRALIA
Ranger Beers PORIRUA
Regent 58 MASTERTON
Relativity Brewing WAIHEKE ISLAND
Renaissance Brewing Ltd BLENHEIM
Resolute Brewing CHRISTCHURCH
Rhyme And Reason Brewery WANAKA
Robinson's UNITED KINGDOM
Rocky Knob Brewing Company MT MAUNGANUI
Roosters Brewery HAWKE'S BAY
Saismic Cider CHRISTCHURCH
Sale Street Brewery AUCKLAND
Samuel Adams USA
Sawmill / Leigh Sawmill MATAKANA
Schipper's Craft Beer AUCKLAND
Scotts Brewing Co OAMARU
Searchlight QUEENSTOWN
Shepherd Neame UNITED KINGDOM
Shining Peak NEW PLYMOUTH
Shortjaw WESTPORT
Shunters Yard Brewing Limited HAMILTON
SLAB TAURANGA
Smog City USA
Somertons' Sparkling Mead MARLBOROUGH
Southpaw Brewing Company CHRISTCHURCH
Sprig & Fern NELSON
State of Play AUCKLAND
Steam Brewing Company AUCKLAND
Steel Press Cider WELLINGTON
Stoke Brewing NELSON
Stone & Wood Brewing Co AUSTRALIA
Stone Beer USA
Sunshine Brewery GISBOURNE
Sup Brewery MASTERTON
Tasman Brewing Company NELSON
TDM 1874 JAPAN
Te Aro Brewing Company WELLINGTON
Test Lab Brewing NELSON
The Brewery Britomart AUCKLAND
The Coromandel Brewing Company COROMANDEL
The Dux Brewing Co. / Dux De Lux CHRISTCHURCH
The Fermentist CHRISTCHURCH
The Leigh Brewing Company Ltd LEIGH
The Little Brewing Company UNITED KINGDOM
The Monk Brewery and Kitchen! AUSTRALIA
The Mussel Inn ONEKAKA
The Occasional Brewer WELLINGTON
The Twisted Hop CHRISTCHURCH
The West Coast Brewery WESTPORT
Theakston's UNITED KINGDOM
Thief Brewing CHRISTCHURCH
Thornbridge Brewing Co. UNITED KINGDOM
Three Boys Brewery CHRISTCHURCH
Three Sisters NEW PLYMOUTH
Tiamana WELLINGTON
Timothy Taylor UNITED KINGDOM
Tinker Tailor WELLINGTON
Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. WALES
Totara Brewing Company NELSON
Townshend Brewery MOTUEKA
Tuatara Brewing WELLINGTON
Turita Microbrewery
Tutu Cider NELSON
Two Birds Brewing AUSTRALIA
Two Fingers Beers ROTORUA
Two Thumb Brewing Company CHRISTCHURCH
Urbanaut AUCKLAND
Valkyrie Brewing CHRISTCHURCH
Valley Brewing Co GERALDINE
Velvet Worm Brewery DUNEDIN
Victoria Store Brewery CLYDE
Virginia Beer Co USA
Volstead Brewing Co. CHRISTCHURCH
Waiheke Island Brewery WAIHEKE
Waitoa Social Club WELLINGTON
Wanaka Beer Works WANAKA
Weezledog AUCKLAND
West Coast Brewing WEST COAST
Whistling Sisters WELLINGTON
White Rabbit AUSTRALIA
Widmer Brothers USA
Wigram Brewing Company CHRISTCHURCH
Wild and Woolly Brewing WELLINGTON
Wilderness Brewing Co. CHRISTCHURCH
Wychwood UNITED KINGDOM
Yeastie Boys AUCKLAND
Young Henry's AUSTRALIA
Zeelandt Brewing Co ESKDALE
Zeffer Brewing Co (Zeffer Cider) FERNHILL
OTHER TOWN/COUNTRY
Beer Jerk AUCKLAND
Beertique NZ AUCKLAND
Belgian Specialty BELGIUM
Black Rock DUNEDIN
Brew Your Own - By Speidel
Brewshop HAMILTON
Brewtopia WELLINGTON
Bulmer Harvest Cider NEW ZEALAND
Cider Hut NEW ZEALAND
Goodbuzz Brewing Co NEW ZEALAND
Grainfather NEW ZEALAND
Hancock & Co Limited AUCKLAND
Hashigo Zake WELLINGTON
Lion Brands NEW ZEALAND
Little Beer Quarter WELLINGTON
Low Alc Bar (Brewers Association) NEW ZEALAND
New World NEW ZEALAND
NZ Customs WELLINGTON
Old Mout Cider NEW ZEALAND
Piccadilly / UK AUCKLAND
Pink Boots NEW ZEALAND
Pour Man AUCKLAND
Redwood Cellars NELSON
Regional Wines & Spirits WELLINGTON
Southward Disttilling WELLINGTON
Speight’s DUNEDIN
The Alchemist CHRISTCHURCH
The Grainfather NEW ZEALAND
The Roxy WELLINGTON
Wild on Waiheke WAIHEKE ISLAND
WilliamsWarn NEW ZEALAND
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www.beervana.co.nz

  1. ^ Hickman, Bill (19 July 2022). "Beervana sees return of international breweries to Sky Stadium concourse". Stuff.
  2. ^ Gourley, Erin (18 August 2023). "Beervana the 'biggest day of the year for beer fans'". The Post/Stuff.
  3. ^ "Wellington Culinary Events Trust".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ "Fifty breweries at Beervana this weekend". Scoop. 14 August 2023.