Can one go to Wellington without going to Garage Project?! We'd heard so much about this well-known…read morebrewery - it was one of our good friend's favorite spots while she lived there. It's quite a hike up from the main area, and all uphill - we opted to taxi up and walk back down. First, the address took us to their production facility so we had to walk a block or so to their taproom. We were expecting it to be much bigger than it was! It's similar to the layout of most spots in Wellington: super long and skinny, with seating along the side of the walkway back, with bar in the far back. For how popular it is, we were so surprised it's this small. We grabbed a table by the entrance and ordered at the bar in back. The guy working the bar was wearing an Iowa Hawkeyes shirt?! It was so incredible, and we had a great chat with him about it. We really enjoyed our beer and seltzer, and liked people watching by the front door and inside. The ambiance is great, with cool edgy decor inside. It's a very hipster energy here - ambiance and guests! We asked about merch, and they pointed us to their brewery/production facility down the block. We went over and they had a good amount of beer and some stickers, but otherwise didn't have much at all for merch. We definitely would have bought something if they had more options!

Garage Project, boasted as one of NZ's most popular brews, true to their name, started in a garage,…read moremoving to a service station- offering lots of drink in and/or takeaway variety. We anticipated visiting, not just because of the sheer popularity, but because of the fabulous sounding ambiance of the locations-offering 'big brews with low-key vibes'- and this was exactly what we got (& loved). Visiting the brewery 'house' (not the service station)- I immediately fell in love with the artistic graffiti, the hanging beaker bottles of brews (displaying the colors of the beers), the creative beer label signs, and the friendly bartenders. Overwhelmed by taking it all in, the bartenders took the time to talk with me about the brewery, the history, and walked me through a few beer samples to explain their core beer flavors. We tried: -Pernicious Weed a hearty-dry hopped-dank double IPA with heavy but deliciously smooth quality -Fresh Oct 22-smooth, creamy, hazy-with an orange kick -Haze Daze-a blend of well balanced hops, with a nice citra mouthfeel Only woe-why not 5 stars?- no free wifi & the tap water is seltzer water-smoking allowed

During a recent visit I set up a private tour and tasting with the manager Adrian, who gave me more…read moreof his time than I expected. Black Dog is owned by DB Breweries, which means their beer can be found all over New Zealand on draught and in bottles. The benefit of visiting the brewery in Wellington is that it serves as an experimental bar with new and consistently rotating small batches. It's located on vibrant Cuba Street; the brewery is easy to spot along street level, but the main area to sit and drink including the full bar is upstairs. The bartenders are knowledgeable about their beer. Adrian led me through a tasting of everything on tap in an order that kept the palate fresh. We also split a savory meat pie, one a few snacks they have to order. If you're in Wellington and love beer, this is a stop worth your while!

The first time I was in Wellington, this was a brewery I only got to experience in the airport…read more(that location has since closed). I made it my mission to come here first on this trip and was thankful I did. Fortune Favours has gone through some ownership changes, but is once again independent and making great beer. This is a working brewery, taproom, and lounge. They have cozy booths, bar stools, plus an upstairs bar including outdoor seating. It's right off of Hannahs Laneway, which is a must-visit area of the city with other amazing art galleries, restaurants, cafes, and bars. The staff was super welcoming that day, thank you Phill and Grant for the fun conversation, a couple free beers, and gift of neckerchief for my pup! I ordered a flight and stuck with some of the rarer styles: thankfully I was there during their anniversary so they had a number of throwback kegs on tap. All the beer was delicious; I also ordered a Gorilla Burger from next door and really enjoyed it. One of the only souvenirs I bought for myself this trip was a pint glass with their signature font, it's a new favorite. If you're a beer fan in Wellington, this is a must-visit and part of the ale trail.

Ok. Stay with me, my review requires a bit of side-back-story. You see, my husband and I were on…read moreholiday in NZ; having only one free night in Wellington, after 20hours of flying, decided this was to be the night of the Wellington Beer Trail! Having started at Fork & Brewer, which was an old favorite spot from our previous visit in 2018- their fantastic brewer helped us circle must-try spots on the Beer Trail map, based on our preferences. Fortune Favours was not circled. Along our journey, in-between bars, we decided we wanted to stop and grab some grub and began our search for a recommended dumpling spot. Along our route, we smelled something absolutely delicious & also saw an amazing dinosaur graffiti down a long back alley..and bam! we found ourselves at Fortune Favours. Entering the bar, we asked, 'what smells so good?!' while perusing the menu-only to be told they were baking dog biscuits with the spent grains..whomp whomp. So we awkwardly decided to just leave & carry on our dumpling search, asking the friendly bartender if he could give us some better directions-to which he provided ample recommendations for eating. Arriving to our dumpling spot- we discovered a 'short staff closed sign' and decided to return to the friendly bartender at Fortune Favours. Glad for the misadventure, and friendliness, because the beers were quite delicious! I can understand why they weren't recommended to us, because the beers we ended up with weren't hazy citra ipas, so it was a veer from our normal enjoyments- but we were glad for the variety. I got the Rye Pale Ale- a piney, roasty, smooth malty hops- while my husband got a cold brut ipa-crisp and dank. We got to spend time with the bartender talking impact of shortages on the breweries, and learning more about the local area Beer Trail. Really glad we ended up here, if anyone asks us moving forward to circle spots on a Beer Trail map we will most certainly circle this location!!

Meeting a local friend on a recent trip, his suggestion was to meet here first. I'm thankful we…read moredid! Husk is a cool little place down a hallway off Ghuznee Street; the twinkle lights and colors invite you in, but you can't see what it's really like until you're closer. They have outdoor seating with plenty of light and heaters for cold weather. Inside it's cozy with a handful of tables, bar seating, and a large area devoted to the brewery. Choice Bros. Brewing makes their beers here; this is their sole facility and taproom. The staff was friendly from the get-go. They have a lot of choices on tap, and happily do tasting flights. I just loved the purple glow lights around the brew kettles, made for a nice evening backdrop long after the brewers had finished for the day. I tried four diverse styles and loved them all. I only wish I had had food! For any beer lover in Wellington, this is a must-stop!

If not local bring your passport. I've never had this happen before in NZ but turn 30 next week and…read moremy husband and I were denied service. Was suggested we walk back to our hotel and grab our passports, even though we had brought other ID. Very strange. We did not return.

Every trip I go on, there's always a standout brewery experience. On my most recent on to…read moreWellington, it ended up being Parrotdog and I can't wait to go back. This is a NZ beer staple, available on tap and in stores in cans. This is their new facility, just a few minutes walk from the beach. It's below Mount Victoria, and near the airport in a newer commercial/industrial area, perfect for a large working brewery and cozy taproom. The interior felt like a 70s living room, with wood, carpet, and nice lighting. They also had big windows for sunshine, and a large bar. Both regular and sparkling water are on tap, plus a bunch of local sauces to try. I was in on a Wednesday, which is $10 burger day; it was delicious with fries. This was also a spot I got two tasting paddles just because of the quality of the beer. Bartender Heidi was super friendly with me about the beer and swapping some stickers. It seemed like a popular working lunch spot as well, with lots of brewery employees enjoying a shift beer together. They have a large outdoor patio as well, plus clean restrooms, and a little brewery store with merchandise, beer to-go, and where the tour starts. This is on the Wellington Ale Trail, and is a must-visit for anyone in town that loves beer. Cheers!

We had such an awesome experience here! Our trip in Wellington was quite short but we definitely…read morewanted to check this place out. I ordered a flight and enjoyed all of them, especially the Marzen and Deadcanary. Tori was fantastic and made us comfortable during our time. We had just left the airport and had our luggage with us so we were a bit frazzled at first. We also had the crispy chicken and cauliflower appetizers, both of which were delicious. Most of all we really appreciated Tori's willingness to go out of her way to make our trip special. We will definitely make a point to come back next time we are in Wellington!

Wellington is full of hipsters trying really hard to pop-up and do the hip cool beer thing. We…read morelearned they were a new brewery nearby, hard to get into. As we walked by we noticed it was fairly dead, so we thought we'd pop in and give it a go, since it was 'all the gossip', and a super large brewery. All flash in the pan. Really plain beers, higher prices, and we felt rushed off the bar while drinking, so they can fit more people maybe? They had a lot of guest beers, but those prices were ridiculous compared to any bar nearby doing happy hour. We tried some other places in the area and were much happier. Inside they just have this feel they are trying to hard to be the next big thing.

Its a brewery, but go for breakfast. Weird sentence, but I…read moremean it. The bacon and pancakes at this place will drive you wild. Seriously, the fluffy, crispy, sweet-but-not-too-sweet pancakes are probably the best we've ever had - and my fella is Canadian! Then there's the bacon, which is actually more like a slice of pork belly than bacon (seriously, be prepared to finish your meal and then order an extra side of bacon just to have more). Top it all off with some high quality maple syrup, berries, and whipped cream and they've got us coming back brunch after brunch! We also love the rotating Kombucha tap, so far we've tried 'strawberry basil' and 'peach' and we are excitedly awaiting their next flavour (orange). The place maybe doesn't have the brunch vibe, but the staff are fantastic and the food is worth it.

During one of our Beervana breaks, my friend had the brilliant idea of going to another brewery so…read morewe made it this one. Garage Project is a famous NZ staple brewery, with the original spot and taproom on Te Aro a bit outside of downtown. Wild Workshop is it's own location nearby some other excellent breweries and bars, just off Cuba Street. They keep this separate due to the nature of the organisms and beer - they're wild and can easily taint other beer being made nearby. They also had a number of famous European and Australian wild beers on, which made it extra fun. Downstairs is the main brewing area, plus a small bar and tables, with coolships upstairs where the restrooms and more brewing area is. It's in a cool old building with exposed brick and high ceilings, definitely a unique experience. The bartenders were excellent, welcoming and friendly. They were also knowledgeable about their beers and able to help us choose a good tasting paddle. If you're a fan of Belgian beer and similar styles, this one is worth the visit.

So an interesting concept. A meat lovers dream with a brewery next door…read more The menu is meat, meat ... oh and meat! Everything meaty and very little light or vegetarian or really variety. I had hogget taco and my partner had pork taco. Kinda small, and not presented that well. Meat looked dry. However it was quite tasty but could have had more flavour and the tortilla corn taco an overwhelming taste. Corn and nectarine side salad very fresh and tasty. Although not sure that two thin slices of nectarine really qualify as top billing. Amazing chocolate honey drizzle cake. Mixed messages from staff. Some very nice, some dismissive. So 50/50 on everything. Would go back if friends wanted to but would make that choice on my own.

Surprisingly good BBQ! We are visiting from the southern United States and we're happy to find this…read morespot with great food and vibe close to the train station.

Great brewery! Nice open space super fun with great beer and great staff. Visiting the north…read moreisland and South Island of New Zealand and loving the country and the people cheers

Awesome craft brewery! The building is big and has lots of outdoor seating, including an area for…read morelive music. There were 12 beers on tap, plus you could buy bottles etc to take home. They also had great pizza--we tried the Classic (3 different meats, mushrooms, onions) and the chicken cranberry brie, which were both delicious. The menu included a lot of snacks and appetizers as well. The staff were super friendly and helpful. Note the new hours (see photo)--they were open until 9 PM tonight (Wednesday). You should definitely check this place out!