Finally got to try more beer from New Zealand! Oh, and the experience with this brewery was very…read moregood! We got the iStout which comes in several versions of it and our version was the double with 15% ABV. Definitely a beer to share and not have by yourself... at least for me and Steve! The stout we had a great flavor to it with it's creamy, roasty, maple and coconut flavors and proved to be very enjoyable to drink in a small portion. This brewery has lots of other promising looking beers and when the opportunity arises I will want to try some more of their beer.

Possibly some of the best craft beer the country has to offer. A wide range of delicately crafted…read moreales from IPAs to Stouts, Barrel Aged Sours to Cucumber infused Pale Ales. A tap room is meant to be opening in the local area soon too so that should be a good place to sample a few drops before buying.

Stopped in for lunch while in Hahei. The outdoor seating is very nice and there were not many…read morepeople there yet so we had our choice of tables. There are nice flowers and greenery surrounding the outdoor seating. You go in to order at the bar. We ordered a beer tasting flight, a margarita, and the Margherita Pizza. The margarita was fine (I never really had a great one while in New Zealand), but it was cool and refreshing. The pizza was nice and light, good for a small lunch. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Don't forget a tshirt or hoodie on the way out!

Loved their cocktails and ambience! The staff was super funny (read witty with sarcasm) and we had…read morea great time enjoying a cool beverage on a hot summer day after hiking to Cathedral Cove.

This is probably some of the best beers I've ever had. I was recommended to come here when I'm in…read moreAuckland. I got the taster and just told them to get me what they recommend/what their most popular ones were. I ended up with the Peacenik Pilsner, Back in Black, Raspberry and Mango Sour, Fear & Loathing WCIPA, and Hazesteria. Honestly, I thought all of them was good, except the sour but I never liked sours in general. I think my favorites would be either the Fear & Loathing or the Hazesteria. The Back in Black was good as well. For food from Juke Joint I also ordered the steak & cheese burger, which was also great and definitely filled me up. I also felt a bit of a buzz after finishing the third glass but the burger definitely saved me. Service was good. I ordered at the counter and they gave me a number to put on my table. They checked up on me once in a while and were quick to bring me water when I requested it. The food wasn't life changing but the beers here are definitely worth trying out, even if you're not typically a beer drinker. I'm not, but I still loved them.

Brothers Brewery is a New Zealand staple beer producer, but unfortunately on my visit they…read moreannounced the brand was not doing well and the location close to my hotel was closing for good. I was thankful at least to visit their main location near Mt Eden and along the Auckland Beer Mile; based on my time here, I hope they turn things around and this place stays open for another visit next time. If you're in Auckland and a beer lover, this is worth the stop. Located in a quiet residential neighborhood, the big old factor is cozy and welcoming despite the large profile. They have areas of big comfy sofas, high top tables, and seating for any size group. You walk in along the offices, with restrooms toward the back. The night I was there pub trivia was going on - I jumped in with a team and won $50NZD! The brewery area takes up most of the space, with high ceilings you feel like you're in the middle of the production even at night. The staff here was all welcoming and super friendly to talk about the beer and put together a flight. This ended up being my last stop along the Beer Mile that day, but I was thankful I got a chance to come. Cheers and best of luck Brothers Brewery!

Boilerhouse Brewery seems to be a brand new brewery in the small town of Thames. It was our first…read morepit stop after driving in from Auckland. We dropped in on a Wednesday afternoon (around 2:45pm) to find it busier than you'd expect for a Wednesday. There's a main and side entrance. Plenty of free parking outside in their private lot. They serve food; bar snacks, sliders and platters ($30.00 to 50.00 NZD) The tap beer menu had 7 options (6 beers and 1 cider). Nice that you could sample before you committed to a handle or jug. They even had wine from Ohinemuri Estate (4 types). There's also more drinks in the fridge (bottled beer, low alcohol, cider, spirits, ready to drink and non-alcoholic). - Good George - Doris Plum cider ($9.00 NZD handle) - pretty in colour and just as tasty. Really refreshing. I'd get it again. We weren't too big fans of the beer that we sampled but the cider was a hit. Would have to come back to try their food. 3.5 stars.

A famous New Zealand brewery, Urbanaut is along Auckland's Beer Mile with a taproom and Burgernaut…read morerestaurant inside. I had a fantastic visit here after walking from the Auckland Zoo nearby. There are many other beer places of note nearby, so it's a fun area to explore. The brewery sits on a hill, with front windows overlooking the street and neighborhoods below; the back garage door also has great views of the sky and area around. Restrooms are at the front near the stairs, with plenty and all kept clean. This is a working brewery, with about half of the floor space large brewing kettles for the process. They also have a refrigerated selection of packaged cans and bottles ready to go. One thing that makes them unique are the tiny half cans that are packaged together with the idea that you can taste the two beers or mix them for fun cuvees. They also have merchandise for sale. The bar area is along the left wall with big tables, high tops, and comfy sofas and armchairs around. The high ceilings give a lot of natural light during the day. Their beer selection is large and includes cider and other non-beers. They have fixed beer flights or you can substitute or order your own. I tried most of the beers they had on tap that day, while avoiding things I usually don't care for. I also had their classic smash burger as by this point I had built up an appetite. Prices here are reasonable; you get to try a lot of different beers for not much. Service was great with two very friendly bartenders ready to talk about the beers and gave me some free tasters of things that didn't fit in the flights. They also have their English Pale Ale, Brixton, on hand pull, a classic serving style we don't usually see in the US. If you're visiting Auckland and a beer fan, this is a must-visit brewery and place to eat.

Awesome brewery just down the road from the heart of Kingsland. Tap room is at the back of the…read morebrewery and there is parking at the front and off Western Springs Road. Tap room would be great for large grouops. Collette was on the bar tonight and she was super helpful, very kmowledagble and friendly. They only serve taster sizes but do a flight of 6 for $15. DIY deli lets you choose your own snacks and they have a small take away selection. Over all, love the space and can't wait to return, highly recommended!!

Maybe I'm just a beer snob or maybe it's because we are discussing a macro brewery here again but…read morethe series of beers that we had from this brewery we just thought were fair between Steve and myself. We had the Steinlager Classic for one which is a pilsner, New Zealand style that has a sweet and hoppy flavor profile and a clean finish. It is smooth and light bodied . The Steinlager Pure was the next beer that we had on the agenda. This one was a lager. Sweet, dry and a clean finish are features with this lager. It's nice that it's light bodied but that is a common characteristic with this beer type. The Waikato Draught was the next beer we had. It was a bitter type beer in which it lived up to it's name along with malt and sweetness in addition. It comes off as strong and is light bodied as well. The Lion Brown was next on the rotation. Again, just okay. I do like brown ales also. Malty and sweet are the primary things going on here. It is rich but also light bodied. After trying those beers we felt like it was another corporate beer experience which didn't take much investigating to figure out. Steve and I will always prefer the micro and nano breweries the most when trying out beer.

Lion Breweries is home to the famous Speights, Steinlager, Macs, Waikato, and most of all Lion Red…read more Located on Carlton Gore road in Newmarket, they're conveniently placed within Auckland's buzzing metropolitan. Driving along Khyber Pass Road in Newmarket you'll see the old brewery that has recently moved out to "The Pride" in East Tamaki. It's out at The Pride where all the magic happens; brewing, dispatching, the works. If you get the chance (through either working here or knowing someone who does) ask if you can pop up to the staff bar! It's AWESOME! They have beer, wine and spirits available to those who promise to encourage a responsible drinking ethic. If you're after any of the much loved Lion products, head on down to your local LK (Liquor King) store and see what great deals they have on offer.

Stopped by based upon the suggestion of a local guide for a lunch place…read more Ended up ordering wayyy too much food; including a veggie and dip plate, a pulled pork burrito, a veggie taco (disclosure- they legit mean single taco) and a Greek (feta, olive and garlic pizza). Food was fantastic! First place in all of New Zealand where they had fresh salsa AND black beans. The beers were equally as good. Being used to US New England style beers the NZ beers we had tried prior fell short. The beers here were all great...specifically the IPA, XPA and the Session were our favorites. A great little extra was the tastings of local liquor offered by the brewery, which also owns and operates a local winery and distillery. Everything was great and the owner (?)/server made our experience. Only suggestion I'd make is adding a sheet explaining what liquor is what like provides for the beer tastings Would definitely come back even tho it's a bit out of the way from the town center....hoping they serve this beer locally!

One of the main reasons I visit a brewery is to taste a range of beers.. Unfortunately here they…read morewon't allow you to even sample a beer before you buy it to check you want to commit to a pint. Given it's the brown brewery's beer I'm sure they can spare 20ml and one of the sample glasses to a paying customer who'd already bought a few rounds. The option is a tasting paddle, but that includes styles of beers I know I don't like so it's pointless. We ordered a platter, priced at $29.50 we expected a bit more than we got. The food we did have was okay but didn't really stand out. The rest of the menu was very overpriced (average of about $30 for most menu items) which was more than we were willing to spend on a lunch. Hallertau around Auckland is the benchmark for me in this category and is cheaper/better quality. Sort your stuff out guys.. You have a lot going for you but you're failing at the basics. Lucky for you, you have a captive market given the lack of other options in the area.

Spotted a banner stating oldest brewery in Auckland from my hotel room window... Well, say no more,…read moreI am on it. Especially since I was hungry from travel anyway. I didn't quite understand the set up, but there seems to be a brewery on the ground floor and a restaurant upstairs and a hotel too? Since I was still in my travel clothes, I decided to just stay in the brewery part. Ordered a nice cold beer and fish and chips. Now I have read the other reviews and I must say, I liked the beer, the bar tender was helpful and friendly and I did not have to pay as I went. The fish and chips I received were the best of my life. A huge portion, lightly breaded, fried crisp, the fish in the middle nice and moist. Crinkle fries along with it, also done very nicely. There was a small serving of salad that came with it and that too was delicious. House made tartar sauce and a side of lemon. I found it to be a delight.

One of those things we came to do just cuz, AND it was conveniently located across from our hotel…read more Their beers brewed in house aren't bad, pretty decent. What I HATE when it comes to pubs (now anyways lol) is a pay as you go format. Maybe it's because they're worried about people skipping out on their checks. I've never come across a pub where you pay as you go. Or maybe this is just something that's common in New Zealand? Anyways, it's got a weirdly old yet modernish feel. Like it feels like they are trying to maintain their old feel but the vibe just doesn't match. They have typical bar food like burgers, fries and fish & chips. I must say though that their fries (chips) are well executed. Thick cut, crisp on the outside, and fluffy on the inside, paired with a nice aioli.

Beer was decent and probably the highlight. Food was not great; three separate orders went…read moreunfinished. Service was helpful enough and we did appreciate the support for the picky 10-year old requirements.

Always great service. Polite staff. Best chips. The venue that never disappoints. Great live music…read moretoo. Indoor or outdoor options. Great beer