Imagine Comic Con, with superheroes replaced by beer and costumes replaced with beards. No underage people. And you have Beervana — New Zealand's biggest and most wonderful craft beer festival, held every August in the craft beer capital of the country.
Our Review
We arrived at the event for our Friday 11 am–4 pm session and flooded in with the other middle-aged, black-clothes-wearing males, plus a few ladies. If you were going to Beervana to find your first or second wife you may be out of luck, but if you were looking for men there were many interesting specimens to choose from — fairly metro, hipster, and quite possibly cashed up.
You receive your wristband, tasting guide and plastic glass, then head to the Bank of Beervana to load money on your electronic wristband by cash or EFTPOS. The tasting guide was great — you could make tasting notes and it had loads of information about the craft beer world. You can buy either a 75 ml taster for $2.50–$3.50 or a 250 ml pour for $6–$8. Perfect sizes for working your way around.
We wandered around the concourse of the stadium and as we got further around there were fewer and fewer people. Smokers didn't venture too far from the main door as it was a long walk back to get their fix. I also, in a funny way, felt a bit sorry for the Australian bar at the very end of the Beervana concourse — it often had no one there.
But my favourite, Garage Project, had prime position with a great stand and always had queues. I found out they've been a main supporter of Beervana over the years and deserve their great placement. One stand was giving away free beard trims with every full glass bought — peak Beervana energy.
There was live music and a great selection of interesting food to match the beer. The session time was the perfect length for us. The event seemed very well run — we saw no people wobbling while walking, no police and no trouble. Hats off to the organisers.
The Verdict
Very professional, very good, and a must if you are even a bit interested in beer. Wellington is a great place for this sort of event — easy to walk to from town, right by the train station, and afterwards you can walk to the many great craft beer bars in the city to continue the experience.
Garage Project — The Day After
Garage Project was our favourite brewery at Beervana, so we decided to visit their home base in Aro Valley the next day. Everything in Wellington is walking distance from the central city, so we took a stroll. After reading more, we found out that Garage Project is a "rock star" of the New Zealand craft beer scene.
As soon as we arrived the staff approached us and asked if we'd like a free tasting. Oh yes! After many great drops of amber gold I found my number one: Pils N Thrills. After chatting to some Australians who had popped over the ditch for Beervana, we ran into a Garage Project owner, bailed him up, but he was happy to talk about his passion — the beer. He came across as your typical understated Richie McCaw type character — the humble All Blacks captain of craft beer.
When you arrive and take in their operation and taste the beers, you can understand why people call them rock stars. They have nailed everything — cool location, happy and friendly staff who fit the brand, great beer with an enormous selection, sharp branding, and merchandise you actually want to buy.
We could have settled in for the day, but things to do and people to see — bugger. Bought some beer and tees, then left the building. The future is bright for Garage Project. A must-visit in Wellington.
Practical Information
- When: Two days in August each year (usually the third weekend), split into four five-hour sessions. Beervana 2026 is confirmed for 21–22 August 2026.
- Tickets: Around $55 NZD per session. Early bird and double-session passes available. Book through beervana.co.nz. Sessions sell out — don't leave it too late.
- Payment: Everything inside is cashless via the electronic wristband system. Load money at the Bank of Beervana stations (cash or EFTPOS).
- Getting there: The stadium is on the waterfront, walking distance from central Wellington and right next to the train station. Walk — don't even think about driving.
- What to wear: August in Wellington is cold (highs around 12°C). Wrap up warm. The festival is on the stadium concourse, which is partly exposed to the elements.
- Food: There's a good selection of food stalls inside. Eat early before the queues build up.
- Pace yourself: Start with tasters (75 ml) and work your way around. There are 380+ beers — you cannot try them all and shouldn't try. The guides and the Beervana app help you plan a route.
