One brewer smashes this year's beer awards

A Hawke's Bay brewer has dominated this year's beer awards, bagging three of 18 categories - a record in the annual event. It was also named champion brewer.

RNZ Life editors
3 min read
Hawke’s Bay brewery Brave Brewing Co.
Caption:Hawke’s Bay brewery Brave Brewing Co.Photo credit:Supplied

Hastings brewery Brave Brewing Co. has collected five awards, including the top prize of Champion New Zealand Brewing Company, in this year's New Zealand Beer Awards.

They also took home Champion New Zealand Small Brewery, International Pale Ale, India Pale Ale and Speciality & Experimental trophies.

It is the first time in 18 years that one brewery has collected three beer category trophies.

Judges at NZ Beer Awards 2025 in Christchurch.

Judges at NZ Beer Awards 2025 in Christchurch.

Supplied

The brewery was founded by Matt Smith, and his wife Gemma, who starting out selling their beer at farmers' markets in 2013, before shifting to permanent premises in Hastings CBD in 2020.

New Zealand’s brewers are embracing new ingredients and styles, said head judge Tina Panoutsos.

“We’ve seen different ingredients used creatively and represented across a range of styles from fruit and flavoured, European ales and experimental classes.

"There’s a trend toward using a range of fruits like the native Horopito and stone fruits to influence texture and complexity."

Wellington brewery Garage Project added to their trophy cabinet; collecting four prizes and the highest number of medals of any entrant - 10 gold, 11 silver and 6 bronze.

Garage Project was also named Champion New Zealand Large Brewery and won two beer category trophies: British & European Ale and Wood & Barrel Aged.

Matakana independent brewery Sawmill won the Brewing Sustainability Award for the sixth consecutive year.

New Zealand Medium Brewery winner is Altitude Brewing, from Queenstown. Altitude also took home two beer category trophies – New Zealand Lager & New Zealand Pilsner and the Juicy/Hazy IPA Trophy.

New Zealand Beer Awards 2025

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

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