뉴질랜드 크래프트 맥주 입문: 필스너부터 헤이지 IPA까지, 스타일과 주문 영어

Walk into a New Zealand pub or brewery taproom and the first things you notice are a long row of taps and a menu full of unfamiliar beer names. This guide helps with three things. First, you will be able to read style names such as Pilsner, Pale Ale and Hazy IPA and pick a first glass that suits you. Second, you will learn the English you actually use at the bar, from "What's on tap?" to tasting paddles and flagons. Third, you will get some background, from Captain Cook's beer in 1773 to New Zealand hops, that makes each glass more interesting. At the end there is a short summary of the legal purchase age and drink-driving limits.

What makes New Zealand beer different

The defining feature of New Zealand craft beer is New Zealand-grown hops. The BJCP style guidelines, widely used for judging beer, describe New Zealand hop character as tropical fruit, citrus and grassy. They also compare it to New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc: tropical fruit, grass, melon and lime. If you like the country's wine, you may recognise some of those aromas in its beer.

Large-scale commercial hop growing in New Zealand happens only in the Nelson and Tasman region at the top of the South Island (NZ Hops). As these hops gained attention overseas, the US Brewers Association added New Zealand-Style Pale Ale and New Zealand-Style India Pale Ale as new styles in its 2021 Beer Style Guidelines. Using New Zealand hops became a style in its own right. For more on hop varieties and the Nelson growing region, see our New Zealand hops guide.

From Captain Cook's brew to around 200 breweries

According to NZHistory, run by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, the first beer brewed in New Zealand was made by Captain James Cook on 1 April 1773 on Resolution Island in Dusky Sound, in the south-west of the South Island. The aim was to prevent scurvy among his crew, and he brewed it from rimu branches and leaves, with thickened wort and molasses.

Today the Brewers Association of New Zealand (BANZ) describes beer as the country's "national drink". The figures below come from BANZ's Brewing in New Zealand 2022 report and may change when a newer report is published.

The 64% on-licence share stands out: New Zealanders drink a lot of their beer in pubs and restaurants. For visitors, too, pubs and taprooms are the easiest way to meet New Zealand beer. The big rise in low and no-alcohol beer is worth remembering as well, since there are more options for days when you are driving.

Beer styles on the menu

The table below covers styles you will often see on New Zealand pub menus, explained for beginners. Official figures were checked only for NZ Pilsner, so the others show general characteristics. The same style can taste quite different from brewery to brewery, so use this as a rough guide.

Start with an NZ Pilsner

If you are new to New Zealand beer, try an NZ Pilsner first. The BJCP lists New Zealand Pilsner as a separate local style (X5): pale gold, dry and clean, built around the tropical fruit, citrus and grassy character of New Zealand hops.

• Strength: 4.5–5.8% ABV (BJCP)
• Bitterness: 25–45 IBU
• Colour: 2–6 SRM, pale gold
• Typical hops: Motueka, Riwaka and Nelson Sauvin, with Pacific Jade for bittering

The BJCP traces the style's template to a beer from Emerson's brewery in Dunedin in the mid-1990s. Its commercial examples include Croucher NZ Pilsner, Emerson's Pilsner, Liberty Halo Pilsner, Panhead Port Road Pilsner, Sawmill Pilsner and Tuatara Mot Eureka. These are style examples from the BJCP; check with the bar or brewery whether they are currently available.

If you enjoy the pilsner, move on to an NZ Pale Ale for more hop aroma, then IPA and Hazy IPA. Craft beer tends to be stronger, and many IPAs are above 6%, so always check the ABV on the menu.

A little of everything: the tasting paddle

If you cannot decide, order a tasting paddle: several small glasses on a wooden board so you can try a few beers. Menus may call it a "paddle", "tasting paddle" or "flight". The number of glasses and how they are chosen vary; sometimes staff pick them and sometimes you do. Drinking from lightest to strongest makes the differences easier to taste. Pilsner, pale ale, IPA, sour, then stout is a sensible order.

Ordering English you can use at the bar

A few notes:

• Tastes: Many places will give you a small taste, but the rules differ. It is normal if they say no.
• Glass sizes: New Zealand pubs use words like pint, half, handle (a glass with a handle) and jug (a pitcher to share). Actual volumes vary, so check the mL on the menu or ask.
• How to order: At many bars you order and pay at the counter, then carry your drink to your table ("order at the bar"). Some places take orders at the table, so look around or ask.
• Flagon: A large reusable bottle. WellingtonNZ mentions Waitoa brewery in the suburb of Hātaitai as a place where you can bring your own flagon to fill and take away. Other breweries may offer this too, so ask. It is a handy way to take beer back to your accommodation.
• Free house: A bar with no tie to a particular brewery, so it can stock beer from many producers. Worth seeking out if you want variety in one place. WellingtonNZ gives Golding's Free Dive in Wellington as an example. For more places to drink in the capital, see our Wellington craft beer guide.

Opening hours, tap lists and paddle options change often. Check the official website or social media before you go.

Rules to know before you drink

• Purchase age 18: The legal age to buy alcohol in New Zealand is 18. Accepted ID includes a passport, a New Zealand driver licence, a Kiwi Access Card or a verified digital ID. Visitors should carry their passport, and you may be asked for ID even if you look older.
• Drink-driving limits: 250 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath for drivers aged 20 and over, and zero for drivers under 20 (Ministry of Transport, NZTA). If you are road-tripping in a rental car, the safest choice is for the driver not to drink at all.
• Standard drinks: Alcohol containers in New Zealand show the number of standard drinks (10 g of pure alcohol each). One can of strong IPA can be several standard drinks, so check.
• Non-alcoholic drinks: Licensed bars and restaurants must have non-alcoholic drinks available while open, so drivers and anyone taking a break can join in comfortably.

For the full rules on buying alcohol, see our guide to buying alcohol in New Zealand.

Take it slow, drink water and eat something. Overdoing it can spoil the rest of your trip.

Quick summary

1. Start with an NZ Pilsner for a light taste of New Zealand hops, with lime and tropical fruit.
2. If you cannot decide, order a tasting paddle and try a few.
3. Open with "What's on tap?", describe your taste in one sentence, and let the staff help.
4. Carry your passport, and choose a non-alcoholic beer on driving days.

Photo credits

• Carlos Pacheco, CC BY 2.0, source — resized and converted to WebP