# Best breweries in New Zealand
> The best breweries in New Zealand, ranked by the beer they brew. 220 breweries, 27 rated Great or better. Updated weekly.
*Canonical page: · data updated 2026-09-13*
Breadcrumb: Breweries → New Zealand
We track 220 breweries in New Zealand. 4 rate Exceptional and 23 rate Great. McLeod's Brewery in Waipu leads the list at 4.51 (Exceptional).
## Ranked breweries
1. [McLeod's Brewery](https://finding.beer/brewery/mcleods-brewery-9259.md) — 4.51, Exceptional — Waipu, Northland Region
2. [Craftwork Brewery](https://finding.beer/brewery/craftwork-brewery-17166.md) — 4.45, Exceptional — Oamaru, Otago Region
3. [Alibi Brewing Co.](https://finding.beer/brewery/alibi-brewing-co-17173.md) — 4.39, Exceptional — Waiheke Island, Auckland
4. [Black Sands Brewing (NZ)](https://finding.beer/brewery/black-sands-brewing-nz-11002.md) — 4.33, Exceptional — Auckland
5. [The Good Drop](https://finding.beer/brewery/the-good-drop-29834.md) — 4.29, Great — Rangiora, Canterbury Region
6. [Bootleg Brewery Ltd](https://finding.beer/brewery/bootleg-brewery-ltd-14622.md) — 4.22, Great — Hamilton, Waikato Region
7. [Station Brewing](https://finding.beer/brewery/station-brewing-31187.md) — 4.21, Great — Alexandra, Otago
8. [Mythica Brewing](https://finding.beer/brewery/mythica-brewing-12232.md) — 4.20, Great — Auckland
9. [Garage Project](https://finding.beer/brewery/garage-project-7848.md) — 4.19, Great — Wellington, Wellington Region
10. [Epic Brewing Company](https://finding.beer/brewery/epic-brewing-company-8020.md) — 4.19, Great — Auckland
11. [Cell Division](https://finding.beer/brewery/cell-division-13005.md) — 4.18, Great — Dunedin, Otago Region
12. [Behemoth Brewing Company](https://finding.beer/brewery/behemoth-brewing-company-9747.md) — 4.17, Great — Auckland
13. [Duncan's Brewing](https://finding.beer/brewery/duncans-brewing-11673.md) — 4.17, Great — Paraparaumu, Wellington Region
14. [Workshop Brewing Company](https://finding.beer/brewery/workshop-brewing-company-23937.md) — 4.15, Great — Raglan, Waikato Region
15. [Derelict Brewing](https://finding.beer/brewery/derelict-brewing-19239.md) — 4.15, Great — Rangiora, Canterbury Region
16. [Altitude Brewing](https://finding.beer/brewery/altitude-brewing-17175.md) — 4.14, Great — Queenstown, Otago Region
17. [Burkes Brewing Co](https://finding.beer/brewery/burkes-brewing-co-11937.md) — 4.14, Great — Twizel, Canterbury Region
18. [Brave Brewing Co.](https://finding.beer/brewery/brave-brewing-co-11778.md) — 4.14, Great — Hastings, Hawke's Bay Region
19. [LazerWolf Brewery](https://finding.beer/brewery/lazerwolf-brewery-27374.md) — 4.13, Great — Christchurch, Canterbury Region
20. [ChinChiller Brewing](https://finding.beer/brewery/chinchiller-brewing-29819.md) — 4.13, Great — Kaiapoi, Canterbury Region
21. [Birkenhead Brewing Company](https://finding.beer/brewery/birkenhead-brewing-company-17179.md) — 4.12, Great — Auckland
22. [Shining Peak Brewing](https://finding.beer/brewery/shining-peak-brewing-22118.md) — 4.12, Great — New Plymouth, Taranaki Region
23. [Brewaucracy](https://finding.beer/brewery/brewaucracy-10063.md) — 4.11, Great — Hamilton, Waikato Region
24. [Three Sisters Brewery](https://finding.beer/brewery/three-sisters-brewery-13190.md) — 4.11, Great — New Plymouth, Taranaki Region
25. [Karamu Barrelworks](https://finding.beer/brewery/karamu-barrelworks-28985.md) — 4.11, Great — Karamu, Hawke's Bay Region
26. [Steam Brewing Company](https://finding.beer/brewery/steam-brewing-company-8393.md) — 4.09, Great — Auckland
27. [Napier Brewing](https://finding.beer/brewery/napier-brewing-12598.md) — 4.08, Great — Napier, Hawke's Bay Region
28. [Sawmill Brewery](https://finding.beer/brewery/sawmill-brewery-9879.md) — 3.95, Fine — Matakana, Auckland
29. [Parrotdog](https://finding.beer/brewery/parrotdog-7840.md) — 3.94, Fine — Wellington, Wellington Region
30. [Panhead Brewery](https://finding.beer/brewery/panhead-brewery-6190.md) — 3.92, Fine — Upper Hutt, Wellington Region
31. [Hop Federation](https://finding.beer/brewery/hop-federation-6182.md) — 3.92, Fine — Riwaka, Tasman Region
32. [8 Wired](https://finding.beer/brewery/8-wired-9658.md) — 3.90, Fine — Warkworth, Auckland
33. [Small Gods](https://finding.beer/brewery/small-gods-23492.md) — 3.90, Fine — Auckland
34. [Emerson's Brewery](https://finding.beer/brewery/emersons-brewery-8923.md) — 3.90, Fine — Dunedin, Otago
35. [Liberty Brewing](https://finding.beer/brewery/liberty-brewing-8354.md) — 3.90, Fine — Helensville, Auckland
36. [Liberty Brewing](https://finding.beer/brewery/liberty-brewing-34158.md) — 3.90, Fine — Auckland
37. [Urbanaut Brewing](https://finding.beer/brewery/urbanaut-brewing-12688.md) — 3.88, Fine — Auckland
38. [Punk Heads Brewing](https://finding.beer/brewery/punk-heads-brewing-29817.md) — 3.88, Fine — Auckland
39. [Boneface](https://finding.beer/brewery/boneface-14267.md) — 3.87, Fine — Upper Hutt, Wellington
40. [Canyon Brewing](https://finding.beer/brewery/canyon-brewing-13266.md) — 3.87, Fine — Queenstown, Otago
41. [Volstead Brewing Company](https://finding.beer/brewery/volstead-brewing-company-24725.md) — 3.87, Fine — Christchurch, Canterbury
42. [Wilderness Brewing](https://finding.beer/brewery/wilderness-brewing-13278.md) — 3.86, Fine — Christchurch, Canterbury Region
43. [Lakeman Brewing Co](https://finding.beer/brewery/lakeman-brewing-co-11494.md) — 3.86, Fine — Taupō, Waikato
44. [Brew Union Brewing Company](https://finding.beer/brewery/brew-union-brewing-company-36202.md) — 3.86, Fine — Palmerston North, Manawatū-Whanganui Region
45. [There Be Dragons](https://finding.beer/brewery/there-be-dragons-11581.md) — 3.86, Fine
46. [Shunters Yard Brewing Limited](https://finding.beer/brewery/shunters-yard-brewing-limited-17146.md) — 3.86, Fine — Tamahere, Waikato
47. [BEERS by Bacon Bros](https://finding.beer/brewery/beers-by-bacon-bros-29016.md) — 3.86, Fine — Christchurch, Canterbury
48. [Rhyme X Reason Brewery](https://finding.beer/brewery/rhyme-x-reason-brewery-17145.md) — 3.86, Fine — Wanaka, Otago
49. [Double Vision Brewing](https://finding.beer/brewery/double-vision-brewing-12195.md) — 3.85, Fine — Wellington
50. [Whakatipu Brewing](https://finding.beer/brewery/whakatipu-brewing-31342.md) — 3.85, Fine — Queenstown, Otago
That is the top 50 of 220. Complete list: [all 220 of them](https://finding.beer/breweries/new-zealand/all.md).
## Cities
- [Auckland](https://finding.beer/breweries/new-zealand/auckland.md) (Auckland) — 35 breweries
- [Christchurch](https://finding.beer/breweries/new-zealand/christchurch.md) (Canterbury) — 29 breweries
- [Wellington](https://finding.beer/breweries/new-zealand/wellington.md) — 15 breweries
- [Dunedin](https://finding.beer/breweries/new-zealand/dunedin.md) (Otago) — 8 breweries
- [Hamilton](https://finding.beer/breweries/new-zealand/hamilton.md) (Waikato) — 6 breweries
- [Tauranga](https://finding.beer/breweries/new-zealand/tauranga.md) (Bay of Plenty) — 9 breweries
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Finding Beer scores breweries on the beer they brew rather than on the venue. Method: . Rankings by place: . The iPhone app adds a live map of what is around you: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/finding-beer/id1082135126