For the second year in a row Garage Project has been named the Champion Large Brewery in New Zealand, defending a title that historically has been held by multinational brewing companies.
Now in its 16th year, the prestiguious Brewers Guild of New Zealand Beer Awards recognises excellence in the production of beer, and in the broader brewing industry.
This year there were 828 entries across 119 style classes. 811 beers were judged in the competition. The success rate at gaining a medal in the 2022 competition was 62 percent which is a 10 percent increase from 2021. This is the first year there was a separate no- and low-alcohol category at Brewers Guild Awards. This is the sub-2.5 per cent category and the winner was Behemoth Low Hanging Fruit, Blood Orange and Pasionfruit.
Garage Project is one of the largest independent craft breweries in Australasia. In this year’s Awards the brewery won Champion Large Brewery and Champion New Zealand Beer, scooping one Trophy, nine Gold, twelve Silver, and eight Bronze medals. Out of 33 beers entered in the awards, they won an impressive 29 medals.
Chance, Luck and Magic from Garage Project’s Wild Workshop not only won the European Ale Trophy for a second year in a row, but was also crowned Champion Beer
The Wellington based brewery is on a roll, having also recently been named ‘People’s Choice’ winner at the Firestone Walker Invitational Festival in California.
Two brewing sites in Wellington, Garage Project in Aro Valley, and Wild Workshop at Te Aro, and a third partner brewery, bStudio in the Hawke’s Bay, give the company huge capacity to experiment and innovate. Garage Project is also a Carbon Zero business operation and Living Wage provider to its Australasian team.
Head Brewer and Co-Founder Pete Gillespie says that a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to create the high quality beers that come out of all brewing locations. “We are incredibly lucky at Garage Project to have such an amazing team”, Gillespie said. “We have worked hard to make sure innovation and creativity is in our DNA, and that produces some amazing results for us; Chance Luck and Magic is a great example of that. And to win Champion Large Brewery for the second year in a row is just icing on the cake”.
Other wins on the night include:
Champion microbrewery for breweries that produce under 50,000 litres per annum was won by the Far North’s Kainui Brew Co. Champion small brewery for breweries who produce 50,001-200,000 litres, was won by Three Sisters. Champion medium brewery for breweries that produce from 200,001-2 million litres was won by Behemoth Brewing. Champion manufacturer for breweries that make beer on behalf of others, was won by Steam Brewing.
Pale ale
McLeod’s Brewery for their Paradise Pale Ale
IPA
Liberty Citra
Juicy & Hazy
Good George Haze of Glory
No and Reduced alcohol
This is the first year for a separate no- and low-alcohol category at Brewers Guild Awards. The winner of this new category was Behemoth Low Hanging Fruit, Blood Orange and Pasionfruit.
Barrel and Wood-aged
Lumberjack Brewing with their From the Woods Saison — 2020.
Wheat and Other Grain
Badass Hefe Metal
Specialty and Experimental
Feijoa and Rye by Brood Fermentation
Fruit and Flavoured
Kainui Brew Co
British Ale
Emerson’s Old 95
New Zealand Styles
Baylands Brewery Slope Shredder
Amber and Dark Lager
Sawmill The Doctor
International Lager
Three Boys
Stout and Porter
Altitude Brewing Starlight Highway
Amber and Dark Ale
Altitude Snow Dance
See also: New Zealand’s first dedicated Brew School pick up some gongs
For a full catalogue of results see The Brewers Guild of New Zealand
