Trail FAQ
Wellington's Craft Beer Scene
It's no secret that our Capital, Wellington, is the central hub for good beer in New Zealand - so we have aptly named it our Craft Beer Capital.
What really makes Wellington tick is our uncontestable number of good beer bars, supported by the high level of local appreciation for the product. Craft Beer Capital currently showcases dozens of Bars and Brewpubs in Wellington with great beer ranges, each with their own special character and largely within easy walking distance from one another - one of the best features of our great City is it's compactness!
Some of the bars listed live and breathe only for good beer, and tout ranges and knowledge a library would envy; other venues brew their own ranges on-site, the wonderful smell of the mash wafting throughout the bar; and some are simply must-visit Wellington venues that make a point of stocking a healthy selection of good beer alongside top-notch meals and other fine beverages.
So pick up a brochure from one of our listed bars, or download one here and print it out. Our brochure also lists local brewery cellar doors and off licence venues, to help you find the freshest take-home beer possible. Get out there and get stamped!
Trail FAQ
What's the trail? Why?
The trail map creates a tangible activity wherein crafty tourists and locals alike are given some direction and have an incentive to visit our best beer venues. Our latest trail map, suggests inner-city and suburban trails, or you can also create your own made up of venues already on your own hit-list.
We enforce no structured order in which to visit the bars, all highlighted paths are just suggestions - feel free to plan your own journey and approach from any angle. We recommend using the additional bar information on this website to help you to plan your activity; this should help you to factor in meals, ambiance, nearby facilities, and the way back to your accommodation.
Why the rubber stamps? I want to be able to check-in using an app!
We have tossed up the idea of going app or web based with our trail completion system. There were however a few key reasons why we decided to go with the tried and true physical method.
All inclusive. Not requiring a smartphone with a QRCode reader, a mobile app, and an internet connection (however ubiquitous one might argue all that stuff is) means people without the latest tech can take part too! This is very important for our Wellington tourists, who we especially don't want to exclude.
Bartender overhead. We didn't want to make life too difficult for our wonderful beertenders. Things can get complicated with new & unusual technology behind a bar in terms of breaking operational flow. A quick rubber stamping is much simpler for them to execute on a busy day!
Cost of implementation. As a not-for-profit outfit, we're not too capable of coming up with the time and funds necessary for development and equipment to support an app based system. If you wanna build us one, then get in touch :D!
We're Hip. Rubber stamps are vintage cool man!
What if a venue is closed for the day?
We list the hours for all venues on this website, so plan accordingly. In saying that, most venues don't advertise an exact closing time. Luckliy their phone numbers are also listed on this site! If in doubt, call ahead.
What if a venue is closed forever?
We only re-design and print once our brochures once a year. This means if a purveyor has closed down recently, it's likely there will be plenty of our brochures still out there with that venue still listed.
In the unfortunate event one of our beloved venues has had to close their doors, simply ignore their stamp requirement from your trail completion sheet.
We know what's going on on our end, so you won't be short-changed a prize pack when you send your brochure into us minus a stamp or 2.
I have a great beer bar/brewery, How do I join?
If you think you meet the criteria to join the Craft Beer Capital trail, please get in touch with us or apply here. We reprint the trail map once a year around March.