The summer months bring tourists flocking to the beaches and seaside towns of the Bay of Plenty, but there’s an increasing number of reasons for craft beer lovers to make the pilgrimage at any time of year.
I recently spent a couple of days exploring the contrast between the new and the established breweries and venues in the region, and I was impressed by what I saw.
If you’re driving down from Auckland (as I was) the first venue that you’ll encounter is Neck of the Woods, a newcomer to the scene having opened in November 2025. Nestled in an industrial estate in Tauriko, about 15 minutes’ drive from downtown Tauranga, Neck of the Woods is the brainchild of Scott Taylor who many craft beer lovers will remember as one of the owners of the sadly-missed Deep Creek Brewing.
When Deep Creek went into liquidation in 2023, Scott returned home to the Bay of Plenty. He already had the inkling of an idea for a brewpub in the area and when the site came available he pulled together a couple of partners and set to work. Scott has had a hand in every aspect of the construction of the venue, which has a gorgeous outlook over the Kaimai Ranges.
The venue has only been open as a brewpub for a few months but the beers being produced on the ex-Laughing Bones kit are already of a very high standard. There was an excellent lager and a quirky hazy IPA named “Man, I Love Flamingoes” (which now replaces any other meaning of that acronym in my head!).
The food offering is excellent, and there’s an expansive deck where you can enjoy a quality beer while watching the sun set over the Kaimai Range. Scott is keen to make Neck of the Woods a welcoming place for a varied clientele, and it was certainly busy on the Monday lunchtime when I was there in early December. There are plans for live music in the natural amphitheatre below the venue — “think Red Rocks” says Scott. Well worth a visit.
Heading down into Tauranga city there are a couple of top-notch venues to grab a refreshing beer, and fortunately they’re located less than 100 metres apart! The Barrel Room has been serving up quality beers, whiskies and food since 2018. Landlord Stewart Gebbie is also co-owner of Te Aro Brewing from Wellington, so you’ll usually find their beers amongst the wide selection across 15 taps. In the unlikely event that you can’t find anything to your taste there, a short stroll down Wharf Street brings you to The Hop House, with another 12 taps of independent craft beer from around Aotearoa. Having two outstanding venues so close together is a blessing for Bay locals.
Before you leave Tauranga, you should swing by Alchemy Street Brewing, where brewer Ed Bolstad is crafting an interesting range in the old Slab Brewing premises. Unfortunately, they were closed on the day I was in town, but I’ve heard many good things about the quality of the beers.
The lure of Mount Maunganui is strong for many families and so it should be for you, dear drinker, albeit for slightly different reasons.
Mount Brewing are celebrating their 30th anniversary — which blows my mind. They flew under the radar for many years but in recent times their beers have been winning fans around the country and rightly so. Head brewer Pawel Lewandowski is one of the nicest guys in the industry and his talented team is cranking out some seriously excellent beers. They love a good collaboration at Mount, which leads to some creative crossovers, but they also do the basics well. Drop into their excellent taproom The Rising Tide and you can have a “beer festival every day” according to Pawel; 40 taps including some local and national guests.
Wandering down the coast, we come to Papamoa, home to The Island, a large venue making its own beers onsite. It’s a seriously sprawling space with children’s play area, multiple food outlets (including some excellent tacos), pool tables and varied drinking areas. Definitely worth checking out.
That was the extent of my exploration in the couple of days I had back in December, but there are many other breweries and venues in the wider Bay of Plenty region. You could spend a week on a quality beer tour in this part of the world.
Further down the coast in Whakatāne you’ll find Mata, one of the OG craft breweries who recently celebrated their 20th birthday. They’ve also got a pop-up bar for the summer at Ōhope.
Talking of OGs, Craig Fitzpatrick has been involved in the craft beer scene for 20 years and you can fill a flagon at his brewery in Pyes Pa on Fridays and Saturdays. If you love cider, there’s the Cider Factorie in Te Puna, and don’t forget Lumberjack Brewing in Te Puke. Slightly further afield in Rotorua you have another legend in Croucher Brewing.
The Bay of Plenty has got everything you need for a craft beer holiday: welcoming family-friendly taprooms, freehouses with a wide beer range and intimate meet-the-brewer experiences. There’s the legacy of experience and the excitement of the new, all within easy reach of some of the best beaches in the country. Sounds like bliss to me.
Main image / Mount Brewing Co