After several hours of wandering around (and around) the Sky Stadium concourse, chatting beer, drinking delicious or wild or show-stopping brews, and eating the flavourful food on offer at Beervana, you’re usually ready for a bit of a wind down.
So where to head afterwards, for a bit of a break and some space to decide whether you really did like that slimy green sour beer? Here are some suggestions for some post-Beervana chill time.
Little Beer Quarter
Known locally as LBQ, this bar hidden down Edward Street in the CBD is the perfect spot for a late night beverage and wind down. They have an array of carefully curated taps, hand-pulled, bottled and canned beers if you haven’t had enough already, including some classic Belgian favourites like Chimay Blue and Orval. But they also have a good range of spirits, wine and their range of kombucha flavours is second to none. The fire roars on cold nights and there’s plenty of room to lean and chat, or sit and think, with a friendly buzz that never overwhelms.
Bedlam & Squalor
One of the city’s newest cocktail bars, Bedlam & Squalor is situated above one of Wellington’s favourite summer beer hangs, Rogue and Vagabond on Garrett St. The two bars are connected by an internal staircase, and you can take drinks from one into the other. Bedlam & Squalor has craft beer on tap, but it is their classic cocktail list that people go for — they make a great Negroni, and have favourites like Moscow Mule and Whiskey Sour on the menu. Whether you want to hang on the bar stools, chill on their purple velvet couches or play a bit of pool, they have a chill and comfy vibe that puts you at ease.
Poquito
Another little central city cocktail bar, this one located on Tory Street. Poquito doesn’t offer a drinks menu, rather the bartenders chat with you to understand what flavours take your fancy and make something accordingly — they even make a mean mocktail. But for me it is their whisky (and whiskey) list which impresses, with the classic Scottish and Irish tipples sitting alongside some truly unusual offerings; you can even get a flight. It’s an intimate space, so there’s an element of luck in getting a spot, but when you do, the staff make you feel like you’re old friends who have all the time in the world for you.
The Hudson
The Hudson on Chews Lane is often frequented by the suits whose office blocks tower nearby, but with 16 beer taps and an excellent food menu, it’s a great bar for some snacks and chats. The food is seriously good, and if you’re all beered out they have an overwhelmingly extensive gin menu — which is exactly what my palate craves after several hours of beer tasting. Best of all, it’s located a wee way from Courtenay Place, so its late night vibe is cool and calm, rather than noisy and bustling.
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