Our pick of the best New Zealand fruity, weird and wonderful beers of 2025

For something a little bit out there, why not try a New Zealand sour? Often brewed using fruit yeast, sour beers boast bold acidic flavours and are often inspired by massive fruit aromas like peach, passionfruit or citrus.

There’s a booming trend in the beer world to create styles that are best defined as acidic, tart or sour and some of our New Zealand breweries are doing it best. The complexity and refreshing nature of these beers can be truly mind-bending.

We’ve included three of the best of the best Kiwi wheat and sour brews on our list for 2025.

Keep scrolling to discover the best of the best New Zealand-made wheat and sour beers for 2025 plus our favourite food pairings for each beer.

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Garage Project Spicy Pickle Beer

Type of beer: Sour

Brewery: Garage Project

Flavours: Spicy dill pickle juice.

Judges’ comments:  If you discovered Garage Project’s Pickle Beer at last year’s awards, it’s time to take things up a notch with the spiced-up version. This sour beer is infused with cucumber, dill and pickle spice, and a liberal dose of chilli. The judges noted the chilli heat hit “a good level - just on the cusp of being too hot”. The judges loved that it’s a beer that does exactly what it says it’s going to do. For spicy pickle lovers everywhere.

For more on this beer visit: https://garageproject.co.nz/

Buy this beer: Visit online shopping

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McLeod's Far North Chili Pils 

Type of beer: Pilsner

Brewery: McLeod's

Flavours:   A subtle chili fragrance with a soft, warming heat

Judges’ comments:  Northland brewery McLeod’s with its iconic Pizza Barn bar and restaurant are regulars in this event but for the first time one of their longest-standing brews has forced its way into the Top-25. This chilli pilsner gets its heat courtesy of fellow Northlanders Kaitaia Fire, who supply the chillies. It delivers a hint of heat up the nostrils on the aroma. In the flavour department. Warming finish but not overpowering spice.

For more on this beer visit: https://mcleodsbrewery.co.nz/

Buy this beer: Visit online shopping

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Lush

Type of beer: Sour

Brewery: Three Sisters

Flavours: A thick, tropical explosion with visible vanilla seeds and a sweet fusion of pineapple, guava, and feijoa."

Judges’ comments: New Plymouth’s Three Sisters emptied the fruit bowl to create a beer Don’t worry that it’s weird looking — it’s just what we were looking for — with real vanilla seeds visible in the glass. Thick and lush, the pineapple, guava and feijoa are all obvious and yet they meld together superbly. “Super thick and juicy with just enough sourness to cut through sweetness,” said the judges. 

 

For more on this beer visit: https://threesistersbrewery.store/

Buy this beer: Visit online shopping

Best New Zealand fruit, flavoured & spiced 2025

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Parrotdog Limited Release 24 - Coconut Hazy IPA

Type of beer: Hazy IPA

Brewery: Parrotdog

Flavours: Pina colada in a beer can

Judges’ comments: Wellington brewery Parrotdog have created the beer equivalent of a pina colada with this Coconut Hazy IPA. A judicious use of coconut, not too overpowering, blends with pineapple and tropical fruit hop flavours create a long and rewarding drinking experience. The sweet notes are offset by a gentle cedarwood character and the flavours lasts all the way to a smooth and dry finish. 

For more on this beer visit: https://parrotdog.co.nz/

Buy this beer: Visit online shopping

Thirsty for more top New Zealand beers?

If you’re after dark beers, lagers or more unique craft varieties, don’t forget to check out the articles linked below, or browse the Top 25 from the New World Beer & Cider Awards 2025.

Not sure what you like? Our craft beer guide will walk you through what makes craft beer special and the different styles and flavours you can find in Aotearoa.

Related articles:

Best New Zealand craft beers for 2025

Best New Zealand IPAs and pale ales for 2025

Best New Zealand lagers and pilsners for 2025

Best New Zealand stouts and porters for 2025

Best New Zealand ciders for 2025

Best New Zealand hazy ales for 2025

About the author

Michael Donaldson is one of New Zealand’s most renowned beer writers and was named Beer Writer of the Year by the Brewers Guild of New Zealand for a third time in 2018. He has been the Chair of Judges for the New World Beer & Cider Awards since 2016.

His writing appears in North & South, The New Zealand Herald, Stuff and Drinksbiz. He is also the editor of The Pursuit of Hoppiness magazine published by the Society of Beer Advocates (SOBA). He is the author of New Zealand's definitive beer history Beer Nation - the Art and Heart of Kiwi Beer as well as The Big Book of Home Brew: a Kiwi Guide and The Hopfather, the biography of Emerson's founder Richard Emerson.