Beervana

Beervana grew out of a smaller brewers' guild event and has run in Wellington since the 2000s, held over a weekend in August across several sessions. Around sixty to eighty breweries take part, mostly New Zealand with a rotating group of international guests, and the distinguishing feature is that many pour beers brewed only for the festival - one-off collaborations, experimental batches and things that will not be made again. There is a heavy emphasis on New Zealand hops, which are distinctive enough to have their own international following, and on the small breweries that made Wellington the craft capital. Tokens buy small pours rather than full glasses, so the format is tasting rather than drinking. Sessions sell out, often weeks ahead. Food stalls and a seminar programme run alongside, and there is a strong culture of pacing yourself that not everyone follows.

What you actually see

• The festival-only beers - one-offs and collaborations poured nowhere else.
• The New Zealand hops - the varieties the country is known for.
• The scale - sixty to eighty breweries across a weekend.
• The format - tokens and small pours, built for tasting.

When to go

August, over one weekend, in sessions. Buy tickets as soon as they release - sessions sell out. Wellington in August is cold and wet; the venue is indoors.

Honest expectations

Ticketed by session and frequently sold out. Tokens are bought separately from entry, so the real cost is higher than the ticket. Crowded and loud. Wellington accommodation prices rise that weekend.

Nearby

Wellington's own breweries and bars are within walking distance of the stadium.