Queenstown Breweries & Craft Beer: The Best Taprooms & Beer Bars

Queenstown might be world-famous for adventure and Pinot Noir, but its craft beer scene quietly punches well above its weight. From a lakeside taproom at the marina to a brewery built out of shipping containers in the Gibbston Valley, the region offers a genuinely good day (or night) out for beer lovers - often with a mountain or river view thrown in.

Here are the best breweries and craft beer spots in and around Queenstown.

The lakeside flagship: Altitude Brewing

If you only have time for one brewery, make it [Altitude Brewing](https://www.altitudebrewing.co.nz/). Built from the ground up in 2013 and now pouring at a purpose-built taproom on the shores of Lake Wakatipu by the Frankton marina, it is one of the most scenic places to drink beer in New Zealand. The brewing pedigree is real - Altitude has racked up gold medals and was named New Zealand's Champion Small Brewery. Rotating food trucks handle the food, there is undercover outdoor seating, and it is dog and family friendly. It is about a 15-minute drive from the town centre.

In town: Searchlight Brewery

Closer to the action, [Searchlight Brewery](https://www.searchlightbrewery.co.nz/) is a fiercely independent Queenstown taproom where every beer is brewed, tested and canned on site. It is one of very few breweries in the country to serve cask ale fresh from the handpull. Expect rotating taps, a sunny beer garden, an outdoor fire pit and a regular calendar of open mic, live music, comedy and trivia nights. Bring the dog.

Riverside dining: Canyon Brewing

Out at Arthurs Point, tucked beneath the historic Edith Cavell Bridge, [Canyon Brewing](https://canyonbrewingqt.co.nz/) combines an onsite microbrewery with one of the best pizza kitchens in the district. The seasonal, share-style menu and epic sourdough pizzas pair perfectly with beers brewed metres away, and the outdoor area overlooks the Shotover River and Skippers Canyon. It is dog friendly inside and out.

Out in the vines: Cargo Brewery

For something different, [Cargo Brewery](https://www.cargobrewery.co.nz/) runs a small, award-winning operation out of shipping containers in the Gibbston Valley wine region. Founded in 2015, Cargo lets visitors get up close to the brewing process in an open-air tasting space - a fun, beer-shaped detour if you are already doing the Gibbston wine trail.

The best beer bars

Not every great pour comes from a brewery. [Smiths Craft Beer House](https://smithscraftbeer.co.nz/) on Shotover Street is Queenstown's quintessential craft beer free-house, with 21 rotating taps showcasing the best of New Zealand and a solid reserve bottle selection - all served upstairs with views of the Remarkables. Down at Steamer Wharf, [Atlas Beer Cafe](https://www.atlasbeercafe.com/) is the beloved locals' local: a friendly, unpretentious spot for taps, tapas and famously good-value steaks, with strong support for nearby breweries on the tap list.

Building your own brewery crawl

If you want to string a few together, a smart route is to start lakeside at Altitude in Frankton, swing through town for a tap takeover at Smiths or Atlas, and finish with pizza and a pint beside the river at Canyon in Arthurs Point. Add Gibbston's Cargo if you are already out on the wine trail. Most taprooms keep shorter hours than the town bars and some close earlier in the week, so check opening times before you set off - and remember the best brewing happens in summer beer gardens and winter fireside, so there is no wrong season.

Drink responsibly

As with the wine country, the smart move is to leave the car behind. Book a craft beer tour with a driver, use a designated sober driver, or stick to the in-town spots you can walk between. The roads to Arthurs Point, Gibbston and Wanaka are scenic but not for driving after a few pints.

Run a taproom or brewery? Get the word out

Craft beer is a word-of-mouth business, and a guide like this one is word of mouth at scale. If you run a taproom or brewery in or around Queenstown that should be on this list, tell us. A ranking position is never sold, but every suggestion gets read and checked against the same criteria as everything else here.

Thirsty for more? See our guides to Queenstown's best bars and Gibbston wineries, or check out the Auckland brewery scene on our sister city guide.