If there was one thing we did a lot while we were in New Zealand, it was drinking beer.
You see, a decade ago, beer was not really my thing. I made faces when I tried our local
Philippine beer during my curious adolescent years.
Well, never say never. When I tried a fresh pint of Tui from the tap that fateful day in Christchurch 10 years ago, Oh dear, I was hooked since.
It was this beer in New Zealand that made me want to try different beers around the world. It was this acquired taste that made me appreciate and understand a country by the uniqueness of their local beer.
The quick detour to Tui HQ Brewery in Mangatainoka was unplanned. We were on our way to Wellington from Napier along State Highway 50.
I remember making reservations in the car for the brewery visit. They have scheduled timings and they only allow a certain number of visitors per tour.
The lady who took my call was friendly and accommodating. We were roughly two hours away and our tour schedule was exactly in two hours.
Imagine the rush of finding our way as we missed our turn to State Highway 2 when the phone navigation got lost.
Despite the back and forth communication with the brewery of the possibility of us being late for the tour, we made it on time.
We were warmly greeted at the door. The others were all set. We quickly put on the safety vests and we were handed brewery passports for the tour.
Love the quote: "I only went on tour to see how the beer's made. Yeah right."
Tui HQ is the largest brewery in the North Island established in 1889. It offers a 40-minute guided tour around the new state of the art brewery which includes a beer tasting of your choice from the tap. The Mangatainoka passport also has some complimentary vouchers for local hotels and discounts for activities and hot spots in the Tararua and Wairapapa Regions.
Guided tours are available twice daily at 11:30 AM and 2:30 PM for a maximum number of 20 persons. Private tours can also be arranged. Larger groups are preferred.
Tasting Tour Packages:
Tour + 1 Taster (Does not include Mangatainoka Passport) = NZD 20
Tour + 3 Tasters (Includes a Mangatainoka Passport + you can keep your taster glass) = NZD 25
Tour + Tasters + Personalized Bottle (Includes a Mangatainoka Passport & Personalized Bottle)= NZD 35
TUI Bar Museum & Restaurant Opening Hours 7 Days a Week
What to wear?
Covered shoes are mandatory.
Their brick walled Flagon Room is a popular venue for weddings and events. They also offer private conference and function packages in a relaxed atmosphere.
The iconic Tui Brewery Tower was built in 1932. Tui HQ is considered to be a micro brewery. The tour was educational as we learned about its History and their Beer Brewing Process:
Even my little girl was wearing a safety vest.
After the tour, we were guided to the bar for our much awaited tasters. Only one beer from the tap are available commercially while the rest of the specialty beers can only be tasted here.
Tui HQ Kitchen has delicious menu options. Their dining area was rustic and cozy exuding a relaxing vibe that makes you want to stay and linger there for hours. I wasn't surprised that the bar and restaurant was packed at lunch time.
They have the traditional Fish and Chips and Tui HQ Big Breakfast with golden hashbrown, poached eggs, crispy bacon and sausages with mushroom and tomato relish (Yum!) and other beer match dishes.
We ordered their signature Cheese Burger Angle Bay Beef pattie with grilled cheese, mesclun, beetroot and relish served with waffle fries. It was mouth watering.
Verdict: Everyone had a great time! It was definitely worth the detour and we're incredibly happy we did it.
Do you like micro brewery tours?
How do you feel about beer tasting?