Drinks in New Zealand Worth Giving a Go
The leisurely lifestyle or the holiday’ part of your working holiday in New Zealand may involve drinking a refreshing beverage or two. As a producer of wines, beers and even spirits, there are plenty of drinks in New Zealand you will be thankful to try!
Although we all have our tastes, this list of drinks in New Zealand you have to try tries to pick something for everyone. So next time you are at the bar in New Zealand, you might be inspired to try something new. Remember, to have a valid ID when buying alcohol in New Zealand. Find out more in What ID is Valid for Buying Alcohol in New Zealand?
Here are our favourite New Zealand produced drinks and general drinks that New Zealand does well.
1. L&P
You thought this was going to be all alcoholic beverages, didn’t you? Lemon & Paeroa is New Zealand’s very own sweet soft drink now manufactured by Coca-Cola, of course. You can even visit the big bottle in Paeroa where L&P was born.
2. Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Wine
Any wine from Marlborough, the sunniest and driest region in New Zealand, is bound to please the taste buds. Sauvignon Blanc is New Zealand’s most vastly produced and famous wine. Experience Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough itself. Check out Marlborough – Guide for Backpackers.
3. Apple Cider
Taste an apple in New Zealand and you know these apples lead to good things. One of those things is apple cider. Order a cider from any New Zealand bar and chances are you will have a good pint. From our experience, the paler the cider the better.
4. Craft Beer
There is a huge craft beer culture in New Zealand. With more than 160 breweries across the country, it would be a sin to not try some of that hoppy goodness while you are in New Zealand. What’s more, you can even take part in a beer experience with brewery tours. Check out 5 Brewery Tours in New Zealand and 10 Craft Breweries in Nelson You Have to Try.
5. Coffee
New Zealanders are kind of obsessed with their coffee. If it isn’t barista-made with frothy milk, then it’s not worth talking about. Most cafes in New Zealand have high-quality barista-made coffee with highly-trained baristas. Plus, the latte art is always fun!
6. Mulled Cider
A winter warmer in the form of cider, good mulled cider is made with spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. It is particularly popular in Queenstown over the winter season.
7. Speight’s Beer
Featuring obscure trivia under the bottle cap about old New Zealand sports teams, Speight’s was established in Dunedin in 1876 and has been going strong in New Zealand ever since. Make sure to check out one of Speight’s Ale Houses for complementing food and beer/cider combinations.
8. Slushy Cider
In complete contrast to mulled cider, slushy cider is an icy solution for a hot day or a brain freeze. Ok, we swear we’ll stop talking about cider now…
9. Wild Buck Beer
Wild Buck is a simple no-nonsense New Zealand beer for the money-conscious alcoholic. The trivia under bottle cap caters to a wider audience than Speight’s if that’s how you choose your beer.
10. Stolen Rum
This New Zealand rum is steadily growing in international popularity, but why not taste it in the country in which it was fashioned. Try the bizarre coffee & cigarettes spiced rum with cola.
11. 42Below Vodka
Geoff is some bloke from New Zealand who made good vodka and everyone liked it. As well as enjoying the variety of flavours 42Below comes in, you can enjoy the funny ads.
12. Mulled Wine
Mulled wine is another much-needed winter warmer, which tends to be done exceedingly well in New Zealand. It’s pretty easy to find mulled wine mixers in the liquor stores to make your own.
13. Epic Beer
If you like lots of hops then this is the beer for you. Here’s just another craft beer brand that got famous in New Zealand! For more beer brands in New Zealand, check out 25 Awesome New Zealand Beers.
More About Drinks in New Zealand
Sources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- Tourism New Zealand (General travel advice - Updated [2024])
- Adventure Mark (Health and Safety Audit - Updated [2024])
- Work Safe NZ (Adventure Activities Guidelines - Updated [2024])
- Department of Conservation (Tracks, hikes, campsites and more - Updated [2024])
- AdventureSmart (Know before you go - Update [2024])
- NZ Māori Tourism (Official Māori Tourism platform - Updated [2024])
- Tourism Export Council New Zealand (Tourism trade association - Updated [2024])
- TIA (Independent tourism association - Updated [2024])
- Tiaki Promise (Care for people place and culture - Updated [2024])
- Council websites and freedom camping maps (Local travel advice region by region - Updated [2024])
Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.
About The Author
Laura S.
This article has been reviewed and published by Laura, the editor-in-chief and co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. Laura is a first-class honours journalism graduate and a travel journalist with expertise in New Zealand and South Pacific tourism for over 10 years. She also runs travel guides for five of the top destinations in the South Pacific and is the co-host of over 250 episodes of the NZ Travel Show on YouTube.