Garage Project Aro Cellar Door

Brewery · Aro Valley ·

Garage Project Aro Cellar Door

Brewery · Aro Valley ·

Experimental craft beers using diverse, unconventional ingredients.

Information

68/70 Aro Street, Aro Valley, Wellington 6021, New Zealand Get directions

@afar

25,132 Postcards · 3,702 Cities

What to Eat and Drink in New Zealand - AFAR

"A high-profile brewery celebrated for experimental and creative craft beers that are part of the city’s reputation as a craft-brew capital." - AFAR

https://www.afar.com/magazine/enjoy-fresh-inspired-eating-in-new-zealand

Garage Project Aro Cellar Door

@afar

25,132 Postcards · 3,702 Cities

"Renowned as one of New Zealand 's most innovative craft breweries—recent beers have incorporated ingredients as diverse as green tea, sour cherries, and jasmine—the best place to try what's new is Garage Project's tasting room in the bohemian Wellington suburb of Aro Valley. Beyond the clever, one-off concoctions, Garage Project also produces fantastic core beers, some using local New Zealand hops varieties like Riwaka and Nelson Sauvin. Beers to order with confidence whenever you see them around the country include Garagista IPA and Aro Noir stout, and fans of sour and barrel-aged varieties should ask about the Wild Workshop range: It harnesses natural yeasts from the ocean breezes around Wellington and nearby Cook Strait."

The Best Bars in New Zealand

Photo courtesy of Garage Project

Garage Project

@michelinguide

48,380 Postcards · 8,031 Cities

7 Craft Breweries to Visit in New Zealand

"It takes more than passion to stand out in the craft beer capital that is Wellington, but Garage Project manages to do just that. Here, the beers are made from unconventional ingredients such as New Zealand-grown kombu and fermented bonito flakes. Particularly interesting is the Cabbage and Kings Imperial Oyster Stout, made from 10 dozen Te Matuku Bay Pacific oysters, making it a rich and intense brew that has just a hint of briny notes and a touch of smoke." - Meryl Koh

https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/travel/new-zealand-craft-breweries

Garage Project Cellar Door

@michelinguide

48,380 Postcards · 8,031 Cities

7 Craft Breweries to Visit in New Zealand

https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/travel/new-zealand-craft-breweries

Garage Project Aro Cellar Door

MetalMF N.

Google

Beautiful ginger beer on a hot day. Doesn't taste like spiked punch bowl at the skool ball.

Dirk W.

Google

Man what an experience. We where allowed to try all of their beers on tap for free. And they are unbelivable good. Different flavours and very intense. Was amazing

Parichay M.

Google

I was told that Garage Project is the best brewery in Wellington. The ambiance was lovely & energetic. The flavours were unique & I was glad that they had tasters. There are many non-alcoholic options for teetotallers as well. The staff was good.

Brendan Q.

Google

My monthly visit for the Fresh release(and a can of whatever else looks good, which is everything)

Brett A.

Google

AMAZING place a must visit for every craft beer drinker... this is where it all started.

Melissa M

Google

This place is pretty cool. It's important to mention, this isn't a bar but where you can buy their beer. Great selection and they offer tastings.

Eric L.

Google

Good place to get some beers, recommend the Hazy IPA

John S.

Google

Although it's technically not a cellar, there are indeed doors! Plenty of selection, and new brews every week. The staff are great, and have the patience of a saint when it's full of people wanting to taste every single drink before buying something they can get from the supo. Big shout out to the staff member who gave my puppy some dog treats last week. Legend!

Mikhala F.

Yelp

Can one go to Wellington without going to Garage Project?! We'd heard so much about this well-known brewery - it was one of our good friend's favorite spots while she lived there. It's quite a hike up from the main area, and all uphill - we opted to taxi up and walk back down. First, the address took us to their production facility so we had to walk a block or so to their taproom. We were expecting it to be much bigger than it was! It's similar to the layout of most spots in Wellington: super long and skinny, with seating along the side of the walkway back, with bar in the far back. For how popular it is, we were so surprised it's this small. We grabbed a table by the entrance and ordered at the bar in back. The guy working the bar was wearing an Iowa Hawkeyes shirt?! It was so incredible, and we had a great chat with him about it. We really enjoyed our beer and seltzer, and liked people watching by the front door and inside. The ambiance is great, with cool edgy decor inside. It's a very hipster energy here - ambiance and guests! We asked about merch, and they pointed us to their brewery/production facility down the block. We went over and they had a good amount of beer and some stickers, but otherwise didn't have much at all for merch. We definitely would have bought something if they had more options!

Kendoll C.

Yelp

Garage Project, boasted as one of NZ's most popular brews, true to their name, started in a garage, moving to a service station- offering lots of drink in and/or takeaway variety. We anticipated visiting, not just because of the sheer popularity, but because of the fabulous sounding ambiance of the locations-offering 'big brews with low-key vibes'- and this was exactly what we got (& loved). Visiting the brewery 'house' (not the service station)- I immediately fell in love with the artistic graffiti, the hanging beaker bottles of brews (displaying the colors of the beers), the creative beer label signs, and the friendly bartenders. Overwhelmed by taking it all in, the bartenders took the time to talk with me about the brewery, the history, and walked me through a few beer samples to explain their core beer flavors. We tried: -Pernicious Weed a hearty-dry hopped-dank double IPA with heavy but deliciously smooth quality -Fresh Oct 22-smooth, creamy, hazy-with an orange kick -Haze Daze-a blend of well balanced hops, with a nice citra mouthfeel Only woe-why not 5 stars?- no free wifi & the tap water is seltzer water-smoking allowed

Alexander G.

Yelp

Garage Project is arguably one of the most famous New Zealand breweries, and for good reason. You can find their quality beer wrapped in cool label art all over the country. I had the benefit of coming here with a local beer lover and was thankful to hear the history. The brewery started in a garage, eventually moving to a the service station (garage) in which it stands today. This gas station was owned by the first female Jaguar racer and mechanic Sybil Lupp; so you get history and beer together. This is the OG location, easy to find in the Te Aro valley. I'm told in the dead of winter, the sun rarely hit this street, so long ago they'd be snowed in for months. The entire former garage space is filled with brewing equipment, with a small bar and bottle shop located in the old store portion. We came late one night just before close and all the bartenders were welcoming and took us on a free tasting session through every beer on tap. They explained about the brewery and beer as we enjoyed drinking. They have all their bottled and canned varieties for sale, as well as a comfy seating area and swag shop. The bar primarily serves as a growler fill station; this is where locals come to get their beer fresh from the source. If you're a beer lover in Wellington, you must stop here and give yourself time to enjoy. Then head across the street to the newer taproom! (see my review on that listing)

Simon Y.

Yelp

I gave five stars, because I enjoy being around people who seem to think they are cool. So very cool - laugh

Mick T.

Yelp

Jumped off the Maasdam cruise ship and headed over the mountain to Garage Project. Tasted their beers on tap and grabbed a Hapi Sessions No. 1 to go. We stopped at a park bench in the Botanical Gardens to enjoy the brew and wine we bought at Garage Project. It was a magical afternoon. Cheers!

Wes W.

Yelp

This is a place a little distance from the center of the city. It is manageable walking to reach there. It has been a highly recommended place by others. It is awesome. The Garage Project has two separated locations about 50m from each other. One side is the cellar, or the brewery house/garage. The other side is the bar. I have visited both, starting with the cellar side. The lady who served me was very knowledgeable to beer and to the history of the place. There were 7 different beer for you to taste for free. You may purchase beer from here. The bar side has more than 20 beers, all brewed in house, for you to choose. I did the sampler, with four different beer of your choice. There was a card coming with the beer, recording all the beer you have chosen. If you are a beer drinker, this is a place make you happy.

Paul W.

Yelp

Amazing Garage beer brewing company that has many takeaway options. A converted petrol station that is in the heart of Avo valley. You'll find at least two dozen beers on top with 1.25 or 2 litre plastic takeaway, growlers or bottle options. Not only does it have a massive selection of beers but it has a small great gift shop attached to this world famous brewery.

Sarah H.

Yelp

Decent beer; average service. I did love that you can see the colors of the beers. Lots of options. Small food menu. Seems like a locals hangout, so it was a nice break from the heavy tourist scene. People do smoke right outside the door, so that was the biggest negative. They were also out of the salt n vin crisps so... yeah.

Akash C.

Yelp

One of the top micro(or craft) brewery in wellington, The Garage Project is one of the best places to buy ber of self or as a gift. Ever season with new and fresh beer, This brewery will challenge ur palate and blow your mind..... Few of my favorites are Pacific Pale Ale and Aro Noir..... You may find there beer at a near pub or bar... And I bet u won't stop at one.....(#drinkresponsibly)

Asuka N.

Yelp

With some free time to spare on a Sunday afternoon in Welington, we took a bit of an extended walk and made our way over to Garage Project's cellar room (their brewpub is just across the street, slightly down the road, and this will cover that as well). It's a converted gas station with some very cool graffiti / artwork decorating the place and rebranding it definitely as a brewery. Inside the cellar room, a couple staff (probably short a couple, given that there were a good number of visitors) manned the taps and gave folks free samples as well as helping refill growlers and selling other merch. The beers on tap are a broad variety, and I was finally glad to find a place in the Antipodes doing some heavier beers such as double IPAs that really don't seem to exist otherwise. My favorite overall was probably the Pernicious Weed, which is pretty drinkable for a double IPA but does not have as many outstanding flavors or notes relative to the standard double IPA I would find at American breweries. The best I had in a can was the Lack of Faith, which is a Star Wars-themed beer but would be the one that I would buy as a repeat drinker - it's a black IPA that has a nice warmth to it that finishes on a slightly hoppy finish. The rest did not really stand out to me, although I did like that their session IPA had a decent flavor to it while managing to clock in at a meager 2% ABV. As for the brewpub (which is 91 Aro Street but does not appear to be on Yelp yet), it has all the beers that the cellar room has on tap or in cans/bottles, although some (such as Lack of Faith) were out of stock there. The food menu is relatively sparse, but the piadina with cheese, prosciutto, and rocket was quite good and tasted substantial even though it was a light, airy bite. Overall, I dig the vibe of Garage Project, and I like what they are doing - I just hope that they become more adventurous with the beers they are producing down the road!

Ato B.

Yelp

The best microbrewery in Wellington. The selection is quite good and the beer is produced in this former gas station. You cannot drink beers on site since they lack a license, but you can certainly try different ones and purchase the beer of your choice to go. No worries if you don't want to take your favorite beer home. Many good bars and restaurants in Wellington sell most of their beers.

N A.

Yelp

Great graphic design and even better beer. Really cool old gas station they converted into a brewery. Don't miss if you're in Wellington.

Sandra G.

Yelp

Very cool spot! A little hard to find (up the street and across from the brewery, plus a little ways away from the main spots in Wellington), and fairly small inside, not an issue if you can get a table though. Great bartenders and great craft beer! Snacks were yummy too, got the crispy beans and they had just the right amount of spice on them. Would definitely come back.

Claire M.

Yelp

Great beer in funky old building. We chose the Pilsner and loved it. Super friendly and helpful people - really busy on a Saturday afternoon. Close to Aro St Cafe ( great coffee ) and amazing bakery across the road. Maybe just a tad expensive compared to other craft breweries we've been to.

@afar

25,132 Postcards · 3,702 Cities

What to Eat and Drink in New Zealand - AFAR

"A high-profile brewery celebrated for experimental and creative craft beers that are part of the city’s reputation as a craft-brew capital." - AFAR

https://www.afar.com/magazine/enjoy-fresh-inspired-eating-in-new-zealand

Garage Project Aro Cellar Door

@afar

25,132 Postcards · 3,702 Cities

The Best Bars in New Zealand

Photo courtesy of Garage Project

Garage Project

@michelinguide

48,380 Postcards · 8,031 Cities

7 Craft Breweries to Visit in New Zealand

https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/travel/new-zealand-craft-breweries

Garage Project Cellar Door

@michelinguide

48,380 Postcards · 8,031 Cities

7 Craft Breweries to Visit in New Zealand

https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/travel/new-zealand-craft-breweries

Garage Project Aro Cellar Door

MetalMF N.

Google

Beautiful ginger beer on a hot day. Doesn't taste like spiked punch bowl at the skool ball.

Dirk W.

Google

Man what an experience. We where allowed to try all of their beers on tap for free. And they are unbelivable good. Different flavours and very intense. Was amazing

Parichay M.

Google

Brendan Q.

Google

My monthly visit for the Fresh release(and a can of whatever else looks good, which is everything)

Brett A.

Google

AMAZING place a must visit for every craft beer drinker... this is where it all started.

Melissa M

Google

This place is pretty cool. It's important to mention, this isn't a bar but where you can buy their beer. Great selection and they offer tastings.

Eric L.

Google

Good place to get some beers, recommend the Hazy IPA

John S.

Google

Mikhala F.

Yelp

Kendoll C.

Yelp

Alexander G.

Yelp

Simon Y.

Yelp

I gave five stars, because I enjoy being around people who seem to think they are cool. So very cool - laugh

Mick T.

Yelp

Wes W.

Yelp

Paul W.

Yelp

Sarah H.

Yelp

Akash C.

Yelp

Asuka N.

Yelp

Ato B.

Yelp

N A.

Yelp

Great graphic design and even better beer. Really cool old gas station they converted into a brewery. Don't miss if you're in Wellington.

Sandra G.

Yelp

Claire M.

Yelp

Garage Project Aro Cellar Door

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What to Eat and Drink in New Zealand - AFAR

7 Craft Breweries to Visit in New Zealand

7 Craft Breweries to Visit in New Zealand

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