How do you pay tribute to a beer that provided so much inspiration? We’ve been brewing our Sawmill Pilsner for nearly 20 years, so it was time to invite Emerson’s to collaborate with us on this iconic beer style. The best organic malt from Gladfield, and organic hops from Colin Oldham at New Hoplands - Aotearoa’s OG organic hop grower. A celebration of great New Zealand beer, brewers and growers. We brewed a tribute to Emerson's Organic Pilsner, a beer style close to our hearts. Expect the best of both breweries! Available here or at any good liquor outlet around the country.  ..read more

In time for Summer, this is Awkward. Awkward Refreshments have launched two beers with a totally new approach - Awkward Ginger Beer and Awkward Quite Hard Lemonade. As you’d expect, Sawmill have been quietly radical in their approach. This beer with ginger is naturally fermented and doesn’t use refined sugars. In the spirit of a traditional Ginger Beer there is spice from the ginger and cinnamon and a refreshing kick from the lemon with a dry finish. Awkward Lemonade is brewed with Hawkes Bay lemons, naturally fermented and super thirst quenching. A refreshing beer with actual lemons. Awk ..read more

We're stoked to have won TWO trophies and another 11 medals at the Brewers Guild Awards 2023.  For the 4th year in a row we won the Sustainability Trophy (one of the longest trophy runs in the history of the awards) and our XPA won the very competitive International Pale Ale category which basically led to euphoria at our table because everyone at Sawmill bloody loves that beer. We really can't emphasize enough how hard everyone works to make great beer and give people choice, both in our team and other independent breweries around the country. GOLD AND TROPHY XPA SILVER Pilsner Citra ..read more

At Sawmill we were hugely disappointed to see the Container Return Scheme (CRS) dropped. The Zero Waste Network Aotearoa had this to say: The “reason” given for deferred the container return scheme is so families don’t face additional costs. The reality is we are all already paying to recycle single use drink containers and to clean them up when they become litter and pollution. The cost just shows up on our rates bills and in our rent costs rather than on our supermarket dockets. The difference is that right now we’re paying more than we would be under a CRS, for a much worse outcome, wh ..read more

We were incredibly proud to be one of the first New Zealand breweries to bring you a non-alcoholic beer and its time for another one! Introducing Sawmill Hazy Bare Beer. A juicy IPA with less than 0.5% alcohol. Big tropical and citrus aromas from the locally grown hops. Available NOW online and in all good liquor outlets. Hazy Bare Beer / Non-alcoholic hazy IPA ..read more

We’re stoked to announce that we’ve been selected as the only brewery to release the official hop name for NZH-102! We’ve been part of the NZ Hops Bract Brewing Programme over the past year, and NZH-102 will be the first hop to be launched from the NZ Hops Bract Brewing Programme. NZH-102 is punchy, versatile and tropical. This Superdelic Hazy IPA will be available in cans and kegs from February 10th, for a limited time only. Superdelic Hazy IPA // 6.0% Brewed with all New Zealand ingredients, this punchy & tropical hazy IPA champions Superdelic, the latest hop release from the NZ Hops B ..read more

We are immensely proud to have won TWO trophies and another 11 medals at this years Brewers Guild New Zealand Beer Awards. A Sawmill classic, The Doctor, took the trophy and only gold medal in its category to add to numerous other awards its won over the last 12 years. A special shout out to our production team who always aim high. And for the third year in a row we have won the Brewing Industry Sustainability Award - a huge achievement and great effort from our whole team. GOLD AND TROPHY The Doctor SILVER Hazy East Coast IPA XPA Riwaka East Coast IPA | Aotearoa Series #27 Vintage Ale | Qu ..read more

 Aotearoa Series is the first series of its kind to celebrate exclusively New Zealand hops and malts. It's about the people that bring beer to life - the farmers, growers, and innovators.  This series brings you a new beer every third week of the month. Always different and always the best from Aotearoa.  The Aotearoa Series is brewed only for the participating 40 venues nationwide and not available on tap anywhere else.  Wellington Little Beer Quarter The Hudson Kelburn Village Pub Havana Bar Rogue & Vagabond The Thistle Inn Goldings Free Dive Other North I ..read more

Once again we are stoked to announce we have once again been awarded two gold medals in the New World Beer & Cider Awards, this time for our XPA and West Coast IPA. 30 beers were selected from the hundreds entered for the top 30, in no particular order.  Both of these beers are available in every New World throughout the country from Monday the 16th of May.  The judges described the XPA as having a lovely light body and a sweetness that is just balanced by firm bitterness that slowly builds but stays firmly held in check. The whole package whispers of restrained elegance and an ..read more

Our team spent the morning harvesting our own hops. One of the first fresh hop brews for 2022 in New Zealand! The result will be a lager where South Island malt meets our Matakana fresh hops in a luscious combo boasting citrus, floral and tropical flavours, with a relatively full and hop-oily body.  On tap in a few weeks at the Smoko Room.  ..read more