Kiwi hops, brewers from both sides of the ditch, and a whole lot of IPA. What's not to love?
From 17–19 July 2026, Rocky Ridge Brunswick brewpub in Melbourne played host to the inaugural Australian NZIPA Challenge — a jam-packed weekend celebrating everything great about the NZIPA style, brought across the Tasman by Queenstown's Smiths Craft Beer House and The Crafty Pint.
What Went Down
Twenty New Zealand IPAs on tap. Twenty. If that doesn't get your tastebuds tingling, not sure what will.
The weekend lineup included:
A brewer panel — industry talk straight from the people making the beer
"Getting Blind With Crafty" — a blind tasting that put punters' palates to the test
A dose of comedy, because beer festivals should be fun, not stuffy
Drink The Keg Dry — the grand finale, exactly as chaotic and brilliant as it sounds
And the Crowd Favourite Was…
Big congrats to Rocky Ridge Brewing Co. who took out the crowd favourite with a seriously good IPA featuring our very own NZ Rhapzody™ hop. 🙌🍻
Seeing a Kiwi hop shine on Aussie soil, in a beer that got punters talking, is exactly why events like this exist.
Cheers to Everyone Who Made It
To everyone who turned up, tasted, voted, and stuck around for the last drop of the keg — thanks for making the inaugural Australian NZIPA Challenge one to remember. Here's to many more.
Keen to get your hands on NZ Rhapzody™ or chat about what's pouring next? Get in touch with the Clayton Hops team.
