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Searchlight craft beer brewed in Queenstown

Brewed here · Poured here

Queenstown craft beer, brewed on site.

Explore our core beers, seasonal releases, traditional handpull cask ales and small-batch Sour Lab projects across 19 rotating taps.

19 rotating taps · 12 Industrial Place

Craft beer on tap in Queenstown.

Every Searchlight beer is thought up, brewed, tested and canned in our Queenstown brewhouse. Our taps move with the seasons, spanning crisp lagers, hazy and West Coast IPAs, pale ales, traditional cask beer and experimental fruit sours.

The beers below are the ranges we brew rather than a guaranteed live tap list. Ask the team what is pouring today, or come by the taproom to find something familiar and something you have not tried before.

Explore our Queenstown brewery taproom

Browse Queenstown-brewed craft beer from the Searchlight core range, current seasonal releases, our uncommon handpull programme and the small-batch Sour Lab.

Brewed at Searchlight

Core range

Easy Rider Session Hazy Pale Ale craft beer brewed in Queenstown
4%

Easy Rider

Session Hazy Pale Ale

A big old breakfast juice with notes of tropical fruit, papaya and mango. Hops: Simcoe, Mosaic, Motueka & Citra.

Thieving Bastard NZ IPA craft beer brewed in Queenstown
6.7%

Thieving Bastard

NZ IPA

A big, juicy hazy packed with Motueka, Riwaka and Nelson Sauvin, bursting with mango, guava and citrus.

Ladies of Dogtown Hazy Pale Ale craft beer brewed in Queenstown
5%

Ladies of Dogtown

Hazy Pale Ale

Lime and grapefruit over soft tropical notes from Motueka, Nelson Sauvin and Taiheke hops.

John Beer Hazy IPA craft beer brewed in Queenstown
6.7%

John Beer

Hazy IPA

Full-bodied, creamy and loaded with tropical mango, guava and citrus aromas.

Iggy Hop West Coast IPA craft beer brewed in Queenstown
7.2%

Iggy Hop

West Coast IPA

Balanced citrus, pine and fruity hops with guava, passionfruit and tropical juice on the nose.

Ella’s Escape Low Carb Lager craft beer brewed in Queenstown
4.8%

Ella’s Escape

Low Carb Lager

Bright straw colour with soft citrus, floral aromas, gentle grapefruit pith and balanced bitterness.

Neon Jesus Pale Ale craft beer brewed in Queenstown
4.8%

Neon Jesus

Pale Ale

Juicy, citrusy hops with a soft malt cushion. Hops: Kohatu, Motueka and Nelson Sauvin.

Caterpilsner Pilsner craft beer brewed in Queenstown
5%

Caterpilsner

Pilsner

Crisp and straw-yellow with floral spice, zesty lemon and a dry, spritzy finish.

Champagne Pilsner Champagne Pilsner craft beer brewed in Queenstown
5.9%

Champagne Pilsner

Champagne Pilsner

Clean pilsner character with a bright, bone-dry sparkle, fine effervescence and an elegant finish.

Queenstown Draught NZ Draught craft beer brewed in Queenstown
4.5%

Queenstown Draught

NZ Draught

Soft malt, a hint of toffee and biscuit with subtle bitterness and a full-bodied local character.

Brewed at Searchlight

Seasonal range

Oatmeal Stout Oatmeal Stout craft beer brewed in Queenstown
5.6%

Oatmeal Stout

Oatmeal Stout

Dark chocolate, gentle vanilla, roasted coffee and toasted malt with a soft, creamy finish.

Cherry Wheat Beer Cherry Wheat Beer craft beer brewed in Queenstown
4.7%

Cherry Wheat Beer

Cherry Wheat Beer

Bright cherry fruit meets a soft wheat-beer base, with gentle tartness, light bready malt and a crisp, refreshing finish.

Citrus Radler Radler craft beer brewed in Queenstown
3.5%

Citrus Radler

Radler

Light, lively and packed with citrus character, with bright lemon zest, soft sweetness and a clean, thirst-quenching finish.

Schwarzbier German-style Dark Lager craft beer brewed in Queenstown
5%

Schwarzbier

German-style Dark Lager

A smooth German-style dark lager with notes of toasted bread, cocoa and gentle roast, finishing clean, crisp and surprisingly light.

Kölsch Kölsch craft beer brewed in Queenstown
5%

Kölsch

Kölsch

Delicate, bright and crisp, with soft grain, subtle fruit and a clean, dry finish inspired by Cologne’s classic beer style.

Trench Coat West Coast IPA craft beer brewed in Queenstown
7%

Trench Coat

West Coast IPA

A bold West Coast IPA bringing together the punchy character of US hops with a bright NZ hop edge. A sturdy malt base gives the beer a rich deep-gold colour and a touch of chewy malt sweetness, providing balance against a firm bitterness and generous hop load. Aromas of ripe stone fruit and dank pine resin lead into a subtle citrus undertone, with the US hops taking centre stage while the NZ varieties add brightness and lift. Full of character, bitter, resinous and built for hop lovers.

Abbey Stained Glass Belgian Tripel craft beer brewed in Queenstown
8.6%

Abbey Stained Glass

Belgian Tripel

A rich 8.6% Belgian Tripel.

Lembas Bread Ale craft beer brewed in Queenstown
4%

Lembas Bread

Ale

Inspired by the legendary Lembas bread of Middle-earth, this collaboration with Choice Bros Brewing takes the idea of bread and turns it into beer. A soft, hazy pale ale with a distinctly bready and biscuit-like character, complemented by a gentle touch of vanilla. Malt-forward and comforting, with a creamy texture and just enough sweetness to evoke the rich, sustaining character of the Elves' famous travelling bread. A beer made for journeys, adventures, and second breakfasts.

Brewed at Searchlight

Forty5

Ginger Beer Alcoholic Ginger Beer craft beer brewed in Queenstown
4%

Ginger Beer

Alcoholic Ginger Beer

Brewed at 45° south in Queenstown, this crisp, spicy refresher is our taste of alpine sunshine in a glass. Easy-drinking, zesty, and made for post-adventure sessions.

Brewed at Searchlight

Handpull

Summer Ale English Summer Ale craft beer brewed in Queenstown
4.2%

Summer Ale

English Summer Ale

A bright, easy-drinking ale with an earthy backbone, subtle spice and soft fruit esters.

Woolly Bugger English IPA craft beer brewed in Queenstown
5.8%

Woolly Bugger

English IPA

Fruity and smooth with soft peach and apricot aromas and proper English pub character.

Lady of the Lake Extra Special Bitter craft beer brewed in Queenstown
4.6%

Lady of the Lake

Extra Special Bitter

Orange marmalade, earthy notes and toffee biscuit with a soft, balanced bitterness.

Brewed at Searchlight

Sour lab

Peaches & Cream Fruited Sour Beer craft beer brewed in Queenstown
3.7%

Peaches & Cream

Fruited Sour Beer

Juicy peach flavour, a smooth creamy finish and a softly tart, refreshing body.

Blueberry Fruited Sour Beer craft beer brewed in Queenstown
4%

Blueberry

Fruited Sour Beer

Bright and tangy with juicy blueberry flavour, gentle sweetness and a refreshing tart finish.

Strawberry Shortcake Fruited Sour Beer craft beer brewed in Queenstown
4%

Strawberry Shortcake

Fruited Sour Beer

Juicy strawberry sweetness, creamy vanilla notes and a soft shortcake-like finish.

One of the few in New Zealand

Traditional handpull cask ale.

We brew styles specifically for our handpull engine. Cask ale is naturally carbonated and served at cellar temperature with no gas pressure, creating a rounder, softer and more nuanced pint. Ask what is currently pulling; it changes and it is always worth asking.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Where can I drink locally brewed craft beer in Queenstown?+

Visit Searchlight Brewery at 12 Industrial Place, Queenstown. Our beer is brewed on site and poured across 19 rotating taps in the taproom.

Do the beers on tap change?+

Yes. The taps rotate through our core beers, seasonal and Forty5 releases, handpull cask ales and small-batch Sour Lab projects.

Can I take craft beer away?+

Yes. We fill 1.2L riggers with any Searchlight beer currently available on tap.

Do you serve traditional cask ale?+

Yes. We brew cask-conditioned styles specifically for our handpull engine and rotate them through the taproom.

Plan your visit

Opening hours

12 Industrial Place, Queenstown 9300

Sunday to Tuesday
Closed
Wed, Thu, Sat
1:00pm to 8:00pm
Friday
1:00pm to 10:00pm
Get directions