Steve Nally always had a passion for beer. While he played professional rugby and put his chemistry degree to use in a science lab, the hoppy delight kept calling. In 1999, Nally decided to follow his beer-fuelled dreams, he found a disused dairy shed on Oteramika Road, and set up a brewery with his father Gerry. And, what started as a hobby soon turned into the successful business that is Invercargill Brewery. Nally, a self-trained brewer, has since cemented a reputation as one of New Zealand's most innovative brewers.
Unsurprisingly, the business quickly grew out of the old blue dairy shed. It moved to a former bacon factory in 2005, then to its current home in a beautifully remodelled fabrication shop on Leet Street in 2013. All the while it's been slinging some seriously tasty brews. Currently, the cellar door offers 20 taps of craft beers and wines from throughout New Zealand. The best way to experience this expansive brewery is to jump on a brewery tour. For $25, you'll get an insight into the brewing process, a chance to sample all of the standard range and get to ask all the questions you want. Cheers.