Region & History

The Six o'clock swill shaped drinking in Wellington, as in the whole country, from December 1917 to October 1967. Pubs in New Zealand had to close at 6pm, initially as a measure during World War I.

The rule was a compromise. The temperance movement demanded a complete alcohol ban, while the government didn't want to abolish the brewing industry. Those who finished work at five had one hour left to drink. That's where the name "swill" came from, literally a surge: men crowded the bar and emptied their glasses before the doors closed.

In a referendum in September 1967, almost 64 percent of voters supported later serving hours. On 9 October 1967, closing time moved to 10pm.

The new scene started small. The bar Hashigo Zake on Taranaki Street has been pouring independent beer since 2009. In 2011, brothers Ian and Pete Gillespie founded Garage Project with Jos Ruffell in the Aro Valley, in a derelict car garage, starting with 50-litre batches.

The big players didn't stay out of it. DB Breweries, which belongs to Heineken, bought the Tuatara brand on 31 January 2017. Tuatara later announced its move from Paraparaumu on the Kapiti Coast to Brewtown in Upper Hutt.

There's no EU protected designation of origin for beer in any New Zealand region, and Wellington doesn't need one: its reputation as Craft Beer Capital is a self-given title, not a legal term.