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Sawmill x Emerson's Pilsner

05 March 2024

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. 

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In time for Summer, this is AWKWARD

16 October 2023

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.

Awkward Refreshments. Summer sorted.  

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TROPHIES AT BGNZ 2023!

13 September 2023

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.

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Borrow a bottle

11 May 2023

We want to make a greater effort to get people into reusing glass by instigating a deposit scheme on our glass flagons. Where as previously people had to buy these now they can now be ‘borrowed’.

A deposit of $11 / $16 is payable on the one and two litre flagons respectively. This is the same price as buying them in the event you decide to keep it.

When you return it you’ll get that money back. Its simple and we hope will lead to more glass being reused.

Thanks for being awesome.

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Introducing Hazy Bare Beer

13 April 2023

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.

NZH-102 hop release!

10 February 2023

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 Bract Brewing Programme.


TWO trophies - Brewers Guild Awards

28 July 2022

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.

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Sawmill Aotearoa Series

16 June 2022

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. 

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Gold for XPA & West Coast IPA

16 May 2022

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 easy evening of sociability.” This easy drinking style is available in six packs.

The West Coast IPA was “Hophead heaven with assertive bitterness. In a counterweight to the market dominance of sweet, juicy hazy IPA there was always going to be a moment where the pendulum swung back towards big, brusque and bitter West Coast-style IPA. This from Sawmill delivers in spades, spades full of hops that is.” Grab a 440ml can from your local New World.

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Fresh Hop harvest

24 February 2022

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. 


Brewers Guild New Zealand Awards

02 November 2021

We are proud to announce that we have won the Brewers Guild Sustainability Award for the second time, thanks to the sustained efforts of our team and their collective brains. We also managed to pick up another 8 medals for our beers. Stoked!

Introducing Bare Beer

22 October 2021

This month we released our Bare Beer, a non-alcoholic* Pale Ale. Bare Beer came out of a determination to offer people a non alcoholic beer from an independent New Zealand brewery.

A beer for all the people and for all the reasons.

This non-alcoholic* Pale Ale has big tropical aroma and a smooth bitterness that defies logic. Available NOW on our website and in all good liquor outlets around the country.

*Less than 0.5%.


Sawmill x BLAKE

12 October 2021

Blake Beer is here! We are excited to be teaming up with BLAKE for the release of this Hazy Pale Ale with plenty of citrus character and a refreshing finish. Proceeds from each six-pack support BLAKE (formerly known as The Sir Peter Blake Trust).

Since 2004, BLAKE has been dedicated to inspiring New Zealanders to care for the environment through adventures that encourage envrionmental awareness and leadership.

Will you join us in our mission to raise $30,000 to support the work of BLAKE? Blake Beer is available NOW on our website and at New World.


Gold for Baltic Porter & The Doctor

03 May 2021

We are stoked to announce our Baltic Porter and The Doctor have taken out a Gold Medal in the New World Beer & Cider Awards.

We won our first medal for The Doctor back in 2014 and the first for the Baltic Porter in 2017. It is great recognition of hard work and consistency from our team over the years.

The awards were judged by an independent panel of 28 beer and cider judges with more than 650 beers entered. 30 beers were selected for the top group in no particular order. 

Both of these TOP beers are available in 500ml bottles in every New World throughout the country from Monday the 3rd of May. 

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Fresh Hop Season!

24 March 2021

Like wine, beer has a harvest season and its now (March) when the hops are harvested, mostly from the Nelson region.

While the bulk of the hop harvest is dried for use throughout the year, we get an opportunity right now to use freshly picked hops in our brews. They are super fragile – so after picking the fresh hops need to be in the beer within a matter of hours. It’s a logistical nightmare getting them from Moutere to Matakana but one we embark on annually, because the beer is so bloody good. For beer drinkers this means the chance to try something new and entirely seasonal.

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