Canyon Brewing is a locally owned craft brewery and taproom at Arthurs Point, just outside Queenstown, set under the historic Edith Cavell Bridge on the banks of the Shotover River. It was founded in 2020 by four Queenstown locals — James, Jane and Jack Paterson, generational Central Otago farmers, and their mate Jimmy — on a simple brief: make bold, high-quality beer that speaks for itself, and have some fun along the way. The microbrewery is still tucked behind the taproom bar, so drinkers can watch the tanks at work while they sip with front-row river views.
The beer lives up to the 'Beer for the Bold' motto: juicy hazies, crisp pilsners and genuinely experimental small-batch brews, with brewers who love playing with fresh styles, seasonal ingredients and the latest techniques. It's not only beer, either — the taproom pours cocktails on tap, including an Aperol Spritz and an Espolon Margarita.
Since 2022 Canyon has run a two-site operation, with small-batch brewing riverside in Queenstown and larger production at Robrosa Station, the Paterson family's working sheep and cattle farm in the Cardrona Valley. Through all the growth, the brewery remains proudly local and independent, and takes its impact on the planet seriously — on an ongoing journey to produce beer that treads a little lighter. Beyond the taproom there's an online shop shipping cans across New Zealand, a Pint Club subscription, keg hire for parties and a merch range.
Canyon Brewing pours bold, small-batch craft beer from a riverside microbrewery in Arthurs Point, tucked under the historic Edith Cavell Bridge just outside Queenstown. It is the kind of setting that sells itself: the brewery tanks sit behind the taproom bar, and the space looks out over the mighty Shotover River as it rushes past. But Canyon's story is really about people — four Queenstown locals who loved good beer and decided to make their own.
Canyon Brewing kicked off in 2020, and unlike many craft breweries there was no homebrew backstory or tinkering in a garden shed. The Paterson family — James, Jane and Jack, generational Central Otago farmers who know their land and love a good beer — teamed up with their mate Jimmy with a clear idea: make bold, high-quality beer that speaks for itself, and have some fun along the way.
They started small, with just four tanks and one brewer at the Arthurs Point site, on a mission to create beers that were creative, approachable and crafted with sustainability in mind. That same microbrewery is still going strong today, tucked behind the taproom bar.
Canyon's style is summed up in its own words: beer for the bold. Expect juicy hazies, crisp pilsners and what the team cheerfully calls whack experimental brews. Creativity, they say, runs through their veins — the brewers love experimenting with fresh styles, seasonal ingredients and the latest techniques, so the tap lineup rarely sits still.
It is not only beer, either. The taproom pours cocktails on tap, including an Aperol Spritz and an Espolon Margarita, both drawn straight from the tap line.
By 2022 Canyon's Arthurs Point home was bursting at the seams. Luckily, the Patersons' farming background opened a door: the family's Robrosa Station, a working sheep and cattle farm in the picturesque Cardrona Valley, became home to a new commercial brewery. Today Canyon runs a two-site operation — small-batch brews flow riverside in Queenstown while the bigger production runs out of Cardrona, supplying supermarkets, bars and fridges across Aotearoa.
Despite the growth, the values have not changed: quality over quantity, creativity over copycatting, and a deep respect for the land and people behind it all. Canyon remains proudly local, independent and still brewed for the bold.
Canyon takes its impact on the planet seriously, even if it does not take itself too seriously. Sustainability is embedded in how the beer is brewed, and the team describes it as an ongoing journey to produce beer that treads a little lighter. Curious drinkers can read more about the approach on the brewery's sustainability page.
A visit to the Arthurs Point taproom puts you front-row to it all — views over the Shotover River, the brewery working away behind the bar, and a regularly changing tap list to work through. The taproom serves food from its menu, hosts events listed on its What's On page, and takes table bookings online, which is worth doing if you are visiting at a busy time. Gift vouchers are available for anyone who would rather let a friend choose their own round.
Canyon holds an off-licence, so cans can be purchased to take away, and the online shop ships beer NZ-wide — $8 to the South Island, $15 to the North Island, and free over $60. Regulars can join the Pint Club subscription for a steady supply of fresh releases, and anyone planning a party can arrange keg hire. Merch rounds out the shop for those who want to wear the brand, not just drink it.
Whether you stop in for a hazy by the river, grab a spritz from the tap, or stock the fridge at home, Canyon Brewing delivers exactly what it promises: exceptional flavour, authenticity, and a healthy dose of humour.