Auckland welcomes Rare Beer Challenge with open arms

16 Tun in Wynyard Quarter was buzzing with beer enthusiasts from around the country when on 20 March the bar hosted the Rare Beer Challenge’s launch party in Auckland for the first time.

After five successful years in Wellington, the Rare Beer Challenge needed a new home with the closure of the event’s creator, Fortune Favours. 16 Tun took up the mantle, bringing the Rare Beer Challenge to the City of Sails and to a new cohort of potential rare beer devotees.

16 breweries accepted the challenge this year, each showcasing their creativity through the ways in which they were able to connect their beers back to rare disorders.

When it was time for the winners to be announced, all eyes were on the night’s MC Chris Mac of Six60 and head judge Martin Bridges.

And the winners are...

For the second year running Shining Peak took home the top prize at the annual Rare Beer Challenge for their Vintage Cuvée – a rich, complex stout made from a unique blend of six of their Vintage Stouts from 2019 - 2024, each aged 8–10 months in freshly emptied whisky or bourbon barrels.

The judges were impressed with not only the high quality of the beer, but also its rarity and the extra mile Shining Peak went by auctioning three magnum bottles of the Vintage Cuvée and donating the proceeds to Rare Disorders NZ.

Second place went to Mean Doses for their ‘No Fate But What You Make’ lager. This beer’s fate was decided by spinning a wheel, giving their head brewer the challenge of creating a low-carb lager with two types of tea and lactose.

Third place went to Alibi for their ‘7 Fires’ hot honey pilsner, using seven different chillis to represent Rare Disorders NZ’s seven priorities for improving the health and wellbeing of people living with rare disorders.

And the People’s Choice award went to Saint Leonards for their sake lager, Koji.

The event was an all-round success, not only helping to raise awareness of rare disorders but also raising over $8,600 for Rare Disorders NZ, from both 16 Tun and the satellite event in Wellington at The Malthouse.

Thank you to Ewen at 16 Tun for ensuring this important fundraiser for Rare Disorders NZ lives on. Thank you to The Malthouse for keeping the event alive in Wellington. Thank you to Chris Mac for his time MCing the launch party. Thank you to all the breweries who got behind the RBC2026, to all the judges who volunteered their time on the day, to Hills Hats for donating the trophy hat, to the sponsors NZ Hops, Kegstar and Cryer Malt, and to everyone who came along on the day!