8 Wired Brewing Limited
8 Wired Brewing is a privately held New Zealand craft brewery producing barrel-aged sours, hop-forward IPAs, spirits, and non-alcoholic spritzes for craft beer enthusiasts across approximately 15 countries via D2C, taproom, and wholesale channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersMatakana, New Zealand
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What 8 Wired Brewing Limited does
8 Wired Brewing Limited is a privately held New Zealand craft brewery founded by Søren Eriksen and his wife Monique. Brewing commercially since 2009 after a contract-brewing start at Renaissance Brewing in Blenheim, the company established its own production brewery in Warkworth, north of Auckland, in 2014 and now operates a second location, the Barrelworks taproom and barrel aging facility, in Matakana. The company serves craft beer enthusiasts, on-trade and off-trade stockists, and destination visitors, with a portfolio spanning a core range (iStout Imperial Stout, Hopwired NZ IPA, Tallboy IPA, Mahu Lager, Pinnacle Pilsner, Terra Pale Ale), limited seasonal releases, spirits (gin, grappa, six-year cask strength single malt whisky), and the Lupa alcohol-free spritz sub-brand.
The underlying technical capability centers on what the company describes as the largest barrel aging programme in the Southern Hemisphere, comprising approximately 225 wine barrels (225L each) plus seven foedres (1,500-4,000L) sourced primarily from wineries, dedicated to funky and sour beer production. Flagship technical achievements include Hopwired (a 2009 IPA brewed exclusively with New Zealand hops, produced in 800+ batches) and the annual Wild Feijoa sour ale, aged up to two years in wine barrels and another year on fresh organic feijoas from a nine-year supplier partnership. The company also participates in the Bract Project with NZ Hops Ltd, securing trial access to experimental hop varieties NZH-101 through NZH-106. Awards include Champion Brewery at the Brewers Guild of New Zealand in 2011 and 2023, Champion NZ Beer for Wild Feijoa in 2023, and four consecutive years on Ratebeer.com's "100 best brewers in the World" list, making it the only Southern Hemisphere brewery so recognized.
8 Wired generates revenue through a multi-channel model: direct-to-consumer sales via a Shopify e-commerce storefront with nationwide NZ delivery (free shipping over NZD $100), on-premise consumption at the 20-tap Barrelworks taproom, domestic wholesale distribution through Hannah White (North Island) and Punky Distributions (South Island), and international export to approximately 15 countries across 6 continents via regional partners including Modern Liquid (Australia), New Zealand Beer Collective (Europe), Lime Ventures (USA), Craft Beer Importers (Canada), and multiple Asian distributors. Bulk-case pricing on key-range SKUs (e.g., iStout 12-pack at NZD $8.25 per can versus NZD $9.99 single) drives volume, while limited-release collaborations (Pizza Port, Magnanimous, Halfway Crooks, Wonderland Chocolate, Rocky Ridge) and content marketing through The Wire blog and social channels generate consumer demand and export visibility.
8 Wired Brewing Limited firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 8 Wired Brewing Limited
- Legal name
- 8 Wired Brewing
- Website
- https://8wired.co.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- 8 Wired Brewing is a privately held New Zealand craft brewery producing barrel-aged sours, hop-forward IPAs, spirits, and non-alcoholic spritzes for craft beer enthusiasts across approximately 15 countries via D2C, taproom, and wholesale channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
8 Wired Brewing Limited industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Beer Brewing
- NAICS
- Breweries (31212), Distilleries (312140), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spirits/Cocktail Bars Operated by Producers (THAFALAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Alcoholic Beverage Mixers & Cocktail Ingredients Brands (Non-alcoholic) (CRADAIAH), Bar & Beverage Catering (Mobile Bar, Bartending) (HSACAGAF)
Keywords
Where 8 Wired Brewing Limited is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Matakana
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices2 records
Markets served
8 Wired Brewing Limited business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct Beer Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of packaged beer (cans and bottles) through online store. Products include IPAs, stouts, sours, lagers, and limited seasonal releases. Revenue from single purchases and bulk case buys with free shipping over $100.
- Taproom & Barrelworks: On-site consumption at Barrelworks taproom in Matakana featuring 20 taps, food from Perfectly Imperfect, cocktails, wines, and low/non-alcoholic options. Also takeaway license for filling from tap or bottled/can selection.
- Spirits: Production and sale of spirits including gin, grappa, and whisky. Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky aged 6 years in multiple barrel types (imperial stout barrels, new American oak, bourbon barrels).
- Lupa Spritz (Non-Alcohol): Non-alcoholic spritz range including Hugo Spritz and Aperitivo Spritz, targeting mindful drinkers. Gluten-free, vegan-friendly, no preservatives.
- Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale supply to NZ stockists and international distributors across 15 countries on 6 continents.
- Gift Vouchers & Merchandise: Sale of gift vouchers (Barrelworks taproom and online store) and merchandise including clothing and gift packs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | iStout Imperial Stout 440ml cans |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tallboy IPA 500ml cans |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hopwired NZ IPA 440ml cans |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mahu Lager 440ml cans |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Crumbs Double Choc Chip Imperial Stout 440ml cans |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Nostalgia Trip WCIPA 500ml cans |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pinnacle NZ Pilsner 440ml cans |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Proven Brews Sampler Pack 440ml cans |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lupa Spritz 4x 250ml cans |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels9 records
Marketing channels6 records
8 Wired Brewing Limited product offering
Product offeringCore offering
8 Wired Brewing Limited is a New Zealand craft brewery that produces and sells a diversified range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages including IPAs, imperial stouts, lagers, barrel-aged sour ales, spirits (gin, grappa, whisky), and alcohol-free spritz. Products are sold direct-to-consumer via an online store, on-site at the Barrelworks taproom in Matakana, and through wholesale distribution domestically and internationally.
Product overview
8 Wired Brewing Limited operates as a craft brewery with a diversified product portfolio centered on beer but extending into spirits and non-alcoholic beverages. The core offering consists of key-range beers including iStout (Imperial Stout 10%), Hopwired NZ IPA (7.3%), and Mahu Lager (4.5%), supplemented by limited/seasonal specialty releases like barrel-aged Wild Feijoa sour ale and pastry stouts from the Double Scoop series. The company has expanded into spirits including gin, grappa, and single malt whisky, as well as the alcohol-free Lupa Spritz range. Barrelworks serves as both the company's barrel ageing facility and taproom experience in Matakana. Products are available direct-to-consumer via the Shopify e-commerce platform and through global distribution to approximately 15 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Lupa: Alcohol-free spritz range inspired by Italian culture, featuring Hugo Spritz (elderflower, white grape, mint, lime) and Aperitivo Spritz (aromatic orange with botanicals). Products are alcohol-free, preservative-free, gluten-free, and vegan-friendly.
- Barrelworks
Products and services
- iStout Imperial Stout Imperial Stout at 10% ABV featuring luscious roasted coffee and chocolate malt flavors balanced by brisk bitterness and bold hoppy freshness; available in 440ml cans.
- Tallboy IPA Classic IPA at 5.5% ABV showcasing a blend of American and New Zealand hops on a crisp and quenching malt base; available in 500ml cans.
- Hopwired NZ IPA New Zealand IPA at 7.3% ABV, first released in 2009 as one of the world's first IPAs brewed exclusively with New Zealand hops; delivers tropical fruit, citrus, and gooseberry flavors. Over 800+ batches produced since launch.
- Proven Brews Sampler Pack Sampler pack containing 6x440ml cans of proven brews: iStout, Pinnacle Pilsner, Terra Pale Ale, Hopwired IPA, Hazewired Hazy IPA, and Mahu Lager.
- Mahu Lager German-style lager at 4.5% ABV inspired by sunny Kiwi summer days, named after the area surrounding the brewery in Warkworth.
- Terra New Zealand Pale Ale Classic NZ Pale Ale at 5.0% ABV featuring a robust malt base elevated by fruity South Island hops.
- Pinnacle New Zealand Pilsner NZ Pilsner at 5.0% ABV brewed with experimental Bract NZH-106 hops, described as fresh, bright, and thirst-quenching with tropical hops and a bready backbone.
- Wild Feijoa Sour Ale Sour Ale at 6.2% ABV brewed with feijoas and aged in wine barrels; Champion Beer at 2023 Brewers Guild of NZ awards. Aged up to 2 years in barrels then another year on fresh organic feijoas.
- Barrelworks Taproom Experience Barrel ageing facility and taproom in Matakana Village, 10 minutes from the production brewery. Features 20 taps of the latest creations, food from Perfectly Imperfect, cocktails, local wines, low/non-alcoholic options, and full takeaway license.
- 8 Wired Gin Gin offering from the spirits range.
- 8 Wired Grappa Grappa spirit produced by the brewery, including a Feijoa Grappa released for the 10th anniversary of Wild Feijoa.
- 8 Wired Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky Single malt whisky aged 6 years in a combination of barrels: first held Imperial Stout, then new heavily charred American Oak, and finally Bourbon barrels.
- Lupa Spritz (Non-Alcoholic) Alcohol-free spritz range inspired by Italian spritz culture. Includes Hugo Spritz (elderflower, white grape, mint, lime) and Aperitivo Spritz (aromatic orange, botanicals). Alcohol-free, no preservatives, gluten-free, vegan friendly.
- Gift Vouchers & Events Gift vouchers redeemable at the Barrelworks Tap Room and online Webstore, plus event booking capabilities.
- Kick Back Low Carb IPA Low carb IPA at 5.2% ABV targeting health-conscious consumers seeking lower carbohydrate beer options.
- Crumbs Double Choc Chip Imperial Stout Imperial Stout at 10% ABV layering rich cocoa and dark chocolate over a full-bodied imperial stout base with hints of vanilla and sweet biscuit.
- Rogue & Villain ESB ESB Pale Ale at 5.5% ABV, an unapologetically classic ESB with rich amber color, layered with toffee, toasted biscuit, and a whisper of marmalade.
- Nostalgia Trip WCIPA West Coast IPA at 6.2% ABV, a throwback to the golden era of West Coast IPA with Columbus, Centennial, Amarillo, and Simcoe hops delivering pine, grapefruit, and dank resin.
- Rhapzody Express Hazy NZ IPA Hazy NZ IPA at 7.2% ABV showcasing Rhapzody hops with waves of pineapple, ripe mango, and citrus zest over a clean malt base.
- Extra Stout Stout at 6% ABV built for depth with roasted malt, dark chocolate, and subtle coffee notes balanced by a smooth, lingering finish.
- Talia The Fortune Teller Imperial Chocolate Orange Stout Collaboration with Wonderland Chocolate; Imperial Chocolate Orange Stout at 8.5% ABV featuring orange chocolate made with cashew milk. Includes 75g of craft chocolate with 6-pack.
- Trail Mix Adventure Ales Mixed 4-pack featuring Hazewired Hazy IPA (7%), Mahu Lager (4.5%), Terra Pale Ale (5%), and Pinnacle Pilsner (5%) in 440ml cans.
Quantifiable outcome
- Champion NZ Brewing Company 2023
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use 8 Wired Brewing Limited
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
8 Wired Brewing Limited technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Feature4 records
8 Wired Brewing Limited partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Hannah White (North Island Distribution)coreNorth Island distribution partner managing wholesale accounts throughout the North Island of New Zealand.
- Punky Distributions (South Island)coreSouth Island distribution partner managing wholesale accounts throughout New Zealand's South Island.
- Modern Liquid (Australia)coreAustralian distribution partner handling all Australian wholesale accounts.
- New Zealand Beer Collective (Europe)coreEuropean distribution partner, particularly UK market.
- Lime Ventures (USA)coreUS distribution partner managing American wholesale accounts.
- Craft Beer Importers (Canada)coreCanadian distribution partner handling imports into Canada.
- The Bottle Shop (Hong Kong)minorHong Kong distribution partner.
- Beerror Corp (Korea)minorKorean distribution partner.
- Kwang Hung International (Taiwan)minorTaiwanese distribution partner.
- Hopsession (Thailand)minorThai distribution partner.
- Pizza Port Brewing Company (San Diego)minorCollaboration brew with Head Brewer Matt Palmer - West Coast style IPA with Nelson Sauvin, Motueka (NZ Hops) and Amarillo (US hop).
- Magnanimous Brewing (Tampa, FL)minorCollaboration brew - NZ pilsner with blend of NZ hops from Revolution Hops. Co-founded by Charlie Meers.
- Halfway Crooks Beer (Atlanta, GA)minorCollaboration brew with Joran Van Ginderachter and Shawn Bainbridge. Halfway Crooks recognized as one of the best small breweries in Atlanta.
- Small Gods BrewingminorCollaboration on 'Desperate Glory' - sour brown ale inspired by Flanders Fields. Base beer 'Three On A Match' aged 1 year in bourbon barrels then blended with Chinese Keemun tea.
- Clayton HopsminorPartnership for fresh hop pilsner production. Juicy Riwaka hop cones harvested from Blue Rock Hop Farm, air freighted to brewery the next day.
- Wonderland ChocolateminorCollaboration on 'Talia The Fortune Teller' - Imperial Chocolate Orange Stout. Collaboration pack includes 75g of their orange cashew milk chocolate. Vegan-friendly, dairy-free, gluten-free.
- Rocky Ridge Brewing (Australia)minorTrans Tasman Collaboration (Beer Jerk NZ and Carwyn Cellars Australia initiative). Historical Lichtenhainer - Smoked Sour Ale brewed with plums and manuka smoked malts.
- Bract Project / NZ Hops LtdcoreExperimental hop breeding project testing varieties NZH-101, NZH-102, NZH-105, NZH-106 grown by NZ Hops Ltd. Exclusive trial rights for new hop varieties.
- Quinta FeijoascoreLocal organic orchard supplying fresh feijoas for Wild Feijoa beer production. Helen and Peter have supplied fruit for 9 years (as of 2024).
- Perfectly Imperfect (Food)corePermanently located on Barrelworks site, delivering tasty, laid-back food treats to pair with 8 Wired brews.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
8 Wired Brewing Limited competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tuatara Brewing: Established NZ craft brewer with a similar SKU breadth (IPAs, stouts, lagers, barrel-aged) and on-premise taproom presence, often competing head-to-head with 8 Wired for NZ craft accolades.
- Renaissance Brewing: Blenheim-based NZ craft brewery where 8 Wired's founder Søren Eriksen first worked commercially; shares Marlborough-region brewing DNA and a similar hop-forward, barrel-aged specialty focus.
- Epic Brewing Company: Award-winning NZ craft brewery with comparable international awards profile and hop-forward IPAs; serves overlapping export markets and is a frequent co-competitor at NZ Beer Awards.
- Allagash Brewing Company: US craft brewery renowned for its wild/sour fermentation and barrel-aging programme, directly mirroring 8 Wired's Wild Feijoa and foedre-aged sour philosophy and product positioning.
- Garage Project: New Zealand craft brewery based in Wellington with a similar innovation-led portfolio, multi-channel NZ and export distribution, and a comparable awards pedigree. Closest like-for-like peer in the NZ craft scene.
Broad incumbents
- Sierra Nevada Brewing: US craft pioneer with deep innovation heritage, broad hop-forward portfolio and significant barrel-aging releases; comparable in product depth though substantially larger.
- Coopers Brewery: Largest Australian-owned brewery with a craft-adjacent positioning and significant export distribution across Asia-Pacific; useful benchmark for export scale and pricing power in the region.
- BrewDog: Global craft beer platform with a much larger footprint and similar core-plus-experimental product cadence; broadly comparable business model though at significantly greater scale.
Regional players
- Stone & Wood Brewing: Australian craft brewery of similar size and ethos with comparable premium lager and IPA portfolio and on-premise taproom strategy, but operating in a different geography.
- Cloudwater Brew Co. UK-based modern craft brewery with similar hop-forward, experimental ethos and UK/EU export positioning; comparable on innovation cadence and premium pricing, but serving a different geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
8 Wired Brewing Limited social profiles
Digital presence8 Wired Brewing Limited compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
8 Wired Brewing Limited financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
8 Wired Brewing Limited leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
8 Wired Brewing Limited funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
8 Wired Brewing Limited M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 8 Wired Brewing Limited
What does 8 Wired Brewing Limited do?
8 Wired Brewing Limited is a New Zealand craft brewery that produces and sells a diversified range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages including IPAs, imperial stouts, lagers, barrel-aged sour ales, spirits (gin, grappa, whisky), and alcohol-free spritz. Products are sold direct-to-consumer via an online store, on-site at the Barrelworks taproom in Matakana, and through wholesale distribution domestically and internationally.
Is 8 Wired Brewing Limited a public or private company?
8 Wired Brewing Limited is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was 8 Wired Brewing Limited founded?
8 Wired Brewing Limited was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is 8 Wired Brewing Limited based?
8 Wired Brewing Limited is headquartered in Matakana, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does 8 Wired Brewing Limited make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Direct Beer Sales are the primary driver. The others are taproom & Barrelworks, spirits, lupa Spritz (Non-Alcohol), wholesale Distribution and gift Vouchers & Merchandise.
Who are 8 Wired Brewing Limited's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tuatara Brewing, Renaissance Brewing, Epic Brewing Company, Allagash Brewing Company and Garage Project. Broad incumbents are Sierra Nevada Brewing, Coopers Brewery and BrewDog. Regional players are Stone & Wood Brewing and Cloudwater Brew Co..
Does 8 Wired Brewing Limited have an API?
No public API is recorded for 8 Wired Brewing Limited.
What industry is 8 Wired Brewing Limited in?
8 Wired Brewing Limited's product category is Craft Beer Brewing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFALAJ, Spirits/Cocktail Bars Operated by Producers, with a secondary code of CRADAIAH, Alcoholic Beverage Mixers & Cocktail Ingredients Brands (Non-alcoholic). Its NAICS code is 31212 and its SIC code is 2080.