BEERS by Bacon Bros puts live-fire barbecue and small-batch brewing together inside a former Sockburn warehouse. Its bear logo comes with an offbeat story about a campsite encounter in Hokkaido, an appropriate emblem for a venue that does not take its branding too solemnly even when it takes smoke seriously. The brewing side began in 2020 with an ambitious run of 200 beers in 200 days and has kept experimenting since. On the food side, the kitchen looks to barbecue traditions from several places rather than claiming a single regional rulebook.
The smoker is the centre of the menu. Wagyu brisket, pork belly, St Louis-style ribs, pulled pork and lamb sit alongside barbecue wings, fried chicken and house sausages, with native red beech wood contributing the smoke. Diners can build a plate around one meat, choose a larger combination or leave the selection to the pitmaster in a sharing platter. Dry-aged steaks add a straight-from-the-grill route, while pickles, slaw, fries and sauces supply the acidity and crunch needed to break up the richer cuts.
There is also a more casual layer for diners who are not committing to a full barbecue spread. Smash burgers and the venue's fried chicken are supported by snacks such as brisket wontons and spring rolls. Regular fries can give way to loaded Ghost Chips, extending the kitchen's fondness for bold, messy comfort food. This range matters in a beer-focused room: one person can order a quick burger, another can work through smoked meats, and a group can put several shareable sides and platters in the middle.
The house brewing programme is deliberately restless, moving across lagers, IPAs, stouts, sours, cider, ginger beer and playful flavour combinations. Tastings can pair selected pours with small plates, while the wider operation takes ten-tap trailers and barbecue catering to functions around the South Island. Private masterclasses go further, covering trimming, rubbing, smoking and cooking over fire before finishing with a shared feast. Those extra strands make the venue feel like a working barbecue and brewing workshop as much as a conventional restaurant.
Address: 477B Blenheim Road, Sockburn, Christchurch 8042, New Zealand
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