Junior Brewing Assistant – Hawkes Bay Brewery

Mates Brewery Limited is proudly the oldest NZ Family Owned & operated Craft Brewery in Napier. It's trading under the name of Hawkes Bay Brewing Co (also known as Hawkes Bay Brewery) located at 20 Awatoto Road, Meeanee, Napier.

🍺 Junior Brewing Assistant – Hawke’s Bay Brewery

Location: Meeanee, Napier Full-time | Entry-level | Start: Late January 2026

Are you passionate about craft beer and keen to start your career in brewing? We’re looking for a Junior Brewing Assistant to join our growing Hawke’s Bay Brewery team. This is an entry-level, hands-on role offering real-world experience across brewing, packaging, cleaning, and local deliveries — perfect for someone eager to learn and work hard in a fast-paced environment. 🔧 What You’ll Be Doing

Brewing Support

• Assisting with raw material preparation and handling
• Supporting brewing processes including mashing, fermentation, conditioning, and cleaning
• Monitoring and recording brewing parameters under guidance from experienced brewers

Packaging Operations

• Helping with bottling, canning, and kegging runs
• Labelling and packaging finished products to quality standards
• Conducting basic quality checks and maintaining packaging equipment

Cleaning & Sanitation

• Performing critical cleaning and sanitation of brewery and packaging equipment
• Maintaining a clean, safe, and organised work environment
• Following all food safety, hygiene, and brewery safety procedures

Dispatch & Local Deliveries

• Picking, packing, and preparing orders for dispatch
• Loading and unloading delivery vehicles
• Delivering orders to local business customers (B2B) professionally and on time

General Brewery Support

• Assisting with inventory, stock takes, and ordering supplies
• Supporting the Head Brewer and Operations team with day-to-day tasks
• Being a positive, reliable team player in a collaborative environment

What We’re Looking For: -

• A genuine interest in brewing and craft beer
• Strong attention to detail and pride in quality work
• Physically fit and comfortable with manual tasks and heavy lifting
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, hands-on environment
• Good communication skills and a team-first attitude
• Basic mechanical aptitude (training provided)
• Full NZ driver’s licence (preferred, for deliveries)
• Previous experience in a brewery, food production, or warehouse is a bonus — but not required

Working Conditions

• Full-time role
• May involve early starts, late finishes, and occasional weekend work
• Exposure to hot, cold, wet environments and cleaning chemicals
• A dynamic, active workplace where no two days are the same

Training & Career Progression

• On-the-job training across brewing, packaging, and equipment operation
• Opportunity to grow into an Assistant Brewer or other production roles
• Support for relevant courses, workshops, or industry events where applicable

About the Role

• Location: Hawkes Bay Brewery, 20 Awatoto Road, Meeanee, Napier
• Start Date: Late January 2026

How to Apply If you’re keen to build a career in brewing and aren’t afraid of hard work, we’d love to hear from you. Apply via Trade Me with:

• A brief cover letter telling us why you’re interested in brewing
• Your CV We look forward to hearing from you! Please email your CV to sales@hbbc.co.nz