Craft beer brewers named best brewery in Bay of Plenty

The Funk team chief executive Jordan Evison, left, head brewer Shigeo "Shiggy" Takagi, and operations manager Dylan Shearer.

Mount Maunganui craft brewers have celebrated being named Best Brewery in the Bay of Plenty, saying "life's too short to drink boring beer."

The Funk Estate team received the award from the Society of Beer Advocates Inc on Saturday in Tauranga.

Mount Maunganui-based Funk Estate relocated from Auckland in 2017 to team up with Mount Brewing Company and share facilities at the Rising Tide brewhouse and eatery.

Funk chief executive Jordan Evison said after years of hard work the team was thrilled to be named Best Brewery in the Bay of Plenty.

"Of course it's been very much a team effort. My partners are Dylan Shearer and Shigeo Takagi and we are all stoked with the win and looking forward to seeing how we can continue to grow Funk Estate while naturally, 'staying funky.'

"Funk has made it a personal mission to keep things fresh and funky on the craft beer scene – by thinking outside the box to consistently develop award-winning, unique quality brews," he said.

Highlights of the year have included their Jungle Boogie, a "blood orange" sour ale, being named at 18th place in the Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPpular Top 100 Beers.

Evison said another highlight had been the launch of a tangy blackcurrant cider called Purple Rain.

"We've been blown away by the response we've had on Purple Rain, our first foray into cider has gone great!"