New Zealand Trip

[Henno]

I'm off to the south island of New Zealand in August. When I asked for advice about places to go in Japan it was a huge success and really made our trip special, and somewhat of a blur for some reason.

We fly into Christchurch then will take a hire car to Queenstown to ski and watch my niece get married. Besides Speights and Lion Red is there anything special to drink over there?

What about buying hops in the south island? Is it possible in Christchurch and what about any microbreweries or drinking establishments there?

Any advice will be gratefully accepted. Jokes about sheep, however, will not.

Ta
Henno

 

[spog]

henno,south island of nz,you lucky bugga.
your first stop in c,church should be the dux de lux brewpub in the city.grab a city map,find the police headquarters and the dux de lux is on the opposite right hand corner from it.
drive down to dunedin and you will find emersons and speights ale house.(well worth a visit and a meal).
then on to wanaka to the wanaka beerworks. (between the museum and the airport).
also in queenstown there is another dux de lux.
on the drive back to c,church go through mckenzie country for some speccy scenery and have a look at the bra fence at cardrona .
also get to milford sound if you can,a trip not to be missed........ cheers...spog..

ps there are bloody good beers to be had in nz but there are also some baaaaaad ones

 

[Doc]

In addition to Spog's post.

In Christchurch definitely check out The Twisted Hop.
Give Lion Red a miss.
I believe Monteiths have a bar in Queenstown now too.

If you make it to Dunedin, then definitely do the Speights tour (if only to see the original old Kauri Gyles (big wooden fermenters). Dinner next door in the Alehouse is also very good.

For hops you will need to contact the NZ Hop Board in Appleby (near Nelson, at the top of the South Island). They sell to homebrewers. You can bring back to Oz pellet hops.

Let us know where else you plan to go and I can advise accordingly.

Doc

 

[domonsura]

Yeah...definitely give Lion Red a miss.....
Do the speights tour if you get a chance, they do a deal with the tour and a meal that's not bad and the food at the Speights Alehouse is OK too...I found just about everything else in Dunedin depressing (weather being the main culprit - a little dreary)
You'll love Queenstown, just about everyone does (me included) try and take in some Friday night busking action around town centre - when I was there last it was pretty impressive. The views are incredible and the general atmosphere is so laid back it's ridiculous (We got a flat tyre on a Sunday and had to stay 2 extra days......what a shame )

 

[beerbeergloriousbeer]

If you are only heading south, a really good pub to stop at but doesn't have it's own brew is "The Tap" @ Arrowtown just north of Queenstown.
From memory plenty of NZ beers but also a couple of local brews.
The main reason to stop in is just the personal quaint atmosphere.
I have attached a photo of what it looks like from the street.
If you blink whilst driving past you might miss it!


Attached thumbnail(s)

Reduced 68% 989 x 742 (139.13K)

Also the cardona hotel is a pretty cool pub. It is on the way to Cardona ski resort from queenstown.

Enjoy! :icon_cheers:

 

[beerbeergloriousbeer]

View attachment 18444Also off the topic of beer and pubs. Make sure you stop at FERGBURGER whilst in Queenstown. The best burgers on the planet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:super:

 

[MVZOOM]

If you're in CHCH for long, have a 'tasting paddle' at The Mac's establishment on Oxford Tce, it's a good way to start and grab some grub too.

Cheers - Mike

Quick Edit - also, wash all beer down with a solid supply of Steak and Cheese pies. Some are hit and miss, but you will find some beltingly good pies!

 

[wessmith]

In addition to Spog's post.

"In Christchurch definitely check out The Twisted Hop.
Give Lion Red a miss.
I believe Monteiths have a bar in Queenstown now too."

Jeez Doc, didnt know about the Twisted Hop! I served my apprenticeship in the block bounded by Poplar and Taum streets back a couple of years ago now...

Will be in Chch tomorrow week for a couple of days so will definitely visit.

Cheers,

Wes

 

[Jazman]

do a search on nz a few brewers have been there if in wanaka check out wanaka beer works

also check at www.realbeer.co.nz for a listing of the micros in the south Island to check out look for founders beers are good and must must try emersons the are damm fine

 

[Doc]

Jeez Doc, didnt know about the Twisted Hop! I served my apprenticeship in the block bounded by Poplar and Taum streets back a couple of years ago now...

Will be in Chch tomorrow week for a couple of days so will definitely visit.

The Twisted Hop has only been there 3-4 years.
Real Ale with lots of flavour. Great food too. Worth the effort to find it up the alley way.
You'll have a great night there Wes.

Beers,
Doc

 

[spog]

In addition to Spog's post.

In Christchurch definitely check out The Twisted Hop.
Give Lion Red a miss.
I believe Monteiths have a bar in Queenstown now too.

If you make it to Dunedin, then definitely do the Speights tour (if only to see the original old Kauri Gyles (big wooden fermenters). Dinner next door in the Alehouse is also very good.

For hops you will need to contact the NZ Hop Board in Appleby (near Nelson, at the top of the South Island). They sell to homebrewers. You can bring back to Oz pellet hops.

Let us know where else you plan to go and I can advise accordingly.

Doc

the twisted hop has popped up since i was last there ,but as it is just down the road from the dux de lux (well maybe a bit further) it goes on my hit list as shmbo wants to go back to kiwiville desperataly....cheers..spog..

 

[Henno]

Thanks guys, heaps of cool stuff I will put together and print out like when I went to Japan.

As for that shot of the Cardrona Hotel I have actually been there in the early 90's when I did the Kiwi Experience bus tour of the south island. I wasn't a beer head then and did the apres ski shcnappes thing there.

My niece is actually getting married in Arrowtown so will check out that one as well.

 

[Henno]

Have been in contact with Stephen from Emerson's in Dunedin regarding visiting the brewery there and where to sample his bevvies in Dunedin. Have also been in contact with another Stephen from The Twisted Hop and have been offered a walk through their small brewery as well.

I think I will save the Dux de Lux for Queenstown and also Monteiths, it looks like they are almost next door to each other from the addresses I get online. What a pub crawl that street must be!

We may come home via Wanaka and stop at the Beerworks there.



If the girls look like this pic from their website I can see no reason not to visit really.