What's Brewing In N.z

[Lukes]

I am so overdue for a holiday so I am planning a visit to N.Z at the end of next month and would like to visit a few micro's.
I won't be driving :beerbang:
I found this map on the internet. real beer map
Can I get some "Yes do go to this one" and "don't drink the dishwater" from AHB members who have brew toured N.Z.

Luke

 

[Doc]

First up can you give us some indication of where in NZ you are looking at going ?
North Island, South Island, both ?
I've done the lap of a lot of the breweries in NZ.

Beers,
Doc

 

[Jazman]

avoid lion red ect waikato draught db export,canterbury draught ,speights gold medal ale or any nz or any nz draught as its crap.....
macs is avaible on both islands but as doc say give an idea were you are going as i have been to nz twice in 18 months and get some hops over there too

 

[Lukes]

10 days down in Queenstown as a base and then 4 days up on the north island.

I was over there a decade ago but did not do any brew touring.

Luke

 

[Doc]

In Wellington check out Shed 22 Brewing Company (now called Mac's) which is on the water front at the end of Taranaki St, next to the Te Papa museum.
Also in Wellington check out the Malt House bar on Willis street for a huge selection of beers including many small breweries.
In Christchurch check out Dux de Lux which is the #1 micro there. Also checkout The Twisted Hop for some Real Ale, brewed in Chch.
In Queenstown check out Monty's which is Monteiths theme bar.
Around the lower part of the South Island if you make it to Wanaka check out Wanaka Beer Works. I haven't been to the brewery but have had a few of their beers.
If you make it as far as Dunedin the Speights Heritage brewery does a good tour. Great to see the Kauri wooden gyles back in production. Also in Dunedin is Emerson Brewing Company. Some great beers from them.

As for hops your best bet is to get in contact with the NZ Hop board which is in Appleby (near Nelson which is at the top of the South Island). Doreen (who is on the phones) is very helpful and should be able to send you hops to your hotel. You can bring pellets back into Oz no worries. Just have to declare them. You can't bring in plugs or flowers. They package in 100g and 1kg then larger lots. Looks like they are re-launching their new website here so not a lot of info on the varieties avail.

Beers,
Doc

 

[therook]

You have to do Speights in Dunedin as Doc said.......Its a cheap tour and you get to sample all there beers over and over :chug:

 

[barneyhanway]

I'd avoid Montieths or Macs, other than macs Wicked Blonde (pilsner), Sassy Red (ESB) or Copperhop (pale ale). The rest of their offerings are decidely mainstream, due to the fact that they are, well, mainstream. Macs is owned by New Zealand Breweries/Lion Nathan, DB owns Montieths. Nothing craft or micro about them anymore I'm afraid. The macs I mention above I think are brewed by Shed22 in Wellington, much more care, much more hops.

Speights too (again, Lion Nathan) is oh so mainstream, even their 'craft' range. I don't think any of them are particularly memorable.

So the good? Emersons. Anything Richard Emerson makes is exquisite. Try them all. You can see a list of stockists/outlets at http://www.emersons.co.nz/
Theres a newish brewery in Invercargill that Richard Emerson himself rates highly, can't think of the name and I haven't tried so can't comment. Wanaka beerworks too would be a good stop.

Auckland, 2 fairly central must sees, and a couple more.
#1 Galbraiths alehouse. Real ale. Take a whole day.
#2 Cock & Bull, where you can find the wares of one of NZ's most awarded brewers Luke Nicholas. Take a whole day. Theres a couple dotted around, the one in Newmarket is pretty good. And just down the hill from Galbraiths.
#3 Shakespeare Tavern. A bit underrated I think, the beers are pretty good and its right in the central city.
#4 Hallertau, a fair way out of town but it'd be a great sightseeing trip. http://www.hallertau.co.nz/

 

[Lukes]

Guy's,
Thanks for the info.
Should be some good times in that list.


Luke

 

[spog]

while in queenstown go to the dux delux brewpub,excellent beers there.there is also one in christchurch, just look for the police hq building.if you stand facing plod central,the brewery is to your right on the opposite corner,grab yourself a beer and a shirt as a momento.
in the wanaka area is a place called cardrona,look for the bra fence.this fence has been decorated over the y
ears with bra,s and knickers from travellers.bloody good laugh.
emersons in dunedin have moved to a new premises,am not sure where but a local will point you in the right direction...cheers..spog..
p.s. the wanaka beerworks is out on the airport road,just look for the transport museum,its right next door. :beerbang:

 

[Lukes]

Might have to put in for an extra couple of weeks leave as the list is getting bigger by the day.

Not really interested in the mega's so some of the smaller places sound like the go.

I found another site listing breweries with address's and phone / email info.

http://beerme.com/breweries/nz/index.shtml

 

[Jazman]

wanak brew works make good beers the tall black and brew ski is good if you catch the shop open the brewer is rude....

also in qtown at the new world suprmarket you can get the macs copperhop and also founders organic beers the redhead is a good


look for the limburg hopsmaker a good beer thanks to sparky.....

in chch dont forget harringtons micro which is ok to just outside of the town centre close to jade stadiam and its on ferry rd .....


but avoid the loaded hog in qtown as the beer is shit and the opening times for food is shit too

 

[berazafi]

I was over there a month ago, would recoment the wanka beerworks beers and the mac copperhop

The copperhop can even be found in pac n go, the buget supermarket chain over there

 

[Gulpa]

Hi all,

Im off to Wellington next week for a couple of days. Anybody got any updates on the beer situation there?

Thanks
Andrew.

 

[PostModern]

Hi all,

Im off to Wellington next week for a couple of days. Anybody got any updates on the beer situation there?

Thanks
Andrew.

The Malt House. Don't miss it. About 15-20 taps and craploads of NZ micro beer on tap and in bottles.
It's about 3-4 blocks from Te Papa museum, which is right next to the Macs brewbar (which I didn't visit as I don't think much of Macs beers).

 

[Gulpa]

Thanks PoMo. My Hotel looks reasonably close to the Malt House.