BAR OF THE MONTH - December

New Zealand Real Ale Bar of the Month for December is Galbraith's.

There may not be much competition, but Galbraith's stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of its consistent beer quality. When they started up in 1995, Galbraith's had the difficult job of re-introducing Kiwis to real ale, which had been extinct in New Zealand for a lifetime. With four or five of their standard brews on handpump, seasonal beers, and guest ales sometimes dispensed direct from the cask on the bar, a real ale enthusiast is not going to get a wider selection of beer to sample in New Zealand. Unlike some other bars where beer quality can be variable, Galbraith's almost always gets it right. They've been through some different glass forms and sizes this year, but whatever volume of liquid you receive, you can guarantee a crystal clear beer at the correct temperature of 12 °C. The Antipodean Pale Ale is a wonderful addition to their family of beer this year, and sits perfectly alongside established favourites such as the eminently drinkable Bob's and the fabulously textured Grafton Porter. Galbraith's is a proper traditional pub at the foot of Mt Eden where you can happily while away an afternoon in conversation, quietly reading the weekend papers, or just admiring the brewer at work. Your present correspondent had the happy pleasure of calling Galbraith's his local for a few years, and now waits expectantly for more news of plans to open new Galbraith's Alehouses elsewhere in the country.