BAR OF THE MONTH - December

New Zealand Real Ale Bar of the Month for December is Albar, Dunedin.

Since last being nominated as NZ Real Ale Bar of the Month a year ago, Albar seems to have become busier, and is successfully serving four relatively fresh-tasting beers from their handpumps. The selection generally includes brews from the likes of Emerson's (whose sale to multinational brewer Lion is of great concern), Renaissance and Tuatara. Long may their success continue.

Meow

Meow, Edward St, Wellington.

Meow, opposite Little Beer Quarter, have installed a handpump this year. It doesn't get much use during the daytime, but apparently gets more action in the evenings. Unfortunately they are following a disturbing Wellington trend of keeping the barrel directly beneath the bar, so you are likely to get room-temperature beer from the likes of McCashin's Brewery at Stoke.

BAR OF THE MONTH - November

New Zealand Real Ale Bar of the Month for November is The Malthouse, Wellington.

It's almost embarrassing to note just how far ahead of the competition The Malthouse is in Wellington. Alas, there are only two handpumps, but their offerings change regularly, and include a wonderful variety of beers. Unlike some of their neighbours (who shall remain nameless), The Malthouse's knowledgeable bar staff realise that real ale should be served fresh and at about 12 °C, and ensure that it is. It's not uncommon when requesting a pint to see two or three pulled through first and poured down the sink before you're presented with your beer in order to ensure that any stale, warm beer in the pipes has been expunged. How refreshing! Other bars, please take note!

As an addendum, it is worth pointing out that the Malthouse's handpumps are, of course, genuine, unlike the fake ones round the corner at The Bruhaus and The Tap Haus, where the beer is pushed up to the bar by carbon dioxide at the pull of a switch. Admittedly, the artificial carbonation is relatively low at those establishments, but the beer served is some of the most unpleasant, stale, metallic-tasting rubbish that has ever passed this drinker's lips. These places' pretence at serving proper beer simply give the genuine purveyors of the drink we all love, such as The Malthouse, a bad name.

As a further and final addendum, the team behind the Malthouse are responsible for the Fork and Brewer on Bond St, where brewing finally started after various delays in September. Apparently they've had repeated requests to install handpumps and serve real ale. Strangely, they have, as yet, not succumbed.

BAR OF THE MONTH - October

New Zealand Real Ale Bar of the Month for October is The Woolston Hop.

It would seem churlish not to nominate The Woolston Hop as NZ's Real Ale Bar of the Month when its opening a few days ago marked such an agreeable and rightly acclaimed return to normality for Christchurch. The city's recent misfortune with earthquakes is well known and, even as these words are typed, a magnitude 3.6 aftershock not far from Woolston gives long-suffering residents a reminder (as if it were needed!) of what has passed. The industrial concrete of the new Hop is redolent of the old, although the building itself also has a warm homely feel to it already. It would be difficult to heap enough praise on the owners and staff who have struggled to get things up and running again over a tough year and a half, but the enthusiastic response of former regulars already indicates how pleased we are to see the Hop back up and running again. Initial beer quality is encouraging. Truth be told, the best beer available in New Zealand at the moment is tapped straight from the cask at the Twisted Hop brewery in Wigram every Friday, although it remains to be seen how fresh their firkins will remain when trade to the door drops off with Woolston's rise. Hopefully some of Christchurch's outstanding new real ale establishments will realise that handpumps are merely a step along the road towards beer nirvana, and that a foaming pint tapped fresh from the cask is an experience that cannot be bettered. There's another challenge set for this astonishingly adaptable city!

The Twisted Hop, Woolston

The Twisted Hop, Ferry Road, Woolston, Christchurch.

See also BAR OF THE MONTH - August 2013, March 2013 and October 2012.

After a long enforced absence, The Twisted Hop is back up and running in Christchurch. The original buildings in Poplar Lane stand desolate in a wasteland of rubble, sadly destined to suffer the same fate as their neighbours. New premises have been built in Woolston, an area that has unexpectedly become New Zealand's real ale capital hosting, as it does, the Twisted Hop, and the Cassels and Three Boys Breweries. After a euphoric private opening at the weekend, the pub is now formally open, and already acting as a magnet for Christchurch's beer connoisseurs again. Old acquaintances have been reignited, not least with the standard Golding Bitter (3.7%), Challenger (5.0%) and Twisted Ankle (5.9%), each dispensed from three banks of four handpumps (taking the NZ record after surpassing their colleagues' six down the road at Cassels). New friends are to be made with the gloriously hoppy Hopback IPA (5.8%). The Twisted Hop Brewery shop at Wigram remains open on Friday afternoons (only until 6 pm now), and plans are progressing slowly but steadily for The Twisted Hop Lincoln.

BAR OF THE MONTH - September

New Zealand Real Ale Bar of the Month for September is Hashigo Zake.

Since opening three years ago, Hashigo Zake has established itself on the Wellington beer scene as one of the foremost advocates for both new local and international breweries. The bar staff have a first-rate knowledge of, and passion for beer. The beers dispensed from their three handpumps change regularly, although Townshend is virtually always featured. Beers from the likes of the encouraging young Garage Project Brewery and the Peak Brewery (whose bottle-conditioned beers are impressive, by the way) have recently been available on handpump. Knowledge about beer isn't everything, though. Your present correspondent's experiences of hand-pulled beer at Hashigo Zake have not, until recently, been favourable. On dozens of occasions over the last three years their beer has been too warm, stale or cloudy, and it is for this reason that it has not been recommended on these pages before. This seems to be becoming less of a problem, though, with recent visits leaving a far more pleasant taste in the mouth. Hashigo Zake deserves great success. Let us hope that the quality of their beer continues on its upward trend.

BAR OF THE MONTH - August

New Zealand Real Ale Bar of the Month for August is Cassels & Sons CBD Bar, Christchurch.

Cassels Brewery is a real success in Christchurch's recent times. Following extensive earthquake strengthening to one of the city centre's few remaining buildings, Cassels have just opened their second hostelry, the CBD Bar, within a stone's throw of the site of Poplar Lane and The Twisted Hop. This comes as a huge relief to those who live and work in the city, many of whom have become acclimatised to seeing only desolate, half-deconstructed buildings around them, and have forgotten what it is like to be able to enjoy a quiet pint on their own doorstep. Ironically enough, CERA's recently announced plans for the city rebuild would have this building demolished to make way for a rugby stadium. Considering the outrageous proposed desecration of Christchurch's primary symbol, the Anglican Cathedral, by its own bishop, it becomes desperately dispiriting for anyone wishing to preserve a tiny sense of place and history in their city. Sitting in Cassels CBD Bar, surveying the flat expanses of rubble through the wide windows as one looks towards the Port Hills in early spring, with a pint of foaming (or rather, creamy) ale in hand, is one way for us to drown our sorrows. Here we can reflect for a while on the lunacy of the power-crazed (or perhaps just remarkably inept and indifferent) petty bureaucrats who continue unnecessarily to fence off vast swathes of our already-demolished, now sanitized city, or who would tear down the few remaining buildings of any note for their own squalid self-aggrandisement.

Cassels CBD Bar, Madras St, Christchurch

Cassels & Sons Brewery CBD Bar, Madras St, Christchurch.

See also BAR OF THE MONTH - April 2013 and August 2012.

Cassels new CBD bar has opened up in a quality fitout of a fine heritage building on Madras St. Not surprisingly, having opened just a few days ago, it is already proving extremely popular with locals, passing workers, and earthquake tourists doing the round of the CBD red zone cordon. The four handpumps serve Cassels' exemplary beers, presently being delivered daily from the Woolston brewery. Expect to find Best Bitter (4.3%), The Alchemist Golden Ale (4.6%) and Milk Stout (5.2%).

Dark Room, Christchurch

The Dark Room, St Asaph St, Christchurch.

The casual visitor may find the darkness of this establishment presents its difficulties in finding one's way to the bar, and the unsavoury, stale odours are likely to drive said visitor in the opposite direction, but anyone who makes it this far will note four handpumps, dispensing the like of Twisted Hop and Yeastie Boys beers (most likely 'from the bag', alas). Those wishing to imbibe a quiet beer beware: this is a 'live music' venue!

Gorilla Bar, Ferrymead

Gorilla Bar, Waterman Place, Ferrymead, Christchurch.

UPDATE: Gorilla's brief flirtation with hand-pulled beer was an unhappy one, and their handpump has since gone back to the Twisted Hop. The 'craft beers' available are all artificially carbonated.

An excellent tapas menu complemented with a couple of handpumps sets this industrially-sited establishment apart from its neighbours, a Speights 'Ale' House and the (now sole) Winnie Bagoes pizza restaurant. The drizzle of beer squeezed through the sparkler head from the bag beneath the bar is hardly going to entice beer lovers, but it's a small step in the right direction. Breweries such as Cassels and The Twisted Hop, are represented on the two handpumps.

Cock and Bull buyout kills real ale

It is reported that the recent acquisition of the Cock and Bull chain of five pubs, which were distinguished for their Fuggles Best Bitter dispensed by handpump, will result in their beers being terminated. This deeply regrettable move instantly cuts the number of North Island establishments where something vaguely resembling real ale might be found by one third. No beer enthusiast is likely to choose to drink bland, mass-produced, fizzy beer in a Cock and Bull bar from early August when their award-winning beers are scheduled to be phased out. Surely the new owners are shooting themselves in the foot?

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1207/S00666/a-cock-and-bull-story-end-of-an-era-for-brewpubs.htm

BAR OF THE MONTH - July

New Zealand Real Ale Bar of the Month for July is The Free House.

The Free House in Nelson remains one of New Zealand's most appealing pubs. It is a laid-back place where beer and civilised conversation take pride of place. Things are done a little differently in Nelson. There are a number of attractive hostelries in or around the town, including the commendable Sprig and Fern establishments, which are only let down by virtue of the fact that their beer is artificially carbonated! The Free House, however, does the job properly. Their three handpumps are usually devoted to the local Townshend beers, which are generally in good condition so long as a little has been pulled through the pipes and they aren't too warm. The yurt in the garden which seems to have become permanent may not be to everyone's taste, but if it attracts people to keep the real ale flowing, then that's in all beer lovers' interests.

Port Hole, Lyttelton

The Port Hole, London St, Lyttelton, Christchurch.

The Port Hole is a container bar established on the site of Lyttelton's iconic Volcano Cafe and Lava Bar, which was demolished as a result of fatal earthquake damage on February 22nd 2011. There is one handpump serving a beer from a brewery such as Cassels, Three Boys, or The Twisted Hop.

Volstead

Volstead Trading Company Craft Beer and Cocktail Lounge, Riccarton Rd, Christchurch.

See also BAR OF THE MONTH - February 2013.

There are three handpumps serving a regularly changing selection of local ales from the likes of Cassels, The Twisted Hop, Golden Eagle and Raindogs breweries.

BAR OF THE MONTH - June

New Zealand Real Ale Bar of the Month for June is The Twisted Hop Brewery.

Thirteen months ago, it didn't seem like there would be any prospect of drinking the Twisted Hop beers for a very long time, with the brewery off limits in Christchurch's ghost town of a city centre. Virtually all the buildings in Poplar Lane have now been demolished, with the Twisted Hop's building remaining forlorn, and awaiting its own terminal fate. They are part of the estimated 80% of city centre buildings that have been or will soon be demolished following the devastating earthquakes. Despite many obstacles, the Twisted Hop team have remained true to their word: they have been brewing again for several months, their beers are available in a handful of local establishments, and plans to open two new Twisted Hop pubs are well advanced. The Ferry Road, Woolston building is nearing completion, and scheduled to open by the end of the year. It's a bit of a cheat to name the brewery in Wigram as 'Real Ale Bar of the Month', since you can't drink there. On the other hand, it would be a real injustice to ignore it, since you won't get real ale tapped straight from the cask into a bottle in front of your eyes anywhere else in the country. And the beer is oustandingly good too! Open on Fridays from 2-7 pm, the brewery shop is a quiet oasis for real ale lovers. Unless at a crucially delicate stage in the brewing process, you are sure to get an opportunity to chat to the brewers at work and to learn about the plans for the Twisted Hop's rebirth. Casks of the old favourites are conditioning, and await tapping. The Golding Bitter on the shop's opening night in April was spectacular, and the newest brew, Hopback (5.8%) is a sublime example of intensely restrained hoppiness, that some of NZ's less subtle new world, APA-style brewers would do well to sample. It's great to see the Twisted Hop recovering so well. It promises to be even better than before, and thoroughly deserves the local support it is getting - and more! The brewery shop can be hard to find, so see the map below. See also The Twisted Hop website for regular updates.

View Larger Map

BAR OF THE MONTH - May

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

It's a year since Galbraith's was last named NZ Real Ale Bar of the Month, and it's about time it had some more praise heaped upon it. With the astonishingly welcome rise of the Cassels Brewery in Christchurch in the last twelve months, Galbraith's suddenly has some serious competition. Auckland isn't usually thought of as staid in comparison with the rest of the country, but Galbraith's is very much the elder statesman. In contrast to its young rival, Galbraith's seems very quiet in the evenings, and has been known to close early on occasions when it isn't busy. This might be a popular option amongst the hard-working bar staff, but it's hardly likely to make a patron happy who has rushed up from the city after a concert, expecting to get a pint in ten minutes before closing time, only to find the doors bolted! Indeed, the apparent drop off in custom might account for the beer being perhaps a degree Celsius or two too warm sometimes. These temporary blips, however, should not be dwelt upon. The beer remains outstanding, right from the moment the crystal clear (part) pint is pulled, with the happy absence of a sparkler head bringing an appealing froth rather than a desperately strained creamy head. Arguably the best of their beers, the Grafton Porter, has been relegated to the position of an occasional beer, but greater prominence has been given to their other seasonal offerings, particularly IPAs. Pacifika IPA (6.3%) is a recent brew, alongside this season's variant of the Old Burton IPA (5.5%). Another of the six handpumps is likely to be dispensing the latest of their admirable 'Great Brewers Cask Ale Series' beers. The Yakima Monster Pale Ale (6.0%), brewed by Liberty Brewing's Joe Wood, the latest in the series, is dangerously drinkable. The whole concept of encouraging the country's best craft brewers to produce a proper cask conditioned ale is much to be applauded.

BAR OF THE MONTH - April

New Zealand Real Ale Bar of the Month for April is The Brewery, Cassels & Sons Brewery at The Tannery, Woolston, Christchurch.

There are fittingly grand plans to expand both the brewery's capacity, and the whole Tannery complex in the coming months. So long as it doesn't affect the quality of the beer, then no one in Christchurch will be complaining. The Brewery (as a venue) still hasn't reached its first birthday, but it has arguably already reached the peaks set by Galbraith's, and now has a fair claim to be New Zealand's best pub (for the quality of its beer - what else really matters in a pub?). The present batch of Best Bitter is truly outstanding, a remarkably fresh and drinkable beer, that any discerning drinker would travel some distance to sample. The odd barrel hasn't been perfect, but most have been exemplary. Such is its popularity that each barrel rarely lasts much longer than a day. Just how it should be! The award-winning Milk Stout is another beer that even has hardened beer enthusiasts drooling at the prospect of a pint being pulled. Much to their credit, Cassels now have six different beers on their handpumps. One of these is often a guest, such as Galbraith's, Townshend or, local brewery, Golden Eagle. Those out of touch with the brewing situation in Christchurch will be glad to hear that microbreweries producing real ale are abounding at the moment. Christchurch might, some time ago, have laid claim to the title of NZ's real ale capital. Can either Auckland or Nelson match it at the moment? The Twisted Hop Brewery is also back up and running out at Wigram. It's taking a while to get either of their new pubs under way, but one can visit their brewery and take away a 2 litre PET bottle of one of the old favourites tapped straight from the cask. I would have to say that the Golding Bitter on their opening night earlier this month was better than it had ever been, and was truly memorable in the best possible way! Back to the Cassels Brewery, though. The other Cassels beers currently on handpump include Big Ale Barley Wine (10.0%), an intense alcoholic, vinuous, smooth beer, which is a beautiful clear dark amber colour, and enough is always pulled through the pipes if it hasn't been poured for a little while to ensure that your glass doesn't include stale, warm beer. Alongside this are The Alchemist (4.6%), a golden ale that started out disappointingly cloudy rather than golden, but has improved immeasurably as the batch has aged, and Easterly Draught (4.3%), the much lamented Woolston Bitter's slightly stronger and sweeter replacement.

BAR OF THE MONTH - March

New Zealand Real Ale Bar of the Month for March is the Cock & Bull, Ellerslie.

The Cock & Bull's Ellerslie establishment was their second bar, and has many years' experience of serving the Fuggles Best Bitter by handpump. So long as you time your visit and order judiciously, you stand a reasonable chance of getting a fresh pint in respectable condition.

BAR OF THE MONTH - February

New Zealand Real Ale Bar of the Month for February is Roosters Brewhouse, Hastings.

Roosters is a wonderfully unpretentious bar and microbrewery which concentrates on serving good beer to its loyal local clientele. Its unexpected industrial setting on the outskirts of Hastings makes the pleasantly relaxed hospitality within all the more special. Whilst supping a pint at one of the well-worn tables, you are likely to see as many customers filling their flagons with takeaway beer before 7 pm closing time as you are to see beer tapped at the bar by the welcoming and knowledgeable bar staff. Alas, only one beer is served by handpump, the rest being unduly carbonated. Even the handpulled beer has a blanket carbon dioxide coating 'helping it along the way', although this is only noticeable in the sense that the beer doesn't taste stale and oxidised! One could hardly condone the practise but, given the generally lamentable state of NZ beer, to receive anything that is fresh, and neither luke-warm nor gassy, is a minor miracle. Their handpulled beer changes with the season. Recently it has been the drinkable, although rather characterless 5.2% Roosters Pale Ale.

Little Beer Quarter

Little Beer Quarter, Edward St, Wellington.

See also BAR OF THE MONTH - July 2013.

LBQ, which opened last year, has recently had a handpump installed. It is expected to be in use soon.

BAR OF THE MONTH - January

New Zealand Real Ale Bar of the Month for January is The Old Bank, Blenheim.

Last year, The Old Bank had been hoping to install another couple of handpumps and chillers beneath the bar. Alas, this has not yet happened, meaning that occasionally you'll travel to this quietly hospitable place to find that there's nothing on the solitary handpump because the barrel's run out. Perhaps The Old Bank's slightly out-of-the-way position in the Blenheim suburb of Redwoodtown has reduced its turnover recently, but its handpulled beers have certainly proved extremely popular in the past. Also, be aware that they tend to close relatively early in the evenings, especially when they are not busy. Other lesser bars who allow their barrels of ale to sit beneath the bar at sultry room temperature should take note how simple it is to serve beer at the correct temperature of 12 °C. Townshend's excellent Old House ESB is the most common brew to find on the handpump. It does have a tendency to be cloudy, presumably due to the necessity of frequently changing over the barrels. Having a second pump on the go could alleviate this problem too.