BAR OF THE MONTH - February

New Zealand Real Ale Bar of the Month for February is Volstead.

In the immediate aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake a couple of years ago, friends and neighbours met in each other's homes and garages to drink and socialise. Where else were they to go? All the familiar drinking venues had collapsed or were closed and off limits. Volstead, in a small converted industrial unit just off Riccarton Road, has been a wonderful continuation of this spirit over the last year and a half. Ostensibly inspired by the American prohibition-era speakeasy, Volstead is happily different to the other soulless, bland and tacky theme bars in the area. Its spartan appearance, complete with mismatching furniture which really does look like is has come out of a skip may not be to everyone's taste, but if you're looking for a laidback place where beer and amiable conversation rule, then Volstead should not disappoint. On summer evenings, the huge main door is completely opened up, leaving happy drinkers to spill out into the front courtyard area, enjoying the last of the day's sun. In winter, it can be a little chillier inside, but at least that ensures the beer does not get too warm. Early demand saw handpulled beer feature strongly, and there are now five handpumps. Unfortunately, at this stage all the handpumps are connected to bags of beer, but the staff go to trouble to ensure the beer pulled through is fresh, close to the correct temperature of about 12 °C, and not unduly cloudy. The beer is usually pretty good, and it's revealing to drink some of the unfiltered and unpasteurised beers that they dispense by handpump, comparing them to identical beers pushed up to the bar and impregnated by artificial carbonation in other bars. It would be great to see Volstead going the final step of installing a small refrigerated room behind the brick bar and tapping beer direct from the cask! Beers on handpump are likely to come from breweries such as Twisted Hop, Cassels, Townshend, Four Avenues, Golden Eagle and Yeastie Boys. Keep your eyes open for a microbrewery next door.

BAR OF THE MONTH - January

New Zealand Real Ale Bar of the Month for January is D4, Wellington.

D4 was one of the earliest bars in Wellington to install a handpump, and their barstaff are adept at ensuring that the beer pulled through is fresh and served at the correct temperature. It is usually used to dispense a dark beer such as Emerson's London Porter or Tuatara Porter. Unlike most of the faux, kitsch Irish bars around the world, D4 is the genuine article. It is warm, welcoming and understated: a genuine reflection of the true hospitality and atmosphere that one enjoys in the best establishments in the Emerald Isle.

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%).