As the British and Irish Lions fans gather in Auckland for the final week of their tour, Michael Donaldson charts a course round the city's First XV of craft beer bars.
DOWNTOWN ALE LOOP
While we wait for the inner city rail loop to be built, we have to rely on Shanks' pony to get around the inner city ale loop. So keeping things close, here's a tight five of downtown establishments that will see to your beer essentials.
BREW ON QUAY (102 Quay St):
Not quite a grand-daddy of craft beer bars in downtown in Auckland, Brew On Quay is a great spot to gather in small groups, with several small hideaways. The beer selection on tap is always top-notch, from great independent labels to your more established brands - including a regular handpull beer (that's the low-carbonated English-style ale as opposed to the cold fizzy stuff) - and the bottle selection is one of best in Auckland. Well-priced pub grub adds the sauce all beer tourists look for.
In the buzzing Wynyard Quarter the large tap selection at 16 Tun is always fresh and interesting. The range of Garage Project beers on tap makes it worth calling in. The food is reliable and when the winter sun is setting to the west the outdoor tables are a great place to sit and watch the world go by.
BREWER'S CO-OP (128 Victoria St West):
One of the newer inner city hangouts, Brewer's Co-operative has a wide tap selection with an always intriguing combination that can range from a salty gose, to a roasty stout and hoppy IPA. Fish 'n' chips wrapped in paper is the obvious way to go food-wise but there's a great alternative selection of bar snacks.
There is 70's throwback (or is that thrown out) furniture, a cramped interior space, tables in carpark, limited food repertoire (pizza) and yet it's perfect. The well-made house beer, brewed at a sister site in Mt Eden, dominates the tap menu, while the bottled beer selection in the eye-level fridge proves mesmerising. VULTURE'S LANE (10 Vulcan Lane): Vulture's, with its dark wood panelling and narrow interior has the feel of an intimate English pub. For a long time it has set the benchmark for local beer fans and tourists alike, who can hangout on the edge of Queen St in the ever-bustling Vulcan Lane and drink great beer and eat some of the best burgers in the area.
UPTOWN CRAWL
Billy Joel's Uptown Girl might have been rich and sophisticated but Auckland's Uptown beer is more down to earth and accessible when you're on your way to Eden Park.
GOLDEN DAWN (Cnr Richmond & Ponsonby Rds):
This hard-to-find un-signposted bar is the ultimate spot to relax and take the edge off Ponsonby's bustle.
There's always Hallertau beer on tap and most evenings there's a DJ or some kind of music. The courtyard, even on a wet night, has a cosiness to it thanks to good heaters and a warm vibe.
Galbraith's Alehouse. Photo / Richard Robinson
GALBRAITH'S ALEHOUSE (2 Mt Eden Rd):
An Auckland icon, this brewpub focuses on English- and European-style ales and there's a great range available on cask (handpull, 10degC). Bob Hudson Bitter (act like a local and just ask for a Bob) is unmissable on handpull. It's refreshing and sessionable. There's a great range of beers brewed on premises and a generous allocation of guest taps featuring the best craft beers in New Zealand. The food is increasingly excellent. And it's close to Eden Park too.
UPTOWN FREEHOUSE (224 Symonds St):
Literally around the corner from Galbraith's, this sister to the popular Lumsden Freehouse in Newmarket has taken over the premises that once housed Squid Row. Where Galbraith's is in an old library, this building is a former post office. It's a great space and the ethos of the Lumsden prevails with a great tap list and simple food focused on heart-warming toasted sandwiches and pizza.
Not a craft beer bar exactly, but Hopscotch is the original hole-in-the-wall fill-your-own beer paradise. It's likely the current venue will have to relocate thanks to the impending city rail link so visit while you can and chat to knowledgeable proprietor Hugh Grierson about what he's got on tap.
FLIGHT 605 (605 New North Rd):
Next door to the new Urbanaut brewery, worth a visit in itself, Flight 605 riffs off a plane -theme but is so much more than that. It's a perfect fit for up-and-coming Morningside. A regular music venue, with a Kingsland Folk Club gathering on Sundays, this is the perfect pre-match venue or come here for a Sunday wind-down.
NORTH BY NORTHWEST
If you fancy getting out of the city and taking a road trip (with a sober driver of course), you could trek north on SH1 and come home via the northwest on SH16.
Warning, parking can be at a premium at this hugely popular pub. Once inside though there's plenty of seats - and plenty of taps, with 40 choices. Navigating the choice is not for the faint-hearted but the menu board offers some good guidance and the staff know their stuff. An ever-changing food truck provides the tucker.
DEEP CREEK (111 Clyde Rd, Brown's Bay):
The original Deep Creek brewpub in Brown's Bay is now home to some experimental offerings as Deep Creek now brews the bulk of its award-winning beer at Silverdale. Across the road from the beach, a great garden bar, American-style food, stunning beer made right there in front of you.
Sawmill Brewery. Photo / Supplied
SAWMILL BREWERY (1004 Leigh Rd, Matakana):
No longer connected to the Leigh Sawmill, the brewery has taken on its own identity in Matakana where you can indulge in stunning modern pub grub in the Smoko Room and some of the best-made beers in New Zealand. If there's one beer associated with Sawmill, it's The Doctor, a traditional German-style doppelbock. Brewery tours are on offer.
MCLEOD'S PIZZA BARN AND TAPHOUSE (2 Cove Rd, Waipu):
Waipu really is worth the longish drive. The original pizza barn serves amazing food but the beer is what this place has become famous for. Head brewer Jason Bathgate produces everything from a traditional, smooth lager, to Black Watch, a sour, imperial Scotch Ale.
Hallertau restaurant. Photo / Michael Craig
HALLERTAU (1171 Coatesville Riverhead Hwy):
Arguably the best brewpub in Auckland, Hallertau is even better since its renovation last year. A stunning open air, undercover beer garden, a play area for the kids to enjoy, wonderful food cooked in a wood-fired oven and some of the most reliably delicious beer in the city and great entertainment to boot.
