whatshotnewzealand.com
02 — Canterbury Brewers Collective
01 — Kaiser Brew Garden
Craft beer 072 WHCHC
VERY CRAFTY What’s Hot Christchurch puts its beer goggles on and tracks down the best places to sample craft beers both local and from further afield. With an ever-expanding offering of brew pubs, beer-focused restaurants and bars, boutique fill stations and bottle stores, we’re a city of beer drinkers confronted by more choice than time to sample. Now ain’t that a First World problem! Ask the brewers and they will say it is their customers’ openness to trying new styles and flavours that drives innovation in the New Zealand industry – as Sprig & Fern head brewer Tracy Banner says, in the UK customers still rock up to the bar and ask for “the lager”, “the ale” or “the bitter”, whereas Kiwi beer drinkers embrace the choices and are willing to try something new. That support for innovation is what marks out New Zealand craft brewers, and means that if there
were a Craft Beer Olympics, we would be on the podium getting medals. So here’s to you, the dedicated beer drinkers out there Three Boys Brewery has made a name for itself with the personal attention it pays to each small-scale brew, carefully mothering each batch until the unfiltered, unpasteurised beer leaves its Ferry Road operation. It’s an approach that’s seen Three Boys rack up awards aplenty, and their liquid gold is exported as far as the UK. Kaiser Brew Garden is one of the newest hospitality hotspots. Located on top of the bustling Riverside Market, it offers a stunning setting where you can meet, mingle and enjoy a brew, speciality G&T or fine wine. The Fermentist is worthy of praise for its commitment to sustainability, and this micro-brewery also just makes great beer! Head brewer Kirsten embraces the company’s motto of ‘explorations and discoveries in fermentation’ to produce a full
range of all your favourite styles, plus an occasional seasonal experiment. Wigram Brewing Co. is a highly-awarded and wellestablished star of the Christchurch scene. The brewery and fillery are open for tours and tastings, gift packs and takeaway riggers. Seasonal releases allow the dedicated brewers to put their own spin on emerging styles, which then join the roster of must-have staples like Mustang Pale Ale and Bavarian Pilsner. Southpaw Brewing Company brewed its first beer, an American Pale Ale called Uncle Charlie, in 2016 and has grown steadily since, adding new seasonal beers and growing the core lineup. The team have won awards for many of their beers at the Brewers’ Guild of New Zealand Beer Awards. Sprig & Fern Brewery continues to produce award-winning craft beers, always with at least two limitededition offerings in addition to its wide range that runs from crisp lagers through pale ales to an English Best Bitter style and a full-bodied Porter. To experience the full range, head to the Sprig & Fern Tavern in Merivale. Canterbury Brewers Collective, in the hip Riverside Market, specialises in locally-made craft beers and ciders. You can pull up a stool and enjoy a beer at the chilled-out bar or take a container of brewery-fresh beer home, seven days a week. Dux Central is the place for choice. There are about 180 beers available at any one time, ranging in price from $8 to $100. As well as the killer range of Dux beers, you can sample other local boutique craft beers and more. The Craft Embassy on level one of
The Terrace is an award-winning bar and restaurant with 30 independent craft beers on tap. The Brewery, Cassels and Sons Brewing’s popular gastropub hangout at The Tannery is the perfect place to explore the brews behind a name that has become a legend in craft beer in Christchurch. The brewery’s awards include many gold, silver and bronze medals for the milk stout, lager, pale ale, IPA and dunkel. Moon Under Water has an extensive list of tap beers, which is then dwarfed by what’s available from the fridge. Get along and find the style(s) you want to hang out with. Pomeroy’s Old Brewery Inn is home to brewing aristocracy in the form of the Beer Baroness (Ava Wilson). The inn continues mid-19th Century brewery traditions established by the building’s original owners, Wards Brewery. Civil & Naval, a Lyttelton den of cool, makes a concerted effort to be the biggest little brew bar, paying careful attention to its beer selection. A choice of draft beers rotates daily and others from a host of local breweries are available. The Beer Library is a beer-lover’s haven offering one of the largest selections of take-home craft beer in the region. Volstead Trading Company packs craft beers of all stripes and a super relaxed atmosphere in which to enjoy them, with one of the widest selections available in the city. Brew Moon Brewing Company in Amberley has 16 of its own beers on tap. Fresh and funky seasonal brews sit alongside delicious classic styles. Grab a fresh pizza while you’re there.
