Best Craft Beer Bars in New Zealand

"It’s fair to say Brothers Beer are smashing it at the moment with their craft beer offerings and that's why I love this place. Come here and you can try a wide range of locally brewed beer and so much more. Brothers has 18 beers on tap and eight of those change weekly with the Brothers Beer varieties being brewed in front of you. When I visited they also had 310 bottled varieties. At the moment I’m told the Bach Brewing ‘Kingtide Pacific IPA’ is a must taste, along with anything by Panhead or Liberty breweries. The taps change so often because usually only one keg of each craft beer is ordered - but they’ve come up with a genius solution so you can monitor every drop of your favourite brew - an up-to-the-minute keg volume reader you can view on their website. "

"Vulture’s Lane is another brilliant freehouse showcasing an impressive range of Kiwi and international craft beer. The bar has moved away from its infamous Irish pub atmosphere (formerly known as O’Carroll’s) to stock around 100 beers, with around 20 of those on tap. For true fans of the Vulture’s beverage list, every visit is as exciting as the last with a new beer taking over a guest tap every day. Three things are consistent there however - the three managers complete passion for craft beer; the Leigh Sawmill Pilsner always on tap; and the most unbelievably cheap daily meal deals I’ve ever seen (e.g. quality hot dogs on Mondays for $1 and free hot wings on Fridays, to name a few!) Again, keep an eye on their World Wide Web pages for events, such as their IPA night this Friday (October 17th)."

"Hallertau have been making waves out west in the brewery scene for some time now. Whether you’re there as a loyal fan of one (or all) of their four all-year-round- beers, one-off special brews, or bi-monthly seasonal releases, the establishment always offers sud-lovers pure satisfaction. Recently it’s been the last seasonal release, the ‘Ordained Red IPA’, that’s been bringing in the punters, as well as their one-off Belgian Witbier with grapefruit made for Masu Japanese Restaurant. Stay in the loop with these guys for their spring release next month in the form of a crisp New Zealand Pilsner. The team run brewery tours every Saturday at 11am and 3:30pm, or if you’ve got the kids and you’re hungry, the staff are all well clued-up and can assist as you taste your way through the selection in their family friendly restaurant. Take note: Hallertau’s spring menu is being released today (15/10/14)!"