We're going on a Beer Hunt

Galbraith's Alehouse

The public library that became a public house, marks its 25th birthday this year and is celebrating by building a new beer garden. Due to open in December, the large outdoor space will double the size of the popular pub and make it the perfect place to head for an after-work yarn with friends or a long Sunday lunch with the family. On that note, Sunday is a great day to eat at Galbraith’s; the famous roast beef sirloin comes with all the trimmings, including Yorkshire pud, and is good value at $26. Favourites like bangers and mash and pie with mushy peas will always be there for fans, but each season sees a menu refresh with new items added, such as this spring’s delicious new lamb burger. 

The onsite brewery has long been famous for turning out excellent ales and the current yen for hazy ales is well catered for, with Galbraith’s Double Dry Hopped Hazy Pale Ale on keg or, if you prefer something on the dark side, the cask-conditioned Bob Hudson’s Bitter or the Bitter & Twisted Extra Special Bitter. Seven guest taps showcase Kiwi breweries, including Behemoth and McLeod’s, and these rotate weekly, so there’s always something new to sample.

Brothers Beer & Juke Joint BBQ

Beer and barbecue: a foolproof formula for a good time. Brothers Beer is home to Juke Joint, where meats are cooked low and slow over sustainably harvested native and fruit woods to yield results that are smoky, tender and packed with personality. Dog-friendly, family-friendly and community-minded, Brothers is an all-round recipe for a relaxing time, whether you’re parked up in the sunny, north-facing courtyard or on a comfy couch inside. The on-site brewery puts out both the Brothers and Piha ranges, covering the spectrum from lager to pale ale and tart, fruity, refreshingly salty goses. Brothers’ rotating session beers are a great pick for anyone wanting to keep things on the steady; they’re lighter in alcohol and tend to be deliciously quenching, such as the current session ale Hazesteria, a hazy pale ale packed full of hops, with stone fruit, lime and grapefruit flavours. 

The Corner Store

New York, London, Paris, Auckland: The Corner Store has been giving our city fringe a sophisticated touch since 1995. Prepare for a dinner out in Uptown with an aperitif in its character-filled building, built in 1880. Pull up a chair on the pavement and sip on an Aperol Spritz while watching the sunset bounce off the Molten mural. Or stay the whole night; there’s always a friendly welcome at the bar, which is helmed by sibling owners Emma and Tim Sparks, or perhaps you’d prefer a table for two in a secluded corner – The Corner Store is known as a great date spot. The covered courtyard is a classy venue for functions and an upstairs space hosts meetings, tastings and club nights. As well as crisp Peroni on tap, the bar stocks local crafties like Urbanaut, Sawmill, Yeastie Boys and Sunshine Brewery. Next-door cafe Twenty Three is also owned by the Sparks and the kitchen supplies small plates and grazing platters to the bar.

Fridge & Flagon

A liquid degustation awaits you at Fridge & Flagon. The headquarters of beer suppliers Beer Jerk (two friendly beer-obsessed blokes, Luke and Brent, sourcing and selling all things beer), this lofty warehouse space boasts a dozen pours on tap as well as upwards of 300 beer choices stacked in the chillers. All can be bought to take away or enjoyed on site – the pop-up bar is open late on Fridays and Saturdays. Start with a tasting paddle; no boring line-up of standard glasses here, tastings are served in quirky vintage glasses, and what’s inside is bound to whet your appetite for the selections on tap (there are 12) or in the chillers (over 300). The artwork on the hundreds of cans and bottles is a sight to behold and there are plenty of quirky stories behind the beers and brewers – from little-known underground Oamaru brewer Craftwork, to a pavlova beer (that one’s from Aussie, so get ready to critique) and a rich, smooth and virtually unheard-of barley wine. From a basic-but-good lager to premium, aged or wild specimens, there’s something for everyone in this veritable library of beer. There’s also a generous line-up of natural wines, ciders and hard seltzers, in case you’re looking beyond the barley. Pull up a stool at one of the indoor tables or nab a table in the courtyard for some afternoon sun. If you’re peckish, there are plenty of snacks, samosas and toasties.

Horse & Trap

Nip down Enfield St by the railway lines to local favourite Horse & Trap, where you’ll find proprietor Jason Tupuhi behind the bar of the pub he runs with his wife Paula (their son works in the business as well, and Jason says their younger daughter can often be found in the pub kitchen peeling potatoes). A self-proclaimed “guv’nor”, Jason likes to instill a Cheers-like feeling about the place. “I know all my regulars’ names and they know to find me at 4pm for a beer.” The customer base here is a melting pot, from local workers to elderly customers who come every Saturday afternoon and families who love the friendly welcome, the kids-eat-free deal on Sundays and the rotating line-up of daily dining deals (the $20 300g sirloin and chips is a goodie). A Monteith’s pub, the regular line-up includes some hazies and IPAs, plus a guest tap that rotates every week or two. Jason’s formula for a winning pub is “getting the temperature, lighting and noise level just right” and creating a cosy environment in which you’ll want to stay for another round.

The Good Home

What’s in a name? At The Good Home, it's a relaxed sense of welcome or, as they like to put it, “hygge”, the Danish concept that loosely translates as “cosiness”. Fittingly, the food is inspired by home-cooked classics, but given interesting twists. You can’t beat a great pub nacho and The Good Home elevates the dish with succulent beef brisket alongside refried beans. Stevie Brogan, who owns the pub with his brother Mark, says the meat feast platters are a great way to feed a group this summer –  think a 500g tomahawk steak, whole chicken and ribs – washed down with a Panhead Supercharger. For functions, the set-up is second to none (and has no hireage fee, just a minimum spend). It’s light, bright and a place to relax after a shopping session at BLOC.