A Serious Matter: BEER!

[JandM]

Seeing the mention of Belgian beer, and thinking of the interesting tasting, local sort, some of which can cut off your legs at the knees when you're not paying attention, you might be interested in these places. The food's good, too. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&i...kland&aq=f&oq=

[kanatakiwi]

Hmmmmmm...then why did I even HEAR that? Is it a relative thing? Like, there are LOTS of pubs in the UK, and so by COMPARISON there aren't many pubs in NZ?

I certainly wouldnt characterize NZ as a place with few pubs and bars!

[Waters9944]

And agree with the above posts about the rubbishness of US beers - Sam Adams and micro-breweries excepted of course! Reminds me of the canoe joke which is definitely not suitable for a family forum!

Hehehe...Yep, like making love in a canoe!

[mylesdw]

One of the few things I miss about England is the real beer, which is strange because I never was much of an ale fan when I lived there; I never had a beard and never drove an MGB. It would be nice, however, to have the choice of drinking something other than fizzy stuff.

[Ramo]

Talking of beer, did anyone see the BBC series, 'Oz Clark and James May Drink to Britain'? Very funny but also informative about all the types of drinks and how they're made. They had complete and utter disdain of lager, but eulogised real ale (or what we call beer). However, they came to the conclusion that Tea was the drink that epitomised the British, though technically it isn't alcoholic in any way...

I must admit I generally don't like US ales including the micro breweries, as the one's I've tried have been fizzy (what's with that). Not a fan of Sam Adams either, but that's a preference thing, rather than it not being good. However I did discover a great ale in Hawaii of all places, it was called something like Big Surf Long board, it was awesome!

Am looking forward to discovering NZ beers, and let's not forget the wine.

p.s. Waters9944, body is a euphemism for alcoholic content I assume?

[Ana&Steve]

Another American perspective here...I found differences in the NZ pubs to the US bars. There are more kids in NZ pubs (Scottish friend told me it's because they're more PUBlic houses more than pickup bars?) Also more friendly community feeling and less public drunkenness. Most likely someone has had different experiences but this feeling has struck me every time.
I'm afraid I don't like beer but I'll leave it to the connoisseurs!
Ooo I just thought of something...mixed drinks are different. They don't have the same variety of alcohols in most places. No Capt Morgans! There's a (nasty) rum called Coruba (sp) and there's no sweet and sour. Midori and amerettos were also hard to find. I think Kiwis save the liquor for the home bar.

[Waters9944]

p.s. Waters9944, body is a euphemism for alcoholic content I assume?

Specifically, no...."body" referring to physical substance. But, the alcohol content in the more bodacious beers tend to have a lot more alcohol content

Anna&Steve:

Another American perspective here...I found differences in the NZ pubs to the US bars. There are more kids in NZ pubs (Scottish friend told me it's because they're more PUBlic houses more than pickup bars?) Also more friendly community feeling and less public drunkenness. Most likely someone has had different experiences but this feeling has struck me every time.

Hmmm...you may be right. But, it also depends upon WHEN you go. I have always preferred the pub-like atmosphere of the nice local bar in the afternoon, when I can have a beer and shoot the breeze with a few good people, maybe shoot some pool. I used to go occasionally after work with colleagues (around 3pm), but when regular Happy Hour kicked in, all of the rest of the people would come in and ruin the quaintness. Then as the evening wore on, the clientele would get younger, and it would turn into a meat-market, which was of no real fun to me. The older gents and couples with their life stories and seasoned experiences were always much more interesting to me than the young buttheads with not a thing to talk about except hooking up. I usually left early.

[Ana&Steve]

Also probably the pubs we went to tended to be in smaller towns and communities where everyone knows each other. Most of our "family" in NZ are blue collar types so that lends to a different more casual scene. The Pubs we went to in Welly were a bit more...polished I guess, but still very easy going.

[m.brad.russell]

I must admit I generally don't like US ales including the micro breweries, as the one's I've tried have been fizzy (what's with that).

Fizzy is a matter of taste I guess. I'm still learning to enjoy Belgian Sours.

The English beer you are referring to is what we call cask conditioned, or hand pumped here in the states. I love that too. In fact I go to a "Real Ale Festival" every year that celebrates it. It's inspired by an English movement known as CAMRA (CAMpaign for Real Ale) that features beer that is carbonated in the barrel. The carbonation is much more subdued, like soap bubbles. Delicious!

Sorry to have hijacked the thread here, but beer does occupy a special place in my life, and diet. It's the thing I fear I'll miss most in NZ.

[Wonderbob]

There's an excellent bar in Courtenay Pl Wellington called the Malthouse, which stocks 150 beers from around the world, including the pick of NZ microbreweries (yes there arer a whole bunch of them spread throughout the country). So if you like beer and you're in the capital, check them out....

Cheers
Bob

http://www.themalthouse.co.nz/index.php/home