Looking North

So hot on the heels of a post about enjoying what you have I’m off to spend a weekend enjoying what I don’t have, a pub serving real ale. I’m off to Auckland, our large northern city. It’s not a place I particularly like but there are some gems hidden within its ill thought out sprawl, chief among them is Galbraith’s. Galbraith’s Ale House is in my opinion the best pub in the country; it includes a sizable brewery (for a pub) which turns out a fantastic range of 4 regular real ales, 2 lagers and a Belgian Abby style ale, there are also seasonals. Amongst this range is my desert island beer, Bob Hudson’s Bitter brewed with Golden Promise, crystal malt, and Styrian Goldings hops it comes out something like Timothy Taylor’s Landlord.

Apart from copious pints and meals at Galbraith’s I will also be attending the Hallertau Brewbar Hop Harvest Festival. I have never been to Hallertau before but have been told it’s a classy joint (its website informs me that it has bottles from the sizable English micro Bath Ales which I have never had before) and the Fraulins and Umpah band should be ‘interesting’. During my trip I hope to meet with ex-pat Englishman Martin, A gentleman I used to bump into on the beer-pages message board who now resides in Auckland. I also hope to meet with Ian, the brewer at Galbraith’s, Barry of SOBA Homebrew fame and will definitely be catching up with Greig and Alex who will graciously be playing taxi to get me out to Hallertau.