For a taste of Britain, head to Auckland

In Britain today, like in most places around the world, the most widely consumed beers are golden lagers.

Nevertheless, "bitter" remains the country's most famous beer style. Bitter is the beer everyone imagines is in the pint glasses when they visualise men and women drinking in a cosy country pub, or in the bar of the Rover's Return in TV's Coronation Street.

In New Zealand and Australia the term bitter once referred to a genuine, warm-fermented ale, but today it usually describes a simple, bronze-coloured lager similar to a mainstream Kiwi draught-style beer, perhaps with slightly more bitterness. Aside from one or two bottle conditioned beers (like Young's Special London Ale and Morland's Hen's Tooth), most packaged imports from the United Kingdom are filtered and/or pasteurised to withstand lengthy transportation and as a result, flavour-wise, they are often compromised.

With a shelf-life of only a few days after being ripened in the cask, real ales have a delightful freshness, delicacy, complexity and drinkability which, for me, is unmatched within the world of beer.

To sample a range of genuine cask conditioned British-style ales from the tap, beer lovers should make the pilgrimage to either of New Zealand's two outstanding real ale brewpubs. At The Twisted Hop in Christchurch and Galbraith's Alehouse in Auckland the beers are brewed, matured and served with meticulous care and attention.

Located in the former Grafton library, Galbraith's Alehouse first fired its kettles in June 1995. Despite a background in the wine industry, owner-brewer Keith Galbraith developed a passion for traditional cask-conditioned ales while travelling in Britain and was subsequently taught how to brew them by Bob Hudson, formerly a brewer at Ansells of Birmingham and later at Larkins of Kent.

These days, while Keith's tiny brewhouse also produces fine examples of Bohemian- and Munich-style golden lagers, its hand-pulled ales remain the major attraction. But the British-styled ales are notably hoppy and full flavoured, especially so given their comparatively modest levels of alcohol.

Bob Hudson's Bitter (4 per cent) is Keith's tribute to his brewing mentor, who passed away last year. The beer, a delightfully full-flavoured "session" bitter, pours a bright amber hue beneath a wispy white head. With its gentle toffee-ish malt note and leafy, orangey hop character the overall effect is somewhat reminiscent of a tangy breakfast marmalade.

Those who know their English ales and try a pint of Bob's will probably be reminded of Timothy Taylor's Landlord, one of Yorkshire's most famous beers. If there's a finer match for a classic English ploughman's lunch of freshly baked bread, crumbly, mature cheddar cheese and spiced, pickled onions, I've yet to find it.

As well its brewed-on-site beers Galbraith's Alehouse offers a fine selection of imported and New Zealand craft beers. For beer lovers visiting Auckland, a trip to this shrine of wonderful beer is a must.

Cheers!

- The Marlborough Express