Two brews that hit the mark

Dux De Lux brewer Dick Fife

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In 1990, when I first visited New Zealand, the choice of beers wasn't what it is today.

I flew into Auckland and spent a fortnight touring the North Island, but I was utterly disappointed by the endless stream of similar-tasting thin, bland, fizzy draughts and lagers that I encountered everywhere.

As an ale-loving Pom, I'd pretty much given up on Kiwi beer by the time I reached Wellington. A few days before my flight home, some kind soul suggested I call into Regional Wines & Spirits as they were reputed to have the capital's best beer range. It was a tip that led to my Kiwi beer epiphany.

My eyes lit up in the Basin Reserve store as I saw several trestles weighed down with rare imports and a host of beers from small breweries from around the country. To a visiting beer enthusiast it was like discovering Aladdin's Cave.

One of the bottles I chose was Pink Elephant PBA, a pale ale I later discovered came from the South Island. Fragrant, fruity, malty, emphatically hopped and immensely satisfying, that one bottle changed my perception of Kiwi beer forever.

Back in New Zealand the following year I was determined to track down the brewer of that delightful ale. In 1991 Marlborough had no craft brewery so, once off the inter-island ferry, I rented a car in Picton and headed over the hills to Nelson. Although Mac's had already been going for a decade I was keener to visit Roger Pink's fledgling brewery in Brightwater.

The Pink Elephant beers lived up to my expectations and, having filled the boot of my car with bottles of PBA, PDA and Mammoth, I headed to Christchurch where, after another tip-off, I found another superb Kiwi ale.

The Dux de Lux brewpub the name is Latin for masters of the finest is in the old college and arts area of Christchurch.

The Dux was founded in 1978 and its in-house brewery opened a year later, making it one of New Zealand's longest established brewpubs.

Having started with just two beers, brewer Richard Fife has gradually expanded the range and now oversees production of seven permanent beers as well as regular seasonal releases.

But it's his legendary Nor'wester a strong, very English-tasting, pale ale that's always most impressed me.

Named after the dry winds that parch the Canterbury Plains, the beer is made with six British and German malts, hops from both sides of the Pacific and an ale yeast believed to be from Truman's of London.

Nor'wester pours an attractive orange marmalade hue beneath a tan head and the punchy aroma combines toffee, caramel, chocolate, smoke, dark fruit and citrusy hops.

The palate is creamy and mouth-filling, with malt, fruit and resiny hops merging into a long, bittersweet finish. Magic.

The Dux de Lux beers have won a hatful of awards but the supreme accolade came in 2003 when Nor'wester received the trophy for Grand Champion beer at the Australian International Beer Awards, the world's third largest beer competition. Around $7 for a 500ml bottle it's highly recommended.

- The Marlborough Express