So it's pretty damn cool that I'm drinking a beer while sitting in a windy parking lot, on my 60th birthday. What's so special about that? Well, that breezy black top belongs to Liberty
Brewing in Helensville, New Zealand - my favorite brew of all the beers I sipped while in NZ and Australia.
Liberty Brewing is well off the beaten path and it's pretty much a "can't there from here" kind of stop. But, they offered some good looking pints, had some cool swag, and the photos online of the place seemed to be right up my alley. It ticks off all the boxes for a small craft brewery wherein you feel like you're in a real brewery and not some faux pretender. The Kiwi behind the bar was super nice and patient as Sarah sampled a couple different varieties before settling on their Oh, Brother Pale Ale. I went with the Halo Pilsner. With 5% ABV and 40 IBU, it's a little more bitter than what Sarah likes, but it's good for me to mix up flavors here and there.
I had enjoyed a Little Creatures Catalina lager (5.3 ABV) while down at Hottie's Eatery at Hot Water Beach (right), so I knew I wanted to visit their home base in Hobsonville for my birthday lunch.
The brewery is housed inside a former NZ Navy airplane hanger which is a super groovy location. Tons of air force decor and their funky 1940s styled cocktail lounge is called Kittyhawk. Had a fun conversation with our server who upon my telling her the significance of the name Kitty Hawk to aviation and mentioning the NC Outer Banks as the birthplace of human flight she excitedly asked wide-eyed "Like the Netflix show Outer Banks?" She was amazed to learn that yes, there is a real Outer Banks, but no direct ferry to Chapel Hill. During lunch, I enjoyed their Rogers' Smooth Amber (3.8% ABV) with my tasty Mac-n-cheese. Sarah had the Pale Ale (5.2% ABV) with her fish tacos.
After lunch we headed a wee bit further north to Browns Bay to Browns Bay Brewing Company. We were pretty full after the beers and food from the previous two stops, so Sarah got a glass of sauvi and I opted for a Browns Bay Summer Wheat (5% ABV) which was light enough to not make me much more uncomfortable on this hot Kiwi summer day. The brew pub was almost waterfront, with a nice view of the beach across the road.
This birthday was one to remember. Not only did I get to experience a New Zealand Costco (that's a another story for another time), but I was able to sample some mighty fine beer from three of New Zealand's best breweries.
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