The beer world is full of many legends and myths.  Perennial favourites include “Guinness in Ireland tastes better because it uses water from the River Liffey”, “the yeast in wheat beer contain so many vitamins the drinker will never get a hangover“ and Carlsberg is “possibly the best beer in the world.”

Barrel-aged beers are so hot right now.  However, like many modern fashions and trends it is actually nothing new or innovative.  For centuries, old-time brewers stored their beer in barrels out of necessity. 

Like most modern pubs, Malthouse has a fancy sign hanging outside to let passers-by know that fine beers are available for purchase within.

“The World Encyclopaedia of Beer”, written by Brian Glover, British Beer Writer of the Year 1994, provides an interesting perspective of what New Zealand beer must have looked like from the outside at the turn of this century. 

If your only sources of information were the British broadsheet newspapers and Sir Geoffrey Palmer, you could be forgiven for thinking that alcohol, particularly beer, has caused nothing by misery since the day it was invented.