Whilst I generally prefer ale, it’s often hard to match the taste and appropriateness of a good lager on a hot summer day. For most people, this would mean a fairly typical premium lager such as Heineken or Stella Artois, but there are some other fantastic options out there. One such fantastic option which has relatively recently become available up and down the country is Galbraith’s Munich Bavarian style lager.

Now Galbraith’s has been one of my favourite brewing companies for a long time now. Situated at the top of Mt Eden road, their brewpub has a fantastic range of beer on tap, much of it brewed on site. In particular they specialise in British Real Ale, which I love and is usually what I drink when I visit. The do however have some great lagers in their repertoire. And while not too long ago you could only buy Galbraith’s beer on site, they’ve started bottling their Munich lager and distributing it.

So how does it compare to other lagers that you can buy? The aroma is sweeter, and is really quite delightful. This carries over into a maltier, sweeter flavour that leaves a little less bitterness on your palate. Smooth and well balanced, it goes down very easily and is a refreshing change from some of the more hoppy lagers on the market. I’d highly recommend trying it, it’ll show you why Galbraith’s regularly wins awards for being one of the best pubs in New Zealand.