New Zealand's craft beer battle

With ready access to some the world's finest hops, plus an increasingly discerning consumer base, New Zealand's craft brewers are staking a claim in the global beer scene. Championing their efforts are two cities that straddle the Cook Strait - Nelson and Wellington - both of which are vying for the title of Craft Beer Capital. McCashins has also joined forces with a raft of pubs and bars to form the Nelson's Craft Beer Trail, which includes stops at the Free House, an old wooden church turned craft beer bar; two Sprig & Fern taverns, outposts of Nelson's second-largest brewery; and Founders, a brewery that's laid claim to six generations of beer makers in its 160-year history. More stops on the Nelson beer trail can be found out in the sticks, including the Moutere Inn, one of New Zealand's oldest pubs, located in a tiny rural settlement 35km west of Nelson city.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20130925-new-zealands-craft-beer-battle?ocid=global_travel_rss