Archived: Panhead Custom Bar

This pop up is now closed.

Wellington brewmasters Panhead Custom Ales are bringing their impressive range to the waterfront this summer with a pop-up bound to generate serious excitement amongst Auckland beer lovers.

Known for their inventiveness and a willingness to try anything in the name of flavour, many of Panhead’s more exciting one-offs haven’t made it this far north until now.

Newly opened, those 14 taps will soon be busy pouring Panhead classics along with an ever-evolving range of limited release specials, many of which will only be available at the Viaduct pop-up and Panhead’s own on-site brewery bar.

These include Busted Knuckle, a massive Russian Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels for a vinous tang; Bug Crusher, aged in chardonnay barrels and fermented with a proprietary yeast from Crux Fermentation Project in the U.S.; Batch 003, a Milk IPA sweetened with lactose from actual cows; and Snake Oil, a soured IPA, premiered at this year’s Beervana.

There’s also a beer cocktail list and a small food menu designed to work with what’s on tap.

The mouthwatering food is hearty and full of American-inspired flavours. The must-tries on the menu include a fat burger, American chili dog, jalapeño poppers, Texas smoked brisket, slow-cooked 5 alarm chili, a penitentiary platter and pecan nuts glazed in blacktop stout and roasted in bacon lard.

And if all that beer isn’t quite enough to entertain or keep the conversation rolling there’s a pool table, pinball machines and dart board, and a stage that’ll have live rock, rockabilly and blues on occasion.

A selection of wine is also on offer for those who haven’t got to grips with the new world of beer just yet.