B&B checks out two towns with ample ales to sample: The Hunter Valley and New Zealand's capital, Wellington.

In the Hunter Valley

When beer lovers plan a weekend away it must involve one thing: good beer. That's what we live for, let's face it. Some secondary considerations - like keeping the better half or non drinking comrades and kids interested and happy - need some brief thought, but, really, it is all about the beer. Which is why in this summer issue of Beer & Brewer we've left the mag's main office and made a dash for the nearest wine region - the Hunter Valley. Yes, yes: boring wine everywhere, we know; but the Hunter and its environs are now starting to brew.

With around 30 brewing companies in NSW, the 3 closest to the Hunter are Potters Hotel and Brewery (home of the Hunter Beer Company), Bluetongue Brewery and Steel River Brewery.

We chose to stay at Potters, a 2-hour drive north of Sydney, with its abundance of things to see and do - notably the brewery and destination day spa, plus very comfortable accommodation.

Potters Hotel and Brewery

Positioned at the gateway to the Hunter Valley Wine Country, Potters was the Hunter's first microbrewery, established in 2002. Upon arrival to the Brewery if you feel a little thirsty after the 2-hour drive from Sydney go straight to the brewery. Brewery Tours are available at 12, 2 and 4pm by appointment for $10 per person including tour and ample tasting. After noticing you could spend all day in the brewery, you realise you may like to check in and get settled into one of the 68 rooms on site. Rooms are well presented and comfortable with everything you need for a short getaway, including two complimentary champagne bottles of Hunter Beer chilled in the fridge. www.pottersbrewery.com.au Tel: (02) 4991-7922.

Facilities

Tennis court, pool and spa, conference centre, volleyball court, children's playground, lolly shop, plus the Hunter Valley Destination Day Spa offering the largest range of spa treatment in Australia. One hour facial, with manicure or pedicure $85pp; ½ hour $55. For a full list of treatments go to www.beauteint.com.au

BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER

The Old Brickworks Brasserie serves very tasty beer inspired food all day at reasonable prices and the boules green (AKA Boccé) is a great way to let the food settle and relax in the sun. Near by is a German influenced beer garden and the brewery offers Steins to be purchased for $20 filled with Hunter Beer.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

Visit the tourism info centre (Tel: (02) 4990 0909 www.winecountry.com.au) to get all your maps and guides for things to see and do. Potters does a roaring trade with its Hen's party weekend packages, for more information go to www.hunterhens.com.au.

WHAT WE DID

Upon arrival at Potters Hotel and Brewery we went straight to the brewery for a tour and tasting. After that we checked into our room on site. We then had lunch at the Old Brickworks Brasserie on site. After lunch we went to the vineyards, visiting Piggs Peake. We then came back to the brewery for a game of bowls on the boules green with a few beers while taking in the scenery and great weather (instead of playing some tennis). We then had a leisurely dinner and called it a day. The next day was a late buffet breakfast again at the Old Brickworks Brasserie. My girlfriend then went for a 1.5 hour massage and treatment at the on site destination day spa while I went back to the brewery for another tasting! After this we went to Ernest Hill vineyards, then the Information centre. Next stop was Lake's Folly, then the Cheese Factory. Hunter Resort is just across the road, housing the Bluetongue range of beers, so we stopped in there for a couple of beers. Getting towards the end of the day, it was a choice between shopping at Hunter Valley Gardens or go to the champagne house, the latter was the choice, with the chocolate house next door too. Final stop for the day was the huge selection of beers in the bottle shop at Harrigan's Pub. We then went back to Potters Hotel for a dinner before driving back to Sydney. We left the Hunter Valley thinking there is still so much more to be done and want to come back sooner rather than later!

Hot Air Ballooning

Balloon Safaris offer champagne hot air ballooning experiences, with balloon flights operating daily out of the Hunter Valley Wine Country. Being in their hot air balloons aloft the vineyards (at sunrise) is an experience you will cherish forever. Spoil yourself and book a balloon flight today or give the

‘Gift with a Lift' with a gift voucher. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Tel: 1800 818 191.

Hunter Resort and Cheese Factory

We visited 1-of-3 cheese shops, Binnorie Dairy, it's across the road from the Hunter Resort (which houses the Bluetongue beers on tap). Binnorie Dairy: Cnr Hermitage Road and Mistletoe Lane Pokolbin Tel: (02) 4998 6660 www.binnorie.com.au; Hunter Resort, Hermitage Road Pokolbin, Tel: (02) 4998 7777 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Hunter Valley Gardens

A great place to visit if you're up for some shopping with 23 outlets, aqua golf, Harrigan's Cellars and Pub - Harrigan's Cellars has a great range of beers, on average 200 different brands at any one time. Have some food and a Guinness at the pub while you're there before or after visiting the Hunter Valley Gardens.

Wine and Champagne Tasting

The are over 150 wineries and cellar doors in the region. We visited 3 wineries and the Peterson's ‘champagne house'.

Piggs Peake - The winemaker Steve Piggs is a wealth of info, test him out in his huge book of wine. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , Tel: (02) 6574 7000. 697 Hermitage Road, Pokolbin.

Lake's Folly - Australia's first boutique winery. Broke Road, Pokolbin, Tel: (02) 4998 7507, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Ernest Hill Wines - The wines are only available at the cellar door. 307 Wine Country Drive, Nulkaba, Tel: (02) 4991 4418, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Peterson House - Specialising in traditional methodé champenoise sparkling wines. Cnr Wine Country Drive & Broke Rd, Pokolbin Tel: (02) 4998 7881, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Other activities

Galleries, Zoo, Photography schools, wine tasting, coffee making, cooking and horse riding. Get air borne with WILD Aviation Flights and Helicopter rides.

18 holes of golf

There are four golf courses to choose from: The Vintage, Crown Plaza, Cypress Lakes and The Oaks in Cessnock. Contact Wendy for various packages at these courses on 0414 553 103.

How to get around?

If you have a designated driver, great, if not there are many ways to meander your way around the area. Carriage tours, bus tours, bike tours, tram tours, limousine tours to do it first class - contact the Wine Country Tourist centre or go online for more info www.winecountry.com.au.

Home Brew Supplies

If you'd like to buy some home brew supplies while away we recommend dropping into the Ultimate Home Brew Shop in Gosford or Mark's Home Brew in Islington (you can find their contact details in the classifieds section of this issue).

Sample and Savour Wellington

Wellington is one of those cities that's made for a great short break. Compact in size, it sits on the edge of a stunning harbour, surrounded by rolling green hills. With arts events, a feast of restaurants and a buzzing nightlife, it's a great place to get lost in for a few days.

It's also very easy to get around. Just 2 kilometres in diameter, so no rental car is necessary. Walk on foot, and discover why this city is starting to get noticed internationally.

The locals are avid coffee drinkers, wine snobs and beer buffs. So get write these down - Wellington's top beer spots.

Start your journey at Mac's Brewery Bar and Restaurant, located in a beautifully restored wharf building on Wellington's waterfront. This is all about brew local, drink local; the brewery produces most of the Mac's beer available at the restaurant and bar. Visitors can stand on the viewing platform, and inhale the aroma of the different brews fermenting below. Try its cheekily named beers such as Sassy Red, Hoprocker or Great White.

Just a few steps further along the waterfront, you'll find St. Johns Heineken Hotel. It's a relative newcomer on the scene, but has fast found favour with Wellingtonians. The building itself has an interesting story; it is an art deco masterpiece that was used as an ambulance building in the 1920s. These days, it's an ideal place for lazy afternoon drinks in the sun. International beers such as Heineken, Tiger, Amstel and Erdinger are on tap, as well as New Zealand's finest craft beers.

Next stop is Courtenay Place, Wellington's nightlife precinct. Start at The Tasting Room, a modern interpretation of the traditional public house. It promotes itself as a gastropub, offering creative beer and food matching. It's a great place for an early evening dinner and drinks.

The Malthouse is an absolute must-visit, located just a few metres away. This fine establishment has developed a dedicated following, due to its large range of New Zealand natural beers. It's a beer connoseur's nirvana, serving more than 120 beers. The Malthouse focuses on the art of beer and food matching, and its pizzas are quite tasty too.

For those who'd rather match their beer with live music, Bar Bodega is your destination. Affectionately known as the Bodge, it has been a music venue for 15 years, supporting original New Zealand music. It is also home of Tuatara Brewery, a distinctive range of beer that is brewed locally. As well as offering 17 different tap beers, Bodega has an impressive imported beer selection.

A little further across town, in the retail precinct of Featherston Street, is Leuven. The restaurant is an authentic 1930s Belgian beer cafe with great food, beer and service. The bar and restaurant are named after the home town of the Stella Artois brewery. Sporting a relaxed atmosphere and outdoor tables, Leuven is perfect for a casual drink with friends.

Wellington is New Zealand's capital city, and politics and beer seem to mix just fine. Near Parliament Buildings, you'll find a bevy of beer haunts. The following three are worth a visit, to get the historical take on Wellington.

The Occidental is Wellington's original Monteiths bar, located at the end of Lambton Quay. This bar is crammed full of history, whether it is on the walls or in the stories of the thousands of patrons that have enjoyed a beer there over the last 128 years or so.

A stone's throw away is The Backbencher, which has achieved icon status. It's located across the road from Parliament, and is a favourite hang-out for politicians. Conscious of its identity, The Backbencher captures the political tension with an entertaining array of puppets and cartoons. It's also the official drinking spot for Yellow Fever, the fan club for soccer team the Wellington Phoenix.

The final stop on the itinerary is the Thistle Inn, one of New Zealand's oldest public houses. The Thistle Inn was originally built in 1840, and rebuilt after a fire in 1866. The building has been carefully restored, to create the authentic atmosphere of the original colonial building.

Or if you'd like the inside word on Wellington beer, get in contact with Wild About Wellington. This local tour company specialises in small groups tours, and offers a Boutique Beer Tasting Tour. Run by local beer writer Neil Miller, the tour is a great way to get the lowdown on Wellington's beer story - and did we mention there's food matching too?

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