Since 2015, Chris Ruske has been on a mission to bring great beer to the people of Christchurch while supporting the one and two-man brewing operations that dot the Canterbury craft beer landscape. He started at local farmers’ markets and quickly became known as “The Beer Man.” Chris’s permanent setup, Canterbury Brewers’ Collective at Riverside Market, is your CBD spot for takeaway brews, cold pints and free flowing chat over which to find your new favourite pour.

It’s not uncommon for visitors to walk up to this impressive bar and set of taps, which Chris built himself, to ask, “Are you The Beer Man? Can we drink beer here?” The answer is always yes.

On tap, you’ll find kegs from local breweries like Three Boys, Two Thumb, Brew Moon, Beer Baroness, Eruption, Ghost and more. While Chris has expanded his business he’s stayed true to his original mission and almost exclusively serves beer brewed by the solo brewers, groups of friends and families that make up the region’s craft beer scene. He knows the brewers himself and takes pride in serving their creations to the wider public.

Chris is a self-proclaimed “Beer DJ” and wants people to know that he takes requests. If you find a beer you love, send him a message and he’ll try his best to get it on tap for you. The beer lineup at Canterbury Brewers’ Collective changes almost daily so there's always a new brew to be discovered here.