Melbourne’s toast to the good drop
Ross Lewis previews a celebration of all things beer, from the nation’s best to its most “spectapular” brew.
An uprising is brewing in the laneways of Melbourne. And venues around the Victorian capital are quietly preparing for an invasion of a new army of tourists.
Australia is witnessing a craft-beer explosion. Artisanal brands form the fastest-growing segment in the country’s brewing industry.
While WA has been a force in the market, Melbourne is craft- beer headquarters for nine days every year. Hop-heads and malt-mashers from across the globe descend on the Victorian capital to test their tastebuds.
Three events next month, Good Beer Week, the Australian International Beer Awards and the unique three-day Great Australasian Beer Spectapular — yes, that is “Spec-tap-ular” — form one of the biggest brewing extravaganzas in the world.
Good Beer Week (May 16-24 underpins all the activities. Just more than 250 events and 180 premises showcase everything associated with the beverage that has been part of our country’s social fabric for 200 years.
However, in recent decades beer has disappeared from dining tables, predominantly replaced by wine. But the rise of craft beer has prompted a growing food-matching trend.
There is saison with pizza, pale ales partnered by Chinese dishes, witbier alongside schnitzels and even Adriano Zumbo’s famous macarons and cronuts combining with stouts.
Venues stretch from classy establishments and renowned hotels such as Young and Jackson’s to trendy pads, including Chin Chin in Flinders Lane and pop-up food carts.
There are plenty of information sessions with visiting and local brewers, workshops for those who like to make their drinks at home and various tours.
Certain hotels near the Melbourne CBD are designated as “Pints of Origin” for the duration. They turn their taps over to the States and sell only beers from that respective region. WA’s Feral, Mash, Nail, Monk, Colonial and Eagle Bay breweries are regularly based at the Royston Hotel in Richmond.
The fun and games are interrupted on May 21 by the AIBA awards, which honour the best beers in a raft of categories. Last year, Mash from the Swan Valley was awarded the best brew in the country for its Copy Cat American India Pale Ale.
And if you have any strength left, the Great Australasian Beer Spectapular (May 22-24) provides a three-day marathon of sheer indulgence for beer geeks.
Around 120 beer makers deliver a brew they have never produced. GABS, as it is known, encourages experimentation in the samples on offer to punters at the Melbourne Royal Exhibition Building.
In previous years there have been a taco beer (Two Birds Brewing) and white chocolate raspberry pilsner (Bacchus Brewing), a tart cherry farmhouse ale (Garage Project) and a Belgian praline (La Sirene).
“It is not about coming up with the weirdest beer, it is just about coming up with something that you haven’t brewed before,” GABS co-founder Steve Jeffares says.
“So there are a number of brewers who are producing beers in a more traditional style. Some are using it as a testing ground for beers that they might like to produce.”
“Little Brewing in NSW have released beers from GABS; Hassel Hop was Burleigh Brewing’s festival beer and they are now bottling it.”
Last year 2 Brothers Brewery from Victoria produced a creme caramel dessert style ice beer that hit the scale at 13 per cent alcohol.
GABS spans five five-hour sessions. Only the most adventurous aficionados and drinkers with plenty of spare time — and cast-iron constitutions — can tick off all the tastings. Yet while there have been 30,000 attendees since 2011, security has never been called to evict an unruly patron.
If your beer thirst isn’t be satisfied via the nine days of events, it never will. But for those who like to expand the flavours on their palate, they’re something Australia can happily toast.
For more, see goodbeerweek.com.au, rasv.com.au/Events/AIBA_Home and gabsfestival.com.au.
