Good Beer Week, the not-for-profit celebration of all things beer is back again in 2014 running from May 17 to May 25.
Like many of the great festivals we have here in Melbourne, you can’t go to everything, and deciding is like choosing between children, or picking your favourite Josh Goot piece. Not easy folks, not easy. So we’ve done you a solid, and hand picked a few to get your creative juices going.
GBW Presents the Masterclass of Madness
As the title suggests, this is a main attraction. Victorian locals Moon Dog will join Rogue in this year’s masterclass. It will be a live brew, masterclass and feast event, inviting guests to get involved in some out there brewing, enjoy tank tastings and experience an intimate Q&A at Moon Dog’s brewery. An after party of sorts will be taking place at Rockwell & Sons where you can soak up all that beer.
Brewers & Chewers
St Kilda’s The Local Taphouse will bring together elements of ‘speed dating’ and ‘meeting the brewer’ into one dinner party style event. A fun dinner party atmosphere, with leading local and international brewers on hand for dates, or questions, more likely.
Perfect Match – Beer and Cheese
Milk the Cow the Licensed Fromagerie (genius right?) will be hosting an evening of cheese and beer matching. As fans of matching cheese to anything you might be drinking, Milk the Cow are the perfect people for the job. Over the evening four artisan cheeses will be matched to four craft beers. Matches will be talked through by the experts.
Sip and Savour – A Standing Degustation
That’s right. Standing degustation. Six craft beers with be paired to Vue Grand’s chef Jesse Hughes cuisine in a night that is set to include comedy, live music, and even some cabaret. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Penny’s Tasters
For the beer novice among us, Penny Blacks will be running a simple deal over the festival, $10 for a 3 sample tasting paddle and a 10″ pizza. They’ve also extended their beer offering, and done up the beer garden. We’re sold.
Hop Off Dinner
Held at the GBW headquarters, The Terminus Hotel, the Hop Off Dinner will see the 2014 international and local AIBA judges joined by guests for a 3-course meal, matched to beers selected by two top teams. One team will be from the AIBA and the other from the Good Beer Week team. Diners will get the chance to vote for their favourite beer/food match of the night. Friendly rivalry has never tasted so good.
Beer and Botanicals at The Beaufort
In a controversial event (not really), the team at The Beaufort are bringing cocktails to the table. The brewers of MPB and distillers of Bass & Flinders will guide guests through the world of beer and spirit production on the Mornington Peninsula. Beer and cocktails will be served along side a perfectly matched degustation style menu.
Make sure to check out http://www.goodbeerweek.com.au/ for all ticket, and event information, and for plenty more events.