The Australian Beer Festival

Beer Drinkers assemble! The event of the year is just around the corner…

It’d be fair to say that the reason us Brits love it Down Under is due to the shared love of a good beer and, with some brand new boutique brews on offer to whet our whistles with, The Australian Beer Festival is a thirsty beer lover’s dream! Celebrating its 9th year running, Sydney’s iconic landmark The Australian Heritage Hotel in The Rocks is hosting the prestigious festival from 18th – 20th October 2013. This year comes with new extended opening hours, which means there’s more time to indulge in some of the best beers from regional NSW and interstate brewers.

There will be over 100 beers and ciders on offer from established and up-and-coming boutique brewers in Australia. Organisers of the festival know we’ll all be feeling a bit peckish after a few bevvies, so be sure to treat yourself to a few tasty snacks, including the pub’s famous pizza!

We’ve trailed through the list of brewers and, although it’s been tough, we’ve managed to choose some of our favourite beers from 10 of our top brewers, so make sure you grab a handful of tasting tickets and try some of these drinking delights…

McLaren Vale Beer Company
VALE/DRK is an American Dark Lager that has a strong malt, mixed with coffee. Highlights of ruby and garnet merge amongst the dark brown colouring of the beer. The flavour has been balanced using chocolate and cocoa, but it’s the citrus, pine and vanilla flavours and aromas that hit your thirsty palate first.

4 Pines Brewery
You’ll find various German-style beers on offer here, but we recommend the 4 Pines Hefeweizan and 4 Pines Pale Ale. The Hefeweizan is a light and refreshing pale wheat beer, that’s filled with a subtle hint of banana and clove yeast. The Pale Ale would be an excellent choice for fruit lovers as this light and robust pale ale is bursting with a vibrant fruity hop aroma, but packs a bitter punch!

Mountain Goat
The English-style Hightail Ale is a Mountain Goat favourite. Its rich malt flavour, tempting floral hop aroma and deep amber appearance are the reasons for its increasing popularity. Once you try it for yourself, you’ll understand why The Goat is climbing up the ranks of the boutique beer mountain.

Little Creatures
Hop flowers from Victoria, Tasmania and even the US contributed to the brewing process of Little Creatures’ Pale Ale. These hops provide the intensifying citrus and fruit flavours and have been balanced with local pale malts. Finished with a distinct bitterness, your mouth will feel refreshed and be wanting seconds.

Moo Brew
Bright copper in colour and delicate in texture, let the tartness of the Moo Brew’s Belgo awaken your taste buds. The flavour of Belgian Pale Ale combined with the American brewing method makes this a great accompaniment to rich foods like lamb and cheese, with an emphasis on taste over high alcohol content.

Riverside
Bee Home Soon Honey Ale is Riverside’s answer for anyone with a taste for liquid gold. A domestic beer with the colour to match its sweet ingredient, this is one smooth ale that goes down a treat. Appreciate the taste of honey made locally by the West End bees!

Dad & Dave’s Brewing
Made utilising only one malt and one hop, Dave and his dad have focused on making a beer that’s simply pleasant to drink. A craft beer with no fuss or pretention, this is their #1 Pale Ale.

Scharer’s
Using the traditional German fermenting method and stored at 4°C for four to six weeks, Scharer’s Bock is a soft beer, full of rich coffee and sweet chocolate notes by the time it touches your lips. It won Best Beer at the 2006 festival and remains popular to this day.

Red Island
Quiet Deeds Pale Ale is Australia’s lovechild. Born in Victoria and brewed in New South Wales, it is created using four different malts and Australian hops. Perfect between a group of friends, the floral and citrus tones are inviting and pleasing to the palate.

Endeavour
A bright ale suited to summer afternoons, Growers Bright Ale is a concoction of tropical fruit, citrus, herbs and malt aromas provided by the Galaxy and Southern Saaz hops. Light in body as well as colour, this is the perfect balance between bitterness and full malt flavour.

Useful info:
Entry to the festival is free, but tasting tickets are $15 for 10 and tasting cups are $5 each.
Visit www.australianheritagehotel.com to get yours now.
The Australian Hotel, 100 Cumberland Street, The Rocks, Sydney