The Sydney Craft Beer Week (SCBW) program has launched with more than 100 events across 75 different venues to be held 21-30 October.
From axe throwing competitions, international brewery guests, hangover curing brekkies, beer matched chocolate desserts, sausage making classes and beer guzzling history lessons, the SCBW program offers up a smorgasbord of hoppy-goodness for both craft connoisseurs and occasional drinkers alike.
“This year’s program is a reflection of the craft beer industry’s growing popularity,” explained SCBW director Joel Connolly.
“I started Sydney Craft Beer Week six years ago for quite selfish reasons, I just wanted to drink good beer and Sydney was in short supply. Now there are hundreds of incredible brewers doing some awesome things all across the city, which makes programming an event like Sydney Craft Beer Week a whole lot more fun!”
This year SCBW is launching the Sydney Craft Beer Awards, which will recognise the best of beers, brewers and those behind the scenes who make the craft beer scene in Sydney as rich and vibrant as it is today.
Another first for 2016 is that the Opening Gala Night will be held across two days of the opening weekend at the Giant Dwarf in Redfern. The extra session will ensure thirsty hopheads don’t miss an opportunity to sample a showcase of handpicked beers and brewers who will be featured over the festival’s week-long run.
The Crafty Pint will be bringing the popular Pint of Origin to SCBW for the first time. Six pubs across Sydney will turn their taps over to beers and brewers from six Aussie states to give small breweries a chance to showcase their wares to lovers of a good brew.
Beer through the Ages: A Beer History Experience is an exciting new event for the festival, which will take beer lovers on a drinkable journey through time. Learn about the migration of beer from Mesopotamia to Egypt, Scandinavia and beyond, all while enjoying five historical styles of beer from different periods of time.
Like free stuff? Beer Cartel’s Ultimate Free Beer Tasting will give beer lovers a chance to taste more than $1,000 worth of craft beer for free. Brewing powerhouses Westvleteren 12, Founders KBS, Stone & Wood and more have banded together to deliver the ultimate tasting experience. There’s a lottery to decide the lucky few who get to snag a golden ticket to this event so register on the SCBW website to enter the draw to win a seat.
Festival favourites also return in 2016 such as last year’s Meat, Beer, Axe event. Willie the Boatman is teaming up with Maniax axe throwing centre and the Bovine and Swine to present another night of axe throwing, beer drinking and meat eating fun.
To check out the full program of events, click here.