By James Atkinson
Sydney heritage pub The Australian Hotel will next month stage the 8th Annual Australian Beer Festival, with more than 100 beers on offer from the country's top brewers.
This year's event runs on Saturday 27th October from 12 to 8pm and Sunday 28th October from 12 to 6pm. It follows a record attendance of more than 14,000 people last year at the event, which shuts down the surrounding streets to host revellers from across the country.
"This is a festival sure to introduce beer enthusiasts to some quality hops produced locally, pulling out all the stops to help advance the Australian amber industry," the organisers say.
"The festival will showcase the best Australia has to offer from our most established and up and coming boutique brewers."
The event will include Meet The Brewer sessions, giving beer lovers a chance to interact and listen to their favourite brewers in an intimate setting while learning the ins and outs of the production of boutique beer.
Festivalgoers will also help crown the prestigious 'Best Overall Beer', which will be renamed the 'Geoff Scharer Best Overall Beer' in honour of The Australian's beloved local and friend who passed away this year. Scharer managed The Australian Hotel in the early 90s and brewed its famous house beer, Scharers Lager.
The Home Brew Championship has also returned, encouraging local brewers to put their beer-making skills to the test with the chance to win their very own stall at the festival.
Alongside the major players like Matilda Bay and Little Creatures, the festival will showcase the country's newest microbreweries, such as Riverside, Two Birds and McLaren Vale.
Click here for further information and tickets.