The Great Australian Beer Spectapular (GABS) will be an official event in the Good Beer Week calendar for the first time this year.
Good Beer Week and GABS have both been independently described by top international brewers as the "the best beer festivals in the world", and in just three years have drawn in brewers and beer lovers from five continents.
"Due to the success of both festivals, it seems only natural that GABS and Good Beer Week should join to create a momentous week of celebrating all things craft beer," the organisers said this week.
The fourth Good Beer Week is expected to be the best yet, with the festival team recently revealing a teaser for their 2014 lineup that boasts talent from the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Japan, New Zealand and of course Australia. The festival will host around 200 events across Melbourne and Victoria.
GABS will take place from 23 – 25 May, during the final three days of the nine-day Good Beer Week festival, attracting an audience of 12,000 people to celebrate the innovation and diversity of craft beer.
Good Beer Week Founder and festival director, James Smith said: "Like Good Beer Week, the Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular has played a key role in raising the profile of the Australian beer scene here and abroad. Working in tandem for the 2014 festival will help us create one of the greatest beer weeks on the planet and will ensure the good beer message reaches a bigger audience than ever before."
GABS co-founder Guy Greenstone added: "As both festivals are about promoting and appreciating fantastic craft beer and the people behind it, we are delighted to join forces with Good Beer Week to create a world class beer experience for visitors."
GABS will this year see around 120 creative and modern artisan beers brewed specifically for the event by leading Australian and international brewers, and feature more than 250 beers from 130 breweries, as well as gourmet street food, a fromagerie, live entertainment, brewery and industry stands and free educational seminars.