Following last night’s opening party at Gage Roads brewery in Freo, the WA Brewers Association’s 10 days of beer festivities begins today.
The flagship event of the program is the Beer and Brewing Conference, to be hosted by the WA Brewers Association in conjunction with its trade partners, Bintani and Cryer Malt on Friday June 10.
With 300 delegates set to be in attendance, the Beer & Brewing conference will include ‘technical brewing workshops, sales and market insights, panel discussions about capital investment, brewery start-ups and growth’.
WA Brewers Association President, Andy Scade, commented on the abundance of experience on show at the conference, drawn from all sections of the beer industry.
“We’ve got industry leaders with a wealth of knowledge sharing technical and brewery expertise, along with industry creatives who can talk to hospitality, marketing and branding.”
Scade also believes that the conference has something to offer to anyone interested in beer.
“We’ve intentionally designed the program to appeal to everyone from amateur brewers or start ups to major breweries wanting to think a little differently. It will be a day for the many suppliers, customers, venues and breweries that make up the West Australian beer industry.”
The conference is split into three main areas: the Pavillion Hall, the Trade Area, and the Seminar room, with each offering panels, keynote addresses and discussions on aspects of the beer trade. Key discussion topics include: sustainability, brewery growth, ingredient provenance and market trends. The first keynote will be delivered by Paul Bowker, Managing Director of Brick Lane Brewing Community, at 9:30am in the Pavillion Hall.
Alongside the expo itself, there are a wide range of events happening at breweries and venues around Perth for WA Beer Week, with special beers and tap takeovers on offer. Blast Brewing Co. will be hosting a ‘Taste of GABS’, bringing the best of the GABS festival to its brewhouse on Saturday June 4.
Otherside Brewhouse is hosting ‘Brewing’s A Drag: A Celebration of Diversity in Beer’ at its brewery on Tuesday June 7, which is hosted by drag queen Donna Kebab, and promises ‘a dazzling showcase of drag lip-sync performances’ followed by a panel on inclusivity in the brewing industry.
On Thursday June 9, Pink Boots WA, an organisation that promotes and supports the work of female and non-binary brewers, is hosting a WA Beer Quiz night at Golden West Brewing Co., with proceeds going to support the non-profit.
While throughout the week, Gage Roads brewing is offering after-hours tours of its brewery, with guided tours and tastings of their ‘A Shed Series’ exclusive beers.
See the program for the Conference here.
A full list of events for WA Beer Week is available here.