With Good Beer Week in full swing and more visitors arriving in Melbourne by the day, for the final of our themed previews of this year’s festival we thought we would look at the daytime events on offer for those making a full week of it.
Of course, there are plenty of all week, all-day, free to walk in showcase offerings, such as the Pint of Origin, Penny’s Tasters at Penny Black, the showcase of all things south at The Palace Hotel in South Melbourne and the Game of Thrones face-offs. Then there are weeklong food pairing deals at the likes of Mrs Parma’s, Cookie, Beer Deluxe or World Bar and Restaurant and an artisan charcuterie and beer showcase at The Station Hotel.
But for those of you looking for “events” to get you through the day, there’s plenty to pick from.
ALL WEEK
- Bangers & Bridgeport at Merchant Osteria
Lunch in style during Good Beer Week with housemade sausages matched to a trio of beers from America’s Bridgeport.
- 2 Brothers Bromance Degustation at Brunswick Cider House
From 3.30pm each day, you can rock up to enjoy a casual degustation pairing six beers from the 2014 Champion Small Australian Brewery, 2 Brothers, with six tapas dishes.
TUESDAY
- Temple and Weihenstephan Brewligious Experience at Temple Brewing Company
Melbourne brewery Temple joins forces with the world’s oldest brewery, Weihenstephan, for their second collaboration brew. Join the two head brewers as they create the beer while sampling beers from both breweries and a pork-heavy feast. Then return for a second event when the beer is launched.
WEDNESDAY
- Don’t Get Pie-Eyed at Queen Street Rescue
A fun event that may have flown under the radar a little, this is a midweek midstrength event at which the midstrength offerings from the big boys of brewing go up against those from our craft breweries to see which is best: David or Goliath. Throw in three special GBW ale pies and you’re on to a winner anyway!
- Deluxe Ice Creams at Bimbo Deluxe
Celebrate the midpoint of Good Beer Week with beer ice cream as the Bimbo team goes to work with liquid nitrogen.
- Beer School: Australian Hops 101 at Ombra Salumi Bar
Bridge Road’s Ben Kraus does more to experiment with and popularise new Aussie hops than anyone. He’s hooking up with Spiegelau (and their IPA glassware) for an late arvo, IPA-themed exploration of all things Aussie and hoppy.
THURSDAY
- Champions Lunch at the Brunswick Mess Hall
Enjoy a hearty lunch matched to beers from the three Champion international breweries from the 2013 Australian International Beer Awards: Weihenstephan, Nogne O and Renaissance. The brewers from the first and last will be in attendance, with Nogne O’s Kjetil Jikiun being beamed in via the interwebs.
- The Cheesy Matinee at Young & Jackson
Ease yourself into Good Beer Thursday in the company of Grand Ridge’s beers and Milawa’s outstanding cheeses at Melbourne’s historic Young & Jackson.
- Ombra Gets Cavalier at Ombra Salumi Bar
A special grazing feast based around Berkshire pork with six Cavalier beers up for tasting, including a special collaboration with the Grossi team created for the event.
FRIDAY
- Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular at the Royal Exhibition Building
The first session on the Friday day is when The Crafty Pint likes to rock up to GABS. It tends to be quieter than the night and Saturday sessions, making for a cruisy way to check out the crazy new brews.
