Having held all their major annual events in either Melbourne or Sydney in recent years, 2016 will see the Craft Beer Industry Association (CBIA) host their Australian Craft Brewers Conference and Craft Beer Awards in Brisbane for the first time. And, also for the first time, they'll both happen in the same week.
The conference is aimed at sharing knowledge and insights right across the beer industry, from brewers to suppliers to retailers. Continuing on with the best parts of previous conferences, this year will also feature an increased focus on:
- High level technical brewing information
- International speakers
- Quality Assurance / Quality Control
- Environmental sustainability
- Networking opportunities
You can view the full program here, including details of keynote speeches from the likes of Steve Baxter (Shark Tank) and Dick Cantwell (the US Brewers Association).
The Trade Expo, which runs concurrently to the conference, has also been expanded significantly.
The third instalment of the Craft Beer Awards, which in 2015 attracted more than 450 entries and this year has received well in excess of 600, will be judged prior to the conference with the awards ceremony concluding the four days of events.
The key dates for brewers and anyone from the public wishing to attend are:
- July 18 and 19 – Craft Beer Awards judging
- July 20 and 21 – Australian Craft Brewers Conference
- July 21 (evening) – Craft Beer Awards presentation ceremony
You can get tickets for the Conference here and for the awards and bus tours that are hitting up breweries around the region here.
