Each year GABS also undertakes the 'Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of the Year' poll, inviting drinkers of the crafty kind to place their vote of their five favourite Australian craft beers. Visitors to the Auckland festival are also invited to join the poll and once all the votes are collected and counted the top 100 will be revealed, traditionally on Australia Day.
Want to know what else is on offer this year? Read on.
Top three things to see and do at GABS Melbourne
Yenda Wheel of Beer
For the first time in the building’s long and storied history, a giant ferris wheel will be installed under the dome in the World Heritage listed Royal Exhibition Building. The Yenda Wheel of Beer will offer unique views over the festival hall and inside the dome. While drinks won’t be allowed as a rule, there will be Gold Glass pods where riders can sit alongside an Australian Beer Co brewer and enjoy a private tasting while enjoying the view!
Yak Ales Carnivale
The circus performers and roaming performers were such a great addition to GABS last year that this year the Yak Ales Carnivale will be rolling into GABS 2016 bigger and better than ever with old favourites ‘The Ale Capones’ returning along with even more roaming performers and acrobats.
James Squire Food Market
This year GABS is bringing back some crowd favourites plus some fantastic new options to keep it interesting at the James Squire Food Market. Vendors at GABS Melbourne include Huxtaburger, Meatmother, Milk the Cow (cheese fromagerie), Hammer & Tong, The Local Taphouse, Franklins Hot Dogs, The Fish Co, Schnitzel Republic, Gyoza Record, Hoy Pinoy and Everybody Loves Ramen.
All food dishes will have suggested beer and cider pairings available on the official GABS app.
Top three things to see and do at GABS Sydney
The Local Taphouse Craft College
The Local Taphouse is bringing visitors the best collection of sour beer ever showcased in Australia this year. With over 25 local and international sour beers rotating through six taps over the festival, guests could sit there all day and never get bored.
Dan Murphy's Marketplace
The Dan Murphy’s Marketplace contains breweries, cideries and related businesses. Visitors can buy samples and glass fills of a staggering range of products and have an opportunity to meet the team behind them.
Many of the stands also schedule terrific mini events, including opportunities to taste rare beers/ciders, invitation-only sessions with the producers and special guests as well as fun games with fantastic prizes.
GABS Feral Barrel Experiment
Barrel ageing beers is arguably the hottest trend in global craft brewing right now.
The GABS ‘Feral Barrel Experiment’ will showcase the same beer brewed by one of Australia’s leading craft breweries, Feral Brewing from the Swan Valley in Western Australia, aged in seven different barrels previously home to the likes of wine, sherry, bourbon, whisky and tequila.
Visitors will be able to buy samples or glass fills of these beers and meet the brewers behind this unique experiment.
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