Words Simon Bell Images Simon Bell Jordan Newton GABS
It’s a cold and wet Saturday morning. There are many thinking that Ark might be needed again and are checking to see if they have 2 of all their animals.
But, for those of us with more important things in mind, it’s a perfect day to stand around sampling the best, and sometimes not so best, examples of craft beer with a few thousand like minded souls.
Yes, it GABS Sydney, and we’ve waited 12 months for this grand event to roll around on the calendar once more.
It’s kid in a candy store type stuff as we enter the festival and wait for the ringing of the bell to signal the taps are pouring. It's noticeable that numbers appear down from previous years, both punters and exhibitors. The punter has been hit with cost of living increases, and with a paddle of 5x 100ml tasters at $14 or a 285ml Festival glass at $11 in addition to your $49 entry it’s not like a cheap day sinking VBs at your local. The breweries, also hit with large cost increases across all their inputs for brewing, the unfair exploitation of tap contracts from the major overseas breweries hitting hard, and several suffering post-pandemic blues courtesy of the ATO and delayed excise payments being called in, the brewery stands are also slightly down.
Still, there’s 119 special Festival beers this year spread across the 2 container bars and the lines for these beers remain solid all session (we’re at the 11am-4pm session). I’ve got a mate diligently making his way through all 119 Festival beers (he started at the Friday night session and will be attending the 6pm-11pm session after this one) and when I check in on him, he’s at beer 67 at about the half way mark. Right on track.
It’s these 119 beers where you find the weird and wonderful mixed in with names we all know. Sure, there’s plenty of stouts, pale ales, and IPAs on the list, which we’re all familiar with, but there’s also more adventurous sours, goses, saisons, gruits, dubbels, scotch ales, and more. If you really want to expand your beer tastes this is where you need to be.
Maybe the strangest this year is the HolySmokes! – Camel Dung Smoked Porter, yes you read that correctly. The description says “Cool as a camel wearing shades! Holy Smokes - Camel Dung Smoked Porter offers notes of burnt sugar, dark malt and sticky dates, wrapped gently in delicate flavours of smoke and oak. Smooth and warming, this strong gives the vibe of a well-aged whiskey.” Um, yeah, sounds delicious.
These Festival Beers range from an almost family friendly 2.5% through to 10%. It’s easy to over indulge.
There’s also 57 exhibitor stands, the majority of which are breweries but there’s an odd natural wine stand, Doom Juice, and Monkey Shoulder have turned up to sling a few cocktails. It’s these stands where you get to talk to the brewers and staff and where you will find a lot more of the true craft fans pumping these brewers for information on hop varieties and brewing techniques or catching up with friends enjoying Festival glasses of the brewers best or most interesting beers.
Highlights for me:
Mountain Culture, darlings of the craft beer scene and showcasing this year’s Hottest 100 Beers winner, Status Quo. They do better beers in my opinion but it’s an easy drinker and proves to be popular amongst a Festival crowd.
One Drop with a fistful of smoothie ales. Not sure if they were beer, milkshakes or fruit juices but they were all definitely a hit.
Behemoth, a long time quality brewer from NZ who were marketed in Australia as Chur for quite some time. Well, they’re back and do not disappoint.
Garage Project, another NZ brewery with the Big Feelings NEIPA a highlight.
Range Brewing arguably the best in Queensland and big effort to get down from there.
Good Land from Traralgon did some pretty good hazy pales and it’s the first time I’d tasted them.
Thirsty Devil and I mention them as they are from my hometown, Albury, new on the scene, and quite small. Their brews are surprisingly good for such a new player and worth a go if you see them around the traps.
Akasha, nothing new here but they brew amazing beer and if you haven’t already and you like a big, hoppy IPA make sure you try the Korben D Double IPA.
Before you know it the bell rings again to bring festivities to a close. There’s just time for sing-a-long version of Bohemian Rhapsody from all in attendance. Yes, that’s as bad as it sounds with a few thousand drunk people singing out of tune.
If you have never been to GABS it’s well worth the experience. It’s become a bit more of an ‘event’ over the years and has moved considerably from it’s early niche days among the craft beer crowd. It’s still one of the best beer festivals going and I’ll be back next year.
For those in Brisbane you have a chance on 14-15 June at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Melbourne, you’re up 21-22-23 June at the Melbourne Showgrounds
All the info you need is at www.gabsfestival.com
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