Milk Bar’s Guide to Good Beer Week

Good Beer Week (May 12-19) is a fantastic opportunity to sample beers from around the world and investigate what the smaller breweries around Australia can offer. However it’s not all about the booze; it’s about food too and offers so much more than your regular routine of scoffing pub meals and guzzling Carlton Draught.

Good Beer Week was established last year by a small but dedicated group of beer aficionados spearheaded by James Smith, the beer lover/swiller behind awesome beer blog The Crafty Pint.

This year Good Beer Week is featuring upwards of 90 events not just in Melbourne but throughout Victoria, celebrating the hard work, dedication and passion that goes into producing the amber liquid. There is so much stuff going on around town that it’s hard to sum it all up in a few paragraphs, but here are some of the highlights that I’m looking forward to:

BEER APPRECIATION CLASSES
Held at the Belgian Beer Cafe, these appreciation classes aim to enlighten and refresh. Enhance your beer knowledge of different drops including IPAs, pale ales, lagers and wheat beers. This is a great chance for beer enthusiasts on a budget to try something different.
WHEN: Various times
WHERE: Belgian Beer Cafe, 5 Riverside Quay Southbank
WEB: goodbeerweek.com/events/event/beer-appreciation-classes-at-the-belgian-beer-cafe/

MRS PARMA’S BEER AND BRAT FEST
Running all week, Mrs. Parma’s and Moondog Craft Brewery are teaming up to bring you the Beer and Brat Fest, which showcases German-style beers made in local breweries and Mrs Parma’s brilliant Bratwurst Parmigiana, a meeting of German and Italian that everyone can agree upon. Entry is free to this one too!
WHEN: All week
WHERE: Mrs. Parma’s, 9 – 25 Little Bourke Street Melbourne
WEB: goodbeerweek.com/events/event/mrs-parma-s-beer-brat-fest

BULL AND RAVEN CASK OFF
Get out of Dodge and bask in the crisp air of Woodend, where 3 Ravens and Holgate join forces to tap a cracking range of cask dispensed ales at the Holgate Brewery. The brewers will be on board to answer any questions you’ve got about the English-style beers and there’ll be finger food too. And if you’re still hungry you can try one of Woodend Bakerys’ famed vanilla slices.
WHEN: Sat 12 May, 2.00pm – 5.00pm
WHERE: Holgate Brewery, 79 High Street Woodend
WEB: goodbeerweek.com/events/event/bull-and-raven-cask-off/

PINT OF ORIGIN
A number of great pubs around town, including The Great Northern, The Baden Powell, The Courthouse, The Tramway and The Rainbow Hotels are all participating in this one.

Each pub will be offering a range of beers from a designated state thorough the week. So do the rounds and get a taste of what each state has on offer. I’d say take on one pub every night, but why not make it a challenge and do the whole Australian circuit in one evening? Go on, I dare you.
WHEN: All week
WHERE: A good pub near you
WEB: goodbeerweek.com

THE PEOPLE’S PINT LAUNCH
A few months back The People’s Pint was launched, a competition where punters could submit their idea for the perfect brew and the winning entry would be made up and served by a professional brewery. Well, now the madcap scheme is being unhatched and uncorked at Temple Brewery and Brasserie. Come and dip your beak in Melbourne’s newest and rarest brew.
WHEN:Monday 14 May, 7.00pm
WHERE: Temple Brewery & Brasserie, 122 Weston Street East Brunswick
WEB: goodbeerweek.com/events/event/the-people-s-pint-launch/

INTIMATE BEER AND CHOCOLATE PAIRING
While the name makes it sound a little too sexual for my liking, Mámor Chocolates & High Tea Szalón on Johnston Street is hosting a beer and chocolate night for the more indulgent drinker. With six different beers and a selection of 12 chocolates, which are made as you watch, it is sure to be a very rich evening in more than just taste.
WHEN: Sat 12 May, 5.30pm – 7.00pm
WHERE: Mámor Chocolates & High Tea Szalón, 153 Johnston St Collingwood
WEB: goodbeerweek.com/events/event/intimate-beer-chocolate-pairing/

Good Beer Week runs from May 12 – May 19.
For the full program go to goodbeerweek.com.