Victoria's High Country is one of Australia's foremost hop-growing regions and, for the past few years, Bridge Road Brewers has hosted High Country Hops in celebration of the local bounty.
It's a festival that brings together many of the region's small, independent breweries for a day of hoppy (and not so hoppy) beers, music, entertainment, tours and a chance to gain an insight into hops and how they make so many beers taste so good.
This year's family-friendly event takes place over two days for the first time – March 24 and 25 – and sees eight of the brewers from the High Country Brewery Trail joined by local food producers, musicians, performers and children’s entertainers.
James Booth, of Black Dog Brewery in Taminick, says the festival is “a great day out for the High Country breweries and for punters alike. It’s a fantastic atmosphere with good vibes celebrating our trail and the awesome hops grown in our neck of the woods.”
As well as the beer and food stalls, Bridge Road founder Ben Kraus will be running guided brewery tours and tastings of beers made with four experimental hop varieties developed by Hop Products Australia.
When: 11am to 6pm on March 24 & 25
Where: Bridge Road Brewers, Beechworth
Cost: Admission to the festival is free.
There are limited spots available for the tour & tastings costing $15pp – Crafty Cabal members can get theirs for just $2.50 plus BF; check your member's area for details.
Book Tour & Tasting Tickets Here
The following brewers will be running stalls:
- Bridge Road Brewers
- Black Dog
- Blizzard Brewing
- Bright Brewery
- King River Brewing
- Rutherglen Brewery
- Social Bandit
- Sweetwater Brewery
Milawa Cheese and Gundowring Ice Cream will again be among the featured local producers, joined by Gamze Smokehouse, who will be bringing local meat and their smoker.
If you're in Sydney or Canberra, you can book a spot on a road trip being organised by Dave's Travel & Events – details here.
