The outpouring of support for the local beer community since the COVID-19 crisis brought much of it to a crashing halt has been incredible. People have been showing off their love for their local pubs, bars, breweries and bottleshops so we thought: "Why not take that up a notch?"
The beer world is a colourful and fun place and it's not just the beer and the people that make it that way. There's the dazzling array of t-shirts, beanies, stubby holders, trucker caps, hoodies, glassware, bottle openers, growlers and more that play their part.
So, inspired by triple j's Ausmusic T-Shirt Day, we launched Beer Swag Day and encouraged everyone to get hold of some swag from their favourite local brewery, bar or bottleshop and show it off on May 23. We even created a #keepinglocalalive t-shirt too.
The day went off, with hundreds of videos and photos posted across Australia and regional winners picked, from which the public voted Sam Beard of Adelaide the ultimate winner of a camping swag full of beer and beer swag.
You can read more about how it all went off here. See you for more shenanigans in 2021!
Pick up some new merch from your favourite local beer businesses (or pull out your existing swag if money's tight right now).
Post photos of your haul online on May 23.
If you're on Instagram use the tags #keepinglocalalive and #beerswagday and make sure you tag the local businesses you're showcasing.
On Facebook, tag the @keepinglocalalive page, the businesses you're showcasing and use the tag #beerswagday.
You can start posting before the big day but we'll be looking at posts on the day when it comes to judging the prizewinners.
We've got a case of local beer and a Keeping Local Alive t-shirt up for grabs for one winner in each Aussie state and the ACT*. We'll be looking for the biggest hauls, the most creative posts, the most amazing pieces of vintage clobber – whatever it takes to impress the team of #keepinglocalalive judges.
The winners* will go forward to a public vote to find the ultimate champion who will win a camping swag filled with beer and merch to be delivered to their door.
There will be one winner of the ultimate prize: the camping swag (pictured above) stuffed with beer and beer swag – and now including a dozen cases of Fury & Son Long Hot Days to be sent to the winner over the course of a year. Human not included.
Donations for the swag so far come from Morrison Brewery, Hawkers, Holgate, Shifty Lizard, Wolf of the Willows, Bad Shepherd, Bogs Footwear, Ocean Reach, Wayward, Grainfed, Feral, Nail, Thunder Road, Gage Roads, Good Beer Week, Yakima Chief Hops, Goodtimes Craft Beer, Mr Banks, Thirsty Merchants with examples of pretty much their entire range, Impi Brewers, Eagle Bay, The DTC, Nowhereman, The Seasonal Brewing Co, Zendoke, Rocky Ridge, Mane Liquor, and with more to come...
If you'd like to add to the haul, drop us a line!
We've lined up a mixed case from each state plus ACT and will be pairing them with a #keepinglocalalive t-shirt. The legends who've put them together are:
Let's see what you've got. Let's celebrate our amazing Aussie beer community. Let's have some fun. Let's continue #keepinglocalalive.
View the competition rules here. To find out more about Beer Swag Day or the #keepinglocalalive campaign get in touch.
* NB Gaming Control Regulations in the NT mean we can't offer the same prize to entrants there. Instead, we'll add extra merch on top of the Keeping Local Alive t-shirt for the winner of the best NT post.
Thanks to Short Batch / El Loco for their support in getting campaign t-shirts available so fast and reducing their costs too!
Have converted their taproom to a bottleshop and called it '7th Day Cellars', which is open seven days. They have also created three 'Survival Kits' of beer loving bundles that can be ordered online for delivery or pickup.
9 Powells Road, Brookvale NSWThe taproom is open for takeaways and growler fills seven days a week from 12pm - 6pm. Click and collect is available via their online store and they have a range of free local delivery options available.
10-12 Spencer Street, Five Dock NSWBoth their Marrickville and Petersham locales remain open, closing at 6pm every day. They are also offering 25% off growler and squealer fills until July 30.
44 Sydenham Road, Marrickville & 292 Stanmore Road, Petersham NSWOnline store is operating as normal and the team has added some lockdown-special mixed cases.
9/87 Reserve Rd Artarmon NSWBottleshop open as usual, as is their online store and the team is hosting virtual tastings, check in with their social media to see what's upcoming.
300 Illawarra Road, Marrickville 2204 NSWOpen 12pm until 7pm every day for drive-through beers, growler fills and tacos.
26 Orchard Road, Brookvale 2100 NSWOffering discounts on keg fills and selling wort kits as normal.
4/53-55 Regentville Road Jamisontown, NSW 2750 NSWYou can grab growlers from $25 to $35 depending on the tap beer of your choice, plus there are other specials on their drinks selection, and they're cooking up takeaway feasts and Sunday roasts too. Free, contactless delivery is also available from 5pm daily on orders over $40
82-84 Darling Street, Balmain East NSWOffering takeaway service from the taproom, plus free delivery for local areas.
The Flodge bottleshop and bar remain open for craft beers (including growlers and tinning machine purchases), spirits and wines, with the tap list updated on their website alongside Lockdown Specials. You can also order food (including $20 Sunday roasts) to be picked up via Click & Collect by calling (02) 9660 1872 or heading to their website. Takeaway booze: midday to 8pm; takeaway food: midday to 2.30pm and 5pm to 8pm.
117 Arundel Street, Forest Lodge NSWOpen for takeways seven days a week, 12pm until 6pm while their online store is always well-stocked with fresh tins and merch.
1/391 Enmore Road, Marrickville 2204 NSWThe Erskineville legends have switched to operating as a takeaway window for burgers and booze. You can still order for home delivery via Door Dash and Bopple too. They're open Wed & Thurs from 3pm to 9pm, and Fri to Sun from midday to 9pm.
93 Erskineville Road, Erskineville NSWDespite the rooftop being temporarily out of bounds, city dwellers can still get a top selection of fresh beer as the CBD institution has begun bottling its famous tap takeovers. Head in on Fridays between midday and 6pm and pick up growler/squealer/can fills from just $12. BYO growler, or buy one for just $2 (while stocks last).
236 Clarence Street, Sydney NSWThe grand old gent of the Sydney beer scene is open as a clear door from Monday to Friday, 10am - 2pm.
19 Kent Street, The Rocks NSWOpen for takeaways and offering bonus beers with every COVID-safe click and collect. Also offering free shipping on all case purchases and same-day delivery in the Northern Beaches for orders before 1pm.
14 Harkeith Street, Mona Vale NSWOpen for takeaway beers sales and offering $5 flat rate shipping on all online orders.
23-25 Parke Street, Katoomba NSWOffering discounts on beer by the case, which is available through both their brewery and online store.
5 Sydenham Road Brookvale 2100 NSWThey're taproom is open for takeaways and they're offering free shipping for orders above $50 plus same-day delivery for Sydney's eastern suburbs and CBD.
Open for takeaway beer sales.
92-98 Sydenham Road, Marrickville 2204 NSWYou can still tuck into your favourite drinks and pizzas from Public House Petersham, available to order online for pickup (some days from 5pm to 9pm, others from 1pm to 9pm) and delivery to your door.
292-294 Stanmore Road, Petersham NSWFree same-day delivery for orders made before 5pm that total $50 or more.
Visit WebsiteTheir Brewery Bar Bottle Shop is open from 11am until 6pm from Monday to Saturday and selling cases, cans, growlers and merch. Or order online and get home delivery with free shipping for any Sydney metro orders above $30.
Building 2/160 Bourke Road, Alexandria NSWThe Surry Hills pub is open for takeaway beer and burger sales with the option for growler fills.
140 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills NSWTheir taproom is open for takeaways only from Monday to Thursday from 10am to 4pm, with an on-site food truckon Fiday and Saturday from 12pm until 6pm. They are also offering weekly lockdown specials on takeaways and delivery, which can be found by checking their Facebook.
1a Mitchell Street, Marrickville NSWOpen for takeaway sales and offering free shipping on orders for as long as lockdown continues.
4/330 The Entrance Road, Erina NSWOffering free delivery Australia wide for orders over $70, including same-day local delivery and selling takeaway beers from the cellar door daily from 12pm until 5pm.
30 Byrnes Street, Botany NSWOffering contactless pickup and delivery, with curated cases which include Qauran-Tinnie mixed cases.
25 Cadogan Street, Marrickville 2204 NSWOpen for takeaway food and beers, including growler fills and offering free shopping on orders above $80 in the Sutherland Shire.
147 Bath Road, Kirrawee NSWThe pub might be closed, but they're still on a mission to wine, dine and 69 you – just in your own home. They're running a takeaway window (with DJs) from and you can also order, food, booze (including picklebacks), and their own "Naked" condoms and Wet Stuff "Tickle My Pickle" lube online too.
148 Enmore Road, Enmore NSWThe Marrickville icon switched to takeaway once lockdown was announced. The kitchen is operating from 5pm to 8pm weekdays, midday to 7pm on weekends, with the bottleshop open daily from midday to 8pm. There are regular food specials as well as meal and beer deals.
91 Illawarra Road, Marrickville NSWThe Tav team kicked off lockdown by offering free meals to hospo workers that had lost shifts. They are also serving up food and drinks (including freshly mixed and canned cocktails) for pickup or delivery. Look out for their burgers of the week and extras, such as bonus six-packs, too. You can even add a t-shirt to your order to help them "stock up the fridges and pantries of all our staff that’s lost hours due to lockdown".
1 New Canterbury Road, Petersham NSWStill open for takeaway beer and food, including free delivery to locals for pub classics.
122 Flinders Street Darlinghurst, 2010 NSWThe Rozelle boozer team is doing its best to bring the pub to your home, offering growler fills, wine, pub meals, daily specials, and cook at home family meals. They're open Tues to Thurs from 4pm to 8pm, and Fri to Sun from midday to 8pm.
91 Evans Street, Rozelle NSWPick up 12pm - 7pm every day, with beer also available through their online store with same and next day delivery
3 Gehrig Lane, Camperdown NSWOpen for takeaways with one-litre crowler cans available.
26 Mansfield Street, Rozelle 2039 NSWOpen for takeaway sales seven days a week and you can use the code "I'm A Local" to get free shipping when you are within 5km of the brewery. They're also doing virtual meat raffles each week and some very amusing videos.
Precinct 75 Suite 601, 75 Mary Street, St Peters NSWThe Woolpack's bottleshop remains open from midday to 8pm daily, serving craft beer tinnies, takeaway tap beer, natural wines and spirits. And from 4pm to 5pm every day until lockdown lifts, they're running specials on CANimal takeaway prices, starting at $10 per litre, and with limited releases at just $25 per litre.
229 Chalmers St, Redfern NSWThe Crafty Pint is an independent online magazine and resource for anyone interested in craft beer in Australia. We bring an honest, old-fashioned journalistic approach to beer's brave new world, telling stories because they're worth telling, not because someone is paying us to write them.
We believe in authenticity, integrity, enjoyment and love, and hope to play a role in helping good beer, brewed by good people, find its way into the hands of more drinkers.
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