Let's kick off with all things Bavarian by rattling through the major Oktoberfest events taking place across the country over the next few weeks.
As you read this, the Boatrocktoberfest! weekend has begun in Braeside with the-beer-formerly-known-as-Hoppbier taking its place on tap amongst some German legends. The Empire Hotel is eschewing German beers at its Oktoberfest Beer Club and instead focusing on traditional interpretations made by local brewers.
And it's much the same at many of the country's breweries: the Hobart Brewing Company has made a festival bier, Newstead has made a couple and so has 4 Pines; The Public Brewery has made three – and so has Murray's – and many of these events will be supplementing their own supply with similar beers made by other local brewers. Larger (perhaps lager) celebrations are also happening at Bridge Road and at Oktoberfest in the Otways.
Sticking with the German theme, Hophaus has a pretty special evening lined up with the brewmaster from Weihenstephaner when he comes to Southbank for an eight course degustation. Two days later, the same venue is inviting all the ladies into the house when Jayne Lewis of Two Birds hosts a long midweek lunch. Should you so wish, later that same night you'll be able to toddle on down to Prahran for a Barrow Boys beergustation at Ladro TAP. On a similar theme of stuffing oneself with goodness, Rocks' degustation is fast approaching so get in smartly if you'd like to have dinner amongst the tanks.
Tap takeovers have returned with a vengeance and leading the way is The Wheaty which is midway through its Font of Hoppiness and edging ever closer to the grand finale where you can Drink Local Hoppiness, though somehow they're also finding time to get Colonialised.
Not to be outdone – by anyone, it seems – Carwyn Cellars has pulled out a blockbuster with 20 taps of Boatrocker, almost half of which have never poured outside of the brewery's Barrel Room. Equally impressive is what's happening at Bloodhound Bar where they're focusing on anything barrel-aged and have amassed quite a collection of beers to show off.
7 Cent has had to get hostile to have its way at The Alehouse Project, La Sirène is getting in on the act with a takeover at The Noble Hops and an evening at The Town Mouse, The Union Hotel will be experiencing a Triple Threat before it begins the countdown towards Red October, The Empire Hotel is Brooklyn bound, Bitter Phew has brought out the big guns from Belgium and Sail & Anchor is experiencing a gold rush when they pour 23 gold medal winning beers from the Perth Royal Show (with $5 pints too...).
In larger event news, the Beer InCider Experience has kicked off, a rather beer-centric Royal Melbourne Show opens this weekend, the Port Macquarie Beer & Cider Festival kicks off in a week and both Sydney Craft Beer Week and Melbourne's Brewer's Feast edge ever nearer.
Up in Queensland, Burleigh Brewing has teamed up with a local gym for Pound & Pour where you get fit then undo some of your good work by sitting at the bar with a cold, refreshing beer. If you want to move straight to the fattening up process, get to Ale Stars in St Kilda which is focusing on cheese while the sister event in Darlinghurst will feature the beer of Newcastle's Foghorn Brehouse with the brewer himself, Shawn Sherlock, making a rare Sydney appearance too.
