Crafty Snaps: Liquid Lounge at the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival

March 21, 2012, by Crafty Pint

Crafty Snaps: Liquid Lounge at the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival

Today’s the day the 20th – and biggest ever – Melbourne Food & Wine Festival draws to a close. It’s seen beer play a more central role than ever before, with the festival having its own beer brewed specially and craft beer the star at many events. It was the first time beer had been invited onto the MasterClass program, where The Crafty Pint was asked to compile and moderate two sessions for their inaugural Liquid Lounge, which also featured two cocktail sessions.

We opted for a session showcasing beers that are pushing the boundaries in different ways and one based around brekkie;€“ well, what else do you do at 10am on a Sunday morning? The first – Brilliant New Brews – featured brackets of wild ales, collaborative brews, barrel-aged beers and imperial and beyond beers. The brekkie featured beers that had something in common with breakfast or were traditionally served with breakfast.

Brewing guests were Mikkel Borg Bjergso¸, from Mikkeller, Ben Kraus, from Bridge Road, Shawn Sherlock, from Murray'€™s, Josh Uljans, from Moon Dog, and Dave Bonighton, from Mountain Goat, all of whom kindly donated their beers and time for free. Brendan Varis, from Feral, had hoped to join us but had a new brewery arriving in WA so had to pull out, but sent beers regardless.

Both sessions sold out and garnered great reviews. In fact, we spoke to the Melbourne Food & Wine team yesterday and they told us: “You’ve got no choice – you’re working with us again next year!” So, great things continue to happen for beer in Australia, with Mikkel acknowledging that while the scene is still young in Australia we have a good thing going on. His advice? Be loud!

For those who made it – and those who will be there next year! – here are a few snaps from the two sessions taken by Chris McBeer and The Crafty Pint Jr:

Thanks to:

  • Melbourne Food & Wine Festival and their volunteers
  • The brewers
  • The Monk, Slowbeer and Phoenix Importers for supplying beers
  • Chris McBeer for helping put the sessions together
  • Tom, James and Miro for helping pouring the beers over the weekend

The Beers

Brilliant New Brews

  • Moon Dog Melon Gibson
  • Feral Swanambic (unreleased)
  • Mikkeller Stella 2 Festival Edition
  • Bridge Road / Nogne O˜ India Saison (Beechworth edition)
  • Nogne O˜ / Bridge Road India Saison (Grimstad edition)
  • Mikkeller / Three Floyds Boogoop
  • Feral King Brown
  • Murray’s Oak-Aged Heart of Darkness
  • Mikkeller Black Hole (Bourbon Edition)
  • Murray’s Anniversary Ale 6
  • Moon Dog Whisky Imperial Stout (trial batch)
  • Mikkeller / BrewDog / Nogne O˜ Black Tokyo Horizon

Great Melbourne Beer Breakfast

  • La Sirene Saison
  • Murray’s Punk Monk
  • Weihenstephan Hefe Weissebier
  • Mountain Goat The Hoeff
  • Bridge Road Brew 500 Breakfast Lager
  • The Monk Rauch
  • Mountain Goat Coffee IPA
  • Mikkeller Hop Breakfast
  • Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast
  • Mikkeller Brunch Weasel

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