Sydney Craft Beer Week 2016 kicked off with the sold-out Opening Gala at Giant Dwarf in Redfern. For $30, punters could access the main hall, which was jam-packed with craft beer and cider producers from around the country.
Handed a pot-sized glass emblazoned with the SCBW logo, the Opening Gala was the perfect way to whet my whistle for the upcoming week of beer festivities. Most of the brewers on hand will be putting on their own events throughout the week, so it was great to be able to get a sneak preview of some of the beer we’ll no doubt be trying.
I started off with The Grifter‘s ‘The Goddess’, the official beer of SCBW 2016. A porter-gaff, with lashings of fruit juice, it was not the light beer I’d planned to start off the night with. I can, however, tell it will be popular throughout the week. I kept up the dark beers with Beer Creative‘s super-interesting line of beers. Why yes, the beer package does look like syrup. The ‘Original Sugar Shack Stack’ is a maple syrup brown ale, and it was just as good as the packaging was cute.
Our neighbours to the east — and home of Beervana — got into the swing as well, with Monteith’s pouring their cider to an eager crowd. Having lived in New Zealand, where I drank the cider for years, I forwent theirs to try Tumut River Brewing Co‘s alcoholic ginger beer, Ginja Ninja. Up till 1am the night before, they’d driven all the way from ‘close to Wagga’ to come up for the Friday and Saturday gala events.
Giant Dwarf’s main hall was packed shoulder-to-shoulder at the sold-out event. The crowd had, notably, less beards and more ethnic diversity than the events I’ve been to in Melbourne — but just about the same amount of black clothing. With a visit to Chrissy’s Cuts, grilling up gourmet free-range sausages in the courtyard, we once more entered the fray, dear friends.
With our three free entry tokens used up, we quickly bought more (bargain prices) to try out Young Henrys, Yullis, and Stone and Wood. Oh, and Cricketer’s Arms. And Newstead. We didn’t get a chance to visit Bucket Boys, The Rocks Brewing Co., Modus Operandi, Stockade, Bridge Road (up from Victoria) or Willie Smith’s Cider (even further up from Tasmania). However, I shall do my best throughout the rest of the week to try as many beers as human(e)ly possible (for my liver).
Now, to go check in on Untapped so I can keep track of what I’ve been drinking this week.
– Theresa
Co-founder of The Plus Ones, Theresa can’t wait to start learning about the NSW beer culture after six years in VIC.
Sydney Craft Beer Week runs from October 21st to October 30th 2016. Read our guide to the Top 10 must-do events this week.
