Southern Bay Brew Co’s Paul Lucas and Christopher Haren pour a drop or two of the amber fluid for Ballarat Beer Festival co-director Kate Burrows.
This year’s boom event in Ballarat will double in size in 2013, according to organisers.
Tickets for the second annual Ballarat Beer Festival go on sale today, with up to 12,000 people expected to pack City Oval next January.
Last year’s event attracted 5000 beer lovers from across the state, but demand has forced organisers to boost capacity next year.
Festival co-director Kate Burrows said next year’s event was shaping up well, with dozens of breweries already committed.
“We’re excited about the support from the craft beer industry and are looking forward to about 30 breweries joining us for our second year,” she said.
“We only used half the oval last time, so next year we’re going to open it right up to fit between 10,000 and 12,000 people.”
The festival will showcase more than100 different beers and ciders and will feature an educational marquee, a range of industry experts and a high claibre musical line-up.
Head brewer at Geelong’s Southern Bay Brew Co, Chris Haren, said he was surprised by the support shown by locals to the 2012 festival.
Tickets are available at Ticketek on 132 849 or by visiting Ballarat City Newsagent on Armstrong Street.