Now in its fifth year, the 2016 event saw several changes under new ownership and the 5000-strong crowd responded by getting on board more than ever. 

Rebellion Brewery co-owner Andrew Lavery said people had been coming for a few years now and knew the drill. 

“Everyone’s been very relaxed and enjoying themselves,” he said.  

“I think it’s getting more of a range, more interesting beers every year. The crowd’s sort of settled down, I suppose, they’ve gotten used to the pace of the festival, and just take their time and enjoy themselves.” 

There were around 40 breweries sharing their drops on Saturday, with the beer available ranging from a lighter offering from Mildura brewery perfect for the hot day called Sunlight, to the Moon Dog special stout called Jumping the Shark. 

Those tasting the Moon Dog would have done well to then try out the free breathalyser, because that beer runs at a solid (minimum) 16 per cent. 

Festival director Ric Dexter said people had embraced the idea of trying a few great beers. “The vibe’s great, people are relaxed and having a lot of fun,” he said. 

The Mallow co-owner said there were always hiccups when running a major event but thanked local suppliers for supporting the event. 

They were “fantastic”, he said. 

The changes to Beerfest were looking like a hit, Mr Dexter also said. 

“There’s a few new concepts. One is having a big marquee for the public, because a lot of people complained about the lack of shade...it’s doing well,” he said. 

“And the Brewcage. We had the degustation dinner here (on Friday night), we had 150-odd people, and then 300 in here for lunch today. It’s gone pretty well.” 

In the afternoon he was happy with how it was shaping up. 

“It’s been an extremely successful start...shaping up to be absolute boomer of a festival. Ballarat again has blessed us with some superb weather for the day,” he said.  

The beers were not even the main drawcard for some attendees, with several pregnant women in the crowd, and fans of You Am I coming just to see the band play at the end of the day. 

The food vans parked before the grandstand were also a hit, with almost a constant demand for the mostly barbecued feasts. 

The mercury touched 27 degrees mid-afternoon and the free sunscreen moved almost as quickly as some of the beers. 

This validated the mini-storming of the gates that happened when the event opened on Saturday morning, with people burned in previous years making sure they found a shaded perch for the day. ​