IT’S the one day of the year when it is acceptable to drink beer before noon, which pleased amber ale lovers of all sorts at this year’s Ballarat Beer Festival.
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And if you didn’t know anything about beer before going into the festival, you were bound to leave with a fact or two.
The knowledge of brewers was so sought-after, some people travelled most of Saturday morning just to see what was new and trending in the world of craft beer. One of those was Craig Blackmore, who made the two-hour drive from Berwick.
“There are not a lot of beer-related things in Berwick, so we came last year and loved it,” he said.
“It’s a great day to enjoy with other beer lovers.”
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Sitting in on the home-brewing information session with more than 80 other craft beer enthusiasts, Mr Blackmore said it was one of his favourite components of the festival.
“It was good. It gave a good overview of brewing,” he said.
“It was good to pick up on some new trends.”
Beer educator Pete Mitcham, from Australian Brews News, shared his insights with beer lovers, hosting a series of information sessions, which he hoped would arm those who enjoyed a good beer with the knowledge to understand current trends.
One current trend was the increase of women interested in craft beer, evident by the number of women at this year’s festival.
“Women are leading the growth of craft beer because they have a sophisticated taste and don’t have any brand loyalty like many men,” Mr Mitcham said.
Someone who couldn’t agree more was Brown Hill resident Pauline Myles, who said she spent the day writing down her favourite flavoured beers.
“This is the first time I’ve been and it’s lovely ... the beer is really smooth,” she said.
A crowd favourite was also the Cider Orchard, with cider lovers soaking up the chance to taste from the wide range of ciders from around the state.
“It’s a little sweeter than beer and very refreshing, a nice alternative to beer,” Melissa Willey, of Ballarat, said.