South Australia will be the flavour of the month in July 2017 when the state hosts the largest annual gathering of brewers in Australia for the Craft Beer Industry Association’s (CBIA) national conference and awards.

The CBIA has announced that more than 500 people including industry representatives and principals from the top craft beer breweries would be in Adelaide from 25 to 27 July.

South Australia’s Tourism Minister Leon Bignell who also has oversight of the state’s burgeoning beer industry as Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries said securing the conference was a great win for South Australia.

“These events are not only about enjoying local beer, they also shine a spotlight on our state, with 500 producers from around Australia and overseas travelling here specifically for it,” Mr Bignell said.

“I want to congratulate all of South Australia’s brewers for the huge commitment they have put into establishing new beer businesses and growing existing breweries. They have helped add to South Australia’s reputation of being Australia’s premium food and drinks state.

“Our local beers are world class and it will be terrific to have visitors from around Australia here for the important national conference and awards where they will continue the collaboration, which is a hallmark of the Australian craft beer industry.”

CBIA’s executive officer, Chris McNamara, said the Australian Craft Brewers Conference (ACBC 2017) is the premier professional development event for craft brewers across Australia and beyond.

“Brewers from across Australia, New Zealand and parts of Asia join together at the conference and trade expo to learn and build important networks,” Mr McNamara said. “The growth of the ACBC reflects the quickly growing marketplace for craft beer and is a sign of our high brewing standards and the regard with which the Australian craft brewing industry is held.”

The conference was first held in 2013 and now includes the prestigious national Craft Beer Awards, taking in eight categories as well as the coveted awards for Australian Craft Beer of the Year, the CBIA Services to Australian Craft Beer and Champion Brewery.

Next year’s conference and awards will be held alongside the Adelaide Beer & Barbecue Festival, now in its third year. The growing beer landscape in South Australia has seen the festival grow to one of the biggest in Australia and it is looking forward to welcoming more than 12,000 punters across the three days in 2017.

Gareth Lewis, Event Director of the Adelaide Beer & Barbecue Festival said he wholeheartedly welcomes the CBIA to South Australia and sees the conference as a great vote of confidence for what he believes to be the best-growing beer industry in the country.

“For our brewers to be able to show their wares to a whole range of new industry people is going to be huge and for the South Australian beer lovers to have some of the country’s best brewers in town to benchmark against will mean the line-up for ABBF 2017 will be the biggest and most diverse of any beer festival in Australia,” Mr Lewis said.

Key dates:

• Australian Craft Brewers Conference 2017: 26 – 27 July 2017
• ACBC 2017 –Trade Expo: 25 – 27 July 2017
• 2017 Craft Beer Awards: 27 July 2017
• The Royal Adelaide Beer & Cider Awards: 28 July 2017
• Adelaide Beer & BBQ Festival: 28 – 30 July 2017

For information Chris McNamara: chris.mcnamara@australiancraftbeer.org.au

T: 02 4925 7785