Craft beer is on the agenda for the organisers of the Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show, who have announced a Beer Festival as a result of the popularity of craft beer at its main event.

The Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland (RNA) has announced it is introducing for the first time the Royal Queensland Beer Festival in 2020.

The RNA said it was “committed to promoting and assisting the growth of the industry”. As a result, exhibitors at the 2020 RQFWS Beer Awards will get a leasing space at the event with 20 per cent turnover rent.

The Beer Festival will be held on 7th March next year showcasing exhibitors of this year’s competition along with previous winners.

There will be two 3.5 hours sessions, with a capacity of approximately 1,000 attendees per session. There are spaces for 20 breweries.

Expressions of interest for the RQFWS’s beer awards feature category are also open until Friday (25th October), and competition entries are open from Monday 28th.

It’s the second year of the competition, in which 20 brewers in South East Queensland will be able to win a $10,000 education bursary, awarded to the winner of the Desalinated Water Feature Category.

It will pit brewery against brewery in a challenge to brew a craft beer utilising desalinated water. The educational bursary can be used for travel, training and education.

Water Deliveries will commence the week beginning 13th January, and the competition closes for entries on 31st January.

Applications to the Beer Festival can be made here.