The beers are fresh and so is Brewoomba

Brewoomba 2018 is just around the corner, but as Toowoomba’s craft beer festival turns four there is always a risk of things becoming stale. This year’s event will involve the same four venues as were incorporated for the first time in 2017 but with plenty of new ideas to keep the event fresh.

According to owner Phil Coorey, “This year our Blank Space venue will contain not one but four unique ‘worlds’ to explore. We are calling it The Quadrant.”

The centrepiece will be the Beer Market.

Boasting more than 50 different craft beers in bottles and cans including extremely hard to get brews like the Cherrywood Smoked Rye Baltic Porter from Dainton Beers in Victoria and Conehead Fresh Hopped IPA from New Zealand’s Tuatara Brewing.

For those who are not lovers of beer there will be a pop-up Ginsanity bar in honour of the successful event held earlier in the year. Each gin will come with a beer pairing suggestion and there will also be wines and cocktails available.

The national launch of Brick Lane Brewing, one of Melbourne’s newest breweries, will see their Pale Ale and their Lager served alongside The Spotted Cow’s spicy buffalo wings and BBQ brisket loaded nachos.

While you’re there you can enjoy the sounds of the live acoustic music including Toowoomba’s own Andrzej Fenner.

Finally, the Beer Garden will be the place to catch your breath amidst the delicious smells of Marc ‘The Fat Chef’ Kennedy’s Schwenker fire smoke grill. Marc will be cooking up things like boneless chicken Maryland in Alabama white sauce and smoked pork belly and maple sausages.

Across the road at The Spotted Cow and over at Tapestry Bar the focus will be very much on an incredible list of fresh limited release and seasonal Australian beers with equally unique names.

Ballistic Beer Co’s El Calavera Mexican chocolate stout, Young Henry’s Dubbel Skull
Belgian dubbel, Shooter McGavin’s Breakfast IPA by Feral Brewing Co and Green Beacon’s Barbary Coast Black IPA just to name a few.

This year’s Brewoomba festival beer will also be available at both bars; the Australian Pale Ale is based on Shaun McKenzie’s home brew competition winning recipe and was brewed by Brisbane’s Archer Brewing.

Archer’s head brewer Gavin Croft, an ex-Toowoomba boy and one of Queensland’s most respected brewers, is also bringing his ‘The Doc’ Flanders Style BrownAle and Aeroplane Beer, a collaboration with Dainton that includes Berry Blue Aeroplane Jelly.
Tapestry Bar’s Beer College sessions will provide opportunity to hear from brewers and brand ambassadors from Green Beacon, Newstead Brewing, Goose Island Beer Co and Stone & Wood.

Each session will include free tastings for ticket holders including some very rare
limited releases. Out on Church Street the Fitzy’s Craft Beer Carpark is back for a second year but this time it will be even bigger.

“We have permission for a partial closure of Church Street so that we can make the Carpark an even bigger party than last year,” owner Brad Fitzgibbons said.

“The beers will be flowing from the likes of the Kombi Keg, the Stone & Wood Troopie bar and the Goose Island mobile bar. To soak up the beers there will be pulled pork and smoked brisket rolls, or Napoli-style wood fired pizzas courtesy of Brisbane’s Pizzantica.”

The Carpark will also feature a Canadian Club pop-up, a range of ciders and ginger beers plus a Bacardi Mojito and Bombay Blush cocktail tent so there will be plenty of options for non-beer drinkers.

Both Tapestry and the Carpark will be filled with live music all day from artists including DJ Teejay and Preserve the Moose.

Brewoomba 2018 will run from midday to 9pm on Saturday August 4. Tickets are on sale now.