Do you like great beer? Do you like to hang around with lots of other people who like great beer? Do you like helping other people to drink great beer without actually joining in with them?

Then this might just be for YOU.

GABS (the Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular) will take over The Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne in May as part of Good Beer Week and will see thousands of seasoned veterans, newcomers and the leading lights of the brewing industry congregate to celebrate all that is great about beer. It will showcase 60 brand new beers from some of Australia and New Zealand’s finest brewers. But it needs help.

In order to keep the beers pouring and the punters happy, the organisers are looking for a small army of volunteers. In return for volunteering, each GABS volunteer will get a free ticket to another session, a festival glass and some tokens for beer and food. All volunteers will also receive an exclusive GABS volunteer t-shirt and food vouchers for their volunteer session.

Volunteers are needed for five shifts. The shifts are:

• Friday 11 May: 10.45am – 5.30pm
• Friday 11 May: 5.30pm – 11:45pm
• Saturday 12 May:10.45am – 5.30pm
• Saturday 12 May: 5.30pm – 11:45pm
• Sunday 13 May:10.45am – 6.30pm

There will be a range of volunteer roles and each will be integral to GABS’ success. Among other things, organisers are looking for enthusiastic people to help with:

• Front desk and customer service; greeting festival attendees
• Beer service; pouring beer and serving attendees
• Bar support; helping keep the beer flowing and the bars working well.

More detailed information and volunteer requirements will be available in the first week of March when the GABS website goes live but anyone keen to throw their talents into the ring can register their interest by filling in this form and will be contacted in due course. People with questions about volunteering at GABS can contact volunteer@thelocal.com.au.

Potential volunteers can also attend a volunteer information session, with an opportunity to meet the Volunteer Coordinator Steph Coutts, and some of the GABS organising crew:

Where: The Local Taphouse, 184 Carlisle St, St Kilda

When: 5:00 – 7:00pm, Friday 16 March, 2012

The organisers are keen to point out that direct hospitality experience or a Responsible Service of Alcohol qualification is not essential and that volunteer tasks will be assigned based on each volunteers suitability and skill set.

Aside from the fun, each volunteer will get to enjoy being a part of the hustle-and-bustle of the first GABS. Volunteers will have that very rare opportunity to be immersed in the ‘backstage’ world of a major event attended by thousands of ‘fans’. It’s probably not unlike being a roadie for a world tour by The Bay City Rollers or something.

[Ed; May need to check to confirm if this band is still popular with the kids. Perhaps replace reference with something more ‘current’? Do the Australian Crawls still get out and about?]