The Canberra Brewers have been regular stall holders at the National Multicultural Festival since 2012.

For the first time after more than 10 years of serving delicious local beers at the National Multicultural Festival, the Canberra Brewers will sell beers specially made by some of the region’s best homebrewers.

Visitors to Canberra’s biggest yearly festival from February 7-9 will get a chance to ‘think global and drink local’ with beers designed and brewed by members while chatting with brewers about all things beer and home brewing.

It will be the club’s most diverse tap list yet, selling beers that will only be available at this year’s festival.

Ever since hosting their first stall at the festival in 2012, selling the legendary beers made by Richard Watkins at the Wig and Pen, the Canberra Brewers have been using the festival to showcase the region’s best beer.

Since then, the lineup has been curated to highlight the club’s relationships with Canberra breweries, selling wares from BentSpoke Brewing Co, Zierholz, Cypher Brewing Co and Capital Brewing Co.

World class, home brewed

This year, the club is proud to be serving a range of beers specially brewed by some of its award-winning homebrewers on a pilot system at Zierholz Brewery in Fyshwick, thanks to the support from owner and former club champion Christoph Zierholz. The beers will represent styles from around the world including:

  • Dortmunder Helles Lager (Germany)
  • British Golden Ale (UK)
  • Tropical Fruit Sour (Brazil)
  • Table Saison (France/Belgium)
  • American Amber Ale (US)

Ingredients for these beers were all sourced through local homebrew suppliers Brew Your Own at Home in Kambah, Belco Brew Supplies, and Mashematics.

Best of the best

Alongside these will be two beers from the multi-award winning BentSpoke, made with club members after winning the ACT Amateur Brewing Championships yearly trophy for beer of show, the BentBrewer Award.

Continuing a tradition he started while at the Wig and Pen, BentSpoke co-owner Watkins helps judge the award, and then brews the winning beer with the winner and co-owner Tracy Margrain at their Braddon Brewpub.

Rob Barnsley won BentBrewer 5 in 2023 with his oak-smoked wheat beer, inspired by a traditional Polish grodziskie while Craig Evan’s won the BentBrewer 6 late last year with his American light lager. The smokey wheat beer is sure to be a great match to the festival’s rich, smokey foods while the light lager will be a smash as temperatures head into the 30s.

Two men standing, talking, in a commercial brewery. One is holding a beer
BentSpoke Brewing Co co-owner Richard Watkins with Bent Brewer 6 winner Craig Evans.

Complementing this line-up will be beers from club supporters Zierholz, Cypher and Capital, and BentSpoke’s Crankshaft, again voted Australia’s favourite IPA in the 2024 GABS Hottest 100 beer poll.

Find the Canberra Brewers at stall H27 – in Bundah Street between Akuna and Petrie Streets!

Welcome to 2025 and another year of brewing!

The club meetings are starting up with our next meeting on 6 February 2025 at the Polish White Eagle Club at the O’Connor shops.

Kurtz is preparing some great learnings for the education session, the six pack swap is back (sign up on FB or the forum) and the raffle will have a range of amazing prizes up for grabs and we will be drawing the NOOKIE raffle.

Plus don’t forget to bring your latest and greatest brews to share!

All for the N.O.O.K.I.E.

The Newcastle Or Otherwise Kind of Interstate Experience is our end-of-year raffle where the lucky winner is welcomed by a brewery (typically somewhere on the east coast) for a brew day and good time.

While the experience is to be finalised, if you bought raffle tickets or have been bringing your beer to the meetings in 2024, then you’re in the raffle and you should come along to the February Meeting!

AGM and Committee positions

With each new year comes a new committee. If you’ve previously thought about volunteering, why not make 2025 the year to give black to the club?

All committee positions are up for re-election, including office bearers (the president, treasurer, social secretary, competition secretary, education officer and editor) and ordinary committee members (the webmaster, assets manager and assistant committee member/s).

If you’re interested in finding out more about these roles, please don’t hesitate to contact one of the current (of previous) committee members.The AGM is scheduled for the March meeting, with more details to come.

A hand holding a plastic cup under a beer tap, pouring a beer.

Brewers of Canberra!

Christmas is coming round the corner, and there is just enough time to squeeze in the December meeting and the Christmas Party to finish off the year.

The Christmas Party will be on 10 December from 12 noon to 5PM at the BentSpoke Cannery. Come along to share in some great food and beer. More details to come.

The December Club Meeting will be on 7th December @ 7:30pm at the Polish White Eagle Club. Please support our hosts by buying your first drink from the Polo, or arrive early and explore their menu.

Education – This month, Kurtz is planning a Christmas surprise. Think along the lines of “A Christmas Carol” and “The Grinch”, also more to come.

Bent Brewer Award – Nic, Ed and our special guest Richard Watkins (of BentSpoke fame) will be presenting the BentBrewer award at the December meeting. The judging took place with Richard, Dan (BentSpoke), Benny and Chuck judging these beers at BentSpoke’s brewpub.

For the uninitiated, the Bent Brewer is the Best of Show award from the ACT Championships. There’s been some great beer in the past years, come along to find out who wins for 2023.

12 Beers of Christmas SwapHave you got something Christmas themed to share in the six-pack swap?

As usual, it’s a great opportunity to try beers from the club’s amazing brewers and explore some styles you might not have brewed before. It’s also handy to get some samples to brush up on your judging over the holidays! Sign up on the forum here or on the members Facebook page here.

The regulars

  • The raffle will have a range of great prizes
  • Bring your latest brew to share – in a bottle or keg
  • New members are always welcome, so feel free to bring along someone who’s interested, or new to, brewing.
  • Rideshare – reach out on the forum or the Facebook page if you’re looking to share an uber or taxi.
  • Don’t forget about COVID – please consider sitting this one out you’ve tested positive.

Cheers!

Brewers of Canberra!

The next Canberra Brewers meeting is on 2nd November @ 7:30pm located at the Polish White Eagle Club. Please support our hosts by buying your first drink from the Polo, or arrive early and explore their menu.

I sampled a Polish ‘doughtnut’ (handmade by the Polo grannies) just before the Oktoberfest meeting and can recommend it if you’re looking for a snack.

Education 

Kurtz will be running through the sinister and irreversible effects of oxygen in your brewing process and the possible methods of reduction (…get it?)

Competitions update:

Nic and Ed will be presenting the awards from the ACT Championships.

Also keep an eye out for further communications about judging for the BentBrewer (ACT Champs Best of Show). Nic and Ed will be sending out key details soon.

6 pack swap

The 6 pack swap is on again, bring along 6 of your latest creation and receive six more, what a deal! Lookout for details on the forum and Facebook.

The regulars

  • The raffle will have a range of great prizes
  • Bring your latest brew to share – in a bottle or keg
  • New members are always welcome, so feel free to bring along someone who’s interested, or new to, brewing.
  • Rideshare – reach out on the forum or the Facebook page if you’re looking to share an uber or taxi.
  • Don’t forget about COVID – please consider sitting this one out you’ve tested positive.

Cheers!