Good Beer Week 2019

Overview

Good Beer Week is back for its ninth year, taking over Melbourne and regional Victoria with a huge number of beer-related events running from Friday, May 10 through Sunday, May 19. And, this year, the annual craft brewing celebration is expanding to focus on live music, art and culture, too.

It'll all starts with a free party at the Beer Deluxe Federation Square festival hub, where Melbourne's own high energy act Sugar Fed Leopards will help kick the festival off in its new direction. The following day, on Saturday, May 11, Moon Dog Brewery will host its own mini festival of music, art and beer at its new Preston brewhouse. Dubbed A Day on the Cans, the lineup includes British India, Ali Barter and Tumbleweed Watch, along with DJs, live street art and tattooing.

A comedy festival will take over North Melbourne warehouse space The Third Day in a night of stand-up, brews and fine-dining — the latter two are thanks to famed Aussie chefs Matt Stone and Jo Barrett of Yarra Valley's Oakridge and Queensland's Balter Brewing, who just topped the GABS Hottest 100 List.

Some more out-there entertainment includes East vs West, a collab between Reservoir's Hawkers Brewery and Western Australia's Cheeky Monkey. The night is part-zombie apocalypse immersive reality experience and part-brew-off, with plenty of beer-related prizes to be won.

Plus, beer masterclasses will run out of the festival hub all week, this year aimed at both home-brewers and industry folk. And Boatrocker is hosting a full 'university program' at Whisky and Alement — punters can explore the world of wild ales and sour beers, learn how to pair beer with food and discuss the ins-and-outs of cellaring.

Check out the full program here. As with previous years, many of the events are free, but ticketed events are selling out fast. Best get to scheduling out your week now.