Holy Water Craft Distillery Festival

Overview

UPDATE Wednesday, August 24: Due to COVID-related staffing and supplier issues, Holy Water Craft Distillery Festival has been postponed and will now run on Saturday, October 15. Existing tickets have been transferred to the new date, with refunds also available via Moshtix. The following article has been updated to reflect the change.

There's no shortage of tasty things happening in the local booze scene right now. And next month, you can dive into the best of it, at a brand new festival dedicated entirely to Victorian spirits. Holy Water Craft Distillery Festival makes its debut on Saturday, October 15, transforming the Seaworks precinct into a wonderland of locally-made libations.

More than 30 Victorian distilleries will be showcasing their wares, from inner-city favourites like Brogan's Way and Naught, to regional legends including JimmyRum, Anther, Bass & Flinders and Timboon Distillery.

Grab a ticket to one of the two festival sessions and you'll spend four hours sampling those spirits — either straight or paired with a mixer — while enjoying projection art and live tunes.

Those keen to dig deeper can elevate their own drinks game at a series of expert-led masterclasses and pairing sessions. Get the low-down on Australian agave courtesy of Seb Raeburn, learn the art of batching cocktails from Nick and Nora's Kayla Reid, and join Shaun Byrne (Gin Palace) for a crash course in whipping up the perfect martini. Oh, and don't miss the masterclass on lower-booze cocktails, led by the newly crowned World Class Australian Bartender for 2022, Nick Tesar.

For something extra, the festival will also run a floating cocktail party, dubbed The Reveller. $70 will get you a return trip ferrying around Williamstown, enjoying signature drinks, live tunes and a loaded grazing station.

Bar Liberty's Nick Tesar

Images: Jake Roden