The Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular (GABS)
Australia’s most famous craft beer festival tour is about to hit Sydney! The Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular (GABS) is the only place in the world where you can try 120 brand new and exclusive festival beers, brewed by 120 different craft breweries, most of whom are small independents, on the same day.
Every year GABS puts a call out to breweries far and wide to submit expressions of interest to brew a GABS Festival beer. Traditionally, this is the chance for brewers’ imaginations to run wild. It’s a Petrie dish if you like, cultivating ideas for beers to surprise and delight the tastebuds of patrons. Over 1,400 brews have been made for GABS and some of these festival beers have gone on to become top sellers like Hop Nation’s Jedi Juice, Feral Brewing’s Karma Citra & Imperial Biggie, Deeds Brewing’s Juice Train NEIPA and Two Birds Brewing’s Taco amongst many others!
Of the huge number of submissions, only 120 can make the list – restricted by the number of taps available on the huge GABS Festival bar. And every one of these 120 are exciting and unique as brewers push the limits to what is possible with beer! This year’s list is no different and is filled to the brim with weird and wonderful creations.
Trending in 2024 we have infusions of native produce such as indigenous Ooray (Davidson) plums, local macadamias, Australian native blood limes, fresh cherries and grapes from regional wineries. Childhood nostalgia is always a standout theme. Each sip telling a story & transporting you back to happy, carefree times. Anyone for S’mores, Warheads, Milky Bar Shake, Fanta Orange or Cereal for dinner?
Of course, decadent desserts make an appearance. Come try caramelised fig, cherries and white chocolate, Dulce de leche, Vienna coffee & custard tart, Biscoff or chocolate orange. Plus, there are the experimental concoctions that might sound bizarre but turn out soooooo good! Crushed up corn tortilla shells, basil & peppercorn, Tajin salt, tequila and ghost chilli, sweet potato and smoky bacon, of course!
There’s something for everyone at the GABS Festival bars. IPAs, sours, stouts, lagers, porters, fruit beers, smoked beers and ciders all make an appearance with a huge range of options starting at Urban Alley Brewery’s 2.5% Yu Zerious? Yuzu Russ Fruit Beer to Deeds 12% Supermassive Black Hole Pastry Stout and everything in between. The best way to experience them is with five tasters at a time in the famous GABS Tasting paddle.
What’s new in 2024?
– Pink Party Friday night in each city in support of Pink Boots Society and Below the Belt charity
– An appearance by the oldest brewery in the world, Weihenstephan at GABS Festival (as well as the International Brewers Collective to be held on Thursday 30th May at ICC Darling Harbour)
– Melbourne will host the Sunday World Record Beer tasting session where we take 1,400 attendees through a guided tasting session
– Free trains for GABS Festival Melbourne with additional services provided to get to and from the Showgrounds with ease
2024 GABS FESTIVAL DATES
SYDNEY – ICC, Darling Harbour: Fri 31 May – Sat 1 June 2024
BRISBANE – Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, South Bank: Fri 14 – Sat 15 June 2024
MELBOURNE – Melbourne Showgrounds, Flemington: Fri 21 – Sun 23 June 2024
Tickets are now on sale now and available from www.gabsfestival.com
Sydney Unleashed is one of Australia’s premier entertainment publications exploring the latest in lifestyle trends. From Sydney’s finest restaurants, cafes and bars to the hottest in gadgets, products, and home entertainment, Sydney Unleashed is your one-stop lifestyle platform.