The Festival of Beer Festivals seems to be growing at a rate almost equal to the rise of craft beer itself with various regions around the country hosting events designed to attract new drinkers to the fold. Beers By The Bay is next on the calendar with a one day festival to be held at the Mornington Racing Club on Saturday, November 17th.

Over 20 brewers will be pouring 100 different beers for tasting along with cider and wines and a host of fine cuisine and live music. In addition, a special one-off beer has been brewed for the festival with Red Hill’s David Golding and Mornington Peninsula Brewery’s Andrew ‘AG’ Gow collaborating on the ‘Bleak Piracy’, a Black Rye IPA. Clever craft beer drinkers will spot the meaning of the beer’s name as more than just a crafty reference to the bays upon which the two breweries sit and will be interested to know that it may be the first Black Rye IPA brewed in Australia.

The event also includes an education stage hosted by The Crafty Pint’s James Smith, your very own Prof Pilsner, Pete Mitcham and some bloke called James Brayshaw from a Footy Show or something. Brewer Q & A’s, homebrewing tips, the State of the Industry and other topics will be covered. Foodies are well catered for with Cooking with Beer author and foodie-beerie Paul Mercurio anchoring the cooking tent.

Tickets cover a range of prices and options to suit everyone from beer geek to designated driver and, while available at the gate, are best pre-purchased online to save hassle. The Mornington Peninsula region is fast gaining a name as a craft beer destination and this festival will serve to highlight the charms of the area while providing a fine platform to showcase the special qualities of craft beer. [PM]

Media Release

Mornington Peninsula, VIC, 10th October 2012 – Logistics Events Australia is excited to announce the date for Beers By The Bay. The one-day festival is set to take place Saturday, 17th November 2012 at Mornington Racing Club from 12pm – 8pm and is over 18s only.

The festival is sure to please everyone, featuring up to 100 different craft beers, as well as a large selection of ciders, wine, and fine cuisine for enthusiasts to taste. “We’re thrilled at the opportunity to showcase a variety of local beers and ciders and bring everything craft beer

to the Mornington Peninsula. There are a number of great beers brewed right in our backyard and Beers by the Bay will give people the chance to enjoy them all,” remarked Liz Galazkiewicz, Logistics Events Australia.

Throughout the day there will be live entertainment across two stages, with The Footy Shows’ James Brayshaw MCing the event. The Music Stage includes performances from Ash Grunwald, The Toot Toot Toots, Marty Nelson Williams, Ali E, and Pocket Perspective. The Education Stage features cooking and pairing demonstrations from Paul Mercurio and Adam Massino, Home Brew 101, Brewer Q & A, and much more!

There are a variety of ticket options available including: Entry Only – $35.00; Tasting Entry (entry, lanyard, commemorative glass, & 5 tokens) – $47.50; Designated Driver (entry & 2 soft drink tokens) – $40.00; MRC Member Tasting (entry, lanyard, commemorative glass, & 5 tokens – must present MRC card upon arrival) – $42.50. Tickets can be purchased on the day or online in advance.

Beers by the Bay encourages designated driving and offers several transport options, including a shuttle bus and taxi rank. Parking is available on site with the gold coin donation going to Variety the children’s charity. Beers by the Bay is managed by Logistics Events Australia and supported by Mornington Peninsula Shire, Mornington Racing Club, Variety the children’s charity, Pivot Stove and Heating, and Baywest Real Estate.