By Rebecca Harris

The ACT’s first-ever craft beer festival has been deemed a huge success after more than 1500 people turned up to the National Capital Craft Beer Festival at Canberra’s Olims Hotel on Saturday (September 20).

The festival featured beers from 14 boutique brewers, gourmet food tasting, food and beer matching by Peter Russell-Clarke, a charity auction and live music by rock n’ roll legends, The Choir Boys.

All profits from the ticket sales and the charity auction will be donated to the ACT Eden Monaro Cancer Support Group.
“It was a fantastic day. The weather was beautiful, the crowd was great and we raised $900 from the auction alone,” said Schwartz Brewery head brewer, Samara Fuss. “We could not have wished for a better day.”

Brewers at the festival included Little Creatures, Matilda bay, Lord Nelson, Barons Brewing Co and Schwartz Brewery, with sponsored the event.

Fuss said her employer will definitely look to making the festival an annual event.

“All day people kept saying, ‘This is exactly what Canberra needs’,” she said. “Canberra does have events like Oktoberfest, but this is completely different. It’s more of a laid-back affair that gives you a chance to really open up your taste buds.”