WA brewing alumni returns west for Freo Beer Fest

The key selling point for the annual Fremantle Beer Fest is the restriction on which breweries can have a presence at the three-day event.

In recent years the stalls have been restricted to those beer gurus based in WA.

And that isn’t a bad thing at all because after all the State produces some of the best brews in the country. That has been evident at the Australian International Beer Awards as west coast beers have won the Champion Trophy in three of the past five years – Mash (Copy Cat) 2014, Gage Roads (Little Dove) 2016 and Beerland (Wheat) 2018.

Also, the first two waves of Australian craft brewing were generated a couple of stone throws from the Fremantle Esplanade, which stages Beer Fest.

Next month there will be a slight deviation to the program but it only serves to again highlight the strength of WA brewing.

The brainchild of long-time craft beer support Daniel Sterpini, a special stall will offer beverages from some of the great products of the local brewing system who have gone elsewhere to ply their trade.

The WA Beer Alumni, as the concept has been unofficially dubbed, will feature brews from Two Birds’ Jayne Lewis (Little Creatures), Helios’ Charlie Hodgson (Mash), Philter’s Sam Fuss (Little Creatures), Boatrocker’s Lex Poulson (Cheeky Monkey), 3 Ravens’ Brendan O’Sullivan (Gage Roads), Blackman’s Renn Blackman (Monk) among others.

The WA Born and Bred bar will have 20 taps will many taken up by collaborative beers from the former Sandgropers – although as we all know you can take the brewer out of WA but never the WA out of the brewer.

There are over 65 stalls at Fremantle Beer Fest, which runs November 9-11, including more than 50 of WA’s 72 operating breweries.

Another of the appealing aspects is that breweries such as Froth and Whalebone (Exmouth), Wilson (Albany) and Outback Brewing (Lower Chittering) will be present, showing the geographic diversification of the local industry.

Adding to the atmosphere will be Phil Jamieson, frontman for Grinspoon, who will be headlining the entertainment on Saturday November 10.

Tickets for Fremantle Beer Fest are available here.

MOST OF THE ATTENDING BREWERIES/BEER SUPPLIERS

Artisan Brewing

Beerfarm

Beerland Brewing

Billabong Brewing

Black Brewing Co.

Blasta Brewing Company

Boston Brewing Co.

Brewhouse Margaret River

Bright Tank Brewing Co