Festivale 2016

Photo supplied from Google

This has been known to locals as an expensive food and culture festival in Launceston since 1988 (a good year).

It has gone from humble beginnings in the street to filling up the City Park, now it’s busy with people visiting the many beer, cider and wine stalls, they probably go to try the food as well.

Tempura Mushrooms

I haven’t been to Festivale for more than fifteen years, I now see that I should have gone every year since I was 18 because it is a miniature beer fest – or a good practice for one.

Long story short I spent around $150 to take part in the event and sample as much as everything as I could.

What did I get for my money though?

I was in fine form.

Tasmania’s best craft beer and cider companies had tents to sell their product and some even had merchandise. To help with the drinking there was a lot of good food to pig out on.

From what I can remember I did enjoy myself and was impressed by the amount of beers available.

Starting with a Smoked Chilli IPA from Morrison Brewery and finishing with a Pale Ale from Iron House Brewery I indulged in the craft masterpieces that I only get to try on occasion.

Here is a rundown of the products made by the usual suspects:

• Van Dieman Brewing: An outstanding example of what Tasmanians can do. I love their beers and at Festivale got stuck into an unusual drink – Raspberry Cheesecake, a mixture of two of their drinks, Summer Berry Grisette and White Hills White. 
• Two Meter Tall: Based in the south, I had never heard of them until I spoke to some of their employees and sampled the Cleansing Ale. They experiment in different ways to get different products. I can confirm this because their apple cider has a very distinct after-taste of CORN CHIPS!!! How do I get my hands on more of this awesome stuff?
• Iron House Brewery: Coming from Iron House Point, an area known for great surfing and beer too of course. Iron House has a great range of beers, I have tried most of them over the years but think their Pale Ale is the best. They even had T-shirts for sale.
• Morrison Brewery: This very local brewery had a great selection to try, my first drink for the day was the Smoked Chilli IPA. It was good to try but it was my first for the day and took a little while to get through.
• T-Bone Brewing Co.: Another one which I have never encountered or know about. This tent was the only one to offer a four-drink sampler of their products, watch the video on Facebook to see what I think of the beers. Bear in mind this was towards the end of the day when it was filmed.
• Seven Sheds Brewery: I don’t think I got to try one of their beers, I’m sure I’ve have one or two at Saint Johns before though. I took a picture to show you their range of beers – I’m really curious about the willie warmer.

I wonder what the Willie Warmer tastes like?

• James Boag’s: Not a craft beer company but always my favourite local company. I didn’t get around to having one of their products but they were selling stubby holders so I stocked up while I could.
• Red Brick Road Cider: Believe it or not I don’t always drink beer. I do like to have a cider from time to time. Red Brick Road (formerly known as Dicken’s Cider – insert joke here) is still local and make amazing drinks. I was glad that the cider man Corey had made more of his Mean Green – a hop infused cider. I look forward to visiting Red Brick Road again at Beerfest.
• Lost Pippin – Cider:  Another popular Tasmanian Cider company. Great cider as always, I tried the Randall – a cider infused with cherries.

These do not cover every tent there but the ones I did try reinvigorated my passion for drinking good, top quality beer and is good practice for Beerfest 2016 which is less than two weeks away.

Photo supplied by Google