The world’s oldest brewery, Weihenstephan, is joining the Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular (GABS) on tour to showcase why it has thrived for the past 1000 years.

In 1040, the Benedictine monastery overlooking the town of Freising, Germany, was granted the right to brew. The reputation of the Weihenstephan brewers as true masters of their craft has grown in strength over the centuries.

Today’s modern commercial brewery – and the world’s best known University of Brewing – occupy the former monastery buildings. The Weihenstephan Brewery maintains close links with the University. In the brewery, students from around the world study the secrets of the Bavarian art of brewing. Many of the world’s best brewers have been trained there and many breweries draw their yeasts from the famous Weihenstephan yeast library.

Marcus Englet (above), who has significantly expanded the brewery’s global reach, will be presenting the keynote address at the International Brewers Collective, which will take place on 30 May at ICC Sydney. The gala dinner is an opportunity for craft beer enthusiasts who would like a deep dive into the industry, the people who work in the space and for those who want to network. Learn more here.

Showcasing the best and most innovative brews from over 150 different breweries, GABS will be pouring through more than 500 beer taps this year, making it the country’s biggest indoor beer festival.

The dates

31 May–1 June 2024: ICC Sydney, Darling Harbour
14-15 June 2024: Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, South Bank
21-23 June 2024: Melbourne Showgrounds, Flemington

Learn more here

The featured festival beers

The wild and wonderful array of beers made specially for this year’s GABS have been revealed.

NSW
Banana and Blueberry Imperial Maple Macadamia Pancake Smoothie Sour- Seven Mile Brewing Co
Spaghetti Saison- Six String Brewing
Pandam White Chocolate Stout- Rocks Brewing Co
Lemon and Key Lime Meringue Pie Sour – Good Folk Brewing
Bacon Me Crazy- Stoic Brewing
Cereal for Dinner- Modus Brewing
Raspberry Sherbert Bomb- Moondog Brewing
Zombie Imperial Sour- Batch Brewing’s take on the classic Tiki cocktail
Smooth Landing Fruit Punch IPA Mountain Culture (this brewery won the GABS Hottest 100)
Dank & Stormy- Akasha
Funky Gose To Hollywood- Wandana Brewing- A refreshing Blackberry Gose Sour
Guava Lava – 7th Day Brewing Co
Rose Petal Raspberry Sour- Broulee Brewing

Queensland
Nitro Citrus Blood Orange Chocolate Porter- Blackflag Brewing
The Sanga (sandwich beer)- Soapbox Beer
Sucker Punch Strawberries and Cream Lollipop Sour- Working Title Brewing Co
Blackberries, Blueberries and Sour Patch Kids- Bob’s Brewery
Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta- Your Mates Brewing
DDH Unicorn Frappe Neipa 8.0% Milkshake IPA- Green Beacon Brewing Co
Miso Macadamia Stout- 4 Hearts Brewing
The Notorious F.I.G- Moffatt BeachBrewing Co
Sweet As Pie (apple pie-inspired beer)- Future Magic Brewing
Cocoa Comet “A hot chocolate drink for adults only!- The Brew Baron
Michaelager (cocktail beer)- Black Hops Brewing Co
Creature of the Deep (chocolate malt and Tasmanian kelp)Aether Brewing
Pick Of The Bunch (Banana Beer)- Slipstream Brewing
Try and Bahn Mi- (nuts, coffee, dark chocolate) Brew Dog
Lord Barista (coffee) -10 Toes

Victoria
Abominable S’mores imperial milk stout- Bright Brewing Co
Wakame Me Up Before You Gose (sushi-inspired beer) -Two Bays Brewing Co
Choc A L’ Orange (after-dinner chocolate-inspired beer)-Brewmanity Beer
Rocky Road Campfire Chocolate Smoked Stout- Blackmans Brewing
The Cowboy Slickshake – Goodland Brewing Co
Flat White oatmeal stout in collab with their favourite cafe- Warrendtye Brewing
Beer-Ria Taco Lager- The Zythologist
A Boy Named Tiramisu- Co-Conspirators Brewing
Pig Pickin Cake- Ocean Reach Brewery
Rum and Raisen Brown Ale- Boat Rocker
Than Water Brazilian Limeaide Sour- Noodledoor
Biscoff Chocolate Brownie Porter – Bad Shepherd
Ski-Ski Margarita Gose- Mountain Goat
Double Lemon Shochu Shan- Stomping Ground
Black Forest Espresso – The Mill
Sparking Saison Noir inspired by the Yarra Valley- Beereratne
Lemon and Key Lime Lemon Meringue Pie- Good Folk Brewing
Smoke Rings Kettle Sour- Cavalier Brewing
Strawberries and Cream- Local Brewing
Spicy Vanilla Gorilla- Dollar Bill Brewing
Belgium Ale with Japalenos- Escape Brewing

South Australia
Apple strudel Pastry Hefe- Mismatch Brewing
Holy Smokes! Camel Dung Smoked Porter- Robe Town Brewery
Strawberry Champagne Beer- Lady Burra Brewhouse

Western Australia
Unlikely Friends- Matcha and White Chocolate White Stout- Aetheon

Tasmania
Smoked Kelp Stout- Morrison Brewing

ACT
Salvaged Cherry Cola – Capital Brewing