Upcoming Events

Future Brewing are one of the most exciting breweries to have joined Sydney's Inner West scene in recent years, winning heaps of fans with their mastery of big, hoppy beers.

That's not all they're good at, however, as Cabal members can discover when founder Brady calls into Benchwarmer in West Melbourne to help the beer bar celebrate its sixth birthday.

Kicking off proceedings early in the arvo, he'll be joining The Crafty Pint team for a private tasting and Q&A featuring three of Future's latest and greatest:

• “West Coast Snap” West Coast Pilsner
• “Juice Overload” DDH NZ Hazy IPA
• Future Brewing “Big Chew” Imperial Stout

The exclusive Cabal event kicks off at 2.30pm on February 14 at Benchwarmer, 345 Victoria Street, West Melbourne, with tickets costing just $23pp.

Attendees are then welcome to stick around for the sixth birthday celebrations featuring a Future Brewing tap takeover, food from Udom Nights, and music from Hawkrada and DJ Haf Def.

Wildflower and Garage Project are two of the outstanding breweries of the modern era – using the word "breweries" barely does either of this innovative, boundary-pushing operations justice either.

On February 22, two of the founders of each – Wildflower's Topher Boehm and Garage Project's Pete Gillespie – are launching a multi-year collaboration, Flower Shoppe.

The launch is part of an amazing event at the former's Marrickville home, within which The Crafty Pint is joining Topher and Pete for a special event within an event focusing on the Theatre of Beer: the wonderfully diverse ways in which different beers are presented and poured across the planet.

We'll be pouring the following beers:

• Czech cut from Lukr Tap
• Light Czech lager from Gravity keg
• Garage Project Vienna Lager (on tap)
• Garage Project Hazy Pernicious Weed (on tap)
• Flower Shoppe from Micromatic Rototap
• Garage Project Chance Luck and Magic 2021 (from basket)

Tickets for the event cost $45pp, unless you're a Crafty Cabal member, in which case you can be there for just $10 – yes, just $10!!!

Doors open at 1.15pm for a 1.30pm start at 11-13 Brompton Street, Marrickville. No need to print your ticket – we'll check names at the door.

Brewer's Got Talent is a long-running event held at Frenchies where homebrewers get to show off their creations with the winner getting their beer brewed on a commercial scale.

Beer fans are very much part of the show too, getting to sample all the beers and vote for their favourites, with two ticketing options on offer:

1. Lunch at midday, a brewery tour before the action kicks off, and the main event – $59pp
2. The main event: tastings and voting for your favourites from 3pm to 6pm – $25pp

It returns on March 14, and we've got three double passes for the main event up for grabs for Crafty Cabal members.

NB Homebrewers can enter here – deadline is January 28, 2026.

SURE Brewing launched their first beers in 2022, but the people behind those beers have been around the local beer scene far longer.

Founder John Cope-Williams has played a key role in the rise of craft beer in Australia, turning Cookie into one of Melbourne's earliest craft beer venues, helping get Bridge Road Brewers beers out and about in the brewery's early years, and importing awesome Kiwi beers (which he still does).

In launching SURE, he partnered with experienced brewer Steve Matthews to being his vision for predominantly hop-forward beers to life. As a DJ and music lover whose knowledge runs deep, John curates awesome playlists for every release too.

And now they're inviting Cabal members to join them for a tasting in the private dining room at the Sporting Club Hotel in Brunswick from 6pm on February 12.

They'll be pouring:

• Reliable West Coast Pale (on tap) 
• 100% Yum Yum Yuzu WCIPA
• So True Imperial Pilsner 
• Children of the Sun Cali Pale 
• For Sure NZIPA 

100% Yum Yum and Children of the Sun will be coming straight off the canning line too.

Spots cost just $17pp, which includes a ticket for a raffle being held by Sporting Club on the night in support of a winemaker who lost everything in the recent fires.

UPDATE (4/2): Bad Shepherd have informed us this event is no longer going ahead.

Bad Shepherd have been released their Brew Crew series of beers for years, each of them conceived by a different member of the Cheltenham brewpub's team.

Now they're celebrating such beers with Behind The Brew: a chance for punters to try four limited releases in the company of the Bad Shepherd crew.

The event also includes a guided tour of how and why they were made, why they matter, plus special canapés designed to pair with each of the four beers, which are:

• Kolsch
• American IPA
• Fruited Flanders Red (Raspberry)
• Peanut Butter & Jam Porter

Cabal members get to enjoy a special price of just $39 for the event that kicks off at midday on February 7 too.

You’re invited to get intimate with Bad Shepherd, as we team up for a Cabal tasting experience just one week out from Valentine’s Day. Think of it as a chance to find your perfect beer match, one pour at a time!

Since opening their doors in Cheltenham, husband-and-wife team Dereck and Diti Hales have built Bad Shepherd into a beloved, locally-rooted brewpub that celebrates beer often while paired with hearty American-style flavours.

On the day, Dereck and Diti, alongside their dedicated team, will guide you through five beers from their ever-rotating range in a speed-dating type event. Expect super-limited pours and house favourites, each thoughtfully paired with a matching canapé to elevate every sip and bite.

Save the date: 
Friday 7 February
Between midday and 4pm (exact time TBC)
Bad Shepherd Brewing Co. 386 Reserve Road, Cheltenham

We're still dotting i's and crossing t's so tickets aren't on sale yet, but given it's the silly season and calendars fill fast at this time of the year, we figured we'd flag it up now so anyone who'd like to come along can pop it in their diary.

The High Country Hop is a well-established part of the Aussie beer calendar, combining industry symposium with consumer festival.

It all takes place in beautiful Beechworth to coincide with the region's hop harvest, with the High Country brewers pouring beer alongside guests for further afield.

Add in live music, tasty food, and entertainment for the kids and you've got a cracking event.

The 2026 festival takes place on March 28 and we've got some double passes to give away to lucky Cabal members.

Join The Crafty Pint team as we kick off the festive season in succulent style with Crafty Cheer!

We're hosting a long table feast at Molly Rose in Collingwood on December 4, where we'll be joined by some of Victoria's finest brewers and distillers. They'll be sharing their drinks and stories – all paired with delicious, seasonally-inspired dishes.

Tickets for this segue into summer cost $98pp – unless you're a Crafty Cabal member, which means you save $20 – and include:

• Cocktail with snack to start
• Festive mains & sides designed for sharing
• Mulled wine tiramisu
• Paired beers throughout

The Producers

• Nic Sandery – the evening's co-host and founder of Molly Rose
• Holly Klintworth – owner and distiller at Bass & Flinders Distillery
• Duncan Gibson – co-founder of Hop Nation
• Jimmy Krekelberg – co-founder and head brewer at Good Land Brewing

Dinner is served from 7pm to 10pm, although Molly Rose's doors are open from 4pm if you want to settle in during Happy Hour (4pm to 6pm).

So join us as we raise a glass (well, several glasses) of Crafty Cheer in celebration of our wonderful community!

Forget the trackside hustle, they're keeping Cup Day easy-going at Westside Ale Works. Join them for a relaxed afternoon of cold craft beers, delicious eats, and good company. No fancy fascinators required!

Tickets include:
Pizza specials, BBQ bites & grazing boards
Seasonal craft releases + bottomless beer & soft drink packages
The race live on the big screen
Cup sweepstakes, pub games & prizes galore
Best Dressed competition – fun, cheeky, and a little weird (just how we like it)

Cabal Member Special: Enjoy 15% off tickets

On November 20, Brewer Leo will be taking guests on a guided tasting through both core favourites and seasonal releases, sharing stories from the brew deck, inspiration behind the beers, and answering burning questions along the way.

Whether you’re a long-time craft beer lover or just curious to learn more, this is the perfect night to dive into the Westside lineup, meet the team, and soak up the local vibe.

What’s included:
One tasting paddle (4 × 150ml) – choose your beers from the tap list when you book
A mid-session pizza break to keep you fuelled
Q&A and relaxed chat with the brewer
Insight into what’s brewing next at Westside

Tickets:
Early Bird: $25
General Admission: $30

Cabal Member Special: Get 15% off tickets

For eight years, Helios Brewing have been laser-focused on making the best beer possible in the most sustainable brewery possible. Now's your chance to come see how they do both on September 25.

Together with The Crafty Pint, Helios are hosting an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of their sun-powered brewery for a limited number of punters.

Hear from co-owner and environmental scientist Scott Schomer, who designed the brewery with a multi-faceted approach to sustainability including custom-made features never before used in a brewery. Enjoy a guided tasting with head brewer Nate Thompson, including some fan favourites and a few sneaky "One Tap Wonders" that Nate is putting on for the night.

You'll also get the chance to dig even deeper with a Q&A session hosted by The Crafty Pint's man on the ground, Mick Wüst.

Tickets include:

• schooner on arrival
• brewery tour
• tasting paddle
• 15% discount on takeaway beers

Full-price tickets cost $30pp but Cabal members can enjoy a 50% discount and grab theirs for just $15.

Red Duck Brewery were pushing the boundaries of what beer could be long before most of the country's more experimental breweries were even a glint in their founders' eyes.

In October 2025, the Ballarat-based operation launched by Scott and Vanessa Wilson-Browne marks 20 years of beers, which we thought was a fine reason for a Crafty Cabal event.

They're making their way from Ballarat to Audacious Monk Cellars on October 18 to share some of their beers and stories from the past two decades.

The event kicks off at 1pm; tickets cost $30pp, which includes both a selection of Red Duck beers and share platters.

Brewing companies have appeared in all shapes and sizes over the past couple of decades, but there remains nothing quite like Evil Mega Corp.

The one-man operation is the brainchild of Rhys Lopez, formerly head brewer at Otherside Brewing before he ventured out on his lonesome.

On September 20, we'll be sitting down with him in the bar at Freo.Social that once housed the little brew kit on which he'd create many of Otherside's early experimental releases for a Q&A and guided tasting stretching back to his first taste of craft beer.

Guests will get to enjoy samples of beers from across the years, including several of the latest Evil Mega Corp releases, while hearing about Rhys' unique approach to beer and beyond.

It kicks off at 1pm with tickets costing just $25pp.

Ahead of Bendigo On The Hop, The Crafty Pint are co-hosting a very special, intimate event with the team at Bendigo Brewing on August 29.  

Last Beer Before Paradise sees us sit down for an evening of beer, pizza and conversation with brewing industry veterans/legends Willie Simpson and Catherine Stark – they of the of the recently-closed Seven Sheds Brewery farm. 

The stories of the two breweries are deeply entwined and stretch back some seventeen years to when Willie and Catherine gave a wet-behind-the-ears Evan Hunter his first brewing job. That legacy continues in Evan’s approach to brewing, with a final homage coming in the form of Bendigo Brewing’s Bendigo on the Hop festival beer which has been modelled on Seven Sheds’ flagship, English-inspired Kentish Ale.

It means you'll have the chance to be among the last people in the world to taste Kentish Ale and the first to try Evan Hunter's tribute while we chat about their incredible and combined stories. 

As a member of our beer lover's bonus club, you can save $5 on the ticket. 

If you'd like to be there with a discount, just tap the button on this page and we'll send through your discount code.

Brewmanity is shaking things up this August, with a fresh lineup of beers hitting taps – and they’re inviting Cabal members in for a first taste.

To mark the occasion, they’re hosting a Tap Changeover Party at their South Melbourne brewpub, with brews both old and new pouring, and a brewer’s shout to celebrate.

You’ll also get the chance to chat to Head Brewer Tim Miller and Co-founder David Neitz, who’ll be there on the night to share a beer and some insight into the new releases.

And for Crafty Cabal members, they’re serving up the following:

• A free pot of each new beer
• Tasting paddles from $15 all night
• Brewery hangs and behind-the-beer chat with the team

It all kicks off from 6 PM on Thursday, August 21, and the cost to Cabal members is… nothing. Just register your interest here, we’ll send them the list, and you just need to show up and enjoy your free pots of beers.

Evil Mega Corp's tale is one of the most fascinating to have unfolded in the local craft beer scene in recent years. And the man behind it, former Otherside head brewer Rhys Lopez, is one of the most fascinating folks in the local craft beer scene period.

So we're rather excited to be lining up an event with him at Freo.Social for the afternoon of September 20.

We know it will involve beers, stories, daft merchandise, anarcho-syndicalism, and much more besides. But we're still working out exactly what it will look like and how much tickets will cost.

However, given it's only a few weeks away, and on a weekend, we figured we'd flag it up now so anyone who'd like to come along can pop it in their diary.

As a result, there's no need to click any buttons or register, but given there is a button on this page feel free to click to register your interest and we'll make sure we shoot you an email as soon as tickets for this exclusive event go on sale.

Cheers!

Blobfish was one of the first of the smaller-scale, niche festivals that have gone on to play such a fun role in the contemporary Aussie beer landscape.

It's set to return on September 6, with the organisers at Hop Nation promising to go "bigger, wilder and funkier".

Once again, they're putting on three sessions and, as festival partners, we've snagged two tickets for each session to offer to Crafty Cabal members.

Brewmanity have an ESB ready to hit taps mid-July, inspired by the English pub classics and with one eye on the arrival into town of the British & Irish Lions for the first time in 12 years.

The launch party features a brewer’s shout, roaming party pies, and a spot of Extra Special Trivia for those who are up for it.

Plus, if you're a Crafty Cabal member, they're lining up the following:

• A free schooner of ESB on arrival
• Roaming canapés
• $20 Pub Classic meal with any schooner purchase
• Extra special treatment from the Brewmanity team!

The launch kicks off at 6.30pm on July 16 at their South Melbourne brewpub and the cost to Cabal members is... nothing. Just register here, we'll provide them with a list of attendees, then make sure you turn up so you don't go on their naughty list!

On July 17, The Crafty Pint and Slipstream Brewing are joining forces for the launch the latest Thrillseeker IPA and a special Q&A session with Slipstream head brewer Gavin Croft and The Crafty Pint’s Mick Wüst.

Tickets include:

• A schooner of the brand new Thrillseeker New Zealand IPA
• A tasting paddle of four IPAs, including three exclusive pilot batch single-hop IPAs brewed with experimental hops and tapped for the first time at this event
• Access to the Q&A session with Gavin & Mick
• 10% off food and takeaway beer on the night

Full price tickets cost $30pp and are available here but Cabal members can get their hands on one for just $15 – just complete the purchase process on this page.

The Crafty Pint team is hitting the road for a few days in June to record a few podcasts for upcoming shows.

One of our stops will be in Canberra; while there, we're co-hosting a blind tasting event with BentSpoke at their Braddon brewpub.

You can read about it here – and pick up discounted tickets costing just $10 too.

They'll get you two flights of beers, a Q&A featuring the Crafty team and BentSpoke's Rich Watkins, and entry into a raffle.

See you there for 6pm on June 26!

Love lager? You’re not alone.

Over quite a few years, KAIJU! Beer have been on a quest in to brew the best damn lager they possibly can. You can learn more about their journey here but it's safe to say it's paid dividends given the brewery has picked up back-to-back lager trophies at the Australian International Beer Awards. 

To celebrate those massive lagery wins, on July 5, KAIJU! are inviting Crafty Cabal members through their doors early (at 11.30am to be exact) so we can all nerd out on lagers.  

Join Champion Lager Brewer Nat Reeves from KAIJU! Beer and Certified Lager Tragic Will Ziebell from The Crafty Pint for a behind-the-taps look at what makes a great lager – and why it deserves all the love it's getting (and then some).

Tickets cost just $15 for Crafty Cabal members and includes:

• A pot of award-winning KAIJU! Cerveza on arrival
• Four exclusive tasters as we talk all things crisp, cold and crushable
• Major lager nerd banter from Nat & Will
• 10% off food from the brewery's full menu

Whether you're a seasoned pilsner person or a curious can-crusher, Lager LoveFest is your rare chance to nerd out over lager with two of the best in the biz. Tickets are limited – book now before the foam settles.

If you have a mate who isn't a Crafty Cabal member, they can join you for $20 via this link here. 

Few breweries have produced as many imperial and barrel-aged beers as Hawkers have over the past decade.

And on June 27 they'll be pouring heaps of them at a very special event at Hopsters in Enmore.

They'll be serving up a decade's retrospective of the brewery's much-loved imperial stouts and barleywines from all the way back in 2016 to last year's vintage.

You can check out the full lineup here – and as a Cabal member you can save $5 off the ticket price too.

The event runs from 7pm to 10pm on June 27.

3 Ravens love to throw a party, not least when the Winter Solstice rolls around and they put on the epic feast that is Dark Mass.

It's a spectacular evening of dark beers, dinner and theatre and will be taking over the brewery's warehouse venue Ravens Yard on June 21.

You can read about it here – and try your luck at winning a $135 ticket in another delicious Crafty Cabal competition.

Bodriggy are releasing Nebula, a huge Starward barrel-aged imperial stout on May 30.

You can read The Crafty Pint's take on the beer here and save 20 percent off tickets to the beer's launch party too.

It features a guided tasting of:

• 3 X 100ML GLASSES OF OUR BARREL AGED STOUT RANGE
• 1 X NIP OF STARWARD WHISKY
• 1 X BITE SIZED PAIRED SNACK FROM HEAD CHEF CRISTIAN CALLE

Attendees at the exclusive event will get a four-pack of the 11.2 percent ABV beer to take home.

Bendigo On The Hop is the pioneering winter festival that just keeps on kicking goals.

Now into its second decade, the annual bash continues to sell out early and bring thousands of eager punters to the regional city for a day or roaming and sampling.

It's back on August 30, 2025, and while tickets are yet to go on sale – they're still lining up venues and breweries at time of writing – we know they'll get snapped up fast.

If you'd like to be part of the fun, we've got our hands on a few tickets for beer club members.

In the mood for a day of barrel-aged and dark beers?

Then CoConspirators Brewing are on hand to help!

Their annual Famiglia Affairs event returns to their Brunswick brewpub on July 12, with a bunch of their brewing mates from around Victoria bringing something "big and bold" plus a core range beer with them.

We've got five tickets worth $50 each to give away to Cabal members in another delicious giveaway.

We already know Cabal members are typically among the keenest of Pint of Origin explorers, and in 2025 we're aiming to reward those that get out and about at the festival with a juicy prize draw.

Yes, on top of the main Passport Prize Draw which is open to everyone – including Cabal members – we're going to be running another one exclusively for members that features even more chances to win. And gives the most adventurous explorers the chance to get their hands on exclusive merch too.

All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning is, well, attend Pint of Origin: hitting up venues and aiming to complete this year's Crawls. Here's what's on offer in the Cabal Prize Draw:

• 1 x Evil Mega Corp Mixed Pack Per Crawl (5 in total)
• 1 x $39 Deep End Pizza Voucher Per Crawl (5 in total)
• 10 x $25 brewery vouchers per Mini-Crawl as follows:
  • Central: Boatrocker
  • West: Bells Beach Brewing
  • Brunswick: Cypher Brewing
  • South & East: Wolf of the Willows
  • The 86 Tram: Blackflag Brewing
• PLUS! The 50 Cabal members who collect passport stamps at the most Pint of Origin venues between May 9 and 18 will win an exclusive #PoO25 beanie from Thirsty Merchants

If you love all beers dark, then Obsidian Dark Beer Fest should be on your agenda for winter 2025.

The event returns to The Mining Exchange in Ballarat on June 28, with 30-plus dark beers from 15 local and international indie brewers the stars of the show.

You can read about the festival – and try to get your hands on a ticket in another delicious beer club competition.

Join the Rocky Ridge crew at their Brunswick Brewhouse for a sneak preview of their brand new core-range California IPA. 

Tickets include a schooner of the new beer, four tasters of some fun surprise beers, as well as a four-pack of the California IPA to take home (oh, and some pretty average banter from the Rocky Ridge and Crafty Pint crews).

The preview event starts at 6.30pm on April 10, with tickets for this exclusive event costing $45pp.

So come down and join us to kickstart your weekend early!

Ravens Yard is the latest chapter in the 20-year-plus story of 3 Ravens – Melbourne's oldest independent brewery.

They turned a warehouse next to their brewery into an events space in 2024, hosting record labels, performance art, dub sound systems and more since, and now they're set to host a series of epic feasts there too.

The debut dinner sees the brewers team up with Bombay Bento, pairing six 3 Ravens creations – including two exclusive beers and a cocktail – with a five course Indian feast, cult Bollywood classics and a curated Indian soundtrack.

You can read more about it here – and, as a Cabal member, enjoy a $10 saving on tickets.

The Crafty Pint Podcast and Pour It Out are joining forces for a one-night-only live show at Hiker Brewing Co's East Brisbane taproom on April 9.

There's plenty going on in the beer world worth discussing – good and bad – and attendees are invited to submit questions in advance.

There will also be special guests from the Brisbane beer scene: brewer Becky Centeno and Netherworld manager Ivy Macario.

Tickets cost $10pp, which includes the first beer on the night; full details here.

And for Cabal members there's a bonus too: an extra beer from the Hiker crew and some merch from the Crafty team.

Bodriggy Brewing are preparing to brew Radical Sabbatical – a limited release IPA made with Galaxy hop cones delivered straight from the High Country to their Abbotsford brewery.

And they're invited Crafty Cabal members to join them and their Bod Squad in the brewery when the hops arrive.

As well as being there as the key ingredient is added to the IPA, attendees will get to sample a few Bodo beers while enjoying a guided tasting with the brewing team.

Tickets cost just $10pp, which includes:

• Tasting paddle featuring Friday Is The New Friday Cali Pils 
• Rocky & Bodwinkle Hazy IPA
• Permanent Vacation Hazy Pale
• An exclusive taste of Subpoena West Coast IPA from the tank

It kicks off in the brewery at 4pm on March 14 – get there sharp to ensure you're there when the hops arrive – and you can book your spots here.

The Canberra Beer & Cider Festival returns on March 15, showcasing more than 250 beers, cider, meads, spirits, cocktails, sugar-free liquors and who-knows-what else.

It takes place at The Mercure Canberra with more than 40 exhibitors rocking up plus food stalls, live music, and family-friendly entertainment.

You can read all about it here – or try to get your hands on one of three double passes in this Crafty Cabal competition.

Table beers originate in parts of Northern Europe. Typically lower in alcohol and diverse in flavour, you'll find a number on offer from Australian brewers.

Farmhouse ale fans La Sirène create a number of them and are putting them at the centre of a masterclass with brewery founder Costa Nikias on February 27 – details here.

If you and a mate would like to join him, we've got a double pass worth $80 up for grabs for one lucky Cabal member.