The Gold Coast, with its enviable combination of good weather and beaches, already gives off festival vibes all year round. But the real kicker happens when you add beer to all of that goodness. Add vitamins B (beer) and C (cider) to the vitamin D you cop on the coast with the Crafted Beer Festival, which returns for 2023 across two huge days — after first doubling its run in 2022 and clearing loving it.
Held at Kurrawa Park in Broadbeach each year, the beer festival will unite more than 50 of Australia’s top craft breweries, over 400 different brews, and some good food and live music to line your stomachs and ears. The dates to pop in your diary: Saturday, September 9–Sunday, September 10.
Locals like Balter Brewing Company, Black Hops Brewing, Currumbin Valley Brewing, Burleigh Barrels, Madocke Beer and Two Mates Brewing will be joining up with visitors from elsewhere in Queensland and interstate, such as Ballistic, Slipstream and Revel — and that’s but a few of the many beer houses to be represented on the day. More of a cider person? Expect a range of cideries making the pilgrimage to the coast, too.
Although the focus on beer and cider is right there in the name, Crafted will also welcome Granddad Jack’s Craft Distillery for cocktails and craft spirits served out of a vintage two-storey bar. And, if that still doesn’t cover everything that you want to drink, Carafe Wine will be on vino duty, while seltzers, ginger beers and non-alcoholic beers will be on offer as well.
Food-wise, there’ll be food trucks and other street food eats, including Bigoli Italian Street Food bringing its truffle gnocchi. German sausages from Brat House, Samba Catering Co’s paella and Brazilian barbecue, Flamin Grillas’ low-and-slow meat plates and brisket burgers, 2 Serial Grillers’ Mexican bites and I Heart Calamari’s seafood dishes help round out the menu.
As for music lineup, Polish Club and Fat Picnic top Saturday’s bill, while Tijuana Cartel and Kurilpa Reach are among the bands doing the honours on the Sunday.
Also on the fest’s agenda is beer yoga, where you can perform a few downward dogs before you down your beer — it’s all about balance, after all. Or, enjoy some comedy, play tipsy Twister and enter a hot wing-eating contest instead.
CRAFTED 2023 LINEUP:
SATURDAY
Polish Club
Fat Picnic
Sputnik Sweetheart
Being Jane Lane
Lucid Safari
Fragile Animals
The Dandys
Beatniks DJs
SUNDAY
Tijuana Cartel
Kurilpa Reach
Nana Klumpp
Ruby Gilbert
The Colliflowers
James Street Preachers
Beatniks DJs
Crafted Beer Festival runs from Saturday, September 9–Sunday, September 10 at Kurrawa Park, Broadbeach. Head to the festival website for tickets and further details.