FOR weeks, this week in beer has been building up to Canberra’s BIGGEST EVER beer event, this Saturday’s Beer Day Out (November 8), emanating out of the former transport depot (Old Bus Depot Markets) on Wentworth Avenue, Kingston.

In the final article before the big event, this week in beer gives one final look at some of the Mexcians (ie Victorian breweries) who are making their way to Canberra for this Saturday’s festivities.

Two Birds Brewing hold a unique place in Australia’s brewing fraternity as a dynamic, all female duo. After beginning their brewing journey in Geelong, they have since relocated up the Princes Highway to Melbourne’s buzzing inner west, opening a brewery and tasting room in Spotswood. Two Birds most iconic and well known beers are their Sunset red ale and their Golden Ale. I’m presuming these two brews will be available at the event. However, its their Taco beer that I am particuarly keen to taste. It apparently has all the hoppy goodness you’d expect from a pale ale, but with lime and coriander aspects to create a unique taco flavoured beer.

Another exciting brewery coming to Canberra for this weekend’s Beer Day Out also emanates near Geelong, with Prickly Moses set to hit Canberra, delivering their range of unique and exciting beers. The Otway ranges brewery is best known for their incredible Black IPA, with mountains of hops, backed by big chocolate overtones. However, at the event, Prickly Moses promoter Brad Flowers has opted for the unique Prickly Moses Chardonnay IPA. The hoppiness of the IPA works great to create a bitter finish with the 10% chardonnnay in the keg.

A winning beer must come with a winning name, and Hawthorn Brewing Company certainly has that! Hawthorn Brewing is probably considered one of the more established craft brewers in Australia, beginning operations in 2008. Their beers have won a plethora of awards; their pale ale winning a bronze at the 2014 Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA), their pilsener winning Best Lager/Pilsner at the 2011 Hong Kong International Beer Awards and their Amber Ale winning awards from Australia to London.

Making their first ever venture into the nation’s capital is Abbotsford brewer Moon Dog. Although not present at the Beer Day Out, it’s exciting to see that Moon Dog will be available at the Victorian Tap Beer Takeover, taking place at the Durham Castle Arms in Kingston.

The Durham Castle Arms holds rights to official after party status for the Beer Day Out, and to celebrate this, they are throwing on nine of Victoria’s best beers. Not only are beers by the aforementioned breweries on tap, but also the Red Hill Scotch Ale, the Cavalier Courage, Kooinda Milk Porter and Bridge Road’s “very Canberra” Braddon Hopster.

I hope that everyone at the event has a great time at the event tomorrow and joins me for a beer at the Durham Castle Arms tomorrow night.

[Photo by Quinn Dombrowski, attribution licence]