Ross Kenrick, owner of Bacchus Brewing Co. in Capalaba, Queensland. Pictures: Bacchusbrewing.com.au

Bacchus Brewing Co. is bringing a taste of England to Queensland with its annual St George’s Day Beerfest, a weekend-long celebration of traditional English ales, hearty fare, and great company. Taking place over the Anzac Day weekend, the festivities will kick off on Saturday, 26 April, with an encore session on Sunday, 27 April, ensuring everyone has a chance to raise a glass to England’s patron saint.

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This much-loved annual event has grown into a staple of the Bacchus Brewing calendar, drawing beer lovers from across Queensland. The centrepiece of the festival is its 20 taps pouring an exclusive selection of English-style ales and ciders. 

Among the highlights are the traditional brews from Harvey’s Brewery in Sussex, one of England’s oldest and most respected breweries. Thanks to a unique collaboration with Bacchus Brewing, beer lovers in Australia can savour Sussex Ale, Georgian Dragon, Lewes Castle Brown, and Sussex Old Ale, all brewed locally using authentic English ingredients and recipes.

Of course, no English beer festival would be complete without classic pub food. On Saturday, Salts Food Truck will be serving up their legendary burgers, while the Bacchus Kitchen will be dishing out a Ploughman’s lunch, pizzas, and ribs. Sunday’s menu will feature a visit from London Spuds, offering a taste of the UK’s beloved baked potatoes with all the trimmings. To add to the festivities, Redlands Coast Distillery next door will be crafting special drinks to mark the occasion, providing an extra tipple for those looking to explore beyond beer.

Packed house at the distillery for a comedy night recently. 

The story of Bacchus and Harvey’s Brewery goes back to 2015, when their brewmaster Ross Kenrick, on a trip to the UK, was invited for a personal tour of Southern England’s most famous brewery, Harvey and Son ltd by their head brewer, Miles Jenner.

After a wonderful day touring this 200+ year-old brewery and sampling their ales, Ross cheekily enquired if there was a possibility of them sharing their Best Bitter recipe for him to brew something similar in Australia. Miles said he was probably happy to share the recipe, but since it contained several propriety ingredients, not least their 200+ year old house yeast strain, it wouldn’t be of much use if Bacchus Brewing Co. really wanted to recreate their beer. After some excited discussions, Miles said: “Leave it with me, I’ll see what I can do”.

On returning to Australia, Ross kept in touch and finally got the news that exceeded his highest hopes… In a world-first, not only did Harvey’s agree to share the recipe and a further three (including their World Beer Cup “World’s Best” Brown and Mild Ale recipes), they also agreed to airfreight all the propriety ingredients so Bacchus Brewing Co. could recreate their beers here in Australia.

Ross said: “We can’t thank Harvey’s enough for entrusting us with this great honour, and we look forward to sharing the results with you all…”

With free entry, an unbeatable selection of beers, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere, Bacchus Brewing Co.’s St George’s Day Beerfest is set to be a weekend of great drinks, great food, and great company — just as a proper English celebration should be!