The fourth annual High Country Hops Festival will be held on the weekend of 24 March in Beechworth, Victoria.
Held at Bridge Road Brewery, the festival celebrates craft beer produced after the yearly hops harvest along the High Country Brewery Trail.
Eight brewers from the region will be showcasing their products including Black Dog Brewery; Blizzard Brewing Company; Bright Brewery; King River Brewing; Rutherglen Brewery; Social Bandit Brewing Co.; Sweetwater Brewing Company and Bridge Road Brewery.
The first Australian wet hop craft beer will also be showcased at the event. Festival founder Ben Kraus says the beer can only be produced once a year.
“The hop growing season is from November through to March, as the hop plant goes dormant over winter,” he says.
“Due to fresh hops needing to be dried once picked, brewers only have a 24-hour window to create this particular product to ensure a fresher and hoppier flavour.
“Within a month of picking the hops, the beer will be released and people can taste the flowers of the year.”
To round off the festivities, there will be an abundance of local food producers. General admission is free.