Wrap & Recap! GABS 2023

So it was my first Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular (GABS) event on the weekend, and for reasons such-and-such we had tickets to the DAY drinking session.

I don’t think there’s ever a great time to reveal I’m not a good day drinker, especially not on the morning of a day drinking event, AND attempting beer notes as well. WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG.

Starting Saturday morning right (with breakfast burgers), Matt and I ventured to the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre for a beery adventure.

The mood was lively! Food trucks bordered the giant hall, with beer bars, and taps in the centre. There were beer GAMES, a silent disco and a how could you miss it: Ferris Wheel, indoors!

I had printed the list of 120 craft beers available, and like an excited kid – highlighted my favs to try on the day. This turned out to be the BEST idea, so no tough decisions at the messy end of the day.

A single taster cup-o-beer was $3, or a paddle of 5 tasters for $14.

Paddles was a winner.

Just write the beer numbers on the paddle -IN SEQUENTIAL ORDER- with a bit of chalk.

OK my first one was a bit messy… I waited in the beery line for the tap pourers to check my maths homework –

The staff carefully poured beers into the little plastic cups and handed me my first maths paddle. Success!

NEXT is running the gauntlet of drinkers walking FAST, and trying to not spill the paddle I just waited in line for 15 mins for.

Find a table AND sit, and make sure other people don’t wobble the table when they sit. Number one culprits of table wobbling: non-paddlers.

Only paddlers know what i’m talking about.

WOW these must have been the rickety-est tables in Brisbane. The slightest bump and there goes three sips on the table. Boo.

I drew little love hearts over the beers I liked the most, but for you here I’ve made into dot-point-form. ENJOY.

PADDLE 1:

(VIBE: fresh)

• Valley Hops Brewing “The Nugget” IPA – YES, recommend
• Stomping Ground Brewing Co “Buck Yeah” – got a big YES
• Frenchies Brewery “Tropo-Thiol” Double IPA – YUM
• Katoomba Brewing Company “Mountain Sunset” Red IPA – YES

Favourite: Mountain Culture Beer Co “Balloon Animals” – JUICY!

One paddle down. Any anxiety from the big event/crowds of people has disappeared, along with the approximate 1/2 litre beer we’ve drunk.

PADDLE 2:

(VIBE: Confident)

We’ve graduated from paddle novices to Paddle knower of stuffs.

• Hawke’s Brewing Co. “Bob Hulk Double Hazy IPA” – big YES, my fav
• 10 Toes Brewery “Living the Cream”IPA – i don’t know what you do but you do it so well. YUuummMMmm
• BentSpoke Brewing Co “Keeping it Simple” IPA – simply: YUM

Second paddle down: Let’s go on a Ferris Wheel! Not something I would normally do after drinking a litre of craft beer, but here we are at GABS, fun!

For future reference: I would not recommend any more than three paddles of beer before a Ferris Wheel adventure.

PADDLES 3 and 4:

(VIBE: Fun! Beers get adventurous.)

• Tallboy and Moose “Waggle Buzz” – Braggot – was toasty!
• Reckless Brewing Co. “Bogan Fuel” did not disappoint! All the flavours of Rum and Cola in a BEER.
• Aether Brewing “Biscoff Ice Cream Porter” was devine yumminess
• Slipstream Brewing Company “Maple Bacon Pancake Stout” was also delicious, made me want a Canadian breakfast
• Squinters Brewing Co “Tha Thiccness Version 2” IPA was juicy good drinking

Smashed those paddles! Should we get food? I don’t feel like food. Let’s keep beering.

PADDLE 5:

(Vibe: on the home stretch!)

• Hop Nation “Market 2023” IPA – it’s a good one!
• Seeker Brewing “Unicorn” NEIPA was my absolute favourite here. Juicy and thicc

Notes to you beer 11: Purple is not a beer

PADDLE 6:

(Vibe: you made it. the. last. paddle)

• Garage Project “The Way of Tea” – Hazy IPA – like it A LOT
• Cloudwater Brew Co “Proper GABS” was a TASTY beverage

We made it from 11am to 3pm something, having tried ABOUT 50 beers.

Pretty much, if the beer said it has chilli flavour: it HAS CHILLI FLAVOUR. If it was aged in a rum barrel – you bet it tasted like rum. Chocolate snowballs with coconut – you nailed it Wolf of the Willows Brewing. The Tim Tam ale tastes like >biscuits< YES. My notes were pretty thorough.

Special shout out to Psycho Suzie’s Brewing IPA – loved it! Don’t know where it was in the photos. So I’m pretty good for beers RN. Great festival. A GABBING Good time. See you next year Gabbers.