Australia’s temperature dial has dipped from the red and is heading towards Arctic blue as dark clouds start to gather, diminishing the rays from the sun above. Thankfully, the Lighthouse Hotel is beaming its guiding light towards beer—lots and lots of the malty, wintery beer!
On Saturday, July 6th, the Lighthouse Wharf Hotel in Port Adelaide will be pouring hoppy and malty flavours from some of South Australia’s best craft breweries at its Winter Beer Fest. Featured beers will include seasonal fermentations from Lady Burra Brewhouse, Uraidla Brewery, The Suburban Brew, Penny Red Beer Co, Big Shed Brewing, Shapeshifter Brewing, Pirate Life, and more.
Will you dive deep into the dark, malt-laden mouthfuls of porters, stouts and dark ales, settle in amid the smooth ambers, or defy the day’s theme and trip the lager fantastic?
When I checked in with The Lighthouse Wharf Hotel’s Owner, Heidi Barreau, on what makes this year’s Winter Beer Fest a goer, she shared that “…what we love about our Winter Beer Fest is that it’s an outdoor party, giving it a festival feel. We also have live music, which leads to a DJ session that takes the crowd from a chilled-out journey to a dance party-like evening! It’s the best of both worlds!”
“.. we’re going to see so many more specialty dark wintery beers. We’re super excited to have the Toasted Coconut Stout by Uraidla on tap again, and the Iced Coffee Stout by Penny Lane should be sublime. It’s poured from a nitro tap, giving it an ultra-creamy and silky texture. There’ll even be a Raspberry Stout this year!”
So, how did this Winter Beer Fest kick off? Is this a once-off celebration of SA craft beers, or does the Lighthouse Wharf Hotel have an ongoing commitment to local breweries?
“We started with a Summer Beer and Cider Fest, and that worked so well that we decided to do a winter one because we just love all the dark beers and stouts the craft breweries were coming out with!”
“When I joined the Lighthouse Wharf Hotel in 2015, I quickly sought out the best local craft brews to pour, a move that was enthusiastically welcomed by our customers and it’s continued ever since. People now come in specifically to see what we have on tap. Over time, we’ve developed a great relationship with local craft breweries. They can rely on the fact that we’ll always get excited about whatever they come up with since we know it will be well-received by everyone who enters our hotel”.
Want to join the fun but like a little more variety than beer, beer, beer? With red wines, warm mulled cider, and hot cocktails on offer (plus a range of zero ABV options), you won’t miss out on the flavourful festivities.
To keep your stomach sated and your legs upright, the Lighthouse Wharf Hotel’s kitchen crew will be dishing out flavours made to be matched with beer all day long. There’ll be slow-cooked beef brisket burgers, roast pork rolls, loaded hot jacket potatoes and more to suit all tastes and diets, with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options included.
Live acoustic guitarist and singer Brian Ruiz will be strumming out the tunes throughout the day, swapping shifts with DJ Jimmy Flamingo when the sun sets and evening beats start pumping, and those who dig a bit of dancing can do their thang.
Don’t worry about the weather. The Lighthouse team has got you covered, literally, with a marquee that ensures the only liquids pouring within are beers (and an Espresso Martini) from the outdoor bar’s 12 taps and other bevies.
Oh, let’s not forget to add that entry is FREE.
It’s looking like it’ll be a beery brilliant festival, from midday til midnight. Pour in one and all!
All you need to know about the LIGHTHOUSE WINTER BEER FEST
What: Lighthouse Wharf Hotel Winter Beer Fest 2024
When: Saturday, 6th July | Midday ’til Late
Entry cost: FREE
Where: The Lighthouse Wharf Hotel, 1 Commercial Road, Port Adelaide
Location tip: “Find us opposite the Lighthouse and the Dolphin Cruise dock”
Website: Lighthouse Wharf Hotel
Schedule: LIve Music: 12pm – 4pm | DJ: 4pm – Late
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