No Time To Rest
We hope you enjoyed Bendigo On The Hop 2023. We certainly did.
2000 festival goers converged on the Bendigo CBD on Saturday, where a team of eight venues, eighteen breweries, around 40 volunteers and the small group of festival organisers at Bendigo Beer pulled off another sold-out event.
The temperature reached 16 degrees, but the clear sky and sunshine made it feel like Spring had come early. Excellent weather for enjoying the diverse range of beer styles on offer.
Cornella Brewery won the People's Choice award with their Mango Salsa, a refreshing mango, lime & corn sour ale. The second and third favourites were The Mill Brewery with its Chilli Chocolate Hazlenut Vanilla Spiced Stout and Bright Brewery with their 'Fruit Salad' American IPA, respectively.
The Rifle Brigade was the favourite venue, but only a few votes separated it from Black Swan in second, and MacKenzie Quarters in third.
Word around the traps is The Cambrian Hotel sold over 80 kg of meat at The Hub and Harpoon Social Club sold around 65 kg of chicken at Brewers Collective. But both were dwarfed by the 200 kg of meat served by OMG Barbeque at The Hop Supply Co.
Even Oishii On Wheels, a small restaurant on Bendigo’s main street with no direct role in the festival, was sold out of food by 7 p.m.
It’s achievements like this that Bendigo Beer is most proud of. Because for us, it’s not just about the beer. Bendigo On The Hop is about promoting the city, drawing people to the region and giving local businesses a boost at an otherwise quiet time of the year.
But now, a little rest - but not for long.
Next year Bendigo On The Hop turns 10. We think a decade of showcasing independent Australian beer and shining a spotlight on our beautiful city requires something special for the event’s 10th birthday.
So stay tuned. We’re already talking to our biggest supporters and brightest stars over the years and planning something big for 2024.
Watch this space…
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