Dedicated to Victorian craft booze, Holy Water that will be taking over Williamstown's maritime Sea Works location on Saturday, October 15.
Head north-east this month and dive into the best of the local booze scene with Melbourne’s new craft distillery festival: Holy Water Festival.
More than a standard food and drink festival, Holy Water exhibitors will serve up speciality cocktails, tasting sessions and masterclasses from award-winning and emerging Victorian mixologists and chefs, alongside the 30+ distilleries presenting their wares.
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Taking place at Seaworks in Williamstown on Saturday, October 15 – originally scheduled for back in August – Holy Water Craft Distillery Festival is tuning into the rising popularity of boutique booze, bringing together Australia’s best-established and emerging distilleries, hospitality veterans, chefs, visionaries and entrepreneurs to showcase their craft in a progressive and interactive environment.
The brainchild of Rachelle Watson and Zoe Beyer, who have more than 15 years’ experience running large-scale festivals, with support from acclaimed cocktail producer and ‘The Book of Vermouth & All Day Cocktails,’ author Shaun Byrne, Seaworks huge shed will be filled with some of Victoria’s best distillers. They’ll be providing free samples. You can taste a whisky, gin, rum and have it with a mixer or straight up. There’s DJs, oyster and charcuterie bars and food trucks.
“Our approach is to move away from a typical trade-show environment and leverage our collective experience in arts and entertainment to create an artisan journey with premium beverage at its core,” says Zoe Beyer, Festival Co-Director.
Tickets are just $65, and that gets you entry, a branded tasting glass, unlimited tastings, live music and an opportunity to sit by the fire and enjoy a cocktail with friends.
The true value of this unique event is in the unrivalled programme and free masterclass series, which include History of Booze in Australia with Drinks Writer Max Allen, Boozy Sweats with chef and botanist Jude Mayall and No-Lo Cocktails led by the newly crowned 2022 World Class Australian Bartender, Nick Tesar and more.
Friendly faces from the likes of Grainshaker Vodka, East Pole Gin, NED Whisky, JimmyRum and others will be serving up a bunch of specialty cocktails and tasting notes on each flavour. If you taste something you love; buy a bottle and take it home with you.
Classics including beer and mulled wine, low and no alcohol options will also be served at the festival’s main bars.
Holy Water Craft Distillery Festival goes down Saturday, October 15 at Seaworks, 82 Nelson Pl, Williamstown. Find out more here.
