With over 200 (yes, you read that correctly) varieties of the sudsy stuff, the real question on everyone’s mind will be simple: where to start? The festival will feature an amazing selection of craft beers from all corners of the globe, so go right ahead and try dark lagers from Cambodia, blonde ales from Norway, pilsners from Germany or even blueberry-flavored brews from Chile--the choice really is yours at Beertopia.
Find out more about craft beer in Hong Kong here.
Food
A beer festival without good food is a mass-scale accident waiting to happen (see also: the Rugby Sevens), so skip the meal at home and save your appetite until you arrive on the grounds.They’ve got you covered for pretty well any carb-heavy compliment to a pint of lager, from burgers and steak sandwiches for a more traditional beer-pairing to Mexican munchies and Thai cuisine for those in the mood for more exotic bites. With vendors on hand that include Brickhouse, Tai Tai Pie Pies, Wolfgang’s Flying Brats, Meatmarket HK and Koh Thai, samples and swiggers alike should be able to hold off that dastardly red-face until, say, mid-afternoon?
Music
Ponder the ideal music for a wine tasting and you think of a classy string quartet, which may go a long way towards explaining what makes wine festivals lame. Beer, on the other hand, is for the common man, and blue-collar rock is the soundtrack for the common man’s life. Ten bands are set to perform at the event, so bring your bobbing-your-head-without-moving-your-feet shoes and watch your right hand for party fouls. In order of appearance, they’ve got Joven Goce Band, Purple Eye, Ninetynine Floor, Mr Happy, Van de Kamp, Thinking Out Loud, The Sleeves, Black Mariah, Operator and Jimmy2Times.
Activities
In the spirit of beer appreciation, this year’s Beertopia will feature a Beer Lectures tent. Well, frankly, if we wanted a lecture about beer, we’d go back in time to high school and ask our parents. Amiright? Okay, joking aside, the lectures sound like a pretty sweet addition. Specialists and experts from the world of craft beer will be hosting a series of educational talks that will make a beer-buff salivate, covering a variety of topics from craft beer history to beer and food pairing. Each of the 13 lectures will be followed by 10 minutes of Q&A.
The festival’s Homebrew Corner, where you can learn to make your own delicious ales from scratch, might make a brewmaster out of even the greenest attendees. The homebrewing experts at Beer Necessities will have startup kits available with all the information you need to become a craft beer master yourself.
But wait, there’s more. Do you like beer, but prefer to use it as a measuring stick wherein you can compare yourself to your friends? Then you’re in luck (...bro)! Drinking games will be on hand in the flip cup and beer pong tent, and there will be enough lucky draws with great prizes to make sure that no one walks away a loser... except, of course, people who lose in flip cup. They are definitely losers.
Location
With last year’s inaugural event proving to be a massive hit, Beertopia is back and bigger than ever at the West Kowloon Waterfront. Those who attended Clockenflap will recall the venue’s accessibility, and for those who stayed upright at the concert, the stunning skyline view of Hong Kong Island is a nice bonus. It’s walking distance from the Kowloon MTR Station; take exit D1 and follow the signs.
Hong Kong’s international craft beer festival, Beertopia, is making a comeback and this year’s event will be bigger than ever. The HK Mag team will be present at our very own stall, so come by and say hi! Apr 13, 12pm. West Kowloon Cultural District. $250-500 in advance from beertopiahk.myshopify.com; $300-600 at the door.
