The most anticipated event on the beer calendar, the Great Australian SpecTAPular (GABS) is back for a whirlwind three-city tour in April and May 2025. Tickets for the event, which touches down in Melbourne Brisbane and Sydney are on sale now.
Globally recognised as one of the best beer festivals in the world, this year GABS will be building Australia’s longest bar with 120 taps, all running in one line. One hundred taps will be dedicated to the most creative beers, while 20 taps will be pouring a sensational variety of other drinks including spirits and cocktails.
The cornerstone of the event lies in the exclusive festival brews that debut at the event each year. Breweries are invited to submit a brand new weird or wonderful creation and the GABS team narrow it down to 100-120 new brews.
So, without further ado, here are seven of the craziest beers that GABS will be pouring in 2025.
- Rainbow Ice Cream Cone 6% by Good Land Brewing - Good Land Brewing is doing a ‘Milk Bar’ theme at GABS this year and will be creating a variety of beers to celebrate. The festival beer is inspired by a Rainbow Ice cream Cone so expect a smoothie-style sour filled with strawberries, banana, cherries, blueberry, vanilla ice cream and bubble gum.
- Peeling Guilty Banana Beer 7% by Copperlode Brewing Company. This beer is based on a traditional Ugandan banana beer called Tonto. Expect a tangy banana flavour with a smooth malt and sorghum backbone.
- Peanut Butter and Jelly 8% IPA Sour by Tallboy & Moose (Vic). Expect that tart tang of a sour beer paired perfectly with the decadent nutty sweetness of peanut butter and a juicy splash of berries. This drink is hearty nostalgia in a glass.
- Pickle By Fancy 4% by Stoic Brewing: this sour beer is a collaborative brew between Stoic Brewing and its friends at Pickle My Fancy. The unique beer balances sweet and salty flavours with notes of coriander, mustard seeds and peppercorns. It is the perfect pair to a spicy meal.
- Broken Bay Pearl 7% by Six String - 1000 oysters were shucked and chucked into this brew, balancing richness and depth with the savoury oceanic characteristics of fresh Akoya oysters from Broken Bay Pearl Farm. This beer is salty, bitter and creamy.
- Warbling Warhead Beer 5.3% by Bowden Brewing (SA). This beer packs an explosion of flavour. It combines the tartness of Kakadu plums with the aromatic charm of lemon myrtle. It is a sorbet-inspired sour that is as daring as its name.
- A Rose In Every Cheek (Vegemite beer) 5% by Captain Bligh’s Brewing (Tas). There is nothing like Vegemite on toast after a night out on the beers, so why not combine the two?
What else is happening at GABS this year?
While the beer is the cornerstone to any GABS event, the festival offers something for everyone, from cocktails, wine and spirits to Tins of Glory challenges, brass bands, masterclasses, circus performances, vendor displays and beer games.
There will be live stage performances, eating competitions, food trucks, cocktail bars and silent discos. With something for everyone, this is one event you don’t want to miss.
International superstars
In big news, this year world-renowned German brewery, Schlenkerla, will be a special guest at the festival. Founded in 1405, Schlenkerla is one of only two breweries left in the world that use an open fire in its own in-house malt house to dry the malt. This ancient brewing technique creates a unique smoke-flavoured beer.
2025 GABS FESTIVAL DATES:
•Melbourne - Friday, April, 4-Saturday, April 5.
•Brisbane – Friday, May 23-Saturday, May 24.
•Sydney – Friday, May 30-Saturday, May 31.
Click here to purchase tickets.
