Hear ye all craft spirit devotees, Holy Water Craft Distillery Festival is coming to Melbourne this August.
Don’t let the name fool you, this is no chaste affair. Holy Water is tuning into the rising popularity of small distilleries and giving the people what they want. Expect a three-day showcase of cocktails, tasting notes, and serving suggestions to accompany the 30-plus distilleries presenting their wares. The festival will take place at Seaworks in Williamstown for three huge days, from Friday, August 26 to Sunday, August 28, giving you plenty of time to taste your way through Victoria's most delicious spirits.
The masterminds behind this celebration are Rachelle Watson and Zoe Beyer, experts in the large-scale festival arena and author and cocktail producer Shaun Byrne. The team have brought together some of Victoria’s best bartenders, chefs, and producers, leading you on an artisan journey your tastebuds won’t soon forget.
More than a standard food and drink festival, this elevated event has the element of (easy) city escape, located at the seaside, Williamstown. Nab tickets for Saturday, August 27 to really lean into the coastal experience with a ferry ride to the festivities. Hop aboard a ferry service dubbed, The Reveller, where you will be greeted with cocktails, live tunes from Joey Lightbulb, and nibbles as you enjoy the leisurely trip from Southgate to Williamstown. Arrive for a four-hour Holy Water session packed with tastings, masterclasses, and more live entertainment before you re-board The Reveller once more for the trip home.
The stars of this event will, of course, be the many drops available for you to try and buy from Australia’s best-established and emerging distilleries, including over ninety different specialty cocktails. Friendly faces from the likes of Grainshaker Vodka, East Pole Gin, NED Whisky, JimmyRum and many more will be serving up their specialties, talking you through every flavour. The festival’s main bars will serve all the classics including beer and mulled wine, low and no alcohol options, plus hot toddies to complete the winter festival vibes.
To balance out your sips, Holy Water has a few next-level food offerings in the mix. Think all the standard festival fare taken up a level to match the artisan vibes of the festival—we're talking caviar bump kind of level. You’ll also get to nibble away at many grazing stations that are a journey of flavour with each mouthful. There is even a Cocktails & Oysters masterclass hosted by Pearl Diver's Alex Boon, where tasting the flavours of the sea is very much encouraged.
That brings us to the true value of the Holy Water Craft Distillery Festival—their epic programme, including the intricacies of Australian Agave, how to make a proper Martini and No-Lo Cocktails for anyone who wants to cut back on the booze without sacrificing enjoyment. Your $65, four-hour ticket, will include all of the previously mentioned perks, plus you’ll get the chance to reserve your place in a range of these specialist masterclasses, and boogie along to tunes from Queenie, DJ Liam McGorry and more.
THE DETAILS
What: Holy Water Craft Distillery Festival
When: Friday 26 to Sunday 28 August
Where: Williamstown
Price: $65
Itching for an evening of drinking, eating, and information sharing set to a backdrop of ocean views and live tunes? Book your four-hour session here.
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