Blogpost: Cheers Fest - Sydney

Posted by T • November 7, 2018

Posted by T • November 7, 2018

Cheers Fest

Sydney, Australia

November 3, 2018

Cheers Fest is a new beer-centric festival, focusing on the finer craft and independently owned Australian breweries as well as artisanal liquid emissions from New Zealand.

The triumvirate of offering the opportunity to sample exquisite beers, enjoy a wide variety of great sustenance and being set against the iconic location that is The Cutaway at Sydney’s Barangaroo district make this festival one of the more enjoyable ones amongst a myriad of competitors. The fact that Cheers Fest is a concerted effort to celebrate the distinction from mainstream beer offerings is a bonus.

The Saturday afternoon session we visited was pervaded by a convivial and family friendly air without lacking the electric atmosphere with the next discovery just around the corner.

There was ample opportunity to to chat to the brewers and learn how they channel their alchemy.

We’ve had a chance to meet some of the protagonists behind the breweries we have covered previously, i.e. Two Birds Brewing, Young Henry's, Kaiju! and it was fantastic to see that meeting them in the third dimension is a natural extension of what their golden emissions promised with the passion for their products being their main driver.

New breweries we discovered were e.g. Akasha Brewing with their excellent Hopsmith IPA. The fact that they have recently collaborated with Ardbeg and Bruichladdich in the past, made us decide to work on a dedicated feature on their operations.

Another newcomer was Sauce Brewing Co. Their Bubble and Squeak NEIPA was a winner and plans were made on the spot to embark to visit their brewery in the foreseeable future.

The Food Alley proved to be a smorgasbord of eclectic offerings world apart from the uninspired  fair that is usually proffered at beer fests and a Food Pairing Guide with recommendations was part of the festival brochure, e.g. the on point recommendation to pair Mr Bao’s Confit Duck Bao with Frenchies Bistro & Brewery’s excellent Northern French style Astrolabe, whose caramelised mal flavours and light body complimented the culinary French / Chinese hybrid.

The first incarnation of Cheers Fest was framed by non-stop music performances, which serenaded the proceedings in a non-intrusive, well-calibrated manner, and rounded out a festival that should be on the calendar of anyone who is remotely interested in craft beers.

---

Photos by T

T • November 7, 2018

More recent blogposts

Coheed and Cambria, Taking Back Sunday and Foxing

Posted by Mirela Z. • August 27, 2025

Coheed and Cambria, Taking Back Sunday, Foxing Budweiser Stage Toronto, Canada August 24, 2025 What a treat catching two great bands Taking Back Sunday and Coheed and Cambria co-headlining on their 2025 North American tour. Special guest Foxing, from St. Louis, Missouri, opened the night with a 30 minute set, weaving delicate melodies into explosive waves of emotion that filled … Read more

Chevelle – Bright as Blasphemy tour 2025

Posted by Mirela Z. • August 23, 2025

Chevelle @ Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, Canada August 20, 2025 That feeling, when you’re having the best experience ever, and you don’t want it to end! Chevelle delivered a powerful headlining performance marking a high-energy stop on their 38-date North American Bright as Blasphemy tour, with supporting acts Dead Poet Society and Asking Alexandria setting the stage. A wall … Read more

Less Than Jake Summer Circus @ RMA 8/1/25

Posted by Aaron H • August 6, 2025

Less Than Jake - Credit: AMH The circus is in town. Less Than Jake are currently on their Summer Circus Tour promoting their latest EP, Uncharted. They've brought along ska and punk legends Fishbone and The Suicide Machines and ska newcomers, Catbite. Together, they've melded a perfect mish-mash of bands suitable for all ages. Riverside was in for a good … Read more

The Hives @ Enmore Theatre

Posted by T • July 26, 2025

The Hives Enmore Theatre Sydney, Australia July 23, 2025 Let’s be clear: The Hives didn’t play a show. They detonated one. On a cool Sydney night at the Enmore Theatre, the Swedish kings of garage rock stormed the stage like tuxedoed insurgents, staging a velvet-clad coup d’état against anything remotely resembling restraint. It wasn’t a concert. It was controlled chaos … Read more

Gob @ Peterborough Music Festival

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 22, 2025

Gob @ Peterborough Music Festival Peterborough, Ontario, Canada July 19, 2025 Gob nailed their set, energizing both die‑hard and casual fans alike. The band’s punchy hooks and raw performance had the crowd bouncing throughout the 90‑minute set, delivering both nostalgia and vitality. A perfect addition to a summer night in Peterborough! All photos by @front.row.fans Read more

Murder City Devils/Animal Self @ GHCH 7/12/25

Posted by Aaron H • July 17, 2025

Murder City Devils - Credit: AMH The Murder City Devils don't get out much anymore, so when the opportunity presented itself, I made my way down to Pomona to catch one of the 2 shows they had lined up in California. They brought along Animal Self, which features Kareem Karam and Coady Willis from Murder City Devils as well as … Read more

Daryl Gussin - A Year In Submission

Posted by Jiffy Marx • July 16, 2025

Can't say my review of it will be as well written or entertaining as this book of 50 poems by Daryl Gussin. Daryl is the managing editor of Razorcake. Daryl was in an awesome punk band called God Equals Genocide. Daryl is my friend but also possibly my spirit animal. Part of me wonders if the leather jacket that Daryl … Read more

Tripping Daisy North American Tour 2025

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 13, 2025

Tripping Daisy @ Lee's Palace Toronto, Canada July 11, 2025 Tripping Daisy brought us back to 1995 and sounded better than ever! When the crowd sings along 30 years later there’s no better feeling! All photos by @front.row.fans Read more

Death from Above 1979

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 6, 2025

Death from Above 1979 @ SummerStage New York, USA July 2, 2025 Death from Above 1979 tore through SummerStage with pure, unfiltered energy. The Toronto duo delivered a thunderous set packed with fuzzed-out bass, pounding drums, and raw vocals that had the crowd thrashing from the first note. From classics like “Romantic Rights” to newer bangers, the band was tight, … Read more

Sum 41 @ Scotiabank Arena

Posted by Mirela Z. • June 19, 2025

Sum 41 final shows - day 1 of 2 Scotiabank Arena Toronto Canada Jan. 28, 2025 All photos by @front.row.fans   Read more