Festival promises distilled enjoyment

GEORGE NEWS - The 4th Thousand Sensations Craft Beer, Spirits & Food Festival returns to The Wilderness Hotel this September for the Garden Route's most notable craft beer festival.

Over the weekend of 15 and 16 September, 40 craft brewers are set to showcase more than 170 handcrafted beers and ciders to an anticipated crowd of over 3 000 sensation seekers.

The brewers will be joined by eight craft distilleries, Tapanga Rum, Six Dogs, Black Mountain and Fynbos Distilleries among them, presenting whisky, brandy, vodka, gin and rum to those who prefer their tipple stronger.

The festival's wine needs are catered to by two wineries, with ReedValley from Mossel Bay making their first appearance. A variety of handmade, delicious, non-alcoholic alternatives, such as Malt-drink Breva and Pomegranate will also be on offer.

As always the menu boasts craft food too. The Wilderness Hotel and 10 gourmet food stalls will keep stomachs full and satisfied throughout the weekend.

Entertainment isn't in short supply either. Musical talents Andra, Riaan Smit, Kevin Leo, Behind Two Jays, Jonty Hendrix, Wade and others will ensure a total of 16 hours of live music entertainment. BMW Pure Craft Bikes promise to keep bike fans spell-bound for the second year running with their custom craft bikes, and Rotolabel affords an opportunity to experience first-hand the impact of quality labels.

Building on the success of last year's pre-festival events, three pairing sessions featuring eight different beers are scheduled for George, Oudtshoorn and Wilderness respectively, adding to the buzz created in the run-up to the festival. A special thanks to Wesgro for their support and marketing assistance.

This year a shuttle service, courtesy of King Fisher Restaurant in George, will run between the restaurant and the Wilderness Hotel.

Entry to the festival is only R90 per person per day, and includes a 340ml branded tasting glass, and 500ml of craft beer. For more information, stay tuned to Thousand Sensation's broadcasting partner Algoa FM or contact Alewijn Dippenaar on 082 457 5675.

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