The Victorians started before the Sydney mob, initially operating in Melbourne. But the event quickly expanded to include beer tastings, dinners and other activities across Victoria. The website for this year's event (goodbeerweek.com.au), for example, promises 250 events in 180 venues state-wide.

At this planning stage, the Sydney website (sydneycraftbeerweek.com) offers little info, other than the event dates.

However, reports of last year's huge success with Sydneysiders, including our beer scout, Mr Malty, suggests we'll see more beers and beards than ever before.

Organisers claim the event doubled in size each year from its inception in 2011, and last year offered 130 events in 60 venues. They expect even more activity this year.

May 16-24, Victoria; October 17-25, Sydney – now there's a couple of dates for the diary.

Badlands Pale Ale
★★★
330ml $3.75

From Orange, NSW, comes this interpretation of the English pale ale style. The colour is mid golden, with a yeast haze, indicating bottle conditioning. The mild and pleasing palate combines gentle, sweet malt and the pungent flavour and lingering, clean bitterness of Goldings hops. Points deducted as the head faded quickly.

Jennings Sneck Lifter Dark Strong Ale
★★★½
500ml $7.15

The sturdy head and deep mahogany colour suggest something of the power to come on the palate of this Lake District, England, beer. The malt aroma and flavour, reminiscent of dark, bitter chocolate and roasted coffee beans, carries through the palate into the lingering bitter aftertaste.