sport, cricket,
Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, the first event at Manuka Oval since February and, thanks to coronavirus, fewer fans lining up for new beers on tap at the cricket. Australia’s clash against India on Wednesday will signal the start of summer in the capital, with the world’s best batsmen to go head to head in what is expected to be a one-day international runs fest. But there will be changes when fans return to Manuka Oval for the first time in months. Crowds will be kept at a distance, bags aren’t allowed to remove the need for security checks and punters will be at least two rows away from their idols on the pitch. A few fresh offerings have also hit the ground in the season with a difference. Bentspoke Brewing and Capital Brewing Co beers will join international staples at Manuka Oval to entice the 6000 strong crowd set to fill the stadium across eight matches this month. Venues Canberra chief operations officer Matt Elkins said handing pourage rights to the Canberra vendors, who will join mainstay Lion, had been considered before, but they didn’t make the leap until 2020. Mr Elkins expected they would be there to stay. ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has been pushing for the chance to get Canberra businesses in on major sporting events for some time, to give patrons more choice and give small traders a better chance. The ACT options aren’t the cheapest on the menu, which reaches double digits for some brews, but they are on par with your standard selection. Hahn Light is the cheapest option at $7.50, while XXXX Gold will set you back $9. Bentspoke’s Silly Mid On, made in just ten days especially for the event, costs $9 or $10 for schooner. Capital has two beers available which each come in at $10. Mr Elkins said there was an entry price and a premium price across the range on offer. “A big part of it is the experience as well, people do love the concept that there’s a great entry level price but then they … [can] support a Canberra brand as well,” he said. Knocking-out a new brew in a little over a week was a challenge, Bentspoke founder Richard Watkins said, but after a difficult year, it was one they were ready for. “It was a tight timeline, but that’s what all good brewers do they can turn out great beers, specific beers for these great events,” he said. Capital Brewing’s Dan Watters hoped the brands would stay on the stadium menu next year, as Canberra opens to more sporting events in a post-pandemic world. “This is just the start and hopefully it is going to lead to bigger things,” he said. Mr Watters said the business worked to keep the price “reasonable” but competitive. “We’ve done our best to keep the beer at a reasonable price at the cricket, we want the game day experience to be the best it can be, and that means not paying too much for your beer,” he said. ACT Business Minister Tara Cheyne said the “momentous” occasion was something the community had been waiting for. “We’re coming into this season where I think there’s a real sense of hope and optimism and a real sense of urgency as well,” she said. “I think Canberrans especially really want to put their money where their mouth is.” Ms Cheyne said Canberrans were keen to support the brands “made by their neighbour or a friend of a friend, or someone down the street”. “When you’ve got that high quality product we do see people are willing to pay for it and to support local,” she said.
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Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, the first event at Manuka Oval since February and, thanks to coronavirus, fewer fans lining up for new beers on tap at the cricket.
Australia’s clash against India on Wednesday will signal the start of summer in the capital, with the world’s best batsmen to go head to head in what is expected to be a one-day international runs fest.
But there will be changes when fans return to Manuka Oval for the first time in months.
Crowds will be kept at a distance, bags aren’t allowed to remove the need for security checks and punters will be at least two rows away from their idols on the pitch.
A few fresh offerings have also hit the ground in the season with a difference.
Bentspoke Brewing and Capital Brewing Co beers will join international staples at Manuka Oval to entice the 6000 strong crowd set to fill the stadium across eight matches this month.
Venues Canberra chief operations officer Matt Elkins said handing pourage rights to the Canberra vendors, who will join mainstay Lion, had been considered before, but they didn’t make the leap until 2020. Mr Elkins expected they would be there to stay.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has been pushing for the chance to get Canberra businesses in on major sporting events for some time, to give patrons more choice and give small traders a better chance.
The ACT options aren’t the cheapest on the menu, which reaches double digits for some brews, but they are on par with your standard selection.
Hahn Light is the cheapest option at $7.50, while XXXX Gold will set you back $9.
Bentspoke’s Silly Mid On, made in just ten days especially for the event, costs $9 or $10 for schooner.
Capital has two beers available which each come in at $10.
Mr Elkins said there was an entry price and a premium price across the range on offer.
“A big part of it is the experience as well, people do love the concept that there’s a great entry level price but then they … [can] support a Canberra brand as well,” he said.
BentSpoke Co-owner Richard Watkins with Bentspoke and Capital Brewing Co beers, which will be available at Manuka Oval for the first time on Wednesday. Picture: Matt Loxton
Knocking-out a new brew in a little over a week was a challenge, Bentspoke founder Richard Watkins said, but after a difficult year, it was one they were ready for.
“It was a tight timeline, but that’s what all good brewers do they can turn out great beers, specific beers for these great events,” he said.
Capital Brewing’s Dan Watters hoped the brands would stay on the stadium menu next year, as Canberra opens to more sporting events in a post-pandemic world.
“This is just the start and hopefully it is going to lead to bigger things,” he said.
Mr Watters said the business worked to keep the price “reasonable” but competitive.
“We’ve done our best to keep the beer at a reasonable price at the cricket, we want the game day experience to be the best it can be, and that means not paying too much for your beer,” he said.
ACT Business Minister Tara Cheyne said the “momentous” occasion was something the community had been waiting for.
“We’re coming into this season where I think there’s a real sense of hope and optimism and a real sense of urgency as well,” she said.
“I think Canberrans especially really want to put their money where their mouth is.”
Ms Cheyne said Canberrans were keen to support the brands “made by their neighbour or a friend of a friend, or someone down the street”.
“When you’ve got that high quality product we do see people are willing to pay for it and to support local,” she said.
