Taking it to the next level: The Winter Forage

Posted on 22 June, 2017

This winter The Forage is even more delicious with more vendors than ever before and its very own, Forage beer.

Next Saturday 1 July, The Forage will roll into the Little National Hotel’s car park in Barton for an entire afternoon of delicious festivities.

If you’ve been living under a very deprived rock, The Forage is Canberra’s seasonal food truck festival where epicurean vans and stalls from across the region gather in Barton for your dining pleasure. Since starting three years ago, The Forage has been expanding with each event and this Forage will be their biggest ever, with over 40 offerings in total.

The Forage.

The weather might be crisp, but there will be plenty of ways to warm up, including fire drums to warm your hands over, local spirits, hot chocolates and The Forage’s very own beer!

“Bentspoke Brewery approached us with the idea to create a bespoke beer that reflects what the Forage is about,” says Belinda Neame, who founded The Forage in 2014 with her husband Tim Bean. “So we put our heads together and talked about flavours and how we could bring another local ingredient on board to make it a truly local beer, because local is what we’re all about.”

Belinda says the beer is a reflection of both the event and the season.

“We took into consideration the time of year and thought that since it’s winter, it had to be something that warmed. Beer is often seen as a summer drink so we wanted to add elements that made it hearty and warming.”

Naturally, chocolate was suggested.

“When the idea of chocolate came up, I was adamant that we should get one of our chocolate producers on board and naturally thought of Jasper and Myrtle who have been at The Forage for over a year,” explains Belinda. “We then thought about what element might pair with chocolate and the winter atmosphere.”

So what do you pair with chocolate?

“Chilli! Tim loves chilli so we got five kilos of chillis from the Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets. It was a hilarious experience cutting up five kilos of chillis to combine with cocoa butter! ” laughs Belinda.

“We spent the day at Bentspoke and we made the beer with owners Richard and Tracy overseeing us – we had so much fun.”

Belinda and the team have created 1200 litres of the beer which will be on sale on the day – stay tuned for the reveal of the name!

Aside from their yet-to-be-named-Forage Beer, what else is on the menu?

Le Petit Breton

Image: Tim Bean Photography

East Street Canberra 

Image: instagram.com/annaj31

Wandering Wood Fire Oven

Papa Laci 

The Brathaus 

Image: Tim Bean Photography

Kusina 

Little Wu Jianbing 

Lazy Su 

Credit: Tim Bean Photography

Two Smoking Barrels 

Tikka Stand 

Uncle Juan’s

Mr Papa 

Image: Tim Bean Photography

Pialligo Estate 

Credit: Tim Bean Photography

Three Mills Bakery

Photography by Martin Ollman

Sweets

Hungry Brown Cows 

Image: instagram.com/hungrybrowncows

Loose Gourmet Churros

Cannoli Brothers 

Image: facebook.com/CannoliBrothers.CBR

Bombolini

Image: Tim Bean Photography

Enigma Fine Chocolates

Jasper & Myrtle Chocolates

Credit: Tim Bean Photography

AND TO DRINK…

BING BANG MULLED WINE

Credit: Bec Doyle Photography

Baldwin Distilling Company

Mount Majura Vineyard

Shaw Vineyard 

The Canberra Distillery 

Image: Tim Bean Photography

Quarry Hill Wines

The Pop Inn Wine Bar 

Bentspoke 

NEW VENDORS FOR WINTER

• The Italian Traveller
• Method Coffee
• Gift of our Earth (Kombucha stand)
• La Empanada
• Yangoora Close
• Twins Pantry
• Fungi Co
• Cracking Corn

STALLS GALORE!

Honey&Glow 

Stockman Sticks

Image: Tim Bean Photography

The River Kitchen

Make it last a little longer…

But why leave the fun there? The Little National Hotel, the very location of the Forage is offering you the chance to turn an indulgent Saturday into an epic staycation.

Their 24-hour package is $189 and includes complimentary drinks in The Lounge, access to Hale Gym + Spa (located just around the corner) with a 25% spa discount voucher, a $15 food voucher to be redeemed at The Forage, early arrival and late check out, parking and on-demand movies and Wi-Fi so you can literally roll yourself upstairs after a big day at the Forage.

the essentials

What: The Winter Forage
When: Saturday 1 July from 2-7pm
Where: The car park of the Little National Hotel, 21 National Circuit, Barton
Web: theforage.com.au