The Great Australian Beer Festival will be held in QEII Square on December 2, providing hundreds of beers and ciders to sample.

Organisers Michael Ward and Kieran Blood, of Australian Beer Ambassadors, announced details of the festival on Friday, with tickets due to go on sale in mid-July.

Mr Ward and Mr Blood have held five similar festivals in Geelong, which attract a reported 5000 people each year.

Mr Ward said the day would also include live entertainment, food and a series of free interactive masterclasses.

“We’re really aiming to stimulate more than just people’s taste buds, we’re just out there to engage and have a great time,” he said.

“It’s a bit like edu-tainment as well, it’s educating people about brewing and a lot of people home brew now.

“With craft beer being popular all over the world, it just seemed a no-brainer.” 

He assured patrons the festival was committed to responsible drinking and did not promote mass consumption.

“It is all about tasting the varieties of beers and ciders,” Mr Ward said.

“It’s beer tasting and appreciation, no Oktoberfest or swill fest.”

Albury mayor Kevin Mack said the Great Australian Beer Festival would be a terrific addition to Albury’s events calendar.

“The offering of handcrafted beers, ciders, wines, expert workshops about the science of brewing and matching with gourmet foods makes the event attractive to a wide range of people,” Cr Mack said.

“We congratulate the organisers, Michael and Kieran, who we’ve been working with over a number of months, for bringing another great event to the city.”

Mr Ward said Albury’s location, all-weather venue options and regional brewing scene had influenced their decision.

“Albury’s an oasis between two of Australia’s biggest cities,” he said.

“There are some of the best artisanal brewers in the country right at your doorstep.

“It’s great to be able to explore all the offerings out there.”