Craft beer stalwart Yak Brewing has launched a national competition to find the best pub meals, with a public vote and panel of experts to crown winners in five categories.
Matilda Bay Brewing Company was formed in 1984 in Fremantle, embracing the styles emerging from the American north-west, using Cascade hops to first brew Alpha Pale Ale.
In 2008 an ‘easier-drinking’ formula was created, bringing to life Fat Yak, quickly becoming the country’s leading craft beer.
More recently Lazy Yak and then Wild Yak have been added to the line-up, offering an easy-going American Pale Ale and a fruity, tropical Pacific Ale, respectively.
Yak Brewing is now on the hunt for the best pub meals – which it says is often the site of a Yak beverage being enjoyed.
“Finding the nation’s best pub meals is a way for us to give Australia’s best the attention they deserve, with the right beer to go with it,” offers marketing director Chris Maxwell.
Venues are not required to have a contract with CUB to enter the competition, but winners will be required to stock one or more beverages from the Yak Brewing portfolio. The brewer will work with any finalists that don’t carry Yak to ensure eligibility.
Both punters and publicans can nominate their favourite dish and the public will vote throughout September.
The top three meals in each category will then be reviewed and judged by a panel of experts, led by Australian comedian and pub food aficionado, Harley Breen.
After 19 years touring as a comedian and a regular at the pub bistro, Breen says the Yak team approached him about promoting the experience of dining at the local pub.
“Wait, you want me to travel Australia drinking beer, eating food and meeting Aussies in pubs? … Sounds horrible, I’ll do it!
“Touring can be exhausting. What makes it easier is knowing you can get a good feed somewhere. Whether it’s a show in a regional town or in a city, the one place that any touring artist knows they can get a good feed, a great beer and a yarn with a local is the Aussie pub.”
The shortlisted venues will be announced in October, with the winners in each category coming together for The Hungry Yak pop-up pub later this year in Melbourne.
The five meal categories are:
- Chicken Parmigiana or Schnitzel
- Steak
- Burger
- Fish and Chips
- Pork Ribs
For more information or to enter, go to thehungryyak.com.au.