Flowers are as versatile as they are beautiful. You can grow them, pop them in a vase, wear them, eat them, and now you can even drink them!
Ready to blow the froth off a floral ale? Carnivale by 4 Brothers Brewing is a bloom infused beer crafter to honour this year’s Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers.
Adrian from 4 Brothers knows all too well that lots of love, and plenty of petals, went into creating this signature drop.
“This year we used Calendula flowers which is a pot marigold,” Adrian explained. “So every year we try to use a different edible flower and produce a beer with that.”
“It’s quite a vibrant yellow colour, should give some earthy but slighty pepper and spicy notes to the flavour as well.”
Attendees at this year’s Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers will be able to taste this golden drop at the event’s food and wine festival.
“It’ll be canned just before the carnival starts and we’ll have some cans available up at Queens Park for the Food and Wine Festival and we’ll also have some cans here and it’ll be on tap down at the brewhouse here as well.”
Another tipple taking centre-stage at the event is Toowoomba’s home-grown gin.
Pechey Distilling Company is the city’s first artisan distillery, set in the ‘high country hamlets’ region.
This was a dairy farm 150 years ago but milk has made way for a more spirited drink.
John O’Brien runs the distillery with his son and master distiller Ben O’Brien-Pechey.
“We use many of the botanicals out of the garden,” John explained. “Cumquats from a hundred year old tree that was planted by Ben’s Great Grandfather, grapefruit from a tree that was planted by his Grandmother and also lemon and anise myrtle.”
“Because you’ve got so many varieties of citrus, of floral and also fruit elements and also botanicals that you can use so you can really let your mind wander.”
The Food and Wine Festival is a firm favourite on the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers calendar – 3 days of music, flowers and flavours. This year, much-loved celebrity chef, Julie Goodwin, will lead the line-up of flavour-makers.
Arguably the big ticket event at the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is the Grand Central Parade, an extravaganza of floral floats winding its way through the city heart.
Georgina Bayly from Grand Central says this year’s procession has a very special theme.
“This year the theme is reflect, connect and sparkle and we’re really looking forward to seeing so many floats dressed up and ready for the theme of their sparkling best,” she said. “Across the Grand Central Floral Parade, we’re looking at about 65 different groups being a part of the parade this year and it’s going to be a fun, festive, cultural experience.”
Make sure you draw a big pink circle around September on your calendar because the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers takes over the entire month!
The Food & Wine Festival happens in Queens Park from Friday 9th to Sunday 11th September while the Grand Central Floral Parade brings Spring to the streets on Saturday 17th September.
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers
1-30 September 2022
tcof.com.au
