4 Plates Bad Ass Beer Run

4PBABR Rules for a great day out! 

Alright, no one likes rules for the sake of having rules so we only have the bare minimum to make sure we all have a great day and to keep it relatively safe. 

 

The Run

The 4 Plates Bad Ass Beer Run is a social, unofficial event.  Basically a group of likeminded people that like running, love beer and cherish having a great time.  The concept of the day is to drink a paddle or ‘plate’ of small beers at each brewery we visit and then run to the next one.

There is no definite route, it’s up to you to work out the best route for you to take.  The only rule with this is you must do it on foot i.e. running or walking.  (With the exception of the ‘ultra’ leg but more on that later).  

When you arrive at a brewery, order and pay for a paddle of beer of your choice, then drink them! The leg is completed once you finish your paddle of beers.  This becomes important later. The only exception to this is the first leg, which commences with a paddle to get things started.  

If this is your first 4 Plates Bad Ass Beer Run (4PBABR) you will be issued with a wooden paddle prior to the first drinks being ordered, you must carry it for the duration of the run.  This is your ‘trophy’ and you must have it with you at all times.  This is your paddle for life, you bring it with you for every subsequent 4PBABR you do.  These are hand made by Jonny Brereton, big shoutout to Jonny for the time, effort and materials to make this a key part of the run. 

 

Safety

As this is a fat ass run, there are no road closures, traffic control, marking etc…. Use your common sense when crossing roads, driveways and when running on the footpaths.  The idea is to have some fun.  No one needs to get hit by a car, bike or bloody electric scooter. 

As there is specific course you must follow, be conscious of where you choose to run.  Don’t run in the middle of the road, sprint across intersections or try and beat traffic.  Use crossings when available.  

 

The Beer

It’s a beer run, so the rules are that you order and drink a paddle of beer at each brewery.  Some have more beers than others in their paddles.  Ciders, ginger beer etc… aren’t really beer are they.  It’s an honestly system, no one is going to check your drinks, but you’ll know…. 

You can’t have two beers the same in your paddle.  All of the breweries we run to have a good selection of beers, so don’t pick 4 of the same for your paddle. 

There’s no alcohol percentage requirement, some like the really heavy stuff, while others might need a mid strength or two to make it to the end. 

 

Finishing

The finish line is considered reached upon completion of your paddle at Burleigh Brewing.  If you cannot complete all of your beers at any brewery, you’re considered to have DNF’d, if you use means other than running or walking all of the legs you’re a DNF.

You don’t need to complete the 5th leg to finish the run.  

 

The Leg

Start time 12pm.  Balter opens at 12pm so hopefully we’re the first lot through the doors! 

Leg 1- take it easy and get to know each other! 

Start point - Balter Brewery, 14 Traders Way Currumbin Waters

We kick off the day at Balter Brewery. New runners will get their paddle (and singlet if you haven’t received it prior).  Traditionally we all get our paddles and have our first sip together.  This is still the plan but if it gets too much with almost 40 people then we may just need to order and get into the drinking.  No one wants hot beer. 

We all leave together have a chat with someone you haven’t met before as the day gets off to a good start.  The first run leg is the longest (around 9km), from Balter to Black Hops in Burleigh Heads.  There’s a couple of different ways to go so make sure you’re not on your own if you’re not 100% how to get to Black Hops.  We will spread out over the course of the run.  

 

Leg 2 - The small venue

Black Hops, 15 Gradenia Grove Burleigh Heads

Black Hops has some fantastic beers and they are super cool there, but the venue is small.  I think if we all try to order at the same time, there could be a bit of a wait.  So when you get there, order straight away and start drinking!  You’ll be thirsty after the long run leg in the heat and the beers go down a treat.  They usually have a food truck too so you can grab a bite to eat if you’re keen.  

We all leave together! It’s a bit under 2km to the next stop so not far (there’s even an optional detour to grab a zinger burger from the colonel), which may mean a bit of a wait to order your beers but at least you can have a breather! 

 

Leg 3 - The Mates Plates Rule

Lost Palms, 11 Oak Ave Miami. 

Lost Palms has its own special rule knows as ‘Mates Plates.’  For this you need to pair up with someone that arrives around the same time as you and instead of picking your own beers you buy for each other.  You can choose to be cruel or kind.  Lost Palms have some interesting beer choices…. Strategy comes in to play here. 

Once you finish your beers wait for everyone to finish before starting the next leg. This is really important for this one. 

 

Leg 4 - The last leg (almost) 

Burleigh Brewing Company, 2 Ern Harley Dr, Burleigh Heads. 

Don’t be fooled by the address, it says Burleigh Heads but this brewery is closer to Reedy Creek or Varsity Lakes.  Its about a 7km run from Lost Palms depending on how well you know the route…. 

This is the traditional last leg and somehow this leg became a race.  That was never the intention but this whole adventure is continually evolving each year.  SO.. It’s an unofficial race to get the Burleigh Brewing, order beers and drink them.  The first person to finish their paddle at Burleigh Brewing will be crowned the ‘champ’ for 2022.  Now the safety part is pretty important here.  Everyone will have a few beers onboard by then, there’s two major roads to cross so please be smart, use the crossings if they’re there and avoid running on the road wherever possible.  This is a bit of a longer leg too so again if you’re not sure where to go make sure you stick together.  

Burleigh Brewing is pretty big place so we will all fit in here and can take out time to complete our drinks. 

As mentioned this is the tradition end to the run, so you can finish here and not be considered to have DNF’d.  But we’ve added one more leg for 2022….  If you do decide to wrap up at Burleigh Brewing make sure you let Ben Darcy know before you leave so you can get your finisher badge (if you finish all your beers!). 

 

Leg 5 - The ‘Ultra’ leg

Burleigh Barrels Brewery, 3-4/105 West Burleigh Rd, Burleigh Waters.

For the first time in the four years 4PBABR has been running we’ve added a 5th brewery.  This is a celebration leg, much like the last day of the Tour de France where everyone takes it easy and celebrates the winner.  You don’t have to run this leg to finish 4PBABR.  You can grab an Uber or an orange bike for the 2.5 - 3km trip down West Burleigh Rd.  If you do choose to do the run and drink the paddle at the end you’ll have completed the 4PBABR ‘ultra’ Run…. Which doesn’t really mean much. 

Burleigh Barrels has been added because it stays open a bit later the Burleigh Brewing (we get kick out every year), has great food for dinner and is a bit more central.  

We will do the presentations and wrap up at Burleigh Barrels.  

 

The OG Rules….

When we first ran the 4PBABR in 2019, it started with just 6 of us.  5 of the original 6 have run it every year and we had we made a decision that we could each introduce a rule on the day to ‘enhance’ the event.  This still stands, so either Hunter, Simon M, Carla, Jonny or Ben may have something a little extra in mind on the day! 

 

That’s about all the details there are for the run.  We will do a bit of a briefing at Balter before everyone steps off on the first run.