Keeping Local Alive

The #keepinglocalalive campaign sprung into life as Australia's national shutdown approached and helped galvanise the beer industry and the wider community that surrounds it.

While there have been casualties along the way – and some businesses and beer lovers have done it tougher than others – for the most part, we're still standing a year on. As the stories below highlight, the brewing, hospitality and retail sectors proved to be agile, adaptable and innovative to ensure they made it to where we are now: not out of the woods completely, but able to look forward with increasingly, if cautious, optimism.

One silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic is that support for local breweries, bars and pubs has never been stronger – and we want to see it get stronger still. That comes down to the choices you make every time you buy a beer or go for a meal.

The future of local beer – it's STILL in your hands.

Postcards from the Edge

 

The Keeping Local Alive campaign was sparked by an article of the same name addressing the mounting challenges faced by the beer industry in the week before the nationwide lockdown.

Since then, The Crafty Pint has run a series of articles from the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis in the local beer community under the Postcards from the Edge banner. A mix of inspirational innovations, personal tales and the challenges businesses and individuals are facing, it sits alongside the photo stories on the #keepinglocalalive Facebook page and The Crafty Pint's Instagram as a document of this remarkable period in time – both for the local beer world and the world at large.

You can find all the stories below – and get in touch if you have a story you think should be there.


Postcards from the Edge No.27: Bunker Down

May 14, 2020 by Will Ziebell

For the team at The Welder's Dog in northern New South Wales, the challenges of dealing with COVID-19 have brought them new partners, new customers and a new approach for their business going ahead.


Postcards From The Edge No.59: The Indies Reinvented

November 11, 2020 by Will Ziebell

Most major beer events have been cancelled in Australia this year. But, having had to cull most of theirs, the IBA was determined the Indies awards would survive. We found out how they reworked it for our COVID times.


Postcards from the Edge No.41: Let There Be Gin

June 29, 2020 by Mick Wust

In the space of a few months, Lee McAlister-Smiley, founder of Brisbane's White Lies Brewing, has gone from having no idea how to make hand sanitiser to producing wasabi gin alongside his beers.


Postcards from the Edge No.26: Hanging On By A Thread

May 8, 2020 by Guy Southern

This Postcards series has shown how many businesses connected to beer and hospo have suffered. Guy Southern joined Short Batch as they printed #keepinglocalalive t-shirts and we chatted to CraftyMerch about their roller coaster ride.


Postcards from the Edge No.17: Winston's Winners

April 17, 2020 by Dorian Broomhall

The Winston name is one that shares a close connection to craft beer in Tasmania and, while the North Hobart pub might be temporarily shut, Winston Cellars has opened with some slightly serendipitous timing.


Postcards from the Edge No.9: Big Easy's Virtual Venue

April 1, 2020 by Will Ziebell

As soon as they saw the writing on the wall the team behind three Adelaide venues pivoted fast, creating a new online service recreating the experience of their venues as best as possible and keeping many staff employed.

READ MORE POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE

Take Care

 

These remain difficult times for employees and business owners across the industry. Look after each other. 

For more information or support surrounding mental health issues, you can contact:

* Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36

* Lifeline on 13 11 14 

* Movember Conversations is an interactive tool from the Movember mental health team