News & Feature Stories
The Australian International Beer Awards at 30
The country's biggest beer competition, the Australian International Beer Awards, takes place for the 30th time this May. Here, we take a stroll down Memory Lane with some of the key figures from the past three decades.
Ziebs' Final Letter From America
In the last of his Letters From America, posted as he awaited a boarding call in LAX, Will Ziebell reflects on a few days spent exploring the breweries of San Diego on a hunt for the perfect West Coast IPA.
Australian Beer Industry Diversity Survey 2022
The first Industry Diversity Survey was carried out by Beer Agents For Change in 2021. The group, which is working towards a more divers and inclusive industry for all, published the results of its second survey in May 2023.
Blackflag's GABS Beer Raises A Red Flag
The name and branding of a new release from Blackflag Brewing has come in for criticism from inside and outside the beer industry.
Letters From America: Aussie First-Timers
More than 10,000 attended the 2023 Craft Brewers Conference, among them a number of Australians. Will Ziebell caught up with a few of the first-time attendees to find out why they were there and what they'd learned along the way.
Who Brews On Point Beers?
Alexandra's old butter factory has been brought back to life by two best mates who've known each other since high school. We got in touch to find out more about On Point Brewery, which opened to the public at the tail end of 2022.
Ziebs' Letters From America Part 2
With the Craft Brewers Conference and World Beer Cup wrapped up, Will Ziebell has moved onto Denver. Here, he reflects on his experiences in Nashville, the issues raised there, and the delicious IPA awaiting him in the Colorado capital.
The People Of Pint Of Origin
In one sense, Pint of Origin is all about the beer, the brewers and the venues hosting them. But it's also about bringing people together to go on shared adventures. Here, we celebrate some of the people of #PoO.
Crafty Crawls: Newcastle Part I
Four years on from our first Crafty Crawl through Newcastle and the beer scene has evolved so much it now warrants two editions. First up, we take a tram then hit the pavement, heading east to west through the city's heart.
Bucketty's Claim Another Medal At The World Beer Cup
Northern Beaches-based Bucketty's are one of the smaller operations in Australia but continue to punch above their weight. For the second year running, they've claimed a medal at the world's biggest beer comp, the World Beer Cup.
Get more Crafty!
Sign up to our newsletters and get the latest craft beer news delivered free to your inbox. Choose from our Friday Roundup of the week, the quick-read, social feed-like Crafty Cuppa – or both!
Pint of Origin 2023: Meet The Aussies
Pint of Origin kicks off for an 11th time this Friday, bringing almost 1,000 different beers to 20 of the city's best pubs and bars from May 12 to 21. In our second preview, we take a look at what to expect from the Aussie venues.
Getting Bigger In Japan
Collaborations have long been part of craft beer culture, and Pint of Origin 2023 will see one host venue take things to another level. We caught up with Benchwarmer founder Locky and his Japanese partners to find out more.
Ziebs' Letters From America Part I
Crafty Pint senior writer Will Ziebell is in the States for the Craft Brewers Conference but is taking the opportunity to do some exploring too. In his first missive, he reports back on his experiences in Nashville before the formalities start.
Who Brews Hiker Beers?
A celebration of the great outdoors, beers ranging from Scottish light ale to highly-rated hazy IPA, and a big airy venue with a place for everyone. Meet Hiker Brewing Concern in this instalment of our Who Brews...? series.
Drinks Marketplace Kaddy Goes Into Administration
Kaddy, an online marketplace connecting Australian drinks producers with retailers and venues, has gone into voluntary administration. The news comes in the same week that online retailer Boozebud entered administration too.
Hip Hops Hooray: Brendale Gets A New Brewery
After countless delays, Hip Hops Brewers are about ready to open in Brendale. Owner Shaun Reeves told us about his 21 tap venue set to host live entertainment and be a place for locals to relax and create.
Pint of Origin 2023: Meet The Internationals
Pint of Origin returns to Melbourne for an 11th time on May 12, bringing almost 1,000 different beers to 20 of the city's best pubs and bars over ten days. In the first part of our preview, we roundup the highlights at the international venues.
HPA Eclipse Past Years In The 2023 Hop Harvest
As they release their 2023 crop report, we spoke to Australia's largest hop grower, Hop Products Australia, about their faith in their latest commercial variety, Eclipse, what's on the horizon, and the wider world of hops.
Who Brews As The Brewers Collective?
Bendigo has garnered a fine reputation for beer over the years, with festivals, bars and even its own beer-pushing association. Yet it didn't have a brewpub. Until now. Meet the homebrewers gone pro behind the Brewers Collective.
Crafty Crawls: The Breweries Of Marrickville
Five years on from our first Marrickville Crafty Crawl and much has changed, while some has remained the same. Join Benedict Kennedy-Cox for a guided tour of the most brewery-soaked suburb in the land.
Ferveo's New Form Of Yeast For Brewers
Ferveo is a yeast company that's been working with Adelaide brewers for some time before officially launching with an innovative range. Here, Tommaso Watson tells us about his journey from winemaking to wort-wrangling.
Beer Grows Here: The Devilbend Farm
The paddock-to-plate philosophy runs deep on the Mornington Peninsula and myriad wineries let you enjoy a glass while looking at the vines that were the source of your enjoyment. Devilbend Farm Beer is a new brewery that is growing its own grains, hops and plans to make estate ales.
Pint of Origin Merch – Available Now!
Pint of Origin returns to Melbourne from May 12 to 21, with almost 1,000 different beers from across the planet set to hit taps at 20 Melbourne pubs and bars. And now festival fans can get their hands on the first ever official merch.
Infusion Malt: Belgian Innovation, Aussie Roots
Malt doesn't tend to elicit the same excitement in craft beer circles as hops or even yeast yet it sets the stage for all beer. A recent innovation looks set to boost excitement levels, however, and driving it is an Australian brewer.
Bootsy's Business Of Beer
This year has been a challenging one for breweries large and small. Nick Boots is a longtime industry member eager to support indie breweries, which has led him to launch The Business of Beer. We got in touch to find out what he's planning.
So Fresh: The Rise Of WA's Hop Growers
The South West might be best known for wine and beaches, but now it's not just the brewing community that's growing fast: these days the region has multiple small-scale hop growers making an impact on the local beer industry.
Get Your Hands On The Pint Of Origin Golden Passport!
Pint of Origin returns to Melbourne from May 12 to 21. It's bigger than ever, with around 1,000 beers hitting taps at 20 of the city's best pubs and bars. And you don't have to wait that long to get involved – there's a Golden Passport up for grabs!
Abbl: For Local Brewers From A Local Brewer
Typically, brewers like to make beer but, day-to-day, running a brewery can involve doing everything else. Abbl is a new brewery management software designed to help cut down on paperwork, designed by a small brewery.
High Country Hop Technical Symposium – The Presentations
Ahead of the 2023 High Country Hop festival, Bridge Road Brewers put on a Technical Symposium sponsored by the Independent Brewers Association. We MC'd and recorded the day, and you can listen to all of the sessions here.
Six String: Ten Lessons From Ten Years
It wasn't easy for Six String to open the doors of their Central Coast brewery but, ten years on, their local community seems lucky to have them. Here, we invite founders Chris and Sharon Benson to reflect on their first decade of beers.
Range Go Out On The Patio
Range Brewing have a brand new Brisbane venue on the way, going by the name of Patio. We chatted with the team to find out about their plans for Paddington as well as their soon-to-open barrel room and function space.
Tribe Avoid Liquidation, Strike Deal Involving Kathmandu Founder
Tribe Brewing has avoided liquidation, with creditors approving a deal that will see just five cents to the dollar paid to unsecured creditors. The proposal was brought by a group led by the Elsie Cameron Foundation and VBS Investments.
Exit To Exit The Beer Industry
Nine years on from announcing themselves to the world with the first of many saisons, Exit Brewing are exiting the beer industry, stating they're no longer in a position to be competitive or viable in today's challenging market.
The IBA Put The Spotlight On Finding Indie Beer
The IBA has launched a new awareness campaign to help drinkers better identify indie beer. We chatted with the person leading the charge within the organisation about the campaign and the research behind it.
The Boxer and the Brewer
A veteran brewer with an overflowing trophy cabinet is now at the helm of Boxer Brewing, started by a winery on Mount Tamborine. Take a deep dive into what can happen when a champion brewer and winemakers rub shoulders.
Asahi To Close Green Beacon's Geebung Production Brewery
Asahi today announced they would be closing Green Beacon's production site in Geebung, with the brewery's production moving to other Asahi sites and their original Teneriffe brewpub.
Local Brewing Co's Melbourne Brewpub Opens This Week
The team behind Local Brewing Co are set to open their taproom this weekend in Melbourne's inner north. We spoke to a couple of the founders about their plans for the Clifton Hill space as well as their recent rebrand.
The Beer Slingers: Buddy's
It takes something to stand out from the crowd in today's beer and hospo market. For the mates behind new Newtown hangout Buddy's, they're aiming to do so with 30 self-serve taps, house party vibes and *checks notes* fairy bread.
Eagle Bay Leap Through Hoops... Slowly
Eagle Bay have launched Hoops, a years-in-the-making series celebrating wild ferments, barrel-ageing and patience. We chatted to brewer Keegan Steinbacher about the passion project launched with a little help from 3 Ravens.
The Beer World Pays Tribute To Pops
The beer world has been paying tribute to one of its "special men", after brewer and mentor Neil "Pops" Whittorn lost his battle with cancer. We spoke to some of those who knew him best.
Who Brews At Mixtape?
Spooning Goats was a pioneering craft beer venue – not to mention one of the quirkiest joints in Sydney. And while it fell victim to COVID, the founders' vision lives on at Mixtape Brewing & Bar in Marrickville.
Meet The 2023 Pint of Origin Beer
After a few rounds of voting and much discussion within The Crafty Pint team, we have a name for the 2023 Pint of Origin beer. Congratulations to Tim Brady for his winning suggestion – which turned out to be the very first entry too.
Aussie Hops: An International Perspective
Australian hops can ignite plenty of passion among local brewers but they're not alone. Overseas, the likes of Galaxy are often in high demand. With hop harvest underway, we asked some international brewers for their thoughts on our hops.
The Garage Project Story
Garage Project and their beers are much-loved on both sides of The Ditch, with the Wellington-based brewery making a mark on a global scale too. Here, Pursuit of Hoppiness editor Michael Donaldson explores their incredible story.
Otherside To Open A Taproom At Perth Airport
Perth Airport is set to become a whole lot craftier this year, with Otherside Brewing announcing they are building a taproom inside Terminal 2. We spoke to the team about their forthcoming new Brewlounge.
Catchment Lead Consortium Bringing Ballistic Out Of Administration
Catchment Brewing have become majority owners of Ballistic Beer in a deal that will see the latter leave voluntary administration and continue operation. Ballistic founder David Kitchen is to stay on as a shareholder and advisor.
The Zythologist Find A Home
Melbourne's southeast continues its crafty rise, with The Zythologist set to open by the end of 2023. We caught up with two of the chemical engineers behind the operation to ask what's next for the brewery launched at Monash Uni.
A Day In The Life Of: A Beer Buyer
Being a beer buyer is an essential but somewhat hidden side of the industry and the kind of job that sounds as easy as they come. But, as Cherry Murphy explains, much work goes into deciding what makes the shelves at Blackhearts & Sparrows.
Brew & A: Rachel Freeman
Many brewers started making beer so they could drink something they couldn't buy but even as craft beer's availability has spread, craft beer still has a way of pulling people into the industry. Rachel Freeman's career in beer started at 18 and the Temple brewer remains as passionate an advocate as when she was selling beer behind a bar.
Fox Friday To Open Perth Brewpub
Fox Friday are set to open a brewpub in Perth, taking over Blasta's current site when the latter moves to a bigger venue in the coming months. It means the Hobart-based operation will have bases in three states by the end of 2023.
