News & Feature Stories
Good Beer Week: Ten Years Of Beers
When Good Beer Week kicks off on Friday, the festival will finally turn ten – a year later than planned. To mark the occasion, we took a trip down Memory Lane with some of those involved in building and enjoying it over the past decade.
The Collaborators: Good Ale Forever
Eden Brewery have always supported good causes since launching in 2017. These days, that work includes Good Ale, a pale ale launched in partnership with Forever Projects that sends funds to help families in need in Tanzania.
Pint of Origin 2021 Preview – Part 1
When Good Beer Week returns for its tenth outing this May, Pint of Origin will be back too. The Crafty Pint's pocket of the festival has been an ever-present since 2012 and this year is appearing at 14 top Melbourne pubs and bars.
Brew & A: Currumbin Valley Brewing
As GABS returns after a year of cancellations, we catch up with the duo behind the People's Choice winning beer from 2019, Smokey and Luke of Currumbin Valley Brewing.
Is Fresh Always Best?
Fresh is best is a mantra we hear often in the beer world but can a beer be too fresh? Packaging shock is common parlance in the wine world but rarely raised in beer, while hazy, hoppy beers can perform better later too.
Trash To Treasure
Each year, Australia wastes a gargantuan amount of food. But breweries across the country are finding ways to try reduce this waste and, in the process, are building further value into our agricultural system.
Who Brews SixTwelve Beers?
SixTwelve Brewing was opened in late 2020 by husband and wife team Brad and Alle Reid. We got in touch to find out more about the brewpub operation for our long-running Who Brews...? series.
Getting Blind With Crafty: Pale Lagers 2021
Much has changed in the half decade and more since we last put lagers to the blind taste test. For one, there's bloody loads of them, but who's brewing them really well? We compiled an expert panel to find out.
Ramblers Bring Brewing Back To Hawthorn
Hawthorn is a Melbourne suburb that boasts an early claim to craft beer but in recent years it hasn't seen the same spread of local breweries compared to many other inner-city neighbourhoods. Ramblers Ale Works are set to change that when they open the doors next month and we caught up with the two Bens behind the brewery to find out more.
The Collaborators: AC Hops
AC Hops was launched late in 2019 by a couple with little experience in growing hops but a lot of ideas about farming and passion for craft beer. Following their latest harvest, we caught up with Victorian growers.
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Who Brews & Distils In Nagambie?
Nagambie's a popular destination for Melburnians seeking a weekend away, best known for its impressive lake and surrounding wineries. For close to two years, it's become known as a spot for craft beer and spirits too.
Follow The Beer Pioneer
William Buckley's tale of survival is one that's stuck with Australians thanks to one iconic phrase. Now, a Melbourne comedian is tracing Buckley's path while visiting as many local breweries as he can.
BecauseWeCAN Vol.1
BecauseWeCAN is a new series on The Crafty Pint that puts some of the most out there beers under the microscope, looking at how and why they were brewed, and whether they achieve their unusual goals.
Stone & Wood Confirm $50m Brewery Expansion
Stone & Wood today confirmed plans for a $50m brewery expansion at their Northern Rivers home. The proposed two-year project includes a 200 hectolitre brewhouse and a visitors centre.
Thinking Drinking
A trio of uni mates have been bringing skills picked up in their studies to the world of brewing. Now, after honing their talents as part of Monash Uni's Brewlab, they're releasing beers with innovation at their heart to the public.
Doors To Dunnies Part II: Meet Me At The Bar
In his ongoing mission to find out what makes a great boozer great, Luke Robertson moves from the doorway to the bar, heading back in time to Pompeii and back again to the modern era of polished timber and glazed lava.
The Lager Renaissance
Once shunned by many in the craft beer world, lagers are enjoying something of a quiet renaissance. Graham Frizzell takes a look at why, and asks what makes a great lager for the discerning contemporary drinker?
Black Hops Go AWOL
The Gold Coast has added another notch to its brewing belt with the opening of the region's first barrel room. AWOL sits behind Black Hops' original home in Burleigh Heads and is already home to more than 100 barrels.
Who Brews Working Title Beers?
As they complete their four-day, four-venue launch party, we caught up with the best mates behind Brisbane's Working Title Brewing Co for our Who Brews...? series.
Dr Benny's Crafty Fixes: Cheap Mates
Ever found yourself in an awkward situation involving beer? Stuck in a quaffable quandary and can't see a way out? Worry no more as help is at hand... Meet Dr Benny, here to fix your every crafty dilemma.
Beer Travel With Bright Eyes
How long do you think it would take to visit every single one of Australia's hundreds of breweries? Chelsea Bright is embarking on a mission to do just that – and plans to hit her target by Good Beer Week 2023.
The Collaborators: This Is My Boomstick!
Boomstick Glassware blend a love for craft beer, pop culture and collaboration into the design of unique creations from which you can enjoy your favourite crafties. We chatted to the small team behind the project to find out more.
Who Brews Rare Bird Beers?
They've known each other for 30 years and all brewed at home before joining forces to release beers commercially as Rare Bird Brewing. We got in touch with the tiny Hurstbridge operation to find out more.
Brew Dudes: Agents Of Chaos, Laughter & Beer
We often feel that a few drinks can make us funny but fortunately for the Brew Dudes, their craft stands apart from craft beer. As they reach the halfway mark of their Melbourne International Comedy Festival show that's dedicated to beer, we caught up with the duo behind the outfit to find out more.
A Day In The Life Of: A Technical Brewer
He gets to play around with new ingredients and techniques as much, if not more, than any brewer in the country, yet you'll never taste his beers. We spent A Day In The Life Of Ellerslie Hop's technical brewer Glenn Harrison.
Who Brews Bucketty's Beers?
They hoped to open a brewpub in their hometown of Bucketty's, but when council rejected their plans took the good times to Brookvale. We caught up with the man behind the Northern Beaches' newest brewpub.
Going Green: Bright Bins
Bright Brewery have long put sustainable practices at the core of their business and are now looking to take a recycling initiative nationwide.
Where's The Craft Beer Crew Gone?
One of Australia's most popular Facebook beer groups disappeared over the weekend, leaving its founder at a loss as to what happened.
The Nomads Hightail It Into Mudgee
The family behind Nomad Brewing and Experienceit Beverages have opened a second brewery in collaboration with a group of locals. Three Tails Brewery and Smokehouse opened in Mudgee – their "home away from home" – on Good Friday.
Behind Bars: The TapHouse Townsville
Some thought they'd have to put Great Northern on to survive. Nine hundred craft beers through their taps later, it looks like the TapHouse Townsville crew backed the right horse after all.
Help Us Get Blind: Lagers Round II
Blimey, there's a lot of lagers out there these days. We've locked in most of the spots for our pale lager blind tasting but we reckon we can squeeze in a few more. So, it's over to you to decide which ones...
We're Going On A Beer Hunt
Beer tourism is an oft-touted economic benefit of the rise of local breweries. Now two suburban areas with more local beer than most have invested in the establishment of local brewery trails with support from local government.
Who Brews Nice Guys Beers?
Melbourne is home to many suburban breweries with Richmond one that's played an essential role in the development in craft beer for decades. It's now home to Nice Guys, which brings a new aesthetic to the local beer scene.
Help Us Get Blind: GBW IPA Special
With the return of Good Beer Week comes the return of our Pint of Origin IPA Blind Tasting Championship. And, once again, we're inviting our lovely readers to help us choose the beers that will be on the lineup.
Who Brews Impi Beers?
Impi Brewers' unique beers have been available around WA for a few years now. On the eve of the opening of their cellar door, we find out more about the South African-inspired family affair.
West Bestern: The Rise Of The Hopheads
The Hopheads story started in Melbourne's outer west but has been moving closer to the city ever since. Ahead of their third store opening in Yarraville, we caught up with the team to chat about the bottleshop 'n' bar's rise.
The Story Of: Korben
For many people, Riverside's 777 was their first taste of a quality – and fresh – West Coast style double IPA in Australia. Its successor is Akasha's Korben (née D), which keeps growing in popularity. We traced its history with the man behind it.
A Year On The COVID Roller-Coaster – Part II
Following on from our look at the impact of COVID-19 on the brewing industry, we switch our focus to hospo, retail and beer lovers – one year on from the day the country was closed for business.
Carwyn's Forgotten Beers
The mission at Carwyn Cellars has always been focused on bringing better booze to the people and now the bottleshop and bar team has started brewing. Well, brewing again. Well, releasing beer.
A Year On The COVID Roller-Coaster – Part I
It was a year nobody could foresee and nobody wanted, yet the worst fears of March 2020 haven't been realised. Over two features, we take on in-depth look at the local beer industry 12 months on from the nationwide lockdown.
Help Us Get Blind: Lagers
Lagers have been making a comeback in recent years and it turns out it's more than half a decade since we last put them to the test in a blind tasting. Want to help us compile a list as we do it all over again?
Heading Out For A Few Bo Gurks
Bo Gurks is a new bar in Melbourne's southeast with a nonsense name but serious dedication to craft beer. We chatted to founder Jarred Turnbull and the team at nearby Alice Rebel's to hear how Bayside residents are embracing local.
Rocky Ridge's Greener Pastures
Three years on from our first article on Rocky Ridge's sustainable approach, the WA brewery is carbon neutral and heading towards carbon positive. With more eco-minded plans in the works, Jono Outred paid a visit.
Behind Bars: Oldfield Cellars
Behind Bars is where we get in touch with retailers across Australia to find out what's hot with them and their customers, and get their insight on the evolving beer world. Here we chat to Central Coast legends Oldfield Cellars.
BrewDog Australia Ready To Grow Up
More brewpubs and bars, a hotel with shower beer fridges and catering for dogs, and new beers for Australian and NZ markets. We caught up with BrewDog's new main man here to find out more about the Scottish brewer's plans.
Fox Friday's Fantastic Foray
Fox Friday have announced major plans to expand in their home state of Tasmania and open a brewpub in Melbourne. We caught up with Benn Hooper from the hazy specialists to find out more.
Hatching More Batches
Batch Brewing Co is hoping to open a series of taprooms around New South Wales as a stepping stone to further expansion interstate. And it's hoping to achieve this through equity crowdfunding.
Ballistic Add To Their Arsenal
Ballistic Beer have welcomed two more brewpubs into their family, with the announcement the Queensland brewery has bought The Whitsunday Island Brewing Company in Airlie Beach and Bargara Brewing in Bundaberg.
"This Girl Can Brew"
For International Women's Day 2021, we chatted to five women making waves in the local beer industry.
Quantum Physicist, Champion Beer Writer, Brewer
The country's biggest beer competition might have skipped a year due to COVID but the Australian International Beer Awards are back. With entries open, we caught up with the last winner of the Best Media Trophy, Marie Claire Jarratt.
