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.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.


Postcards from the Edge No.48: A Hustling Hand

August 7, 2020 by Crafty Pint

The speed at which beer businesses adapted and the rise of the growler were two of the standout features when the first lockdown hit. Now, a new family-run operation sparked by the unique challenges of that time has launched.


Postcards from the Edge No 25: Help Yourself

May 5, 2020 by James Smith

The impact of COVID-19 has left many beer businesses striving to adapt. As part of the #keepinglocalalive campaign, brand designer Jessie Jungalwalla is pulling together a panel of experts to help guide people through.


Postcards from the Edge No.18: From Menulog To Menudog

April 21, 2020 by James Smith

If you live around Carlton North you may have seen an unusual form of home delivery service in recent weeks. The Great Northern team have been sending beer and food out via their security dog and barman on skateboard...


Back On The Craft Beers Pt I

October 27, 2020 by James Smith

As Melbourne's venues prepare to reopen, we return to the pub with which we kicked off our Postcards from the Edge series on March 23. We joined Cherry Tree staff and a local to see how they've survived two lockdowns.


Lockdowns, Locals & Future Mountain

October 21, 2021 by Will Ziebell

As Melbourne emerges from another long lockdown, it's worth remembering how much local support has meant to many brewers. In Future Mountain's case, they've found a unique way to pay tribute to those who helped them survive.

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