Insight & Analysis
Deep dives, trends, hot topic issues and lessons learned.
"This Girl Can Brew"
For International Women's Day 2021, we chatted to five women making waves in the local beer industry.
Doors To Dunnies Part I: Let Me In
What makes a great boozer great? In a unique new series, award-winning beer writer and podcaster Luke Robertson sets out to find the answer, breaking down the experience of going out in Australia in the company of experts.
The Big Issue: The Future Of Beer Fests II
Six months ago, we asked what beer festivals might look like in the new COVID-altered landscape. As events start to make their comeback, we revisited the topic to see what else has been learned and what might lie ahead.
TikTok On The Beer Clock
TikTok is the fastest-growing social media platform on the planet, but is there any craft beer content on there? And, if so, should Aussie beer lovers and breweries be using it? Will Ziebell heads down the rabbit hole...
H100 Aussie Craft Beers Of 2020: Analysis
Nearly 40,000 people cast close to 200,000 votes. There was change at the top and a mix of consolidation and surprises below. Here's what we made of it all.
2020: The Year In Beer – ACT
It wasn't just fires and COVID-19 that hit the ACT in 2020; they had a destructive hailstorm to deal with too. Yet, while there were losses, there were great beers, comebacks and new openings too.
2020: The Year In Beer – NT
The Northern Territory may have lost much of its tourism trade in 2020, but support from the local community and a willingness to adapt ensured brewers were able to end the year on the up.
2020: The Year In Beer – Victoria
It might have been a year to forget in many ways, yet there was still plenty to admire and celebrate in Victoria's beer scene in 2020. Join us as we try to make sense of the madness.
2020: The Year In Beer – SA
Despite the bushfires and the pandemic, SA's craft beer industry continued to grow in 2020. With the support of dozens of industry experts, here's Matt King with his look at the year in beer in South Australia.
2020: The Year In Beer – WA
Supporting local while broadening horizons, new openings, cracking beers, and #bigdumbdelicioussoughtaftercheckedinthings, here's Guy Southern with a look back at the year in beer in WA in 2020.
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2020: The Year In Beer - Queensland
Take a break from complaining about 2020 to celebrate with the annoyingly optimistic Mick Wust as he looks over a year of beer in Queensland.
2020: The Year In Beer – NSW
Great beers, standout moments and horrific, unnecessary analogies... Judd Owen casts an eye over the year in beer in New South Wales.
2020: The Year In Beer – Tasmania
Following our look at the standout trends in the Australian beer scene, we head to Tasmania to kick off our state by state by territory roundup of the year in beer that was 2020.
2020: The Year In Beer
Well, who saw that coming? We kick off our end of 2020 coverage with a look back at some of the biggest trends and standout moments of the past twelve months.
Black Hops & Love For Local Dominate Beer Cartel's 2020 Survey
Support for local beer rose sharply in 2020 as drinkers rallied behind their locals during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Beer Cartel's annual survey. It also says Black Hops replace Balter as the country's favourite brewery.
Back On The Craft Beers Pt II
Many of Melbourne's historic pubs have been closed this year longer than they were during even the world wars. Among them is the Rainbow Hotel in Fitzroy. As they prepare to reopen after 180 days closed, we ask how it's been.
Back On The Craft Beers Pt I
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.
More Sober, More Often
As Ocsober kicks off, the choices for anyone wanting an booze-free beer, wine or spirit in their hand is bigger than ever before. Heck, there's even a new online retailer specialising in them.
Ten Years Of Crafty: Beer In The Media
For most people, the idea that beer writers even exist is a hard one to conceive. Yet there's an evolving media landscape dedicated in one way or another to the beer world. Here we look at how it's changed over the years.
The Big Issue: The Future Of Beer Fests
How will beer festivals look in a post-COVID world? We chat to the organisers of those still going ahead in 2020 and others who've had to adapt about the future of major events in the local beer world.
The Big Issue: Coping with COVID-19 Part II
Many of us face mental health challenges at the best of times. With the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacting the beer and hospo industries, we look at the difficulties people are facing and the support they can seek.
The Big Issue: Coping With COVID-19 Part I
Many of us face mental health challenges at the best of times. With the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacting the beer and hospo industries, we look at the difficulties people are facing and the support they can seek.
Craft: What Does It Mean & Does It Matter?
The debate is almost as old as craft beer itself: just what does "craft" mean? British beer writer Pete Brown spent lockdown writing a book examining the term and arguing that it remains absolutely essential.
The Future Is...?
Many venues in Victoria opened for the first time in 70 days today as restrictions elsewhere were eased further. Yet any celebrations will be tempered by the fact the road to recovery remains long and many won't make it to the end.
50 Days Of Shutdown
It will be a long time before we know the full impact of COVID-19. But on day 50 of the momentous decision to shutdown the country's venues, we asked people throughout the industry for their thoughts.
Keeping Local Alive
The restrictions on social gatherings and movement imposed in the fight against COVID-19 will have serious impacts on the beer, hospitality and events industries, among others. We look at how we can try to help them survive.
Warrior Women
Ahead of International Women's Day 2020, many breweries across Australia have been celebrating the growing role of women in beer. Jakkii Musgrave spoke to some of them about the advances made and challenges that remain.
Downsizing: The Global Looking Local
The rise of the brewpub and taproom model is one of the most striking aspects of the changing beer landscape in Australia. And it's an area in which the world's biggest brewing companies and their brands are playing too.
Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers Of 2019: Analysis
With the results of the 2019 Hottest 100 now confirmed, it's time for our annual deep dive to see what your votes tell us about the state of the local beer world.
Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers Of 2019: Infographic
Time to unveil our graphic designer's favourite job of the year: the annual GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers Infographic. We've added some new sections this year as we head into outer space.
Through The Looking Glass III
After a hiatus in 2018 (for reasons I can't recall) we're back with our New Year's Day look ahead at what the future might hold for the local beer world: what to look out for and where we might be headed.
Best New Queensland Beers Of 2019
The beer industry in Queensland keeps growing and changing, and even the drinkers are changing. But the more things change, the more they stay the same: great beer came out of the Sunshine State again in 2019.
Best New ACT Beers Of 2019
It's been an up and down year for ACT's beer scene with the capital's big two continuing to kick goals and new brewing companies launching yet with Wig & Pen and Pact calling it a day. Here, we look at the best new beers of 2019.
Best New Tasmanian Beers Of 2019
The past decade has seen the number of brewing companies in Tasmania rise from just seven to nearly forty. Here, we take a look back at the past twelve months via the prism of the best new releases from the state's brewers.
Best New WA Beers Of 2019
Just as it kick-started the modern craft beer industry, once more WA kicks off our annual Best New Beers series. Guy Southern canvassed more than 30 beer experts to come up with the best of the best.
Balter Top Australia's Biggest Craft Beer Survey
Balter have been voted Australia's best brewery in the biggest ever survey of craft beer drinkers. More than 23,000 people took part in Beer Cartel's annual survey, which is now in its fourth year.
The Big Issue: Beer Quality
As the craft industry grows and consumer knowledge increases in step, ensuring you're consistently releasing quality beer has arguably never been more important. In this Big Issue feature, we look at why – and how it can be done.
The Big Issue: Cracking The Code
A number of well publicised cases has brought the role of ABAC in setting the standards for alcohol advertising to the fore. We speak to ABAC's chair and industry figures to find out how businesses can avoid running into trouble.
The Great British Beer Writer
Pete Brown started out in beer marketing before becoming one of Britain's best-loved writers on beer and wider booze and pub culture. We caught up with him in London ahead of his keynote address at BrewCon.
Best New Beers Of 2019 – So Far
With so many beers released across Australia every week, there's arguably never been more need for a mid-year wrap of the best to date. So, which new releases have impressed the most in the first six months of 2019?
What's The Damage?
A homophobic meme posted on Facebook by an Australian brewery has brought into sharp focus the impact such actions can have on the wider community.
Winter's Still Coming
Winter is traditionally the toughest time for brewers as sales slow. With competition already fierce and more brewing companies closing or selling, can we expect to see bloodshed? Or does the future remain bright?
The Big Issue: On A Wing & So Rare
The air-freighting of beers from some of the world's most hyped breweries to be showcased at Australian bars is on the rise. We spoke to a handful of people driving the movement to find out why.
A Day In The Life Of: A Festival Volunteer
Volunteers are often the unsung heroes of the beer festivals that bring joy to beer lovers across the country. But why do they do it? And what makes a good one? We chat to one of the best to find out.
A Critical Hit: Beer & Games
Dedicated gamer and homebrewing beer geek Judd Owen looks at the flourishing bond between those two worlds in the company of the owners of Brisbane's Netherworld and Sydney's 1989.
Boatrocker: Ten Lessons From Ten Years
April 2009 sees Melbourne brewery Boatrocker celebrate ten years of brewing. They've gone from early gypsies to barrel-ageing innovators, so we asked them to reflect on what their first decade has taught them.
The Big Issue: Withdrawing The Line
There's been a clutch of product withdrawals in the local craft beer and cider industry in recent months. Here, we ask why, look at what steps brewery owners are taking and why knowing how to handle a quality issue is key.
Women In Drinks
International Women's Day 2019 will see a new festival celebrating women working in beer, wine and spirits launch in Sydney. We spoke to two women leading the way in the local beer world to find out more about their experiences and changing times.
A Day In The Life Of: A Venue Manager
What's it like to work in the beer industry? As it expands at a rate of knots, the opportunities grow too. Our Day In The Life Of series aims to give readers a peek behind the scenes to understand what goes into making the industry tick.
Join The Club
The wartime munitions still hang on the walls, the old members still share stories on the greens outside, yet at many RSLs and bowlos around Australia craft beer is playing a role in attracting new members and keeping the joints alive.
