Insight & Analysis
Deep dives, trends, hot topic issues and lessons learned.
Best New Queensland Beers of 2016
As we near the end of the year, we head to Queensland for another look back at the best new beers released in 2016. The result is a list containing debut beers, fruit, barrels and much more besides.
Best New Tasmanian Beers of 2016
It's time for the fifth of our seven roundups of the Best New Beers of 2016. This time, we head south to the state that's enjoyed huge recent expansion in the number of brewing companies, even though half a dozen hog this year's list.
Best New NSW Beers Of 2016
We reach the midway point in our Best New Beers review with a look back at the year in NSW. It features almost entirely younger operations from the state, plus a few beers that may have snuck out in 2015 but hit the big time in 2016.
Best New SA Beers of 2016
As in WA, collaborations make multiple appearances in our panel's selection of the best new beers released in South Australian in 2016. The ten ranges from mid-strength to triple IPA with some root vegetable there for good measure too.
Best New WA Beers of 2016
Part two of our look back at 2016's best new beers heads to the birthplace of modern Aussie craft beer. There our panel finds fascination in collaboration and is impressed by some of the lesser known lights of the local industry.
Best New Victorian Beers of 2016
Each year, we assemble panels of experts around the country to come up with lists of the best new releases to come out of Australian breweries in the previous 12 months. This year, we kick off in Victoria, home to the most brewing companies in the land.
A Day in the Life Of: A Draught Beer Specialist
Stone & Wood's Draught Beer Specialist Ed Bodey travels the country making sure Stone & Wood's beer comes out of the tap exactly how the brewery intended and that bar staff serving you know just how to look after it.
The Big Issue: Crowdfunding Pt II
In part two of our look at crowdfunding in the craft beer world, Will Ziebell seeks the thoughts of a provider, a supporter, a commentator and two people who've run campaigns on this increasingly popular method of raising capital.
The Big Issue: Crowdfunding Pt I
Crowdfunding has become increasingly popular among both new and existing beer businesses. In the first of a two-part series, Will Ziebell speaks to crowdfunding platform Pozible and a brewery that has run a successful campaign.
What Drinkers Want
The biggest ever survey of Australian craft beer drinkers has been carried out by Sydney bottleshop Beer Cartel. The results of what they plan to turn into an annual survey are out today.
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A Day In The Life Of A: Senior Brewer
What's life like as a commercial brewer? We spent a day with Adrian McNulty, the well-travelled brewer now in the Señor role at Moon Dog, to find out what goes into heading up brewing operations at one of Australia's quirkiest breweries.
The Big Issue: Gotta Catch 'Em All II
In part I of Gotta Catch 'Em All, we looked at the rise of beer hunting, collecting and rating in the craft beer community. Today, we delve deeper in the company of a diverse panel from the beer world, including Untappd's co-founder.
The Big Issue: Gotta Catch 'Em All
For some, tasting every new, rare and highly rated beer has become an addiction, one that's aided by sites and apps like RateBeer and Untappd. Over two days, Kerry McBride explores whether this is a good thing for beer.
Best Beers of 2016 – So Far
We're not big fans of lists here at Crafty Towers, but with so many new beers released every week we felt we'd make an exception to take stock midway through 2016. We asked contributors to nominate their best new brews and here are the top picks.
A Day In The Life Of: A Beer Rep
Ever wondered what it's like to work in the beer world? Is it as much fun as you think it would be? And what skills do you need to take on roles in the beer industry? A Day In The Life Of seeks to answer those questions and more. Starting with #replife.
The Big Issue: Quality
Is there anything more important when it comes to beer than quality, both when it leaves the brewery and the experience enjoyed by each drinker who buys a beer? For our first Big Issue feature of 2016, six experts share their views.
Best New Beers of 2015: Queensland
We reach the end of our state-by-state (and territory) look back at 2015's best new beers in Queensland. Darren "250 Beers" Magin sat down with fellow beer gurus to pluck ten of the finest new drops to grace the Sunshine State last year.
Best New Beers of 2015: New South Wales
Time for our penultimate look back on the year in beer. This time our attention turns to New South Wales, where a panel led by Nick O cast their minds back over 12 months and came up with the new releases that impressed them the most.
Best New Beers of 2015: ACT
ACT welcomed a new brewing company into the fold in 2015 as champion home brewer Kevin Hingston took his beers to market as Pact. It gave our ACT panel four local breweries to pick from for their best new releases in the territory this year.
Best New Beers of 2015: Victoria
For the fourth of our Best New Beers of 2015 roundups, we look at the state with the largest number of breweries and brewing companies. Which ten beers did our panel reckon were the best of the year? And do you agree?
Best New Beers of 2015: Western Australia
We're (almost) at the halfway mark in our look back at the new beers released across Australia in 2015. This time we move to WA, where two of our regular contributors joined a pair of local beer experts to select their pick of the year.
Best New Beers of 2015: South Australia
The beer scene is booming in South Australia. Recent years have seen an explosion of new brewing companies and there's now a growing number of venues supporting them. Matt King gathered a panel to pick the best new beers to come out of the state this year.
Best New Beers of 2015: Tasmania
We kick off our end of year best of roundups in Tasmania. A panel of beer gurus gathered at Saint John Craft Beer to chew the fat and come up with their top 10 from all the new releases in the state in 2015.
The Big Issue: Branding
As the beer landscape in Australia becomes ever more crowded and competition intensifies, it's not enough simply to brew good beer. How a brewery presents itself and its beers is perhaps more crucial then ever before, so we're addressing branding as our second "Big Issue" topic.
James Halliday Feature: Rise of the Brewpub
Amid all the new brewing companies launching across Australia, the brewpub format is proving increasingly popular. Crafty Pint founder James Smith spoke to the men behind two of the newest.
2015: What Lies Ahead?
Happy New Year, beer lovers! We hope you all welcomed in 2015 in fine style and aren't suffering too badly today. After a mammoth year in 2014, Crafty Towers won't be properly staffed again until January…
Beers of 2014: ACT
Our final look at the best new brews of 2014 visits ACT where Adrian Moran selects the five beers that impressed him most.
Beers of 2014: South Australia
What were the best new craft brews of 2014 in South Australia? For our sixth state by state rundown we turn to the gurus at The Wheaty for answers.
Best of 2014: New South Wales
As the year nears its end, time for the fifth of our state by state looks at the best new beers released by Australian brewers in 2014: New South Wales.
Beers of 2014: Queensland
The fourth of our state-based picks of some of the best new craft beers to be released in Australia comes from Queensland, courtesy of Darren from 250 Beers.
Beers of 2014: Victoria
Which new brews from Victorian breweries tickled our fancy the most in 2014? The third of our state-by-state top tens focuses on the state where The Crafty Pint began.
Beers of 2014: Western Australia
What were the best new beers of 2014 in WA? We asked Pia "girl plus beer" Poynton, who also masquerades as Crafty Pint WA to select her 10 top tipples.
Beers of 2014: Tasmania
Who brewed the best new beers in Tasmania in 2014? We asked beer expert and owner of Saint John Craft Beer, Luke Dempsey. to pick his top ten local brews.
The Year in Beer 2013: Victoria and Western Australia
For our final look back at the year that was we posed questions to some faces old and new in the country’s two craft beer big hitters, Victoria and WA (although NSW is coming up fast on the rails…). Among…
2014: Shit's Gettin' Real
The first day of the year is always one for looking forward with hope and in high spirits (tempered only slightly by the dustiness that comes with seeing out the previous one with two bottles of Auld Bulgin'…
The Year in Beer 2013: New South Wales & South Australia
The second of our end of year roundups heads to New South Wales and South Australia, where the thoughts and hopes of Crafty Pint’s men in each state are joined by those of the folks behind Newcastle’s…
The Year in Beer 2013: Queensland & Tasmania
It’s been another huge year for craft beer in Australia. But you don’t need us to tell you that – we do it pretty much incessantly day in, day out. So, as in previous years, we thought we’d invite…
Rise Of The Beer Fest
The beer festival scene is booming in Australia. In a few short years, we’ve gone from next to no dedicated beer festivals to an absolute smorgasbord, with more being added every year. From November…
James Halliday Article: The Year In Beer 2012
Upon launching in 2011, James Halliday’s Wine Companion Magazine asked The Crafty Pint to pen an article on the story of Australian craft beer. Since then, they’ve continued to support the local craft…
Crafty's Year In Beer
We’ve been around the houses, gathering the reflections of brewers, beer sellers and writers from around Australia, for our Year in Bear 2012 review. So that means there’s just one place left to look:…
The Year In Beer 2012: Tasmania
As anyone who’s spent time in the bars and pubs of Hobart, in the company of the state’s band of brewers of attended any of the many festivals with craft beer either at their heart or with a prominent…
The Year In Beer 2012: NSW
Is the sleeping giant finally waking? It might seem a churlish thing to say when New South Wales has been home to the Lord Nelson’s brewery for a quarter century (pictured above) and counts the likes…
The Year In Beer 2012: WA
Western Australia: it’s to craft beer in Australia what Iraq is to human civilisation. Home to dozens of craft breweries, including some of the country’s very best, as well as some spectacular bottleshops…
The Year In Beer 2012: Queensland
It’s not too long ago that, during one of our regular discussions with the founder of Australian Brews News, we were admonished for the use of the phrase “craft beer revolution”. Being a generally…
The Year In Beer 2012: Victoria
Where else to start our end of year round up for 2012 than in the place where The Crafty Pint started just over two years ago – not to mention the place that has taken the craft beer baton and run with…
Year In Beer: WA & QLD
So, just time for the final look back on 2011 before you all go and crack something special for Hogmanay. And as a festive treat, it’s a two states in one bonanza. OK, so we did pose the questions to…
The Year In Beer: TAS
With the Tasmanian Beerfest, the most southerly state lays claim to the biggest-by-numbers beer festival in Australia and, with the Tasmanian Micro Brew Fest, it has events that continue to shine a focus…
The Year In Beer: SA
As the end of the year draws ever closer, time for another look back on 2011, this time in the company of some of the movers and shakers in the South Australian craft beer scene.First up is Al Turnbull,…
The Year In Beer: NSW
This year appears to be the one in which the sleeping giant of NSW began to stir. Sure, the Lord Nelson has been banging the craft beer drum for a quarter century, The Local Taphouse in Darlinghurst has…
The Year In Beer: VIC
What a year it’s been. While much of the rest of the world has been at war, suffering from natural disaster, rioting or waiting for its economy to implode, craft beer in Australia has gone from strength…
