People & Culture
Celebrating the people who make the beer world such a colourful place.
Key Topics
brew & a behind bars beer slingers craft beer heroes beer nuts media who brews slays beer
Brew & A: Nathan Munt
Hazy IPAs, pastry stouts and imperial sours get a lot of attention but you're unlikely to find them in Victoria's King Valley. Instead, you'll find all manner of European styles pouring – and it's a good thing, since King River Brewing make them rather well.
Who Brews On Magnetic Island?
Magnetic Island is home to scenic beaches, stunning hikes, and a slower pace of life. Soon it will be home to a brewery too. We caught up with the head brewer of Maggie Island Brewery to hear what they have planned.
Who Brews Eclipse Beers?
Eclipse are one of the new kids in WA's bustling brewery scene but the name reaches back into the 19th century. The mates who have brought it back have big plans for the future too, with homes in the works in two parts of the state.
Who Brews Beachport Beers?
Beachport Brewing are located in a small coastal community on SA's Limestone Coast where the founders have ambitious plans to put Beachport on the map, and to see their beer, spirits, grain and meat all feed into each other.
Brew & A: Stuart Taylor of Homestead
As he sets about making his mark on Homestead's beers, we caught up with Stuart Taylor in the Swan Valley to chat about his journey from front of house to helm of brewhouse, uncool hops, early Hop Hog, and stupidly-patterned pants.
Brew & A: Frenchies' Vince de Soyres
Vince de Soyres is one half of the team behind Frenchies Bistro & Brewery in Sydney. Ahead of their fifth birthday (and Bastille Day) we invited him to tell us about the unique path that brought him to Australia.
Who Brews As Lucha Brewing?
Long-time public servants Damien and Sandie Odger decided to have some fun, quitting their jobs and following their dream. We got in touch with the founders of Lucha Brewing in Brisbane's west to find out more.
Who Brews Tinshed Beers?
Tinshed Brewery opened in the small NSW town of Dungog in 2016 in a main street where few shops were occupied. Six years on, not only has it become a community hub but the town's other businesses have whirred back to life too.
James Atkinson's Ever-Evolving Drinks Adventures
James Atkinson has spent years covering the drinks industry for various publications and his Drinks Adventures podcast has seen him pick up multiple awards, including the Best Media trophy at last year's AIBA. Ahead of this year's awards, we caught up with the drinks writer to hear what the award means and where his focus lies.
Brew & A: Luke Cooper
One of the country's first alcohol-free brewing companies, the proudly indigenous-owned and led Sobah recently appointed their first head brewer, Wailwan man Luke Cooper. We caught up with the "bushtucker brewer".
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Brew & A: Luigi Mensi
From mead-making in Italy via sweet potato-picking in Bundaberg to trialling souring bacteria in Marrickville, motorcycling metalhead Luigi Mensi has enjoyed a colourful path in life. We caught up with Batch's head brewer to find out more.
Who Brews Middle Island Beers?
Middle Island isn't as well known as some of Victoria's other coastal outposts but for Warrnambool locals, it holds a special place in their hearts. Middle Island Brewing Co is a new brewing company launched by a group of locals who want to put their island and region on the map for craft beer drinkers.
Who Brews Merino Beers?
Merino Brewery clearly take great pride in their region, putting its pioneering role in the Australian wool industry at the forefront of their business since opening in February. We caught up with them to find out Who Brews Merino beers?
The Disposable Hero Of Hopocrisy
He's been working in beer and hospo for more than three decades, has sold more beer than most Australians, and now finally has one of his own. We caught up with one of Melbourne's best known faces in beer to find out more.
Who Brews at Principle Brewing?
How do you focus on both quality of your beer and the local community? How do you both fit in with other breweries and stand out from the crowd? You follow your principles. Meet the team at Principle Brewing in another Who Brews...?
Who Brews Brew Mountains Beers?
Watching his grandad brew fired a lifelong fascination with brewing for Craig Talbot, so he quit the commuting life to launch Brew Mountains. We invited him to take part in our long-running Who Brews...? series to find out more.
Who Brews Welcome Swallow Beers?
Welcome Swallow brew in the heart of Tasmania's hop country – the realisation of a long-held dream of a local farmer and his mate. With the hop harvest underway, we invited them to take part in our long-running Who Brews? series.
Who Brews At Broulee Brewhouse?
The need for a community space in Broulee was brought to a head by the Black Saturday fires of 2019/20. So, over a few games of tennis, two couples decided to make it happen and, late last year, Broulee Brewhouse was born.
Vale Wags
Tributes have been pouring in following the sad news that one of the most popular figures in the local beer world, Mark "Wags" Waghorne, has passed away after a years-long battle with cancer. We spoke to some of those who worked with and knew him.
Who Brews Txoko Beers?
From a small takeaway pizza joint to a farm-brewery with an eye on a future filled with organic ingredients and wild ales, family-run Txoko has come a long way since homebrewing son started sharing his beers with his dad.
Who Brews As The Boys?
From embarking on a project to stay sane during COVID to dreams of brewing with Shaq, we get the lowdown on The Boys and Scott Wyatt and Tim French's brewing journey in this instalment of Who Brews...?
Behind Bars: Miles Hull
It's more than two decades since Miles Hull was brought in as GM of a new brewery in Freo called Little Creatures. With his latest hospo venture, Ruinbar, now open in Perth, we sat down for a chat about the evolving beer scene.
Brew & A: Rhys Lopez
At the end of 2021, our WA team chose Otherside as the state's standout brewery of the year. We figured that was a great excuse to invite head brewer Rhys Lopez to take us on a tour through his life in beer and beyond.
Who Brews at Auckland House?
What's green on one side, blue on the other, and shiny and pastel in the middle? Auckland House, that's what. Meet brewer Cam McMillan and hear the story of Gladstone's first microbrewery in this instalment of Who Brews...?
Who Brews In The Woolstore?
Sitting in a WA brewery's beer garden watching people of all ages – and their dogs – have a great time saw Kylie and Chris Ind pledge to bring those vibes to Mount Gambier. Now, with the Woolstore Brewery, they're doing just that.
Who Brews Parched Beers?
Carl Hallion's dream of owning a small bar blew up into the reality of a two-storey brewpub in Brisbane's West End. Here, we find out all about the beers and the brewpub from Carl himself in this instalment of Who Brews...?
Who Brews As Brewcha Libre?
Just two-and-a-half years ago, Ryan Walker wasn't even into beer, then a gift of a homebrew kit changed everything. As he prepares to launch his first two beers, we chatted to him about his Mexican wrestling-themed brewing company.
Behind Bars: Wilbury & Sons
Prahran and Moorabbin aren't the first suburbs that come to mind when you think Melbourne craft beer. Yet Byron Barrowclough has been working to broaden tastes in both. We had a chat with him as his latest bar, Wilbury & Sons, turns one.
Who Brews As Lora?
Wild ales featuring ingredients foraged in inner Sydney with individually hand-painted labels? As he prepares to return to the US after COVID saw him become Wildflower's head brewer for two years, we catch up with the man behind Lora.
Who Brews Five Aces Beers?
Adam Sheehan was inspired to start a brewery while running a High Country bar. Late in 2021, after overcoming a series of challenges and a name change from Outlaw Brewing to Five Aces, he finally opened the doors of his Gippsland brewpub.
Who Brews YEPP Beers?
Yeppoon is known for its beautiful beaches and as a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef but one local couple hope the coastal town will soon be known for beer too. We caught up with Tanya and Justin Adam to find out more about YEPP Brewing.
Who Brews Golden West Beers?
Golden West Brewing Co bears a name familiar to many in WA, and now the brewing company has a home of its own. The mates behind the Perth brewing company opened the doors to their Subiaco brewpub just before Christmas.
Brew & A: Eden Pink
When Eden Pink got a hospitality job working for Prancing Pony, she hadn't considered becoming a brewer. Five years on she's senior brewer at the Adelaide Hills outfit and her likeness decorates their new Pinkers beer too.
Brew & A: Ned Bowring
Following a long stint of travel, Ned Bowring switched careers to follow his passion for brewing. He then fell for the art of barrel-ageing at Boatrocker, before moving to Hawkers then Deeds, where he's created their first mixed culture beers.
Who Brews Five’ 3” Beers?
Killer Sprocket has fast become something of a brewing incubator for newcomers to the beer industry. Among them is Christopher Martin, the man behind Five' 3" Brewing, and now part of the Killer Sprocket team too.
Who Brews Tall Timbers Beers?
Fifty years on from Swan's aborted plans to build a brewery in Manjimup, a group of locals took over the building and created one themselves. We caught up with the team at Tall Timbers Brewing Co to find out more.
From Beer Blogger To Brewery Owner
Luke Robertson has enjoyed a variety of roles in the Australian beer industry: providing commentary, telling stories, and working closely with brewers through the IBA and Good Beer Week. Now he's off to run a brewery New Zealand.
Who Brews Shout Beers?
After years of talk, a few beers at the Bitter & Twisted festival saw four mates commit to starting a brewery. As they prepare to upgrade from their current home and open a brewpub, we caught up with the Shout team to find out more.
Who Brews Freshie Beers?
Much noise has been made about the craft beer hub that is Sydney's inner west, but the Northern Beaches are home to a growing number of local brewers too. We caught up with the founder of the newest: Freshwater Brewing.
Who Brews Avnge Beers?
From pumpkin beers in the US through street art in Darwin and Melbourne to combining his love of beer and art in one, James Isacsson has enjoyed a unique path into brewing. We caught up with him on the back of his first release.
Who Brews Little Rippa Beers?
The couple behind a long-established café in Mount Gambier are set to open a brewery and restaurant on their farm property as the home for Little Rippa Brewing. Matt King met up with them to find out more about the expanding operation.
Brew & A: Stingray
When you work in a bar or brewery, you may well impart a little of your personality onto the business. For Bodriggy's Stingray, however, he's gone rather further: his name is now that of their upstairs bar and an offshoot beer brand.
Who Brews Lake Mac Beers?
It started out as a money-saving hobby, became a rather more expensive one, and ultimately turned into part of the craft beer culture on the NSW coast between Sydney and Newcastle. We got in touch to find out who brews Lake Mac beers.
Who Brews For Kicks?
What does it look like when good beer marries good design? Get to know the husband and wife team behind Kicks Brewing in this instalment of our Who Brews...? series.
Brew & A: Steve Wearing
They might not brew hype beers or indeed be a hype brewery, but King Road Brewing Co have been quietly carving a fine reputation – and collecting trophies – in WA. We caught up with head brewer Steve Wearing to find out more.
Podcast People: Crack The Ceiling
Crack the Ceiling is an Australian beer podcast run by two Americans with a wealth of experience and expertise in the local beer industry. We got in touch with Lindsy Greig and Tif Waldron to find out how they became podcasters.
Who Brews In Kalbarri?
The Finlay's name has an association with the WA coastal town of Kalbarri stretching back decades. These days, it's attached to a family-friendly brewery serving beers inspired by the region and a seafood driven menu.
Craft Beer Heroes: Adam Trippe-Smith
He started a GABS Hottest 100 winning brewery and two of the keg rental companies that drive the Aussie craft beer industry, but still Adam Trippe-Smith is unknown to many. We caught up with Adam to get his story.
Brew & A: Matt Cuthbert
He's brewed for many Australian brewing companies across three states, and has been at Revel since the Brisbane operation launched. Here, Matt Cuthbert traces his brewing career from high school to head brewer.
Who Brews Phat Beers?
Phat Brew Club joined WA's impressive beer industry this year but their origin goes back six years to when six mates got together to brew. We caught up with the team to find out more as part of our long-running Who Brews? series.
