Articles by Matt King
Suburban Scoop SA's Best Beer Trophy For 2024
The Suburban Brew claimed Most Outstanding Beer In Show at the 2024 Royal Adelaide Beer and Cider Awards. The champion brewery titles went to Pirate Life (Large) and Barossa Valley Brewing (Small).
Crafty Crawls: Adelaide's CBD Breweries
Adelaide CBD's compact nature makes it a great location for a Crafty Crawl. Here, we a stroll through the half dozen brewery venues that call the area home, ending a hop and a skip from the Adelaide Oval.
Who Brews Little Blessings Beers?
It's time to head to church for a very different form of communion as Laura, a tiny town in the Southern Flinders Ranges, prepares to welcome Little Blessings: a brewery and taproom built inside a former Baptist church.
The Best Of Beer 2023: South Australia
And then there were two... Time for the penultimate entry in our Best Of Beer 2023 series, as we cast an eye of the standout moments, beers and openings from the past 12 months.
Lone Gum Farmhouse & BeerNoEvil Find Common Ground
Their brands and their beers shared little in common, which the founders of Lone Gum Farmhouse and BeerNoEvil felt made them perfect housemates. We got a sneak peek of their long-awaited shared venue ahead of its opening.
Parachilna Brew Project: Brewing In The Flinders Ranges
The Flinders Ranges are among the most spectacular, magical and spiritual places in Australia. They're also pretty remote. Yet, thanks to the family who've run the Prairie Hotel for 32 years, the region now has its own brewery.
Who Brews Yellow Matter Beers?
Their name is taken from a Beatles classic, their idiosyncratic venue will transport you to another era, and their beers are designed to be super comfy and approachable. Meet the team behind Adelaide brewpub Yellow Matter.
Who Brews Crafty Robot Beers?
Tim and Damo met while brewing at Mismatch in the Adelaide Hills in 2018. Now, alongside Damo's wife Genevieve, they're at the helm of Crafty Robot, a brewery and taproom that opened in Adelaide's CBD this autumn.
Who Brews Tiny Fish Beers?
When demand for his homebrew started to outstrip the rate at which he could make it, Brett Whiting decided it was time to step up. So he launched Tiny Fish, bringing a bunch of the mates who'd been enjoying his homebrew along for the ride.
The Best Of Beer 2022: South Australia
Our Best Of Beer 2022 series heads to South Australia for a look at the highs, lows, twists and turns via the standout moments and beers, the newcomers to the scene, and those who experienced a memorable 12 months.
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Vale Head Back To The Vale
After two months of trophy triumph here and on the global stage, Vale Brewing are heading back to the region from which they took their name. Ahead of tomorrow's opening, Matt King chatted to them about their taphouse in McLaren Vale.
The Collaborators: Deep Liquid's AI Recipe Designs
We live in an age of unlimited limiteds in which new releases are never-ending. Into this landscape steps Deep Liquid, an artificial intelligence program that aims to use customer feedback to help brewers design and brew better beer.
Follow The Brightstar
After years spent working overseas and soaking up the beer cultures of Germany and New England, Gareth and Megan Parker have opened their dream brewery. We called in to check out the shiny new Brightstar in Adelaide.
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.
Ministry Of Beer Welcomes A New Congregation
In five years, Brett Reimann has gone from brewing with a single barrel in a shed on his farm to opening an impressive cellar door in the Barossa Valley. Matt King called in to sample from its 16 taps.
Best New SA Beers Of 2021
With Christmas approaching, we head to SA for the sixth of our features looking back at the past year in beer. Which beers stood out from the crowd, what impressed readers, and what can we look forward to in 2022?
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.
And The Beer Goes On...
COVID might have put paid to Adelaide's Beer & BBQ Festival, but two of its smaller exhibitors have found a way of keeping its spirit alive. Matt King chatted to BeerNoEvil and Blackwood Brewhouse about their mini-fest.
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.
Crafty Crawls: The Adelaide 'Burbs
We've presented guides to good beer in the heart of Adelaide and many of SA's tourism regions, but there's plenty to be enjoyed in the 'burbs too. Matt King toured the city checking out the breweries, bars bottleshops and more besides.
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SA Stalwarts Shine At Royal Adelaide Awards
Some of the breweries that helped lay the foundations for SA's beer scene today took centre stage at the 2020 Royal Adelaide Beer & Cider Awards. Lobethal Bierhaus, Vale and Coopers were among the big winners.
Crafty Crawls: The Barossa
It's known globally for its wine, but over the years the offering from local breweries has grown. With a few venues supporting local beer and even a craft maltster in the region, the Barossa has plenty to offer beer tourist now too.
Who Brews At The Bond Store Wallaroo?
A couple with a background in tourism have turned a rundown former bonded store into a brewery, distillery and restaurant in one. Matt King called into Bond Store Wallaroo to find out more.
Best New SA Beers Of 2019
There are close to 70 brewing companies in SA now, and around 250 new beers were released in 2019. Matt King pulled together the thoughts of experts from across the state to compile our Best New SA Beers Of 2019 feature.
Crafty Crawls: Adelaide's Small Bars
They may not offer bars lined with taps – or lengthy bottle and can lists – but, since a 2013 law change opened the door for them, many of Adelaide's small bars have been leading the way with craft beer, with enthusiastic staff serving well curated offerings.
Crafty Crawls: Adelaide
Two years on from its original publication, we've updated our Crafty Crawl guide to Adelaide's pubs and bigger bars. We'll be updating our guide to the city's small bars soon too.
Royal Adelaide Beer Awards Winners 2019
Most of the trophies at the 2019 Royal Adelaide Beer, Cider & Spirit Awards are staying in SA. Prancing Pony, Woolshed and Pirate Life, each won multiple awards, while Smiling Samoyed's Dark Ale won Most Outstanding Beer again.
Coopers Firing In All Cylinders
Less than 18 months after it launched, Coopers' malting plant has been named the world's best, sharing the title with an operation in the Netherlands. Matt King called in to spend time with manager Dr Doug Stewart.
Who Brews On Kangaroo Island?
Matt King takes a ferry ride to Kangaroo Island where he caught up with Mike Holden, the man behind the brewery of the same name, for our Who Brews...? series.
Beer Travel: The Adelaide Hills
Once better known for its wines, the Adelaide Hills have become a treasure trove for beer lovers. Here, Matt King takes a meandering tour through the many breweries, venues and bottleshops that are found throughout.
Best New SA Beers Of 2018
At the current rate of development, there will be few corners of South Australia without a brewery to call their own. So, as another big year for beer in the state comes to a close, our SA team looks back at the new releases that impressed.
SA's Beer Industry Pays Tribute To Marco Bona
Marco Bona, the founder of Libation Army and a hugely popular figure in the SA beer scene passed away suddenly recently. The local beer industry has come together to create Marco Hour in support of his family.
Who Brews Left Barrel Beers?
Brad Bown is on a mission to bring more farmhouse style beers to the Australian beer scene from his brewery home in the Adelaide Hills. Matt King caught up with him to find out more for our Who Brews...? series.
The Winemaker, The Chef & The Brewer
Victor's Place is a brewery, winery and kitchen that represents the realisation of a dream for three mates. Matt King called into the rustic McLaren Vale venue to catch up with one of the owners to find out more.
Bang. Banger. Bangest.
From little things, bigger things keep growing. The Little Bang crew has started on its second move to bigger premises in just three years. Matt King called in to find out more.
Beer Travel: Cruising The Murray
Sinking a few beers on the banks of the Murray on a visit to the Woolshed Brewery is a pleasure in itself. But what about taking out one of the operation's houseboats, complete with two taps pouring the beers of your choice?
Royal Adelaide Beer & Cider Winners 2018
There was an eclectic mix of winners big and small, old and young, at the Royal Adelaide Beer & Cider Awards last night, with Coopers, Boston Brewing, Lobethal Bierhaus, Beer Garden Brewing and Fixation all taking out multiple trophies.
Big. Boozy. Fruity. Stoked.
When they learned their Boozy Fruit beer had taken out the People's Choice at the 2018 GABS festival, there was the odd tear in the house at Big Shed. Matt King called in to their brewery home to share a glass with co-owner Craig Basford.
Happy Valley
Clare Valley's two independent breweries are giving beer tourists more reasons to head to the region best known for its wine, with Clare Valley recently opening the doors to its impressive new cellar door and a large visitor centre taking shape at Pikes.
New Boys Buy Brewboys
Now a decade old, Brewboys is very much a stalwart of the SA craft beer scene. And it's got new owners now, who plan to breathe new life into the business while retaining the beers and recipes upon which its reputation has been built.
Who Is Adelaide's Suburban Brewer?
He started sharing his homebrew with neighbours in a bid to get to know them better and they were so well received Tony Dichiera decided to test the water commercially. We find out more about Adelaide-based gypsy operation The Suburban Brew.
More Sweet, Sweet Amber
The evolution of Adelaide's Sweet Amber continues. The Brew Café initially spawned a brewing arm with beers brewed under license at Barossa Valley but now operates its own microbrewery and second venue in Regency Park. Matt King dropped in.
We're Gonna Need A Bigger Shed
Big Shed Brewing Concern is set to get a whole lot bigger after they announced plans for a $2.5m expansion. They were joined by SA Premier Jay Weatherill, whose government is providing more than one million dollars in grant funding and a low interest loan.
Beer Travel: The South Of The Great Southern State
While better known for its wineries, the region to the south of Adelaide has long been home to a number of small breweries too. With three more set to open venues in and around McLaren Vale in 2018, we figured it was ripe for a beer-themed travel guide...
Big Shed Help West Thebby Get Social
The Big Shed team has a new home from home for its beer after hooking up with the owners of an Adelaide hotel to create a new craft beer venue. Matt King finds out more about the West Thebby Social Club.
Best New SA Beers Of 2017
We kicked off our annual Best New Beers lists in WA and now move across the Nullarbor to SA where a panel convened to cast their eyes over another big year for beer in the state. Who made their top ten?
Igniting A Sparkke
Following a successful crowdfunding campaign, an all female beer (and other booze) company has set about raising awareness and funds for a range of causes with slogan-plastered cans. Matt King caught up with two of the members of the Sparkke Change team.
Who Brews On The Western Ridge?
From a single keg first release to expletive-bearing tinnies and nine other beers along the way, it's been a busy first 11 months for the fiercely local and independent Western Ridge Brewing Collective from the Barossa Valley.
Who Brews at the Ministry Of Beer?
While the state's bigger names tend to grab the headlines, South Australia has seen a large number of smaller operations come to life in the past couple of years. One of them is the experimental, farm based Ministry of Beer.
The Collaborators: More Craft Malt
Hops tend to grab most of the craft beer world's attention when it comes to beer's core ingredients, but as more maltings – big and small – open across Australia, giving brewers new malt varieties to play with, the much-loved flowers may soon be sharing a little of the limelight.
