Articles by Will Ziebell
Blackman's Brewery: Ten Lessons From Ten Years
Blackman's were the first modern era brewery to bring local beer to Torquay and, in the decade since, they've been embraced by their community. As they turn ten, we asked the Blackmans to share their Ten Lessons From Ten Years.
Aussie Exports: Fergal Carroll
Fierce Mild are dedicated to providing non-alc craft beer to Irish drinkers but share an affinity with Australia. To find out more about them – and their local links – we chatted to former Fixation man Ferg about how it all came about.
Mighty Craft Appoint Voluntary Administrators
ASX-listed Mighty Craft has entered voluntary administration, with the decision made to ascertain whether or not the business, which has invested in and divested from several craft drinks producers, should continue operating.
Seeker Take Flight With Tiny Tins
Limited release beers tend to appear in 440ml cans but it can be a lot of liquid and booze to enjoy in one go. Seeker Brewing are shaking things up with big beers in tiny tins called The Art Of Flight.
The Story Of: Red Hill Imperial Stout
When it comes to beers that are both cherished and have staying power, few compare with Red Hill Brewery's Imperial Stout. As we make our way through the depths of winter, here's the founders with the tale of how it came to be.
Closing Loops And Brewing Shrooms – Australia's Most Sustainable Beer?
Breweries love to collaborate and many are putting greater focus on brewing more sustainably. Now a new project in SA is exploring just how green brewing can be.
The Breeders Bringing New Brewing Yeasts To Life
In June, brewers given a new yeast to play with called LalBrew Pomona. To find out how new yeasts like this hybrid come to life, we chatted to one of its creators at Escarpment Laboratories in Canada.
Courtney Plowman Slays Beer
Courtney Plowman has loved wine since she could legally drink but a local bar sparked a passion for craft beer and the community surrounding it. For our Slays Beer series, we invited Courtney to tell us about her path into the industry.
Just Wines Buys Beer Cartel And Brewquets
Beer Cartel and Brewquets have been bought by Just Wines. We chatted with co-founder Richard Kelsey about the sale of one of Australia's pioneering beer retailers.
The Mill Brewery Take Over The Bendigo Hotel
In welcome news for both the local beer and live music scenes in Melbourne, Collingwood's The Mill Brewery have announced they're taking over the suburb's legendary The Bendigo Hotel.
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Betting On The Beerfarm
Following their purchase of Feral's Perth site, Beerfarm have made it clear they're looking to expand nationally and see more of their beer exported. We chatted with the brewery's directors about their long-held plans for growth.
Beer Nuts: Tom Madden
Tom Madden has been a regular sight at beer festivals for years – and now has his own. Ahead of the first Obsidian Dark Beer Festival, Tom tells us how his passion for beer led him to become more than just a drinker.
Down The Barrel Hole With Fox Friday
Winter's chill makes it a perfect time to enjoy barrel-aged beers. Ahead of Fox Friday releasing beers from their first ever foray into this field, we spoke to the team – no strangers to working with oak – about their approach.
Great Ocean Road Brewing Expand Into Former Sou'West Site In Torquay
Great Ocean Road Brewing are taking over the former home of Sou’West Brewery in Torquay, after the latter entered administration in May. Co-founder Matt Shortal about their decision to secure the site and plans for the future.
Red Top Brewing’s Bedford Brews
If you ever spot Red Top Brewing Co's truck, you're in for a beer experience with a difference. It's the brainchild of brewer Emily Allsopp, who tells about her passion for beer, brewing and her impressive bar-for-hire.
The Future Of Black Hops
After being saved from liquidation by a group of new and existing shareholders, the new owners of Black Hops appointed industry veteran Nick Boots as CEO. We spoke to the Gold Coast operation's new boss about their plans.
Lion Set To Close Malt Shovel Brewery
Lion is set to close the Malt Shovel Brewery in Sydney's Inner West in August. The decision spells an end to nearly four decades of brewing on the site, the birthplace of Hahn Brewery and the James Squire range of beers.
BentSpoke: Ten Lessons From Ten Years
BentSpoke Brewing are celebrating ten years since their story kicked off but the couple behind it, Richard Watkins and Tracy Margrain, have long been involved in the local beer scene. As they mark the occasion, we caught up with the Canberra brewers so they could teach us all Ten Lessons From Ten Years.
Rocky Ridge Buy Thunder Road
More great news for beer fans as we can reveal Rocky Ridge have bought Thunder Road. The WA brewers plan to reopen the Brunswick venue in late July and will start brewing for the East Coast prior to that.
The Story Of: La Sirène Praline
La Sirène's Praline was created as a one-off for GABS but, after winning the People's Choice vote, took on a life of its own. Ahead of the beer's tenth birthday celebrations, the brewery team reflect on a most un-La Sirène beer.
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Temple Brewing To Close
Temple Brewing have announced they will close their Brunswick East brewpub from May 19 with the brewery to cease operating. The news comes a week after fellow Melbourne brewery Deeds announced they were closing.
For The Love Of Beer: Bringing The World's Kegs To Pint of Origin
As Pint of Origin returns for a 12th time from May 10 to 19, we take a look behind the scenes at the huge amount of time and effort that goes into bringing the world of beer to Melbourne for ten days every year.
Chuck Hahn Returns To Beer With Chuck & Son's
Chuck Hahn is one of the best known names in Australian beer and, although he retired a couple of years ago, he's been tempted back by his son. To find out more, we chatted with Chuck and Scott about their plan.
Asahi To Close Matilda Bay Brewpub; Brand To Continue
Asahi is to close Matilda Bay's Healesville brewpub on May 19 but the brand will continue. The news comes less than five years after the multinational announced it would revive the brand with the support of founder Phil Sexton.
Changing The Face Of Beer Judging
Beer judging is a highlight for many but there are always fewer spots available than people wanting to judge. As the Australian International Beer Awards approach, we spoke to those helping change the face of beer judging locally.
How Moon Dog Brought The Wild West To Footscray
After an unexpected last-minute delay, Moon Dog Wild West opens in Footscray today. We chatted to brewery owner Josh Uljans as well as the man tasked with creating its uniquely madcap vibe.
Brewing Up Brilliance
Four very different breweries have brewed a champions collab for the Australian International Beer Awards. Ahead of the awards night, we joined them at Mountain Goat to find out how the beer was designed and why collaboration matters.
Crafting A Certifiably Sustainable Beer Industry
From individual beers to malt and hops, Certified Sustainable is a name and logo that's become an increasingly common sight in the beer industry. But what does the seal mean and where does it come from?
Two Rupees' Founder Distils His Passion For Spirits Into Dutch Rules
Spend time with Two Rupees' co-founder Danny Perera and you'll soon discover he loves spirits as much as beer. That passion has found its way into another business for the Sri Lankan-born Melburnian: Dutch Rules Distilling.
Mighty Craft To Sell Mismatch & 78 Degrees To Group Led By Former CUB Boss
Mighty Craft plan to sell Mismatch and 78 Degrees Distillery to a group led by former CUB boss Peter Filipovic. The announcement follows multiple divestments from the business founded to support craft breweries and distillers.
Aussie Exports: Mike Roberts - Cru Brewing Systems
Mike Roberts has spent more than a decade brewing in Australia and Canada, currently working for Cru Brewing Systems. After running into him at a distillery, Will Ziebell caught up with the former Mountain Goat brewer for a chat.
Bodriggy Become Carbon Neutral
Bodriggy Brewing have joined the small number of breweries in Australia to become climate neutral. It makes the Abbotsford-based brewery the first indie brewer in Victoria to gain certification from the Climate Active program.
Black Hops Enter Voluntary Administration
Black Hops have become the latest brewery to enter voluntary administration; the Gold Coast-based operation appointed Deloitte today. The news follows Akasha and Deeds making similar moves over the last couple of weeks.
Craft Beer Heroes: Scott Overdorf
Scott Overdorf has been an integral part of Hobart Brewing Co since its launch, but his involvement in beer and brewing goes back far further. Following his retirement, we caught up with the American expat for a chat.
Akasha Go Into Voluntary Administration
Akasha Brewing have become the latest independent brewery to go into administration, with the brewery appointing Vincents to oversee the business as they restructure debt and look to agree terms with creditors.
Grain And Grape To Close In May
After more than three decades of supplying the local industry with homebrewing equipment, John Preston is set to retire. It means Grain and Grape will close its doors in May but before it does, we spent some time reflecting with the local beer hero behind it.
Deeds Enter Voluntary Administration
Deeds Brewing have become the latest brewery to enter voluntary administration, with the Melbourne brewery appointing Deloitte Financial Advisory as administrators this week but with the founders remaining at the helm.
Brew & A: Madi Bruce
For the third year running, the women of Bright Brewery created Fred's Beer: a collab named in honour of the brewery's late co-founder. We chatted to the brewer behind the 2024 beer about why it matters.
Snappy 'n' Hoppy: The Rise of West Coast Pilsner & Cali IPA
Leaner, crisper styles of hoppy beer are growing in popularity. We spoke to some of those exploring West Coast pilsners and California IPAs to find out where they've come from and where they're going.
Diversifying The Pathways Into Brewing
With applications for this year's Young Henrys Brewing Scholarship for female, female-identifying and non-binary people closing soon, we chatted to two brewers about their experiences since ditching corporate jobs.
Bracket Brewing Forced To Find A New Home
Sydney's much-loved and small-scale Bracket Brewing have been forced to search for a new home after facing a significant rental increase. We chatted with cofounder Mike Meletopoulo about their difficult search for a new home.
Turning Towards Terpenes
Hops are loaded with terpenes: aromatic compounds that drive much of what appeals to beer drinkers. As brewers look to use them to enhance aromas in their beers, we chatted to some of those exploring this new territory.
Chilling Their Way To More Sustainable Brewing
Frigid.Cloud only launched last year but their innovative software has been embraced by breweries across Australia and they've made inroads in America too. We chatted to them to find out about their sustainable brewing solution.
Melbourne's Multitude Of Missing Kegs
Over several months, kegs have been continually disappearing in Melbourne, with breweries, venues and Konvoy expressing concern about the scale of what's occurring. We spoke to some of those impacted about how it's harming the local beer industry.
Bitter Phew: Ten Lessons From Ten Years
From lockout laws to lockdowns, running a Sydney bar has presented plenty of challenges over the past decade, yet Bitter Phew continues to stand tall. As the institution turns ten, we chatted to co-founder Aaron Edwards.
Bondi Brewing Launch New Home Brewing For Good With Famous Locals
Bondi Brewing have had a presence in their home suburb since 2018, and have now launched a brewery inside an Asian restaurant. To mark its arrival, they've asked well-known locals to brew with them to raise money for charity.
Spangled Drongo Match Good Brews With Great Deeds
Spangled Drongo is a new Northern Rivers brewery with a story that's worth telling before you even think about the beer. We chatted with some of the team about doing good, brewing good, tuk-tuks and kitesurfing.
Brew & A: Matt Ives
Beers brewed by Matt Ives won silverware at the Australian International Beer Awards and pipped Corona and Balter in our Mexican lager blind tasting. We chatted to him about a beer career that began pulling pints in Wagga.
The Best Of Beer 2023: The Territories
It's time to bring down the curtain on our look back at the year in The Best Of Beer 2023. For the final instalment, we cast an eye over goings-on in the NT and ACT.
The Best Of Beer 2023: Tasmania
Following our trip to Queensland, we're moving to Australia's southern island for the fourth entry in our Best Of Beer 2023 series to take a look back at the moments, beers and people that stood out over the year.
