Articles by Will Ziebell
Behind Bars: Natural Science Wine & Liquor
Natural Science Wine & Liquor opened in 2022 and brought a fresh approach to booze in Melbourne's east by focusing on Australian-owned products. With a bar now too, it seemed a good time to catch up with the team.
Brisbane-Based Felons To Open Another Waterfront Venue In Manly
Brisbane's Felons will soon have a new home in Sydney's suburb of Manly. It's set to open on October 18 with the team also planning to open a connected brewery in the near future.
Mountain Culture To Open A New Venue In Atomic's Former Home
Mountain Culture will have a new home in inner Sydney by the end of the year. The Blue Mountains-based brewery are taking over the former home of Atomic in Redfern, which was closed by Good Drinks a few weeks ago.
Heading Back To (Beer) School
WSET has long taught courses on wine and spirits but recently expanded into beer. Chronic learner Will Ziebell joined students from here and overseas in the classroom to ponder education's place in the current beer landscape.
T-Bone & Last Rites Move In Together
Tasmanian brewers T-Bone and Last Rites have long been mates and now they're making that friendship official by launching The Beer Shed. But, while they're sharing the one space, their stories remain are very much their own.
Burnley Brewing Close Their Richmond Taproom; Enter Liquidation
Burnley Brewing announced plans to close their Richmond taproom in August, becoming the latest indie operation to close their doors in 2024. They have since appointed Worrells as liquidators.
Whisky, Beer & Rakia: Melbourne's New Multi-Beverage Crawl
Brewery crawls are a common sight in some areas but in Melbourne's suburb of Kensington, The Kenzo Crawl combines beer, whisky and rakia to build community.
Dainton's Taphouses Reopen Weeks After Their Sudden Closure
Dainton's taphouses have reopened after being forced to close suddenly in July. To resolve a licensing issue, associated entity Daicom has been placed into liquidation, with the team saying they'll continue to operate business-as-usual.
St Andrews Beach Brewery Open A Brewpub In Melbourne Park
St Andrews Beach Brewery started out in a thoroughbred racehorse facility and now their connection to sport is closer than ever after they opened a brewpub inside Melbourne Park, just a stone's throw from Rod Laver Arena and the MCG.
Valhalla Brewing To Be Liquidated; Multiple Indie Brewers Counting The Cost
Valhalla Brewing and parent company Lotus Beer Co are set to be liquidated, with the collapse of the brewery and beer distribution company leaving a number of small breweries as well as other creditors out of pocket.
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Blasta Brewing Become Official Drinks Partner of Western Force
Blasta Brewing have been named the official bevvy partner of Western Force, with the new partnership set to make the Burswood brewery the home of rugby in Perth.
Slipstream To Open A Venue On The Sunshine Coast
Slipstream Brewing will soon have a second home in Queensland, with the brewery opening a venue on the Sunshine Coast. We chatted to co-founder Elisa Stanley-Hunt about the decision and their impressive 2024 to date.
Laundy Hotels Buy The Lord Nelson
One of Australia's most iconic pubs, The Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel, has been acquired by Laundy Hotels. The sale marks the end of nearly four decades with Blair Hayden at the helm of the pioneering brewpub.
Zevero's Mission To Help Breweries Cut Emissions
You can't solve what you can't understand and few problems are as complex as climate change. Zevero is a platform built to help breweries slash their emissions and to help their mission locally, they've hired Tom Delmont.
Max Bowering Slays Beer
At the age of just 24, Max has become Uraidla Brewery's head brewer. As he takes the reins, we invited him to tell us about his love for craft beer and what catches his eye.
Billson's Appoint Voluntary Administrators
Beechworth-based Billson's have entered voluntary administration, with the decision taken to ensure the brand's survival. Billson's are best known for a colourful range of RTDs but also make beer, spirits and cordials.
Who Brews Meletos Beers?
Meletos Brewing is located in the heart of the Yarra Valley and has a rich history when it comes to beer, wine, apples and style. We chatted to head brewer Jacob Turoy about the brewery's brand new story.
The Final Deed Is Not Yet Done
Deeds Brewing are set to reopen the doors to their Glen Iris taproom this week and plan to brew a few new beers too. However, their return looks set to be short-lived and driven by a desire to wind up the business in an orderly fashion.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
