Articles by Will Ziebell
Episode 038: Paddles, Podcasts & Performing With The Beer Pioneer
Time for something a little different as we mark the start of the 2025 Melbourne International Comedy Festival by inviting Melbourne-based comedian, podcast host, and beer-travel-history show presenter Matt Stewart onto the show.
Golden Australian Grains: More Global Success For Voyager
Voyager Craft Malt recently won another gold medal at the Malt Cup. It's the second time the NSW team has won top honours there and they're eager to use the moment – and a forthcoming industry event – to champion local farmers.
Episode 037: Behind The Scenes At The CIBD Convention 2025
Earlier this month, we headed to Hobart for the 38th Chartered Institute of Brewers and Distillers Asia Pacific Convention. While there, we caught up with a plethora of attendees both local and international.
Last Man Standing Take Over Newstead Brewing Site
Last Man Standing, the brewing company co-founded by gold medal Olympic speed skater Steven Bradbury, has taken over the Milton site vacated by Newstead Brewing just last week.
Newstead Brewing Closes For Good
Newstead Brewing have closed their doors with the brewery team saying the decision was a result of the impact of the 2022 floods and the continued economic challenges faced by the beer industry.
Bright Brewery Buy Carlton's Prince Alfred Hotel
Bright Brewery have announced they've taken over the Prince Alfred Hotel in Carlton. The historic boozer has long been a popular university pub and sees the High Country brewers gain a Melbourne outpost.
Bracket Brewing Are Back
Bracket Brewing are back serving beers less than a year after a rent hike saw them shut up shop in Alexandria. We chatted to the Sydney brewers about the journey and their new home in Marrickville.
Live & Local: Six String Open The Doors To Their New Brewery
Two years after they embarked on the move, Six String Brewing's new taproom has opened in Erina. We chatted to co-owner Sharon Benson about their expanded offering across the board: beer, food, live music and more.
Indie Brewers Call Labor Election Commitment Too Little, Too Late
The IBA have called Labor's election commitment around an excise rebate "far too little, far too late" as the organisation encourages beer drinkers and brewers to continue calling for fundamental excise reform.
Sydney Brewery Take Over Rocks Brewing Amid Major Expansion
Sydney Brewery have taken over the former home of Rocks Brewing and transformed it into Sydney Brewery Alexandria. The acquisition comes after Rocks went into voluntary administration in October last year.
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Crafty Signs: Auslan Beers' Magnificent Mission
Beerstagram can feel a bit like the beating heart of the local beer community. One account doing things a little differently is Auslan Beers, whose creators are providing a platform for the country's Deaf community.
Bendigo's New Brewer-Producing Brewery
Bendigo's latest brewery is built with a difference, with the set-up designed to train professional brewers. We chatted to one of Bendigo TAFE's teachers to find out about their plans for the system built for their Cert III students.
Making A Mark: Scotty Hargrave Leaves Balter
A decade on from deciding to take the reins as head brewer at Balter, Scotty Hargrave has left the brewery. We chatted to him about his highlights, proudest moments and what’s next.
Who Brews Subculture Beers?
Brunswick has no shortage of breweries and the latest is Subculture Brewing. To find out more about it, we asked founder Luke Forster to join us for our Who Brews? series.
Bridge Road Brewers Land At Melbourne Aiport
Melbourne Airport's beer offering is set to improve, with Bridge Road Brewers opening an airport bar in early February. We spoke to brewery founder Ben Kraus about their latest venue.
More Moorebeer: Brewer Buys Brewery
The owners of Moorebeer quietly sold the Port Macquarie brewery at the end of 2024. But the brewery's future looks bright as the new owner is long-term Moorebeer brewer Mark Connors who joined the team in 2019.
Behind Bars: Purple Palate & Maleny Brew Crew
Maleny might be a small town in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, but for many years Purple Palate has been providing locals with plenty of beer choice. As their Maleny Brew Crew celebrates 14 years, we caught up with the team.
Ten Lessons From Ten Years: Cupitt's Estate Brewery
Late last year, the beer side of Cupitt's Estate marked ten years of brewing. To celebrate the milestone, we asked head brewer Liam Jackson and Wally Cupitt to join us for our Ten Lesson In Ten Years series.
KAIJU! Beer Enter Voluntary Administration
KAIJU! Beer have become the latest brewery to enter voluntary administration, appointing DBA Reconstruction and Advisory to oversee a restructure of the business.
The Beer Slingers: Sweet Nectar Inn
Sweet Nectar Inn is a brand new bar and bottleshop in Melbourne's north that has quickly been embraced by locals. Step in and chat with Devon or Sam, enjoy their work and you'll quickly understand why.
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No BrewCon Or Indies In 2025; IBA Announces New AIBA Trophies
The Independent Brewers Association has revealed neither BrewCon or The Indies will run in 2025 due to the ongoing challenges faced by the industry. The organisation also announced they would support two new AIBA trophies.
Sailors Grave's Dunetown Home Opens This Week
Sailors Grave are set to open Dunetown this week, more than three years after they unveiled plans for a farmhouse-style brewery at their East Gippsland home. We chatted to co-founder Gab Moore about what lies in store for visitors.
Former Staff Return Tumut River Brewing To Its Roots
Tumut River Brewing is set to reopen in the coming weeks. Former staff have bought the brewery months after the doors shut with plans to return to its roots as a community-focused brewpub and tourist destination.
That’s A Keeper: Sexton Family Turn Temple Into A Shrine To Pils
The former home of Temple will continue brewing but with a focus on one beer: Keeper Pilsner. Behind the new venture is drinks world legend Phil Sexton, his son Harry, and others from Matilda Bay, which was closed by Asahi in May.
The Benefits Of A Pink Boots Booster
Pink Boots was formed to support and empower women in the beer industry and their Leadership Scholarship lives up to that mission. Ahead of it closing, we spoke with some of last year's winners about their experience.
Westside Ale Works Sells But The Future Still Looks Hoppy
Westside Ale Works has sold to a new owner but the South Melbourne brewery will continue to look and feel the same. We chatted to founder Casey Wagner about the last eight years running the brewery.
Who Brews Half-Pace Beers?
The craft beer scene in Sydney's Northern Beaches continues to build with the arrival of Half-Pace Brewing in Warriewood. We spoke to them about their beer, spirits, funky ferments and making drinks with bread.
Shaking Up A Whole New Shed
Shedshaker are only moving a few metres but their new home heralds big changes for the Castlemaine brewers. We chatted to the owners about their growth, sustainability ethos, support for live music and community connections.
Sobah Beverages Put Brewery On Market And Plan To Downsize
Australia's first non-alc brewers, Sobah Beverages, have announced plans to sell their production site. The decision will see them focus on "strategic downsizing" and a return to contract brewing.
Alice Springs Brewing Buy Port Lincoln's Beer Garden Brewing
Alice Springs Brewing Co have purchased Beer Garden Brewing in Port Lincoln. We spoke to brewery founder Kyle Pearson about the decision to expand into South Australia and the brewery's regional focus.
Working Inside Beer's Sinking Ships
Former staff at several business that have closed, changed hands, or been through administration over the past couple of years share their experiences, offering an insider's view of the often chaotic life at these sinking ships.
Beer Cocktails With Matt At Melville: Simcoe Smash
With summer in sight and the days getting longer and warmer, we're kicking off a series featuring beer cocktails and the people that make them. First up is a Simcoe Smash from Matt at Melbourne pub Captain Melville.
Aussie Exports: Emma Elmslie – Shining Peak, NZ
A few months ago, Emma Elmslie left Sydney to become head brewer at Shining Peak on New Zealand's North Island. We spoke to her about the move and what she's learned while brewing on either side of The Ditch.
Brew & A: Ted Carey
Freshly arrived in Australia, Ted Carey secured the a brewing role at Bucketty's in Sydney's Northern Beaches. We chatted to the former Dorking Brewery head brewer about all things cask, community and hops.
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.
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.
