Articles by Will Ziebell
GABS Heads To Brisbane
The travelling circus that is GABS is adding another stop to its itinerary in 2019 when it heads to Brisbane for the first time.
Sowing The Seeds Of Hemp Beer
Young Henrys become the latest brewery to launch a hemp beer following law changes in Australia last year. We spoke to brewers using hemp as well as the researchers helping them get the flavours and aromas into their beers.
The Golden Age Of Mids?
There's never been a better time to be in the market for a lower alcohol beer. But why is that? And is demand growing as fast as the quality new releases? We speak to brewers and retailers to find out whether it's the golden age of mids.
Free To Brew What We Want
Greater awareness around coeliac disease and gluten intolerance is leading to more GF products hitting the market, including beers. As a new gluten free brewery in Victoria nears opening, we find out more from brewers and researchers.
Forrest Fells New Ground
Otways brewery Forrest has unveiled ambitious plans for the future. The brother and sister team behind the brewery have secured $1.49m in government funding and plan to create a large brewery and venue in a historic timber mill.
The Patron of Footscray
In one of the more unusual collaborations of recent times, Hop Nation is releasing a new beer created with the Footscray Historical Society. The Patron is a mid-strength featuring the image of one of the suburb's past industrial leaders.
Spirituous Away
The rise of craft brewers and distillers is creating ever more chances for cross-pollination. As Wolf of the Willows launches its Barrel Exchange Program with Lark, we speak to them as well as the small Gippsland operation blending boozes in house.
Time For Change At Rocks
A change in ownership structure at Rocks Brewing in Sydney will see the Alexandria brewery and venue evolve into the Bourke Road Brewhouse in the coming months.
Advancing Beer Education
Matt Marinich has been one of the leaders when it comes to education in the Australian beer world for years. And this month, he's become an Advanced Cicerone, the first in Australia – and, indeed, the Southern Hemisphere.
Who Brews Bucket Beers?
They're bringing local beer to the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, brew in an old powerstation overlooking a river and their name has one heck of a convoluted backstory involving kids and dogs. Meet Bucket Brewery.
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Festive Adventage
Since their debut in Australia just a handful of years ago, beer-filled advent calendars have become remarkably popular, with thousands expected to be sold this year. Will Ziebell spoke to some of the people putting them together.
Good Drinking For Gage Roads
Gage Roads is putting of its brands, both those developed in house and those they've acquired, under the new Good Drinks Australia umbrella and looks set to continue to build a family of drinks brands like Tribe and Fermentum.
Beer Springs In Alice
The challenges of establishing a craft beer scene in the Northern Territory are greater than any other region of Australia. But the past few years have seen one start to take shape, with Alice Springs Brewing Co the latest addition.
The Collaborators: The Barrel Dealer
The demand for barrels from craft brewers and small distilleries has grown to such an extent, being a barrel dealer is a viable business. We got in touch with one to find out more.
Going Green: Grants
In an article on the business of beer, an expert raised the issue of government grants and how few breweries were taking advantage. Here, a specialist on cutting the cost of business explains just how easy it could be for brewers to cash in.
The Vinification Of Beer
Barrel-ageing, mixed fermentation and the mimicking of wine in presenting certain beers isn't new. Yet the blurring of lines between beer and wine continues apace. We speak to brewers and somms operating on the frontier.
The Collaborators: Big Malt Thinking Small
The rise of craft beer continues to have an affect on the industries surrounding it, with large scale malt producers Joe White and Barrett Burston both introducing new lines designed with small breweries in mind.
Behind Bars: Cambrian Hotel
Bendigo's Cambrian Hotel is a fine example of how to embrace the modern beer world without losing touch with heritage, combining good local beer with good food and warm hospitality in a pub altered little from its gold rush origins.
Barrow Boys Falls. West City Rises.
One Melbourne based gypsy brewer is winding down operations as another makes a comeback. We find out more from Barrow Boys and the new owner of West City Brewing.
Crafty Crawls: Bendigo
Bendigo has come a long way on the beer front in recent years with a growing number of good beer venues, a brewery and festivals including the unique walking affair that is the annual Bendigo on the Hop.
Brew & A: Andrew Robson of The Lord
He first learned about beer at his dad's legendary homebrew store and, after filling in where needed, rose to become head brewer at The Lord. On the back of his recent trophy win, we invited Andrew Robson to be part of our Brew & A series.
Stone & Wood To Open Brisbane Brewpub
Brisbane is set to get another brewery as Stone & Wood eyes up a spot in Fortitude Valley to open a brewpub that will act as a home for its Brisbane team from early 2019.
Behind Bars: The Hive Bar
The Hive Bar has been keeping things local and crafty in Sydney's Inner West longer than most. It makes co-owner Adam Parker well placed to comment on the rapidly changing scene there as the number of breweries continues to grow.
The Business Of Beer: Where To From Here?
The acquisitions of Matso's and Mornington Peninsula Brewery by Gage Roads and Tribe Breweries respectively suggest an industry entering an era of consolidation. We asked a specialist in the business of beer what recent moves could mean.
Chasing Pint Dreams At The Pinny
A bartender at one of Melbourne's iconic pubs, the Fitzroy Pinnacle, has used his workplace as the location for a new web series. Pint Dreams is a six-part show by Ryan Jones and Laura McIntosh and debuts at the pub on August 11.
Beers For Bales
With many Australian farmers experiencing their driest conditions in living memory, a growing number of local beer businesses are banding together to raise money for and awareness of their plight.
Who Brews Three Greens Beers?
From his first homebrew to launching Three Greens with two fellow travellers was a mere 20 years for Nick Copland. As the trio's beers pop up in venues across Melbourne, we find out more for our Who Brews...? series.
The Big Issue: Copyright Or Wrong?
Borrowing from pop culture is one way in which many breweries have fun with their beers and branding. But is there a danger of overstepping the mark? And what are the consequences for anyone that does?
Keg Bottle Can: A New Guide To Aussie Beer
Local beer lovers are in for a treat in the coming weeks as two new books are released in the lead up to Father's Day. One of them comes from Luke Robertson, founder of the Ale Of A Time blog and podcast, beer writer, host and more.
Who Brews Baffle Beers?
Since 2015, Baffle Creek has been introducing the people of rural Queensland to German style lagers as well as rather less traditional ales. We spoke to the German couple behind the brewery for our Who Brews...? series.
The Collaborators: House Of Malt
Another small business created to support the local craft beer industry is up and running in Ballarat. House of Malt is a small malthouse specialising in creating small batch, floor malted varieties.
Who Brews DooLittle Beers?
He fell for good beer after getting a taste of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale decades ago but, arguably, Australia's domestic lagers did more to inspire Paul Nickodem to launch a brewing company. As his second beer launches, we find out more.
Toast Of The Townsville
The beer scene in Queensland has exploded into life in the past few years but, long before the current flood of new breweries, Townsville got its own brewery. As it approaches legal drinking age, we chat to its founder and head brewer.
The Collaborators: Leading The Charge
They were heading into the busiest period of the year and had started blowing fuses and losing power at their brewery. The Mornington Peninsula team needed a solution and it's one they believe could help regional brewers across Australia.
Australian Brewery Sells To The Redcape Group
The Australian Brewery, which has been run by the Colosimo family since 2010, today announced it had sold to the hotel and pub group Redcape
Aussie Exports: Natalie Wollenberg
From Darwin via Perth to a small "island" in Ontario, it's been a long road from first homebrews to commercial brewing. But, says Aussie Export Natalie Wollenberg, since their opened 555 Brewing Co, it's been full on.
What's Wrong With Wheat Beer?
Australia's beer judges seem to love them, they're great with an array of cuisines and they have a fascinating history. Yet traditional European wheat beer styles remain unloved. Will Ziebell speaks to brewers, retailers and consumers to find out why.
Who Brews Bravo Beers?
It's been almost eight years since we launched The Crafty Pint yet this is the first time we've come across Aussie brewers who were inspired to start brewing by traditional the Scottish beer style 80 shillings. Meet Brisbane's Bravo.
The Big Issue: Cold Comfort
The "fresh is best" message is gaining traction in the beer world. But, for the vast majority of beers, keeping them cold is crucial too. As a couple of new businesses launch with cold storage and transport in mind, we look at why staying cool matters.
Crafty Cabal Update - June 2018
With winter upon us, it's time for another update from The Crafty Cabal, our beer lovers bonus scheme. We've got a new competition featuring heaps of Clare Valley Brewing Company beers plus new events and offers across the country.
Brew & A: Justin Corbitt
Three years ago, his brewing was confined to his home. Now Justin Corbitt finds himself as head brewer at one of the fastest growing breweries in Australia. We caught up with him with Hawkers in the midst of releasing ten barrel aged beers back to back.
Who Brews 4 Brothers Beers?
Inspired by the success of 4 Hearts Brewing in Ipswich, former train driver Adrian Cubit decided to bring brewing back to Toowoomba. The brewery named after him and his three brothers just turned one, so we got in touch to find out more.
Dennis Rides Again
Two years ago, Dennis Beer Co, a gypsy operation that had scored a top 20 finish in a Hottest 100 poll, disappeared from taps. Now, they're back, with Mad Hatter IPA hitting taps in Newcastle and Sydney. But, this time, is it for good?
Starting A Brewery: Brisbane's New Kids
The beer industry in South East Queensland has witnessed a remarkable number of new openings in the past couple of years. We spoke to the founders of five that are less than a year old to see how they plan to succeed in today's ever busier marketplace.
Sydney's Thai Tribe
The Sydney based operation behind Stockade Brew Co has launched a new craft beer brand for the Thai market. Will Ziebell chatted to the man heading up the launch of Chao Siam about their intentions – and his days in a Thai monastery.
GABS Champs: Where Are They Now?
The winner of the GABS People's Choice tends to attract a fair amount of attention each year. But what becomes of those festival beers once the hype has died down? We chatted to the past five winners to find out more.
Crafty Crawls: The 86 Tram Pt II
As promised, here's part two of our reworked 86 tram Crafty Crawl. This one starts in Clifton Hill and heads north to Thornbury with many and varied places to check out along the way.
From Canvas to Can
If you head to the Good Beer Week Festival Hub as it launches this weekend, you might stumble across a State Of Origin battle between two artists. You can vote for your favourite piece, which Moo Brew will then put on cans before the festival is over.
Around The Blend
There will be many new beers launched at Good Beer Week and GABS next week, but none quite like Woods Of The North: it's a blend of barrel aged beers from five Australian brewers. We chatted to two of the brewers involved about the art of blending.
Crafty Crawls: The 86 Tram Pt I
We kicked off our Crafty Crawls series of guides to Australia's best beer venues, grouped by their proximity and easily navigable by foot, bike or public transport, with the 86 tram. Two years on, there's so much more to find, it's now a two-parter.
