Articles by Will Ziebell
Who Brews YEPP Beers?
Yeppoon is known for its beautiful beaches and as a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef but one local couple hope the coastal town will soon be known for beer too. We caught up with Tanya and Justin Adam to find out more about YEPP Brewing.
The Year Of No Booze
In 2020, Australia witnessed the launch of a number of alcohol-free brewing companies and brands, and in 2021 sales rocketed, quality rose and options blossomed. As 2022 starts, look at why booze-free beer has struck such a chord.
Brew & A: Eden Pink
When Eden Pink got a hospitality job working for Prancing Pony, she hadn't considered becoming a brewer. Five years on she's senior brewer at the Adelaide Hills outfit and her likeness decorates their new Pinkers beer too.
The Collaborators: Mind And Strength Support
David Spargo is a Melburnian with a background in hospitality and social work who's decided to combine his two careers to provide better mental health support for managers and owners in small venues and breweries.
Brew & A: Ned Bowring
Following a long stint of travel, Ned Bowring switched careers to follow his passion for brewing. He then fell for the art of barrel-ageing at Boatrocker, before moving to Hawkers then Deeds, where he's created their first mixed culture beers.
Indie Beer Hits The SCG
Fans of cricket and Sydney's indie brewers have been given an early Christmas present. Beers from The Grifter Brewing Co and Young Henrys are now pouring at the SCG after Merivale secured hospitality rights.
Who Brews Five’ 3” Beers?
Killer Sprocket has fast become something of a brewing incubator for newcomers to the beer industry. Among them is Christopher Martin, the man behind Five' 3" Brewing, and now part of the Killer Sprocket team too.
Australia's First Gluten-Free Bottlo
Gluten-free beer has come a long way in Australia in recent years and one new retailer has committed to stocking the widest variety anyone can find. We spoke to David Lilley about his decision to launch the online Gluten Free Beer Shop.
Wild Life Get Wilder
Shepparton-based Wild Life Brewing recently took their pilot kit away from home to spend a day in the elements. We caught up with co-founder Jack Thomson to find out about the adventure and plans for their own brewery.
From Beer Blogger To Brewery Owner
Luke Robertson has enjoyed a variety of roles in the Australian beer industry: providing commentary, telling stories, and working closely with brewers through the IBA and Good Beer Week. Now he's off to run a brewery New Zealand.
Get more Crafty!
Sign up to our newsletters and get the latest craft beer news delivered free to your inbox. Choose from our Friday Roundup of the week, the quick-read, social feed-like Crafty Cuppa – or both!
Meet Geelong's Newest, Not New Brewery
A new brewery recently launched in Geelong but neither the beer nor the brewer are all that new. We chatted to Cockies' new owners about what they have planned for the brand and the newly-established Great Ocean Road Brewing.
Who Brews Avnge Beers?
From pumpkin beers in the US through street art in Darwin and Melbourne to combining his love of beer and art in one, James Isacsson has enjoyed a unique path into brewing. We caught up with him on the back of his first release.
The Lord Nelson Set For Sale
For the first time in 35 years, Sydney's Lord Nelson is up for sale. We caught up with Blair Hayden, the man who turned it into a brewpub in the 80s, to find out what's next for him and one of the country's most iconic pubs.
Konvoy Raise $30 Million & Eye Major Expansion
Konvoy might only be two-years-old but the keg rental company has big plans. Will Ziebell spoke to co-founder Adam Trippe-Smith about their $30m raise to fund expansion here and overseas, as well as a potential IPO on the ASX.
Jetty Road Founders To Leave Brewery
The two faces best associated with Jetty Road are set to leave the business they founded, with Blake Bowden and Grant Bowden set to sell their shares at the end of the year. We spoke to them about their decision and future plans.
Step Inside The Virtual Bottleshop
How'd you fancy climbing a tree to find a rare bottle of Cantillon? It might sound wild, but if a new venture featuring Purvis Beer, a Melbourne-based software developer, and Oculus Quest comes off, it could become your virtual reality.
Lockdowns, Locals & Future Mountain
As Melbourne emerges from another long lockdown, it's worth remembering how much local support has meant to many brewers. In Future Mountain's case, they've found a unique way to pay tribute to those who helped them survive.
Badlands Building A New Home In Orange
Orange will be home to a new taproom experience from 2022 but the brewery behind the beers isn't so new. Badlands Brewery have announced that after a decade on the city's outskirts, they're moving to the centre of town.
Back To The Bar – For The Last Time?
Venues in much of New South Wales are reopening today, with Victoria set to follow in the coming weeks. Will Ziebell chatted to business owners about their hopes, fears, vaccine passports and excitement at welcoming back guests.
Exclusively Yours: The Rise Of Brewery Subscriptions
Beer clubs and brewery memberships are far from new but recent years have seen such them grow alongside online beer sales. We spoke to Molly Rose, Black Arts and Van Dieman Brewing about their exclusive clubs and why they do it.
The Mill Expand And Rebrand
Melbourne venues are looking forward to the end of the month but The Mill Brewery have more reason than most to be excited. They've recently finished work on a production brewery in Thomastown and rebranded too.
Shapeshifter's Taproom Opens Today
Shapeshifter have been building a reputation for their hazy beers, big stouts and willingness to embrace new trends since launching in 2019. Today, they open the doors to their new home, featuring a 12hL brewhouse and a dozen taps.
Firies-Supporting Brewing Company Wins Brew Rocket Grant
A brewing company created to support emergency service workers has won the first Brew Rocket grant designed to reward sustainability and social responsibility. Firehouse 51 was selected by a panel put together by Craft Instinct.
Going Green: KlippaKan
Plastic can holders might be ubiquitous in craft beer but a local company has developed another way to keep your tinnies together. Johnston Packaging and Grifter have just unveiled the KlippaKan, which has been in the works for a year.
Brew & A: Stingray
When you work in a bar or brewery, you may well impart a little of your personality onto the business. For Bodriggy's Stingray, however, he's gone rather further: his name is now that of their upstairs bar and an offshoot beer brand.
Chappy's Crafty Chippies
It started as a side hustle in the food truck at Thunder Road and has since outgrown two kitchens and become a popular snack – and beer pairing item – in Melbourne's crafty venues. We meet the man behind Chappy's Snacks.
Seltzers: Hard Sell Or Easy As?
At the start of 2020, we looked at the arrival of hard seltzers in Australia. With local producers hoping for a summer of seltzer ahead, we chatted to those making and selling them to find out how far they've come and where they're heading.
The Collaborators: Vertek Innovations
Is that decal really moving or is it time to head home? If you're in a bar featuring decals from Perth's Vertek Innovations, don't worry: they really are moving. We chatted to the couple bringing beer brands to life on the bar.
Hop Nation Add A Still To Their Bow
Hop Nation are set to make their booze offering even more multifaceted in the coming months, with the brewery this week installing a still at their Footscray home.
Aussie Exports: Charlotte Feehan
During six months in Melbourne, Charlotte Feehan faced redundancies, a pandemic and a broken ankle. But despite that, it's still a city she loves dearly. Today, she's head brewer at Abandoned Brewery in NZ, which we feel makes her a fitting Aussie Export.
The Big Issue: Private Label Beers
Initial, Zytho, Tinnies, Colossal, Algorithm, Culture House, Gogo Fish – all the names of brands behind pales, IPAs, stouts and sours. And all brewed for the country's major drinks retailers. We look at the renewed rise of "homebrand" beers.
The Club Life
More sports clubs are making the switch to craft beer and reaping the rewards. Will Ziebell spoke to a golf club in Toowoomba and a smaller bowlo in Brisbane's southwest about their successful recent conversions.
Embracing The Fruits
Brewing may be an industrial process reliant on stainless and manufacturing capacity but some brewers are working closely with farmers to showcase the seasons via their beers, including Future Mountain and La Sirène.
Podcast People: Crack The Ceiling
Crack the Ceiling is an Australian beer podcast run by two Americans with a wealth of experience and expertise in the local beer industry. We got in touch with Lindsy Greig and Tif Waldron to find out how they became podcasters.
The Welder's Dog Pack Grows Again
Seven years on from the launch of their first craft beer bar in Armidale, The Welder's Dog team have opened a third. They've renovated the 135-year-old Oxford Hotel in Inverell, installing 20 taps and with a kitchen on the way.
Bridge Road To Open Melbourne Brewpub
Beechworth's Bridge Road Brewers have today unveiled their plans to build a brewery in Melbourne. The new, 30 tap, 350-seat venue will be part of the East Brunswick Village development.
The Great Australian BeerFest Merger
Two Australian beer festivals are combining their might, with Kieran Blood from the Great Australian Beer Festival taking on new business partners, James Harding and Stacy File from BeerFest Australia.
Brewers Take A Cold Dip
Haze and DDH might be here to stay but brewers are trialling new ways to brew punchy, hoppy beers. We caught up with two Australian brewers taking cues from America to brew "dip hopped" and "cold IPAs".
Brewmanity Find A Home In South Melbourne
After a four year search, Brewmanity have finally unveiled plans for their brewery and taproom, which is scheduled to open in South Melbourne in early 2022. We caught up with co-founder David Neitz to find out more.
Something Good Lands In Traralgon
Ten years after he first imagined opening his own brewery in his hometown, and following stints at breweries in Edinburgh and the Netherlands, Jimmy Krekelberg will finally open Good Land Brewery in Traralgon this Friday.
Who Brews Kick Back Beers?
Kick Back launched in the beachside town of Aldinga in the middle of winter, but the cold weather hasn't stopped them packing in guests since they opened. We caught up with one of South Australia's newest breweries to find out more.
The Big Issue: Skills Shortage
It goes without saying that the COVID pandemic has created huge problems for the local beer and hospitality industries. One issue it's exacerbated is a skills shortage, both when it comes to brewing and running venues.
Mighty Craft To Buy Mismatch In $47m Deal
Mighty Craft continue to snap up craft breweries and other alcoholic beverages, today announcing plans to acquire the Adelaide Hills Group, which includes Mismatch Brewing, in a $47m buyout.
Looking On The Bright Side
It might not be the 15th birthday weekend they had planned, but the team at Bright Brewery have a lot to be cheerful about. We caught up with owner Scott Brandon to discuss the brewery's impressive history and what's around the corner.
Capital's B Corp Journey
Capital Brewing are on track to become the latest Australian brewing company to achieve B Corp status. We chatted to the man driving the process for the Canberran brewery.
Brick Lane Plan $50 Million Expansion
Melbourne's Brick Lane have their sights set on a major expansion, with the brewery investing $50 million to give them the capacity to brew up to 20 million litres a year.
Communitinnies Return As Victoria Locks Down Again
As Melbourne's lockdown is extended, and Victorians face their own restrictions, Hop Nation have brought back their collaborative Communitinnies boxes, first launched during the early days of the pandemic.
Brouhaha's Brewery Boom
The Sunshine Coast is set to welcome a new brewery in the coming months, with Maleny's Brouhaha Brewery announcing expansion plans. We caught up with co-founder Matt Jancauskas to find out what's in the works.
More Facebook Beer Pages Removed
Boatocker Brewers & Distillers business page and the popular Beer Thread group have become the latest to disappear almost overnight from Facebook. We spoke to both to find out more.
Brew & A: Jum Ryan
Moving from Singapore and Hong Kong to brew in Alice Springs is one of the more unlikely moves you'll come across. Ahead of their tap takeover at Miss Moses as part of Good Beer Week, we chat to Jum Ryan, who swapped Little Creatures for the Red Centre.
