Articles by Will Ziebell
Will Ziebell is a history graduate who knows more about The Wire than he does about beer. He was awarded the AIBA Best Media trophy for 2018; HBO have told him to please send his fan mail elsewhere. He can be found on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
The beer(s) or moment(s) that turned you on to good beer:
Spending time living in the UK (and backpacking across Europe) when I was 21 certainly gave me a better understanding of the beer and different styles of the world. But I'd say it was a holiday to the High Country a little while later when lunch and a tasting paddle at Bridge Road Brewers created an obsession with Australian breweries and locally made beer.
You've got three beers to turn someone else on to good beer; what are they and why?
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Boatrocker's Miss Pinky: It's a raspberry-packed Berliner Weisse that neither looks or tastes the way many people conceive of beer.
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Bad Shepherd Hazelnut Brown: A luscious mix of chocolate and hazelnut that can appeal to the sweet tooth within us all.
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Stone & Wood Pacific Ale: As the father of my oldest friend once said to me: "It's the perfect refreshing pint that smells like they've loaded it with the God's herb."
The last beer you enjoyed:
Garage Project's DFA while sitting at the bar at Miss Moses as the sounds of The Rolling Stone drifting in the background.
Three things that represent you:
- Bruce Springsteen
- Ken Burns
- The State Library of Victoria
Hop Nation's Zymurgy Zone
Today sees Hop Nation open a new venue with the team behind Yarraville's fine diner Navi. We caught up with brewery co-founder Sam Hambour to find out more about the West Footscray space.
Range Win Big At 2020's Indies
Range had an impressive night at the Indies 2020, taking out four trophies including Champion Australian Independent Beer. Perennial award winners Dainton and Moffat Beach also added to their considerable collection of silverware.
A Summer Of GABS
The pandemic has ensured 2020 became a year of cancellations but the team at GABS is hoping 2021 will look a fair bit different with the festival organisers announcing two new Queensland events for January.
Beer Travel: The High Country Breweries Pt 1
No less than eight months on from when we planned to run our post-bushfires guide to the High Country, and with COVID-19 seemingly under control, the rig of steel down, and the NSW border opening, it's finally time...
Postcards From The Edge No.59: The Indies Reinvented
Most major beer events have been cancelled in Australia this year. But, having had to cull most of theirs, the IBA was determined the Indies awards would survive. We found out how they reworked it for our COVID times.
It's Good To Be Social
It's fair to say 2020 has thrown plenty of curveballs at the beer industry yet the industry's come up with plenty of ways to do good. Now Local Brewing Co have brought a number of them together under the Social Tinnies banner.
Black Hops & Love For Local Dominate Beer Cartel's 2020 Survey
Support for local beer rose sharply in 2020 as drinkers rallied behind their locals during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Beer Cartel's annual survey. It also says Black Hops replace Balter as the country's favourite brewery.
Back On The Craft Beers Pt II
Many of Melbourne's historic pubs have been closed this year longer than they were during even the world wars. Among them is the Rainbow Hotel in Fitzroy. As they prepare to reopen after 180 days closed, we ask how it's been.
Dark Emu – Telling Stories With Beer
Sailors Grave are among the country's most avid and adventurous collaborators and harvesters of all things local to East Gippsland. But the Orbost brewery's latest collab really gets to the heart of the brewery.
Bacchus To The Drawing Board
If there's a beer trend taking off, there's a good chance Brisbane's Bacchus Brewing will be one of the first on board. One that's passed the envelope-pushers by is cans; until now, with the brewery making the switch this November.
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Black Hops Buy Brisbane's Semi-Pro
Black Hops have bought Brisbane's Semi-Pro Brewing and will turn their East Brisbane brewpub into the third Black Hops brewery venue. The Semi-Pro founders are sticking around as part of the new venture.
Going Green: BrewDog's Big Ideas
The beer industry is responsible for generating a lot of carbon dioxide but BrewDog are on a path to change that. We caught up with their top dog in Australia to talk about carbon offset plans as they mark one year here.
Postcards from the Edge No.55: Check Yourself
Venues across the country have implemented COVID-Safe plans to let punters inside and now the Night Time Industries Association is calling on customers to do their part too.
Who Brews Bracket Beers?
Bracket Brewing opened the doors to their Alexandria brewery a little after the City of Sydney began to enjoy an easing of COVID-19 restrictions. We caught up with the father and son team to ask Who Brews Bracket beers?
More Sober, More Often
As Ocsober kicks off, the choices for anyone wanting an booze-free beer, wine or spirit in their hand is bigger than ever before. Heck, there's even a new online retailer specialising in them.
Postcards from the Edge No.53: Monkey Brews
The couple who brought craft beer to Dubbo put the COVID-19 lockdown to good use: taking the skills learned over ten years of homebrewing to follow through on a long-held plan to brew their own beers for their regulars.
Postcards from the Edge No.52: Live & Loud
The live music industry has been hit just has hard as beer – if not harder – by COVID-19. As it starts to return in new COVIDSafe fashion, long-time good times supporters Young Henrys are back supporting gigs in Sydney.
All Change At All Hands Again
A joint venture between 4 Pines and Signature Hospitality Group will see the home of All Hands Brewing House, reigning Indies Champion Australian Brewpub, become part of The Sporting Globe chain of sports bars.
Postcards from the Edge No.51: Wide Open Roads
Today sees venues across Victoria open for the first time in weeks after restrictions were eased on their second shutdown. We chatted to two of the businesses eager to welcome guests back.
Victorians To Take To The Streets
Victorians could be heading to the streets (and rooftops and parks) as part of the state government's plan to bring the hospitality industry back to life in a COVIDSafe manner. But questions remain over what the future holds.
Ten Years Of Crafty: Beer In The Media
For most people, the idea that beer writers even exist is a hard one to conceive. Yet there's an evolving media landscape dedicated in one way or another to the beer world. Here we look at how it's changed over the years.
Postcards from the Edge No.50: Pivoting Properly
While they await the day they can open again, the team at The Cambrian in Bendigo have been keeping busy. Once they finished renos they embarked on a course to understand how to make their business better post-COVID.
Little Bang Top The GABS Can Design Awards
Little Bang claimed the inaugural GABS Can Design Awards title for their Face Inverter beer, designed by Matt O'Connor. Moon Dog and Fixation completed the podium with our designer Jessie Jungalwalla landing two in the top ten.
The Collaborators: Craft's Can Pioneers
Ahead of the announcement of the first GABS Can Design Awards, we chatted to the people who helped spark the craft beer's move into cans two decades ago, Canada's Cask.
Modus Of The Merewether
Modus Operandi are set to build a second brewery. They've been granted approval for a site in Newcastle, where they're planning a sustainable venue close to where co-owner Grant Wearin's grandfather used to run the corner store.
The Big Issue: The Future Of Beer Fests
How will beer festivals look in a post-COVID world? We chat to the organisers of those still going ahead in 2020 and others who've had to adapt about the future of major events in the local beer world.
Who Brews 27 South Beers?
Brisbane's busy beer scene is located along the 27th parallel; it's a fact one of the city's newest brewing companies is keen to shout about. We caught up with 27 South Brewing as part of our Who Brews? series.
Crafty Cabal Update - August 2020
As the beer world returns to something approaching normality in most of Australia, we've been adding plenty of new deals, giveaways and events for members of our beer club, The Crafty Cabal.
Hop Nation Set Up In Mornington
Hop Nation have taken over the former site of Mornington Peninsula Brewery's main production brewery. It follows Mornington owner Tribe Breweries' decision to stop using the site earlier in the year.
A New Competition For WA Brewers
This year's WA Good Food Guide Awards will feature beer for the first time. The competition will judge only WA beers with the judging panel led by The Crafty Pint's own Guy Southern.
Postcards from the Edge No.46: Lockdown Life
Streets are emptier, bottleshops and cellar doors are quieter, masks – and a greater sense of fear – are everywhere. Midway through the scheduled six weeks of Lockdown Mk II, we chat to two reps about life in Melbourne's beer world.
Postcards from the Edge No.43: Bingo – It's A Gas
Watching customers pull into and out of a servo in Wagga Wagga might sound like an odd way to spend a Tuesday night. But the Servo Bingo concept, launched by the Thirsty Crow during lockdown, is proving a hit.
Melbourne Goes Into Lockdown Again
Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews has announced Melbourne will face its second lockdown. The return to stage 3 conditions sees all pubs, bars and brewery venues closed for six weeks with potentially devastating consequences.
Postcards from the Edge No.43: Open & Shut Case
It's a scenario all venue owners have feared since Australia started to move towards reopening: a second lockdown. And it came to Ascot Vale on the day Jimmy's Tap & Barrel was set to open for the first time since March.
Craft: What Does It Mean & Does It Matter?
The debate is almost as old as craft beer itself: just what does "craft" mean? British beer writer Pete Brown spent lockdown writing a book examining the term and arguing that it remains absolutely essential.
Who Brews Golden Hills Beers?
Golden Hills make golden (and many other coloured) beer from a small brewpub in Diamond Creek and were ready to launch just as Australia closed down. We caught up with the team to find out Who Brews...? Golden Hills beers and ask what it was like opening during a nation-wide lockdown.
Postcards from the Edge No.42: Good Beer Still Helps
The campaign to provide four-packs of indie beer to thousands of essential workers has entered a new stage with mixed A Good Beer Always Helps packs now hitting BWS and Dan Murphy's stores across the country.
Range To Set Up Home In Abbotsford
Melburnian fans of Range Brewing's much-hyped beers are in for a treat: they're opening a 16-tap venue in Abbotsford later in the year.
Who Brews Wandana Beers?
It's home to yoga retreats, hippies and an annual music festival. And now Mullumbimby is also home to its own brewery. We caught up with the team at Wandana Brewing Co to find out more about fermenting beer to music.
Hand Over The Deeds
It's been one of the most drawn out processes in modern Aussie brewing but, four years on from their initial application, Deeds Brewing finally have permission to build a taproom at their Glen Iris brewery.
Postcards from the Edge No.39: It Ain't Weak To Speak
More than 20 Brisbane brewers plus other industry suppliers have joined forces to create a collaborative beer designed to raise funds and awareness for Queensland mental health charity LIVIN.
Who Brews Bay Rd Beers?
It's not found in Bay Rd but it does have its locals at heart. Having switched a greater focus onto canning during COVID-19, Bay Rd Brewing in Gosford is now looking forward to welcoming those locals back.
Postcards from the Edge No.38: Room At The Inn
Now venues are reopening across Australia, two mates keen to get back to their favourite watering hole have devised a new system that allows customers to find out if there's room for them at their local.
Indie Brewers Score NSW Government Support
The indie brewing industry received welcome news today as the NSW State Government announced it was injecting close to $200,000 into Independent Brewers Association coffers to aid in their recovery from COVID-19.
Postcards from the Edge No.37: Band Aid
The live music scene has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, longstanding live music supporters Young Henrys have joined forces with Inertia Music to sell local artists' vinyl with their beers.
Postcards from the Edge No.36: Centralian Care
With venues open again and restrictions eased more than elsewhere in Australia, Alice Springs Brewing Co have been doing their bit to get local hospo businesses going again with their Centralian Care Package.
Postcards from the Edge No.35: Keeping Local Alive Alive
The Keeping Local Alive campaign has been embraced by the beer community as businesses navigate unprecedented times. Some brewers have even put it on their cans, including Boatrocker with their new fundraising Local Lager.
Sun Dog World
Moon Dog World has attracted plenty of attention – and for good reason. There's another good reason to pay attention to the building too, as they've installed so many solar panels they're almost regarded as a power station.
Postcards from the Edge No.34: A Lucky Break
There's never a good time to break your leg, but during a global pandemic while running a regional business is most definitely not good. Yet, with a little help from their friends at Lallemand, Pioneer Brewing turned it into an opportunity.
Postcards from the Edge No.33: Gambling On A Better Future
With venues closed, The PBC not only took the chance to undertake much-needed renos, but the Sydney bowlo's president also took the opportunity to highlight the success they've had since ripping out their pokies.
