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
Sailing On A Black Flag
When the 75th Sydney To Hobart Yacht Race takes place this summer, the local beer world will have skin in the game. Gold Coast brewery Black Hops are sponsoring 114-year-old spinnaker Katwincher.
Founders First Continue To Accelerate
Founders First, the "craft accelerator" that started out with an investment in Jetty Road, today they'll announced they're adding SA beverage company Sparkke to their portfolio, continuing a frantic burst of activity ahead of their IPO.
BrewDog Brisbane Opens
BrewDog's long-mooted DogTap venue finally opened today with the Scottish brewing company pledging to donate all earnings from their first day to bushfire relief as the Queensland State Government launched two new ventures too.
Wildflower Top The First Drink Easy Awards
A beer from Wildflower has been voted Best Drink In Australia at the inaugural Drink Easy awards. It was judged the finest entry from around 1,250 entries spanning beer, cider, wine, spirits and soft drinks.
Hop Nation Movin' On Up
Hop Nation are to embark on a major expansion project in 2020. They've secured a new site close to, but far larger than their existing home in Footscray and plan to build a 25 hec brewery and 100-plus capacity venue.
Beer Travel: Port Macquarie
Port Macquarie might be best known for its pristine beaches, surrounding natural beauty and koalas. But there's three breweries that call the town home too. Will Ziebell called in at them all – plus Port Mac's other beery outlets.
Podcast People: The Chosen Brew
If you work in beer or just have a passion for it, chances are there are key beers that brought you to this point. That's the topic at the heart of The Chosen Brew, a podcast that's celebrating its third anniversary this week.
Behind Bars: East of Everything & Rosalita's
Gen and Michael Cotter started bringing good booze to Melbourne's eastern suburbs a decade and a half ago. As they prepare to open Rosalita's – a third venue in the same building – we caught up with the team.
The Collaborators: Bluestone Yeast
From brewing yeast pioneer Chris White to an Aussie startup looking to bring locally produced yeast to Aussie brewers, in this Collaborators feature we find out all about the brothers behind Melbourne's Bluestone Yeast.
Crafty Cabal Update - October 2019
Want to know what's going on with The Crafty Cabal, our beer lovers bonus scheme? In this update, there's more giveaways, more specials and info on an upcoming event too.
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Who Brews Old Slang Beers?
Idioms and old sayings are a popular source for breweries seeking inspiration for beer names and that's where new Victorian operation Old Slang have gone too. We caught up with the man behind the beers to find out more.
The Booze World's Crowdfunding Barassi Line
Since it became an option in Australia late last year, a number of breweries have launched equity crowdfunding campaigns. But none of them have been in WA or SA and, according to crowdfunding platform Birchal, that's because they can't.
Supermarket Success At The World Beer Awards
One of Coles' beer brands has picked up a trophy in the World Beer Awards in London. Tinnies Pale Ale was one of two Aussie category winners, with Sydney's Redoak collecting the other for their Chateau Sour.
Karma Kegs For The Climate
Ahead of the Global Climate Strike, the Good Beer Co have announced they’ll be bringing people together over beer to help raise money for the Great Barrier Reef. Will Ziebell spoke to brewing company founder James Grugeon.
Aussie Exports: Pat Keeble
Stone & Wood have made an impression in the UK like few other genuinely Aussie brands in recent years. Much of that is down to one man, their London jack of all trades, Pat Keeble. Will Ziebell joined him for a Pac Ale in Fitzrovia.
The Blackhearts Family Story
The success of local producers is regularly lauded on these pages and elsewhere. But the achievements of Paul and Jess Ghaie in the world of good booze retail are as worthy of recognition as any indie brewer or winemaker.
The Big Issue: Cracking The Code
A number of well publicised cases has brought the role of ABAC in setting the standards for alcohol advertising to the fore. We speak to ABAC's chair and industry figures to find out how businesses can avoid running into trouble.
Beer 'n' Spice & All Things Nice
No beer lovers trip to Bendigo is complete without a stop at Flight Bar for some spicy food and a restock of hot sauce. Now the owners have a burger joint too we caught up with them – and nicked their hot sauce recipe.
The Great British Beer Writer
Pete Brown started out in beer marketing before becoming one of Britain's best-loved writers on beer and wider booze and pub culture. We caught up with him in London ahead of his keynote address at BrewCon.
Bodriggy Fire Up Their Brewery Home
It's taken longer than they planned, but the Bodriggy team are finally able to open their brewery to the public. And we're pretty sure visitors will judge it worth the wait as it's one of the most striking of its kind in the country.
Who Brews BoJaK Beers?
The name is inspired by their two sons rather than the world's most depressed horse and they pour up to a dozen beers at their Dandenong brewpub. As they move into cans, we find out more about BoJaK Brewing.
BrewCon 2019 Program Announced
The Independent Brewers Association (IBA) have lined up some big names from overseas for this year’s BrewCon, which is taking place at the Melbourne Exhibition and Conference Centre in the first week of September.
CUB Bought By Asahi
AB InBev have announced they are to sell Australia's CUB to Asahi for $16 billion Australian dollars.
The Collaborators: Rockstar Brewing
His trophy-winning brewing company BrewCult might have folded but Steve "Hendo" Henderson is now involved in making more beers than ever. We caught up with him to find out about his diverse Rockstar Brewer operation.
Capital Landing At Canberra Airport
Capital Brewing announced today they're to open a 12-tap bar at Canberra Airport. The news bookends a week in which Stomping Ground announced their own plans to build a brewpub at Melbourne Airport.
Behind Bars: Big Ears
Big Ears is one of the bars working hard to bring better beer - along with tasty meatballs - to the people of Geelong. Ainsley Killingback is chief beer proselytist and here tells us about Geelong's crafty credentials.
Billson's Brews From The Archives
The new owners of a brewery with a history stretching back a century-and-a-half are bringing old beers back to life. Already Billson's have released an ale and a stout with origins in the late 19th century with more to follow.
Who Brews Hoppy Puppy Beers?
The brewing industry seems to be obsessed with dogs more than most and now has another canine-themed operation in its midst. As their first beer hits taps, we find out more about Brisbane's Hoppy Puppy.
A Fresh Blast On The FogHorn
Fans of FogHorn beers may not have to travel to the source for much longer after the brewery unveiled plans to expand horizons and release their first cans as part of a relaunch from FogHorn Brewhouse to FogHorn Brewery.
Brew & A: Mattias Isaksson
Mattias Isaksson has a dual role heading up the brewing at Queenscliff Brewhouse while also part of Old Wives Ales – two very different operations making very different beers. We caught up with him to see how he does it.
What Do Today's Excise Changes Mean?
Changes to alcohol excise for breweries announced in May 2018 come into effect on July 1, 2019. We asked people in the business of brewing, selling and moving beer about the impact the changes will have.
Aussie Export: Dave Rooney
After a midlife crisis led Dave Rooney to Buenos Aires, he soon found himself falling for the city's craft beer venues and local breweries. Now he runs tours for those who want to discover Argentina's good beer scene.
Who Brews Ornith Beers?
Daniel Venema is a bird photographer and beer lover who brews for two Brisbane brewing companies. We caught up with him to find out how his love of birds and brewing led him from homebrewing to his dual brewing role.
Who Brews As Paper Scissors Rock?
Breweries have been popping up in small tourist towns across Australia for years. Thanks to Paper Scissors Rock, anyone visiting Victoria's Halls Gaps can now enjoy a local beer while in The Grampians too.
The Collaborators: Craft Instinct
Jessie Jungalwalla has spent close to three years leading Craft Instinct, a branding agency dedicated to making the craft beverage world look better. We caught up with her to talk branding and beer.
Stomping Ground 2 To Open Early 2020
Stomping Ground are off to put their mark on new territory after announcing they'll be opening a second brewpub in Moorabbin in Melbourne's South Eastern suburbs early in 2020.
Who Brews Humpback Beers?
Towards the end of 2016, Cliff Wallis started taking the pokies out of the Tathra Hotel and laid the foundations for a brewery. Now Humpback Brewery is up and running, we thought we'd find out more.
BrewDog Brisbane Set To Open Late 2019
BrewDog co-founder Martin Dickie is in Australia checking on progress of their Brisbane brewery. Will Ziebell chatted to him about their plans for Australia, including the use of local hops and barrels.
Scomo Becomes An Assclown
Ahead of the 2019 federal election there's a new ScoMo in town. G'day, My Name Is ScoMo is the first release from new Melbourne-based beer brand Assclown, launched by the team at Chapel St Cellars.
Crafty Crawls: Melbourne CBD – North
In part two of our guide to the best places to grab a good beer in Melbourne's CBD, we take in the northern half above Bourke Street, where you'll find boilermakers, container bars, Viking horns and history dripping from the walls.
Golden Days Before They End
A few years ago, as the Australian craft beer scene started to move into overdrive, golden ales looked like being one of the driving forces. Today, they're rarely found on tap or in fridges. So, what's changed?
Who Brews Burra Beers?
The local brewing industry in South Gippsland continues to grow, with Burra Brewing launching in Korumburra last August. We got in touch with the founder and head brewer to find out more.
Meet The Hop Doctor
Dr Tom Shellhammer is a world-leading expert in hop chemistry helping brewers understand how better to use hops. We caught up with him in Tasmania as he gives a series of talks in Australia.
Brew & A: Stu Grant
As he embarks on a new head brewer role with plans for more of his beers to be sent into the world, we invited Ocho founder Stu Grant to feature in our Brew & A series.
Blizzard's Birthday Sale
Blizzard Brewery's third birthday celebrations will likely bring mixed feelings for owner Mark Hubbard. Following serious health issues, he's decided to put the venue in the Victorian High Country up for sale.
Podcast People: Aussie Beer Explorers
It was sparked over a few beers in a Melbourne pub and has turned into a podcast by two Daves chatting about beer. We got in touch with them, the Aussie Beer Explorers, for our Podcast People series.
Crafty Cabal Update - April 2019
As ever, there's plenty going on in the world of The Crafty Cabal, where Crafty Pint supporters gain access to thousands of bucks worth of goodies and events throughout the local beer world.
Who Brews Buttons Beers?
Inspired to turn their dream into reality by the birth of their first son, Josh and Cora Roberts launched Buttons Brewing last year. Now their cellar door is open in Ulverstone, we got in touch to find out more.
Pinnacle Of The Community
One of Melbourne's most distinctive pubs has issued a call to arms, warning it could cease to operate. We chatted to Pinnacle owner Leigh Wilkes as well as The Old Bar about how they survived their own tough times.
Hoppy Campers
Ahead of the fifth High Country Hops festival in Beechworth, Bridge Road have hosted their first Beer Glamp, inviting winemakers and brewers to town to collaborate on beers (and sleep in yurts).
