News & Feature Stories

The Best Of The Crafty Pint In 2018

For a final reflection on 2018, here's a look back at the year through the eyes of The Crafty Pint writers who spent their time covering the biggest year yet for Australian beer – as well as some of our coverage from beyond these shores.

Best New NSW Beers Of 2018

In his last Best New Beers roundup before he heads back to New Zealand, Nick Oscilowski commandeers the votes of many to land upon a list that flits from barrels to peat to the rainforest and back – and even includes a humble pilsner.

Big Years In Beer – 2018

It's been a big year for beer in Australia, but some have had bigger years than other. Here, we invite people from each state and territory who've had momentous years in one way or another to reflect on the past 12 months.

Unfamiliar Territory

Slowly but surely, the beer scene in the Northern Territory is coming alive. Two more breweries opened in 2018 and more venues are dabbling too. We spoke to some of the Territory's pioneers and newcomers about the scene up Top.

Best New Victorian Beers Of 2018

It's been another monstrous year for beer in Victoria, with more breweries launching, more beers in more styles released than ever before and competition fierce as anything. Here, we try to cut through the noise and highlight some standout beers.

Best New SA Beers Of 2018

At the current rate of development, there will be few corners of South Australia without a brewery to call their own. So, as another big year for beer in the state comes to a close, our SA team looks back at the new releases that impressed.

Best New Queensland Beers Of 2018

At the end of another momentous year for beer in Queensland, we look to pluck the shiniest gems from a grotto's worth of gems in our 2018 Best New Beers feature, ably stewarded by Mick Wust.

Best New Tasmanian Beers Of 2018

The beer scene in Tasmania continues to evolve, with the state's brewers as happy taking inspiration from overseas as they are showcasing local produce. But which beers impressed most in 2018? Bert Spinks endeavoured to find out...

Crafty Cabal Update - December 2018

As 2018 draws to a close, it's time for a final update from The Crafty Cabal for the year. We've got heaps of festival tickets to give away, our largest beer prize pack to date, new offers plus plenty of great new signup offers too.

Best New WA Beers Of 2018

It's been a phenomenal year for beer in WA in 2018, however you look at it. Here, Guy Southern looks back at the past 12 months and puts together a rundown of the year's best beers as selected by contributors from across the state.

Black Bad Boy Bao 2024 B
Pickled OnMarket
Small Brewers. Bigger Beers

There could be good news on the horizon for Newcastle's small brewers following an announcement that a trial from Sydney's Inner West is set for the city and would allow them to sell full-sized beers instead of just tasters to customers.

Best New Beers Of 2018: An Introduction

Ahead of our state by state by territory look at the best new releases of 2018, we thought we'd take an overarching look at how we go about it and the challenges inherent in attempting such a task in this crazily busy beer world.

The Abbotsford Renaissance

In recent times, you were more likely to see FOR LEASE signs going up on Abbotsford's historic pubs. But that's all changing, as new owners have injected life into a trio of pubs, helping turn it into one of Melbourne's best 'burbs for good beer.

The Incubators: Batch Brewing

As they prepare to turn five, we look at how Batch has acted as an incubator for so much talent in and around the Sydney beer scene through the eyes of its founders and those who've worked there over the years.

Beer Garden Brews

After a career in the mines, the Butterworths moved to Port Lincoln with their kids for a seachange. They took over a mothballed bakery and now the grain deliveries are flowing again to fill the mash tun at Beer Garden Brewing.

The Story Of: Pacific Ale

As 2018 draws to a close, Stone & Wood has been celebrating a decade of brewing. That means its first beer, Draught Ale or, as it became later, Pacific Ale, is ten too. Here, we trace its story and weigh its role in the growth of craft beer.

Hottest 100 Beers: Memory Lane

Other than the poll's founders, few people have been as close to the annual Hottest 100 Craft Beers poll as Pete "Prof Pilsner" Mitcham. As voting opens for year eleven, he takes a look back down Memory Lane at its evolution.

Who Brews Mephisto Beers?

It's been a while now since we first spoke to Pete Wellington of Mephisto as part of a look at the next wave of SA brewers. Now, with his beers a regular fixture at indie venues in Adelaide, we went back to find out more.

Paying For Beer

As Endeavour becomes the first Australian brewing company to launch a public equity crowdfunding campaign, we look at the growing number of options on the table for brewery owners looking to build their businesses.

Aussie Beerstagrammers: Beers In The Sun

Summer's here so it must be time for beers in the sun. Or, more accurately, Beers In The Sun, the unique Instagram account featuring illustrations of Aussie beer cans.

Getting Blind With Crafty: NEIPAs

For the first time in many years of running blind tastings, we've had a brewery go back to back in top spot. In our final panel tasting of 2018, we looked at NEIPAs from breweries across Australia and here's how they fared.

Sensing Something New

Meadmaker Joel Robinson suffered a brain injury while setting up his business that has left him with an incredibly rare condition that makes everything smell rotten. But he's battled through and started winning fans for his unique meads.

Double Ton Up For Radio Brews News

Many beer sites, blogs and podcasts have come and gone since the first episode of Radio Brews News was recorded. As the team prepares to mark its 200th episode with a live special, we caught up with Brews News founder Matt Kirkegaard.

Beer Food: The Brewer & The Chocolatier

Seven Sheds and House of Anvers are stalwarts of the burgeoning food-and-booze scene in Tasmania's north-west. Bert Spinks invited them to blend their two worlds – beer and chocolate – as they told him about their traditionalists' approach to production.

Who Brews One Barrel Beers?

He's worked in the military, the wine industry, been a private investigator and driven trucks around the country. Now, the Too Many Zooz-loving Mark Prior is focused on his beer operation, One Barrel Brewing.

The Most Importantest Beers of 2018

What's the best thing about December? No, not the impending summer holidays, the festive season or the music festivals. It's the torrent of Best Of lists. And we're getting in quick this year at The Crafty Pint.

Crafty Crawls: Hobart – The Breweries

In early spring, we revisited our Crafty Crawl guide to Hobart. The first article focused on the city's best beer venues and bottleshops. Now, in part two, we turn the focus to the small breweries and brewing companies that call the city home.

Biz Directory Update

We'll be introducing a few changes, some cosmetic, some more substantial, at The Crafty Pint in the coming weeks. One will see the Business Directory integrated with our brewery, venue and bottleshop directories.

RateBeer Looks To The Antipodes

Long-running beer rating service RateBeer, now part-owned by the world's biggest beer company, is introducing new features, including in-app retail, and is using Australia as a testing ground.

Major Brewery Supplier DME Is In Receivership

One of the largest suppliers of brewing equipment, Canada based DME, went into receivership yesterday leaving customers around the world unsure how they will be affected.

Holgate at 25
FB*Propak new D2
Beer Nuts: Haydz Sam

One of the more familiar – and unforgettable – faces around the Melbourne beer scene belongs to Haydz Sam. We chatted to him about beer Big and small, inspirations, dream beers and four blankets' worth of t-shirts.

Crafty Crawls: Cairns

A year on from his guide to the fledgling beer scene in Far North Queensland, Philip Goslin returned to Cairns to find some new openings. And here are his findings in a new Crafty Crawl guide to the best beery spots in the city.

Help Us Get Blind: NEIPAs

Having brought our blind tastings back from a hiatus earlier this month, we're closing out 2018 with another one looking at NEIPAs. To whittle the list down to a manageable number, we're asking you to help.

Sip, Speak, Repeat... Taking To The Soapbox

As Felons launches on Brisbane's river edge and with Soapbox and Stone & Wood coming to Fortitude Valley in the coming weeks, Mick Wust caught up with all three brewers and found them all keen to shout loud about the local beer scene.

WA's Brewers Birth A Collabosaurus

Of all the states in the country, it seems none is home to as many people keen to collaborate as WA. And now that passion has been taken to the next level by the crew at Petition, who've created no less than 15 collab beers for WA Beer Week.

The Beer Festival Six-Pack

As beer festival season hots up, we chat to the BeerFest team running no less than six major events across the country to find out more about the people behind the festivals and how they're navigating an increasingly busy market.

Who Brews Forktree Beers?

It turns out turning an old shearing shed into a brewery can take a fair old while. But with all approvals finally signed off this month and guests now welcome at Forktree Brewery, we got in touch with founder Ben Hatcher to find out more.

Where Next For The Wig & Pen?

In June 2019, Canberra's Wig & Pen will turn 25. But, following its owners decision to sell, it's likely a new chapter will be underway in the brewery's tale. We chatted to Lachie McOmish about his decision and hopes for the future.

SA's Beer Industry Pays Tribute To Marco Bona

Marco Bona, the founder of Libation Army and a hugely popular figure in the SA beer scene passed away suddenly recently. The local beer industry has come together to create Marco Hour in support of his family.

Crafty Crawls: Freo – South & North

Back in November 2016, we published a Crafty Crawl guide to the best beer venues in Freo. As the scene there continues to grow, we return to take in venues both south and north of the city's bustling tourist-friendly heart.

Cryer E
Lallemand 1
Victorian Heritage

Bad Shepherd have plundered a bit of local brewing history in creating their new Victoria Pale Ale. It features the historic Melbourne Ale Yeast, brought back to life recently but dating back to the late 19th century.

Sydney – A Winning Perspective

At this year's Sydney Beer Week awards, two local businesses took out two trophies. We spoke to the man behind Akasha and Dylan Hayes, barman at Bitter Phew, about their triumph and the changing landscape for beer in the city.

Getting Blind With Crafty: Mid-Strengths

Following our article on the golden age of mid-strengths, we gathered a panel to assess more than 20 available around Australia for our latest blind tasting. So who came out on top...?

Good Beer Week & The IBA Become One

The country's leading beer week and the national body representing Australia's independent brewers have today announced they are to merge with both parties confident the move will help both achieve more in the future.

Solid Philosophy

As the number of breweries dotted along the South Coast of New South Wales starts to swell, the splendid little seaside town of Gerringong is the latest to get one of its own following the opening of Stoic Brewing.

Craft Beer Heroes: Newstead, The Mill & Brewski At 5

Three of the key players in Brisbane's burgeoning beer scene in recent years all turn five as 2018 draws to a close. We caught up with the founders of Newstead Brewing, The Mill and Brewski to look back, forward and ask who'd win in a fight.

Who Brews Left Barrel Beers?

Brad Bown is on a mission to bring more farmhouse style beers to the Australian beer scene from his brewery home in the Adelaide Hills. Matt King caught up with him to find out more for our Who Brews...? series.

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.

Aussie Beerstagrammers: Slybeer

As Sydney Beer Week 2018 heads into its final weekend, Guy Southern puts the focus on one of the city's best Beerstagrammers for the latest in his series. This time around, it's slybeer AKA Jakkii Musgrave, in the hot seat.

Going Green: Carbon Reduction

Brewing beer is intensive in many ways, from the amount of energy required to the use of water. Hannah Louise Grugel caught up with the team at Batch to find out how they're working to be a more sustainable brewery.