News & Feature Stories
Golden Glory For Aussie Brewers In Japan
It's been another successful excursion to the International Beer Cup in Japan for Australian brewers. Both Mountain Goat and Edge picked up gold, silver and bronzes with Brisbane's White Lies completing the picture with a bronze.
Brewers Guild of NZ Awards 2018
Large foreign-owned breweries took out almost half the beer style trophies at NZ's biggest beer awards last night. Elsewhere there was recognition for Tracy Banner of Sprig & Fern, who is approaching 35 years as a brewer.
Sydney Brewery Returns To Sydney
Five years after it brewed its last beer in the city, the Sydney Brewery has returned to its roots with the opening of a new brewery in Surry Hills.
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.
Black Mark For Black Hops?
The marketing around a new release from Gold Coast brewery Black Hops has come in for fierce criticism, described as sexist and even "rapey" in nature and, according to one brewer that has contacted The Crafty Pint, represents "a new low for Australian craft beer".
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.
Balter Top 2018 Craft Beer Survey
Balter has continued its run of success, named Australia's best brewery in the third Australian Craft Beer Survey. More than 18,000 people took part in the survey run by Sydney retailer Beer Cartel.
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.
Our Man In NZ: The Game Changer
There are plenty of far larger and higher profile beer competitions in New Zealand and Australia but, arguably, none as influential. Our Man In NZ travels back in time to trace the evolution of the annual West Coast IPA Challenge.
Crafty Crawls: Fitzroy
Time for one of our most jam-packed, venues-to-distance-covered Crafty Crawls to date. Join us for a meander through the oldest suburb of Fitzroy as we take in classic pubs, cocktail joints and boozy dive bars.
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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.
Festival Beers
Major music events used to be the preserve of industrial lager and RTDs at music festivals, but things are changing. Music festivals are even looking to create their own craftier beer offerings, as Mick Wust discovers.
Hawkers Takes Out Another Trophy In London
The International Beer Challenge in London has long proved a happy hunting ground for Australian brewers. And, in 2018, it's Hawkers with its hands on silverware again, adding the Brewer of the Year for Oceania to past wins.
Brew & A: Joel Nash of Innate Brewers
Innate Brewers has been quietly building a reputation and amassing silverware from its cosy brewery in Spearwood, WA. Now they've expanded their original kit, we chatted to brewer Joel Nash to find out more.
Beer Travel: Bali, Hops, Water & Yeast II
In part one of his endeavour to hunt down good beer in Bali, Mick Wust focused on the offerings from Big Beer. In part two, he delves a little deeper, calling in to the country's only craft brewery and meeting some US importers.
Beer Travel: Bali, Hops, Water & Yeast I
"Is there any good beer in Bali?" Our intrepid writer Mick Wust followed the well-trodden path to one of the most popular holiday destinations for Australians and set out to discover whether those with crafty palates can find satisfaction.
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.
The Big Issue: Ownership Revisited III
Close to 100 brewing companies have licensed the IBA's independence seal since its launch in May. We contacted the US Brewers Association, whose campaign inspired it, to find out how they are driving the message in the States.
Bang. Banger. Bangest.
From little things, bigger things keep growing. The Little Bang crew has started on its second move to bigger premises in just three years. Matt King called in to find out more.
The Gypsy Lifestyle
As Barrow Boys winds down and West City Brewing makes a comeback under new ownership, we speak to three other brewers about the challenges facing gypsy/cuckoo/contract brewers in today's evolving beer world.
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.
Valhalla Tumbles Into Geelong
Gypsy brewing operation Valhalla has created a beer with Tumbleweed and has followed news of the musical collab with confirmation that it will be setting up home in Geelong.
Beer Travel: Iceland Revisited
Three years on from his last visit, Bert Spinks finds a craft beer scene in Iceland that has expanded significantly. He meets the first female led brewery, discovers a world of long happy hours and collaborations and finds common ground with home.
Hopsters Club Together
Plans to open Australia's first cooperative brewery have taken a step forward as the founders joined members at the site of their proposed brewery and taproom in the Sydney's Inner West. Hannah Louise Grugel joined them to find out more.
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.
Fresh Or Dead
As the audience for craft beer grows and competition intensifies, quality and education are more important than ever. We speak to a Brisbane brewery and Melbourne retailer finding their own ways of spreading the fresh is best message.
Mornington Peninsula Brewery Joins The Tribe
Mornington Peninsula Brewery is the latest brewery to sell, becoming the newest addition to the Tribe family of businesses launched by the people behind Stockade Brew Co and the contract facility previously known as BrewPack.
Aussie Beerstagrammers: Sips & Sessions
Instagram has quickly become a focal point for many in the beer world keen to share their adventures and passions. So we're kicking off a new series featuring some of the country's most avid Beerstagrammers.
Pirate Life & Lord Nelson Take Top Trophies in Sydney
Two very different beers from two very different breweries took the top trophies at the 2018 Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show. Pirate Life's Mosaic IPA took yet another piece of silverware, with Lord Nelson scooping Champion Draught Beer.
More Sporting Success For Gage Roads
As Gage Roads secures pouring rights at another major stadium, we ask their head of marketing for his thoughts on what the future holds based upon his two decades in and around craft beer in Australia.
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.
Who Brews As The Rogue Scholar?
It was experiencing his first real ale in the UK that started Adam Hardy on a mission that led to the launch of Rogue Scholar. As his brewing company turns two, we find out more for our Who Brews...? series.
Crafty Cabal Update – August 2018
Fancy getting your hands on free festival tickets, cases of mixed beer, free brewery tours, tasting paddles galore and invites to exclusive events? Then you need to check out the latest update for Crafty supporters.
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.
The Beer In North Korea
If you're a regular reader of The Crafty Pint, chances are high you've been on your fair share of brewery tours. But one in North Korea? We got in touch with the man leading the first of its kind for tourists to find out more about the DPRK beer scene.
Brew A Batch – An Ethical Guide To Homebrewing
Brew A Batch is one of two quality beer books released in Australia in the lead up to Father's Day. It's a beginner's guide to homebrewing by Batch co-founder Chris Sidwa that delves into the brewer's ethos too. Judd Owen joined him to find out more.
The Collaborators: Zendoke
Phone sex, Hardware Chic, Woolworths Homebrand and cute elephants... In just four years, Jarrod Fuller of Zendoke has become something of a go to designer for breweries in his home state and further afield. Guy Southern finds out more.
Beer Travel: Cruising The Murray
Sinking a few beers on the banks of the Murray on a visit to the Woolshed Brewery is a pleasure in itself. But what about taking out one of the operation's houseboats, complete with two taps pouring the beers of your choice?
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?
AB InBev Buys Online Retailer BoozeBud
The world's largest beer company has moved into the local retail market with the acquisition of online business BoozeBud. AB InBev's global venture capital arm, ZX Ventures, announced the purchase today.
Crafty Dozen – July 2018
It's time to round up the dozen most recent new additions to the Crafty Pint directory in case you missed them when they were first posted. Here it's all breweries and bars, hailing from along the East Coast and across to Margaret River too.
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.
Best Beers Of 2018 – So Far
With the number of breweries continuing to grow and many putting out more limited releases, it's ever harder to keep track of everything. But, with the help of 60-odd contributors, here's our take on the best new releases of 2018 to date.
The Smith Street Beer
A tradition at Brisbane's Beer InCider Experience is for the headline band to brew a beer. For the 2018 festival, this has seen The Smith Street Band create an IPA with the crew set to open a brewpub in Smith Street: Fixation.
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.
