News & Feature Stories
The Collaborators: House Of Malt
Another small business created to support the local craft beer industry is up and running in Ballarat. House of Malt is a small malthouse specialising in creating small batch, floor malted varieties.
Beer Travel: Thirsty In Hungary
Our resident wanderer (can you be such a thing?), Bert Spinks has been soaking up the good times in Budapest. Join him as he calls in on the pioneers of Hungary's craft beer scene.
Who Brews DooLittle Beers?
He fell for good beer after getting a taste of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale decades ago but, arguably, Australia's domestic lagers did more to inspire Paul Nickodem to launch a brewing company. As his second beer launches, we find out more.
Crafty Crawls: Brisbane's West End
Brisbane's West End (and the adjoining parts of the city) is awash with great beer venues these days. Heck, there are even breweries that call the 'burb home. So we made the area a focus of a Crafty Crawl – and have since updated it with even more goodness.
The Collaborators: Feeling Animated
With more beers fighting for tap and fridge space than ever before, the challenge of capturing beer drinkers' attention has never been greater. Label manufacturer Graphix is hoping a moving new development will appeal to brewers looking to stand out.
Perth Royal Beer Awards Winners 2018
Pirate Life took out the Champion Beer trophy for their Mosaic IPA at the 2018 Perth Royal Beer Awards, where local brewers dominated and the Champion Brewery titles went to Lion (Large) and 3 Ravens (Small).
Toast Of The Townsville
The beer scene in Queensland has exploded into life in the past few years but, long before the current flood of new breweries, Townsville got its own brewery. As it approaches legal drinking age, we chat to its founder and head brewer.
The Collaborators: Leading The Charge
They were heading into the busiest period of the year and had started blowing fuses and losing power at their brewery. The Mornington Peninsula team needed a solution and it's one they believe could help regional brewers across Australia.
Australian Brewery Sells To The Redcape Group
The Australian Brewery, which has been run by the Colosimo family since 2010, today announced it had sold to the hotel and pub group Redcape
Beer Nuts: Beer Bogan Jamie Reeves
He grew up drinking bad beer in Bunbury, was turned on to craft beer by a brewer mate and now celebrates his local beer scene via the South West Craft Beer Bogans Facebook group. Guy Southern caught up with Jamie Reeves for our Beer Nuts series.
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!
Royal Adelaide Beer & Cider Winners 2018
There was an eclectic mix of winners big and small, old and young, at the Royal Adelaide Beer & Cider Awards last night, with Coopers, Boston Brewing, Lobethal Bierhaus, Beer Garden Brewing and Fixation all taking out multiple trophies.
Aussie Exports: Natalie Wollenberg
From Darwin via Perth to a small "island" in Ontario, it's been a long road from first homebrews to commercial brewing. But, says Aussie Export Natalie Wollenberg, since their opened 555 Brewing Co, it's been full on.
Who Brews With Nine Fingers?
The loss of a finger may have damaged his prospects as a bass player but, years later, it's given David Anderson the name for his brewing company. We find out more about Nine Fingers, launched on the back of a win at the Fresh Harvest Beer Festival.
What's Wrong With Wheat Beer?
Australia's beer judges seem to love them, they're great with an array of cuisines and they have a fascinating history. Yet traditional European wheat beer styles remain unloved. Will Ziebell speaks to brewers, retailers and consumers to find out why.
Indies Winners 2018
Mismatch, Modus Operandi, Boatrocker and Moffat Beach were the big winners at the 2018 Indies awards in Sydney, taking out the champion trophies at Paddington Town Hall.
Brut D'état: IPA's Grand Usurper
If you've not heard of Brut IPAs yet, you soon will. The style was only born in San Francisco late in 2017 but the first Australian versions are already out. So, will this replace NEIPAs as IPA's style du jour? We chat to some of the early adopters.
The Big Issue: Ownership Revisited II
Last month, we returned to the topic of ownership. Then, we sought the views of people predominantly operating in the independent sector. Here, we follow up with the views of those who own or work for formerly independent beer brands that are now part of larger businesses.
The Big Issue: Who Owns Your Beer?
If ownership of a product is important to you as a buyer, choosing from a fridge of beers has never been trickier, particularly if you're shopping at one of the country's two major retailers. Here, following recent of acquisitions, we look at who owns some of the country's beer brands.
Who Brews Bravo Beers?
It's been almost eight years since we launched The Crafty Pint yet this is the first time we've come across Aussie brewers who were inspired to start brewing by traditional the Scottish beer style 80 shillings. Meet Brisbane's Bravo.
The 2018 Australian Craft Beer Survey Launches
Since launching two years ago, the Beer Cartel annual craft beer survey has rapidly become a great gauge of the local beer scene. In 2017, more than 17,000 people responded and now you have a chance to take part as the 2018 version launches.
Felons To Storm Brisbane
The beer lovers of Brisbane can prepare to party like it's 1823 as a new brewery venue takes shape on the edge of Brisbane River, underneath the iconic Story Bridge. Mick Wust called in to meet the Felons as they took delivery of their tanks.
Lessons From America
For years, the Australian industry has followed the lead of its American counterpart. So what can we learn from a beer culture that's far more ingrained than ours and has fought many of the battles facing local brewers and beer lovers today?
The Big Issue: Cold Comfort
The "fresh is best" message is gaining traction in the beer world. But, for the vast majority of beers, keeping them cold is crucial too. As a couple of new businesses launch with cold storage and transport in mind, we look at why staying cool matters.
Big. Boozy. Fruity. Stoked.
When they learned their Boozy Fruit beer had taken out the People's Choice at the 2018 GABS festival, there was the odd tear in the house at Big Shed. Matt King called in to their brewery home to share a glass with co-owner Craig Basford.
Crafty Cabal Update - June 2018
With winter upon us, it's time for another update from The Crafty Cabal, our beer lovers bonus scheme. We've got a new competition featuring heaps of Clare Valley Brewing Company beers plus new events and offers across the country.
Brew & A: Justin Corbitt
Three years ago, his brewing was confined to his home. Now Justin Corbitt finds himself as head brewer at one of the fastest growing breweries in Australia. We caught up with him with Hawkers in the midst of releasing ten barrel aged beers back to back.
Crafty Crawls: South Brisbane & Beyond
Much is made of the growth in breweries in and around Brisbane, but the bar scene is no slouch either. So, less than two years after publishing a South Brisbane/West End Crawl, we've had to divide and conquer, creating two where there had been one...
Who Brews 4 Brothers Beers?
Inspired by the success of 4 Hearts Brewing in Ipswich, former train driver Adrian Cubit decided to bring brewing back to Toowoomba. The brewery named after him and his three brothers just turned one, so we got in touch to find out more.
Dennis Rides Again
Two years ago, Dennis Beer Co, a gypsy operation that had scored a top 20 finish in a Hottest 100 poll, disappeared from taps. Now, they're back, with Mad Hatter IPA hitting taps in Newcastle and Sydney. But, this time, is it for good?
Down The Road
Following Gage Roads' announcement it had bought Matso's, we spoke to head brewer and COO Aaron Heary about the sale, whether he thinks we'll see more acquisitions of this kind and what he thinks the future holds for the local beer industry.
Gage Roads Buys Matso's
Gage Roads today announced it has bought fellow WA brewing company Matso's. It is the latest major announcement from the WA brewery, which has been enjoying remarkable growth and success since buying back shares from Woolworths in 2016.
Starting A Brewery: Brisbane's New Kids
The beer industry in South East Queensland has witnessed a remarkable number of new openings in the past couple of years. We spoke to the founders of five that are less than a year old to see how they plan to succeed in today's ever busier marketplace.
Crafty Crawls: Rozelle, Balmain and Barangaroo
Sydney's challenging topography can make it a challenge to get around. But in challenges, we see opportunity, which is why Judd Owen embarked on a mission to create a Crafty Crawl tying together some of the less easily accessed venues – with a ferry trip to boot.
Sydney's Thai Tribe
The Sydney based operation behind Stockade Brew Co has launched a new craft beer brand for the Thai market. Will Ziebell chatted to the man heading up the launch of Chao Siam about their intentions – and his days in a Thai monastery.
Happy Valley
Clare Valley's two independent breweries are giving beer tourists more reasons to head to the region best known for its wine, with Clare Valley recently opening the doors to its impressive new cellar door and a large visitor centre taking shape at Pikes.
Who Brews Coastal Beers?
After more than two decades spent in globe-trotting corporate careers, you'd think most people would head to the coast for a quiet life. Not so Helen and David Black. As their Forster based brewery approaches it's first birthday, we find out why.
Ken Arrowsmith: From Emu Tinnies to AIBA Trophies
One of the biggest stories to emerge from Australia's biggest beer competition was the success for Beerland Brewing, which operates two brewpubs in Perth. Its head brewer is a man with 40 years experience and his face on cans of Emu Bitter.
Our Man In NZ: Craftwork Brewery
Wizards, a tumble dryer, Belgian-inspired ales, porno beer, the tiniest of tasting rooms and a dark lord... Our Man In NZ heads to Craftwork Brewery and falls under the spell of Michael O'Brien and Lee-Ann Scotti.
Winds Of Change At Akasha
The Akasha Brewing Company announced publicly today that it has undergone a change in ownership – with employees among the new owners.
Brewing By Design
There's been no shortage of new breweries opening in and around Brisbane in recent years. But, with its Scandinavian influences and no core range policy, Range Brewing looks set to stand out from the crowd, as Mick Wüst discovers.
Australian International Beer Awards Winners 2018
It was an eclectic collection of winners at the 2018 Australian International Beer Awards, with WA's Beerland taking out Champion Australian Beer and other major trophies for Mountain Goat, Green Beacon, Black Hops, Fixation, Brownstone, Philter and even one of our own.
Behind Bars: Refuge Small Bar
Refuge Small Bar is one of the finest looking beer bars you'll find anywhere in Australia. We caught up with the Subiaco venue's owners to find out where they think the local beer scene is headed as part of our Behind Bars series.
Wild And Wise
Jaega Wise from Wild Card is one of the London brewers appearing in Melbourne as part of Good Beer Week's Good Beer Mates program. We caught up with the brewer-singer-campaigner-presenter-van driver-chemical engineer at her Walthamstow home.
The Big Issue: Sexism
Typically, it's overtly sexist labels or crude marketing that brings the beer world's relationship with women into the spotlight. But, as Marie Claire Jarratt finds, there's a more permanent and insidious form of sexism affecting women every day.
GABS Champs: Where Are They Now?
The winner of the GABS People's Choice tends to attract a fair amount of attention each year. But what becomes of those festival beers once the hype has died down? We chatted to the past five winners to find out more.
Crafty Crawls: The 86 Tram Pt II
As promised, here's part two of our reworked 86 tram Crafty Crawl. This one starts in Clifton Hill and heads north to Thornbury with many and varied places to check out along the way.
From Canvas to Can
If you head to the Good Beer Week Festival Hub as it launches this weekend, you might stumble across a State Of Origin battle between two artists. You can vote for your favourite piece, which Moo Brew will then put on cans before the festival is over.
Designed Seal Delivered
The Independent Brewers Association has followed the example of peers in the US and UK and launched an seal with which brewers and their supporters can declare their support for local, independent beer.
The Big Issue: Ownership Revisited
Back in 2015, we looked at brewing company ownership, which was becoming a topic for regular discussion in the industry. Now, following a slew of acquisitions last year and with the launch of an independence seal, we take another deep dive.
Around The Blend
There will be many new beers launched at Good Beer Week and GABS next week, but none quite like Woods Of The North: it's a blend of barrel aged beers from five Australian brewers. We chatted to two of the brewers involved about the art of blending.
