News & Feature Stories
Down On The Beerfarm
Much is brewing three hours south of Perth in what is increasingly becoming the Margaret River beer region. Guy Southern headed there to spend time in the company of the merry men that call the beery bucolic bliss of The Beerfarm home.
Who Brews Blanche?
French inspired beer and Parisian bistronomy is coming to Alexandria thanks to Vince de Soyres, Thomas Cauquill and their Frenchies Bistro and Brewery. We caught up with the former Little Brewing and Flat Rock brewer to find out more.
The Evolution of Beervana
Wellingtonian expat Kerry McBride returned home and caught up with the woman tasked with driving New Zealand's leading beer festival, Beervana, as well as a local brewery making its debut, to find out what attendees can look forward to in August.
Crafty Cabal Update – 17/06/16
With The Crafty Cabal officially launched earlier in the year and a series of follow up launches and events now underway across the country, we're starting fortnightly roundups of what's new here on Crafty, alternating with our New Events wraps.
Getting Blind With Crafty: IPA (Part I)
It's been a while, but our blind tastings are back. And, having punished panelists with some less than thrilling lineups previously, here we tackle flavour of the month IPA. With so many now available, we're splitting the tasting over two panels.
Where Art Meets Science Meets Art
It's often said that brewing is where art meets science. Yet, thanks to the new brewing team in control at Indian Ocean, on Perth's northern fringe, it's becoming a case of art meets science meets art as they get creative with their decals.
The Past, Present & Future Is Bright
Today sees Bright Brewery mark ten years since they first opened the doors of their brewery site in the Victorian High Country. Much has changed – and is changing – so we fired some questions at co-founder, and still owner, Scott Brandon.
Beer Is Your Friend
Glen Humphries is the man behind the beer site Beer Is Your Friend. Last month, he won the AIBA Beer Media trophy, sponsored by The Crafty Pint. Here, we find out more about the man, why he can't stop writing and his thoughts on beer.
Crafty Crawls: Surry Hills
After launching with a trio of Melbourne jaunts, we're taking our Crafty Crawls on the road. First is a gentle saunter up and down the hills and pretty streets of Surry Hills and surrounds, as enjoyed by Judd Owen of Brewed, Crude & Bitter fame.
In Hot Pursuit Of Hoppiness
When it comes to delivering the message of "Fresh is best", has anyone gone to greater lengths than the duo from Adelaide's Big Shed Brewing Concern? Matt King reports on their unique Cannonball Run of beer.
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Crafty Crawls: The Wild West
Melbourne's Wild Wild West was, not too long ago, something of a craft beer wasteland. But today that couldn't be further from the truth, as Will Ziebell discovers on a crafty wander through Footscray and its surrounding 'burbs.
Brew & A: Hobart Brewing Company
The return of our not-often-enough-for-our-liking brewer Q&A series heads south to Hobart. There, amid a flurry of new brewery openings, you find Hobart Brewing Company, whose head brewer Scott Overdorf has seen more beer than most.
The Latest Dozen
Each time we've added another dozen breweries, venues and bottleshops to our directory, we like to gather them in one place so you know they're there. So here's 12 new listings featuring good beer folks from Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia.
Events Wrap 27.05.16
With the Good Beer Week recovery well underway (albeit with GABS hitting Sydney for the second time this weekend), it's time to start planning the next few months of cool weather, beer tinged deliciousness...
The Big Issue: Water Sustainability
Water makes up more than 90 percent of the beer you drink. It is also in increasingly scarce supply in Australia. For our latest Big Issue article, Graham Frizzell speaks to three people looking to reduce their breweries' water consumption here and in California.
From Wellington to Wellington
Having swapped New Zealand for Australia during the GFC, a Wellington couple has found themselves striking out in a new direction at the foot of Mount Wellington. We meet the Clarksons as they launch Hobart's newest brewery, Fox Friday.
The Innate Eight
Last year, four homebrewing mates and their partners turned their hobby into a commercial reality when they launched Innate Brewing. Now, with a professional brewer on board, they're looking to make waves in WA's craft beer scene.
Australian International Beer Awards Winners 2016
Stone & Wood backed up a medal at the recent World Beer Cup in the US by taking out the Champion Large Brewery title at the Australian International Beer Awards last night. Other big winners included Two Birds, Pirate Life, BrewCult and Gage Roads.
The Northside Busts Out Another Newie
Melbourne's northside is set to welcome another brewpub. Hot on the heels of Stomping Ground's pre-opening shindig on the opening weekend of Good Beer Week, Bodriggy in Abbotsford is hosting a gig in the former mechanics it will one day call home.
Surfing The South West's Breweries
Julian Lelah and his surfing buddies used to love nothing more than touring Margaret River's breweries after a morning catching waves. Now he's turned the tours they used to do for fun into a business, launching the region's only beer only tour company.
Aussie Exports: Oh Danada!
Aussie Exports is supposed to be a series of features on Australians doing fun things in craft beer overseas. Yet, this once, we're doing something a little different as we feature honorary Aussie Dan Johnston, now back in his native Canada at Collective Arts.
Crafty Crawls: Richmond & Abbotsford
Hot on the heels of our first Crafty Crawl – a guide to the craftiest spots on the 86 tram – here's another. Kerry McBride has been out in her local 'burbs to pick out some of the best beer venues to check out in Richmond and Abbotsford.
Craft Beer Heroes: Kate Paterson
Craft Beer Heroes is a series that shines a spotlight on people doing great things for beer in Australia, including the unsung heroes. Kate Paterson is truly one of those: you may never have heard of her, but she's probably given you a good time.
Breaking New Ground
The irrepressible trailblazers behind The Local Taphouses and GABS are adding another string to their bow. Later this year, they open Stomping Ground Brewery in Collingwood. Before then, you can have a sneak peek during Good Beer Week.
World Beer Cup Winners
Two of Australia's bigger breweries flew the flag for the country's beer industry at the prestigious World Beer Cup. James Squire and Stone & Wood took gold and silver in the same category and took time out to share their thoughts with us.
Pint of Origin 2016 Preview Pt II
Time for part two of our preview of the biggest Pint of Origin yet. Good Beer Week 2016 will see 12 Melbourne and two Victorian pubs join the fun, while we've got the first hosted PoO buses and the return of the comp with Now Tapped.
Starward Bound
Australian whisky makers are garnering serious attention across the world – and from local brewers keen to lay their hands on used barrels. We visited Melbourne's Starward, best known to beer lovers for its involvement in Boatrocker's Ramjet.
Pint of Origin 2016 Preview Pt I
The ever popular Pint of Origin returns to Good Beer Week for a fifth time in 2016 bigger than ever. As well as a dozen Melbourne venues, there are two regional showcases in Geelong and Bendigo and a PoO Bus, hosted by The Crafty Pint.
New Events Wrap – 06.05.16
It's the penultimate week before the festival so beautiful it could launch a thousand beers, Good Beer Week, kicks off for 2016. If you can't handle the anticipation and need a few warmup events, look no further than this week's wrap.
Bugged Out: GBW's Sour Side
Sour beer may still occupy a niche in the Australian beer world, but its popularity and diversity is on the rise. There's plenty of sour action at Good Beer Week too, with funk aficionado Graham Frizzell picking some of his highlights from the lineup.
2 Brothers 2.0
Melbourne's southeast may be turning into a hub for microbreweries these days, but it was 2 Brothers who were first to set up stall there. With their Beer Hall just redesigned and expanded, we called in to find out what else is new.
Surfing A Rogue Wave
The beer choices along Victoria's Surf Coast are unrecognisable from a few years ago, with many of the beers appearing on tap and in fridges coming from breweries that call the region home. Among them is Aireys' Inlet's Rogue Wave.
Turning Wine Into Beer
The rise of craft beer continues to win over converts. After years on the road taking guests to wineries around his home state of South Australia, Matt Berresford was bitten by the beer bug, as Matt King discovered when they hit the road.
Ocho's Online Brewery
The flurry of new brewing companies opening in Tasmania continues apace. Yet it's fair to say that Ocho stands out. Not just because it opened with a barrel-aged saison, but because its means of getting beer to punters is rather unusual.
Don't Be A Cult
The Crafty Pint's beer lover bonus scheme, The Crafty Cabal, has grown up a lot since first appearing late in 2015. In advance of its launch party, here's the lowdown on what it's become, what's on offer and how to get involved.
More Brew From The Boys
One of South Australia's longer established microbreweries is expanding as it prepares to mark eight years in business. Brewboys is opening a second site in Adelaide's west as it looks to cope with increasing demand for its beers.
Being Pure
The most famous – and contested – beer law in the world turns 500 at the weekend. To mark the occasion, Ross Lewis spoke to one WA brewer who is a passionate believer in Reinheitsgebot and one Melburnian who certainly isn't.
Aussie Beer Blogs: Brewed, Crude & Bitter
Time to shine a spotlight on another Aussie beer blog: a transglobal double header, no less. Brewed, Crude & Bitter was started by two inhabitants of Brisbane's beer scene but has since spread its wings further afield.
New Events Wrap – 15.04.16
The Crafty Events inbox has taken a hammering in the past week or so, meaning the calendar for April and beyond is now fully loaded with a veritable feast of events across the country.
Colonising the East
When asked to forecast five breweries to watch out for in 2016 for James Halliday's Wine Companion magazine, we included Colonial. The WA brewery has long had the potential to explode; its new Eastern outpost should see that happen.
Aussie Exports: From Wollongong to Toronto
From home brewing in Wollongong to barrel aged sours in Toronto, David Everitt is living out quite the dream. In the second of our Aussie Export articles, he tells us how it came to pass and offers insights into the Canadian beer scene.
Two Heads Are Better Than One
It took years for Ty Capaci to convert wife Amanda to the benefits of his home brew. But he did such a good job, they've now opened Double Head Brewing together, adding yet another microbrewery to the Tasmanian beer scene.
Beer Travel: Japan
Nic Sandery is on a worldwide beer tour on which he plans to take inspiration for his new brewing company, Molly Rose. While on the road, he is sending us a series of articles documenting his travels, starting with this report from Japan.
Aussie Exports: Lost and Grounded
Time to launch a new feature series! Aussie Exports tells the tales of Aussies doing great, fun and interesting things in beer overseas. First up, former Little Creatures head brewer turned Bristol based Lost & Grounded founder Alex Troncoso.
The Collaborators: Kracking New Hops
Three years ago, Britt and Colin Butler knew next to nothing about hops. Now, as new owners of Hopswest in Albany, they're expanding their hop farm and providing new ingredients to local brewers, including the hybrid Kracanup.
Starting a Brewery Part II
Thinking of starting your own brewery? Then part two of our series featuring advice from people already in the beer industry is for you. Following last week's top tips from brewers, here are the thoughts of six experts in other fields.
Gold Class Service
The Cicerone program that trains people to become certified beer experts has come to Australia. Ross Lewis spoke to founder Ray Daniels as well as many of those who have just gained Australian Certified Cicerone status
The Rivers Run At Last
After an "amazing, exciting, frustrating, depressing, uplifting, expensive and sometimes ridiculous" journey, a WA couple finally opened Three Rivers Brewing Company an hour south of Perth. Guy Southern paid the family-run brewery a visit.
New Events Wrap – 01.04.16
This week's summary of new events features a little bar with a big bottle list, a Feral festival, BBQ champions, casks, colonials, royals, pirates, boatmen, boatrockers and free beer from us to you.
The Crafty Pint To Expand
Australia's leading beer website is to expand after entering into a partnership with News Limited. This will see a print edition of the site introduced in early 2017 and will see a stronger focus on maximising commercial opportunities.
