News & Feature Stories
Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of 2016: First-Timers
The 2016 GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers poll saw nine brewing companies appear for the first time. In the last of our related articles, we speak to the brewers and owners at three of them: Balter, Fixation and Blackman's.
West of Centre
Just southwest of Melbourne's CBD is a small brewery producing hop forward, West Coast USA influenced beers. Will Ziebell spoke to the American expat who opened Westside Ale Works with the aim of fostering even more love for the mighty hop.
Events Wrap 27.01.17
If you need a sign that the little craft beer juggernaut hasn't lost any momentum over the festive period, a quick glance at the schedule of beer events in the first month of 2017 ought to do the trick...
Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of 2016: Analysis
With the results out and the resultant debate underway online, it's time for us to have a look at what the Hottest 100 of 2016 says about the local beer landscape.
Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of 2016: The Results
The people have spoken and the results of the ninth Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers poll are in. Stone & Wood Pacific Ale takes top spot again with Pirate Life IIPA and Feral's Hop Hog completing the top three.
Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of 2016: Infographic
In what's becoming a time-honoured tradition, we present a breakdown of the results of the Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers poll in colourful infographic form. Complete, appropriately, with lots of hops.
Brooklyn Back Down Under
Brooklyn Brewery is well on its way to becoming a global brand. We caught up with CEO Eric Ottaway during his current visit to Australia to chat lager, caution, over-saturation and the move towards hyper-local brewing.
Aussie Beer Blogs: The Craft Beer King
Readers of The Crafty Pint will be familiar with Matt King as he's responsible for most of our coverage of the SA beer scene. Now he's launched his own site that looks to cover the state in even greater depth.
Our Man in NZ: Moa's Changing Fortunes
Our new Kiwi correspondent, Jono Galuszka, today kicks off his monthly feature series by sitting down with one of the most controversial figures in New Zealand beer, Moa's CEO, Geoff Ross.
Cabal Update - 20.01.17
New year, new beers, new offers! The Crafty Cabal is kicking into action for 2017, and there are plenty of cool events and offers in the wings to grab the attention of our existing and future Cabalistas.
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Mall Brewing
The team behind Perth's Northbridge Brewing Company is set to open a brewpub in a northern suburbs shopping mall. And the move could be a sign of things to come as the nature of shopping centres evolves.
Too Big For The Big Shed
It's been a case of "You say hello, and I say goodbye" as brewing buddies Big Shed and Mismatch embark on new adventures in SA. Matt King spoke to both about their plans and how they see the beer scene developing.
Who Brews as Little Alchemist?
Ahead of their belated official launch – and a few months after we first bumped into brewer Riaz on a sofa during Sydney Craft Beer Week – we chat to new Sydney-based gypsy brewing company Little Alchemist.
Deadline Looming For Hottest 100 Voting
Time is running out to vote for your favourite Australian craft beers of 2016 in the GABS Hottest 100 poll. Already, a record number of votes have been received. Polling closes at midnight on January 20, 2017.
Our Man In NZ: Introducing Jono Galuszka
Like many Kiwis, Jono Galuszka’s first forays into beer were of the cheap, cold and tasteless kind while at uni. Things have changed significantly since, with Jono named New Zealand Beer Writer of the Year in 2015. In 2017, he joins the Crafty Pint team as our regular New Zealand writer.
Drink Smart
Greater education for people in all areas of the beer world is much needed in Australia. And now it's on offer at an unlikely location as one of the world's leading universities adds a subject dedicated to beer to its prospectus.
Behind Bars: Joel Beresford
For our first Behind Bars interview with one of Australia's leading venue operators, we return to WA to chat with Joel Beresford. He's Perth's Mr Beer, is involved in many facets of the industry and just loves his sours.
The Crafty Pint’s Top Stories of 2016
Time for one final look back at the year in craft beer that was 2016. This time, instead of reflecting via the prism of its best new beers, we gather together some of the most read stories on the site over the past 12 months.
Best New ACT Beers of 2016
We may have crossed the threshold into 2017, but we've still got one final blast from the year just gone. Completing our around-the-country best new beers review comes our panel's pick from ACT's burgeoning beer scene.
Through The Looking Glass
While 2016 was a monumental year in many pretty terrible ways globally, for craft beer in Australia it was another in which we witnessed huge growth and ever greater diversity. So surely we're set for even greater things to come.
Raising The Stakes
The Hobart craft beer scene continues to expand. After a period spent brewing at Belgrove Distillery, T-Bone Brewing has opened the doors of its NoHo brewery to the public. Ruth Dawkins caught up with its owners.
The Crafty Dozen – December 2016
Our latest roundup of the latest breweries, venues and bottleshops added to our directories is actually more of a baker's dozen as we got a little ahead ourselves. So here's the last 13 of the 73 new additions to the site in 2016.
Who Brews Once Bitter?
The founder of one of Melbourne's newest brewing companies first discovered a love for brewing in a place few could claim to have found theirs: the kitchen of an Israeli boarding school. We meet the man behind Collins St Brewing Co.
Best New Queensland Beers of 2016
As we near the end of the year, we head to Queensland for another look back at the best new beers released in 2016. The result is a list containing debut beers, fruit, barrels and much more besides.
Best New Tasmanian Beers of 2016
It's time for the fifth of our seven roundups of the Best New Beers of 2016. This time, we head south to the state that's enjoyed huge recent expansion in the number of brewing companies, even though half a dozen hog this year's list.
Aussie Beer Blogs: offthetap
He loves beer, he loves travel, and he loves to hunt down new beers when he travels. So Matt Johnson decided to start capturing his passions via another one: photography, creating offthetap and attracting Instagram followers in the thousands.
Best New NSW Beers Of 2016
We reach the midway point in our Best New Beers review with a look back at the year in NSW. It features almost entirely younger operations from the state, plus a few beers that may have snuck out in 2015 but hit the big time in 2016.
Best New SA Beers of 2016
As in WA, collaborations make multiple appearances in our panel's selection of the best new beers released in South Australian in 2016. The ten ranges from mid-strength to triple IPA with some root vegetable there for good measure too.
Best New WA Beers of 2016
Part two of our look back at 2016's best new beers heads to the birthplace of modern Aussie craft beer. There our panel finds fascination in collaboration and is impressed by some of the lesser known lights of the local industry.
The Collaborators: Growing Gladly
We've often shone a light on Australian businesses that have launched or discovered new and fruitful avenues thanks to the rise of craft beer. Today, we chat to a New Zealand maltster winning fans at home and abroad.
Best New Victorian Beers of 2016
Each year, we assemble panels of experts around the country to come up with lists of the best new releases to come out of Australian breweries in the previous 12 months. This year, we kick off in Victoria, home to the most brewing companies in the land.
Vote For The Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers
It's time for you to cast your votes for the best Australian craft beers. This year's GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers is the tenth time the poll has been run and there's never been more beers or breweries from which to select.
The Devils' New Platform
Tasmanian gypsy operation Devils Brewery has set up home in the historic Margate Train. Ruth Dawkins caught up with founder David Tottle to find out more about his beers and partnerships with local producers.
A Day in the Life Of: A Draught Beer Specialist
Stone & Wood's Draught Beer Specialist Ed Bodey travels the country making sure Stone & Wood's beer comes out of the tap exactly how the brewery intended and that bar staff serving you know just how to look after it.
Events Wrap 09.11.16
The end of the year is nigh and with it comes one final splurge of beer events across the country. If all you want for Christmas is a new beer or a tap takeover, you're very much in luck, while there are dinners, festivals and more too.
Brew & A: Cowaramup at 10
Margaret River has long been home to a good number of brewing companies; these days it must be the most populous of any region of Australia. One of the longest established is Cowaramup, which marks a decade since opening today.
Show Us Your Stats
The Craft Beer Industry Association is hoping that this year's annual survey of Australian craft brewers will be the biggest yet, providing data to help them improve and grow the industry. The survey closes on December 16.
Tour de Brew
You don’t have to look far to find a beer lover who also spends a fair bit of their time in the bike saddle, especially in Victoria. Kerry McBride speaks to three Victorian breweries helping keep the state’s cyclists well hydrated about the bonds between the two worlds.
Beer Nuts: Matt Kirkey
Beer Nuts is our semi-regular feature focusing on people taking their love of beer to extreme levels. People such as Matt Kirkey, who quit his job this year to travel the world doing research for upcoming beer book, Beer Around The World.
Hoppy Christmas Gifts 2016
What do you give to the beer lover at Christmas? Beer. Or things related to beer, of course. So, with the festive season upon us, here's a roundup of some of the beery gifts on offer from local breweries and beer businesses.
Who Brews Co-Conspirators Beers?
Melbourne's Merri Mashers is proving fertile ground for new brewing companies. A week after Old Wives Ales celebrated turning one, Co-Conspirators Brewing Co is set to launch its first beer, an IPA.
Dead Ahead: 30 Years Of The Lord Nelson
It's been a big year for craft beer in Australia. And in particular for a Sydney icon. The Lord Nelson celebrated 175 years as a hotel and 30 as a brewery. Nick Oscilowski travelled back in time with its founder, Blair Hayden.
Cabal Update - 2.12.16
A whole year has passed since the Crafty Cabal was launched into the beerosphere. In that time, we've given away more than $10K in tickets and beers, poured 25 kegs for members, hosted 14 events – and it's just getting started.
The Big Issue: Crowdfunding Pt II
In part two of our look at crowdfunding in the craft beer world, Will Ziebell seeks the thoughts of a provider, a supporter, a commentator and two people who've run campaigns on this increasingly popular method of raising capital.
Craft Beer Heroes: Neil Whittorn
You could search every corner of the Australian craft beer community and you'd struggle to find someone held in greater affection by as many people as Neil Whittorn. So we asked the man well into his fifth decade of brewing to be our latest Craft Beer Hero.
A Year Of The Crafty Cabal
Just before the end of 2015, we launched The Crafty Cabal, a beer lovers bonus scheme that offers readers the chance to help The Crafty Pint grow in return for heaps of beery benefits. Here, we take a look back at its first 12 months.
The Big Issue: Crowdfunding Pt I
Crowdfunding has become increasingly popular among both new and existing beer businesses. In the first of a two-part series, Will Ziebell speaks to crowdfunding platform Pozible and a brewery that has run a successful campaign.
Brew & A: Doctor's Orders Brewing
Doctor's Orders Brewing could lay claim to being the archetypal gypsy brewing company in Australia (or cuckoo as the Doc prefers to call it). As they turn seven, we invite them to be latest guests in our Brew & A series.
Events Wrap – 24.11.16
Birthdays galore in the latest fortnightly roundup of new and forthcoming beer events. There's also plenty for hop fiends, some cask ale action, bowls and, as is customary these days, some specials for Crafty Pint supporters.
Here Gose
Perhaps nothing should surprise in the contemporary beer world, yet the rise of gose is still an unexpected development. We chat to a couple of gose brewers and also look back into the history of the style in Germany.
