#keepinglocalalive
Postcards from the Edge No.30: Exit Through The Bottleshop
Mixed brewery packs appeared in an instant as the shutdown hit and have kept on coming – in diverse arrangements too. But, with restrictions starting to ease across Australia, will they have post-pandemic staying power?
Postcards from the Edge No.29: Back To The Bar
This weekend has seen venues in some states open for small number of patrons. Jakkii Musgrave was back at Bloodhound Bar – the last venue she'd visited before the lockdown – for its first sitting.
Postcards from the Edge No.28: Pint of Online
You might not be able to partake in a PoO Crawl at Good Beer Week 2020 but that hasn't stopped one group finding a way to join each other on a cross-city Pint of Origin trek while in isolation.
Postcards from the Edge No.27: Bunker Down
For the team at The Welder's Dog in northern New South Wales, the challenges of dealing with COVID-19 have brought them new partners, new customers and a new approach for their business going ahead.
Postcard From The UK: Cloudwater
The UK has been hit even harder by COVID-19 than Australia. Ahead of his virtual Meet The Brewer this weekend, we chatted to Cloudwater founder Paul Jones about life as a brewer in the UK and what he thinks lies ahead.
50 Days Of Shutdown
It will be a long time before we know the full impact of COVID-19. But on day 50 of the momentous decision to shutdown the country's venues, we asked people throughout the industry for their thoughts.
Postcards from the Edge No.26: Hanging On By A Thread
This Postcards series has shown how many businesses connected to beer and hospo have suffered. Guy Southern joined Short Batch as they printed #keepinglocalalive t-shirts and we chatted to CraftyMerch about their roller coaster ride.
On The Frontline Of Online
Since venues shut down, there's been a flurry of new startups looking to offer new marketplace solutions. Will Ziebell spoke to three businesses – one that was already in the works – about their plans for the pandemic.
Postcards from the Edge No 25: Help Yourself
The impact of COVID-19 has left many beer businesses striving to adapt. As part of the #keepinglocalalive campaign, brand designer Jessie Jungalwalla is pulling together a panel of experts to help guide people through.
Postcards from the Edge No.24: Grain Re-Store-d
After a short break to take stock, the Grain Store team leapt back into action last month as a takeaway and home delivery service. They've even reimagined their legendary beergustations for Novocastrians to enjoy at home.
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Show Us Your Swag!
The beer community is about much more than beer and the people that brew, sell and celebrate it. There's a whole world of beer swag out there and the Keeping Local Alive campaign has created a day in which we can all show it off.
Postcards from the Edge No.23: IsoMateship
Staying connected with friends and family during these challenging times is crucial. And, as we approach May 8 – Mate Day to many – there are beer businesses doing what they can to facilitate this and support people's wellbeing.
Postcards from the Edge No.22: Have A Beer Together
Plenty of beer businesses have been connecting with their fans online since venues were shutdown. And a new YouTube channel launched the day after they closed has been bringing a variety of shows to isolated beer fans too.
The Growler Renaissance
People have come up with many new concepts as they attempt to navigate the COVID-19 crisis. But it's a rather older one that's been helping keep many businesses afloat and our drains free of delicious draught beer.
Postcards from the Edge No.21: Crafting New Connections
After an epic and brewery-filled road trip with her partner and their dog, Ziggy, Erin Skubiski launched Crafted Connections with the aim of connecting regional brewers with venues. Then venues closed...
Postcards from the Edge No.20: All Together Now
Just months on from the global Resilence Beer project in support of bushfire-impacted communities, brewers around the world are rallying again to support hospo workers hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Postcards from the Edge No.19: Green Lighted District
They're involved in brewing companies, distribution and venues and, in time for Easter weekend, the Drysdales and Canevas opened District Bottle Store in Pascoe Vale. We spoke to Joel about his ups and downs during the pandemic.
Postcards from the Edge No.18: From Menulog To Menudog
If you live around Carlton North you may have seen an unusual form of home delivery service in recent weeks. The Great Northern team have been sending beer and food out via their security dog and barman on skateboard...
Postcards from the Edge No.17: Winston's Winners
The Winston name is one that shares a close connection to craft beer in Tasmania and, while the North Hobart pub might be temporarily shut, Winston Cellars has opened with some slightly serendipitous timing.
Postcards from the Edge No.16: Isolation Degustation
Many beer venues aren't just sending beer and food home through the shutdown, but looking to have fun with it, from "Isolation Degustations" in South Brisbane to classic pub Daily Deals in Port Melbourne.
Postcards from the Edge No.15: Pandemic Punch
Many brewers have been left with returned or no longer needed kegs of beer thanks to the pandemic. At Dainton, they decided to blend a bunch of their orphan kegs to create two new beers, Pandemic Punch and Rye-solation.
A Keeping Local Alive Easter Message
The message at the heart of the #keepinglocalalive campaign is simple. As we enter what will be a very strange Easter weekend, here's the Australian beer community to remind us why is matters.
Postcards from the Edge No.14: The Chain Gang
While none of us know what the beer and hospo scene will look like once measures to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic are over, two Melbourne breweries are eager to support the businesses that have supported them.
Postcards from the Edge No.13: Tumut To Go
Pubs and breweries across the country have been switching to home delivery as a means of #keepinglocalalive. But few are clocking up the kilometres – or doing it with the panache – of Tumut River Brewing Co.
Postcards from the Edge No.12: The Beer Essentials
Fancy saying thanks to the essential workers helping us get through the COVID-19 pandemic? A new campaign, A Good Beer Always Helps, offers you the chance to do just that while supporting craft brewers too.
Postcards from the Edge No.11: Finding Funky Solutions
It's not venue and brewery owners and staff that have been hit hard in the beer world by the recent shutdown – there's the industry-within-an-industry of entertainers, musicians and trivia hosts looking for ways to adapt.
Postcards from the Edge No.10: Can Together
The craft beer industry has always been one fired by the spirit of collaboration, something which has come to the fore during the COVID-19 crisis. We spoke to two brewers helping get their peers beers into punters' hands.
Postcards from the Edge No.9: Big Easy's Virtual Venue
As soon as they saw the writing on the wall the team behind three Adelaide venues pivoted fast, creating a new online service recreating the experience of their venues as best as possible and keeping many staff employed.
Postcards from the Edge No.8: Sanitation For The Nation
Brewers and distillers across the country have been switching production in recent weeks to help meet the country's need for more hand sanitiser.
Grants For Victorian Breweries & Bars
The Business Support Fund announced by the Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on March 21 is now open for applications. Many small businesses within the local beer and hospo community will be eligible to apply.
Postcards From The Edge No.7: Made By Mongrel
Fancy food and beer delivered to your door complete with a suggested soundtrack? The team at Mongrel in Brisbane have been moving fast to survive since their venue closed. Will Ziebell spoke to founder Annie Bingley.
Postcards from the Edge No.6: The Rocky Reality
For all that businesses are scrambling to survive in these drastically altered times, the reality is that no one knows if they'll make it out the other side. We spoke to Hamish Coates of Rocky Ridge about heartbreak and uncertainty.
Postcards from the Edge No.5: Isolation Island
Two figures from Tasmania's beer industry have launched the Isolation Beer Festival, a celebration of the state's independent breweries and beers designed to connect people at a time when we need to remain apart.
Postcards from the Edge No.4: #dontdrinkalone
Self isolation and, in all likelihood, a full lockdown of society at some point, will prove challenging for everyone, but some more than others. The #dontdrinkalone campaign launched by a WA bottleshop hopes to spread virtual cheer.
Postcards from the Edge No.3: Quarantinnied
It's amazing how fast things can happen when the pressure's on. The team at Carwyn Cellars has created a special Canvent featuring 24 Victorian brewers in just a couple of days so people can enjoy beers together apart.
Postcards From The Edge No.2: GoFeedMe
What do you do if you're one of the thousands of beer and hospo people forced out of work by the COVID-19 pandemic? In the case of Deb Lieu and James Balboni, you launch a mission to feed others in your position.
Postcards From The Edge No.1: Cherry Cheer
As the beer and hospitality industries adapt to the new reality, there are some inspiring examples around. We joined The Cherry Tree crew as they launched their home deliveries by bringing cheer to the streets of Richmond.
#keepinglocalalive Is Live!
The #keepinglocalalive campaign, designed to encourage people to support their local beer community and showcase how businesses are adapting is now live.
Keeping Local Alive
The restrictions on social gatherings and movement imposed in the fight against COVID-19 will have serious impacts on the beer, hospitality and events industries, among others. We look at how we can try to help them survive.
