brew & a
Brew & A: Gavin Williams of Black Brewing
Black Brewing Co are part of South West WA's vibrant brewing community, and earlier this year took out the Champion WA Brewery trophy at the 2023 Indies. We caught up with the head brewer behind their success.
Brew & A: Marcus Cox
Marcus Cox marks 20 years in brewing this year. We chatted to him about a career spanning the earliest days at 3 Ravens, launching breweries both sides of the Pacific, major trophies, and rescuing a brewery from floodwaters.
Brew & A: Jared Palu
With a majestic mane, cheeky smile, and a trophy that says he's a good brewer, Jared Palu has been around good beer in Brisbane longer than most. We chatted to him about brewing, running bars, a beer festival, and just plain old running.
Brew & A: Rachel Freeman
Many brewers started making beer so they could drink something they couldn't buy but even as craft beer's availability has spread, craft beer still has a way of pulling people into the industry. Rachel Freeman's career in beer started at 18 and the Temple brewer remains as passionate an advocate as when she was selling beer behind a bar.
Brew & A: Carla Naismith
Brewing isn't a career many chose while in school and, while Carla Naismith is no different, she soon discovered a passion for the industry she's never been able to shake. We invited Shapeshifter's senior brewer to join us for a Brew & A.
Brew & A: Reckless Brewing's Grace Fowler
Reckless have brought local beer back to Bathurst and leading the way is co-founder Grace Fowler. We caught up with the longtime brewer to hear how she went from a "baptism of fire" to head brewer of her own operation.
Brew & A: Tim Miller
Brewmanity finally broke ground last month at the site will become home to their brewpub in early 2023. We dropped by for a look, but also to chat to the man they've signed as head brewer ahead of the grand opening.
Brew & A: Nathan Munt
Hazy IPAs, pastry stouts and imperial sours get a lot of attention but you're unlikely to find them in Victoria's King Valley. Instead, you'll find all manner of European styles pouring – and it's a good thing, since King River Brewing make them rather well.
Brew & A: Stuart Taylor of Homestead
As he sets about making his mark on Homestead's beers, we caught up with Stuart Taylor in the Swan Valley to chat about his journey from front of house to helm of brewhouse, uncool hops, early Hop Hog, and stupidly-patterned pants.
Brew & A: Frenchies' Vince de Soyres
Vince de Soyres is one half of the team behind Frenchies Bistro & Brewery in Sydney. Ahead of their fifth birthday (and Bastille Day) we invited him to tell us about the unique path that brought him to Australia.
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Brew & A: Luke Cooper
One of the country's first alcohol-free brewing companies, the proudly indigenous-owned and led Sobah recently appointed their first head brewer, Wailwan man Luke Cooper. We caught up with the "bushtucker brewer".
Brew & A: Luigi Mensi
From mead-making in Italy via sweet potato-picking in Bundaberg to trialling souring bacteria in Marrickville, motorcycling metalhead Luigi Mensi has enjoyed a colourful path in life. We caught up with Batch's head brewer to find out more.
Brew & A: Rhys Lopez
At the end of 2021, our WA team chose Otherside as the state's standout brewery of the year. We figured that was a great excuse to invite head brewer Rhys Lopez to take us on a tour through his life in beer and beyond.
Brew & A: Eden Pink
When Eden Pink got a hospitality job working for Prancing Pony, she hadn't considered becoming a brewer. Five years on she's senior brewer at the Adelaide Hills outfit and her likeness decorates their new Pinkers beer too.
Brew & A: Ned Bowring
Following a long stint of travel, Ned Bowring switched careers to follow his passion for brewing. He then fell for the art of barrel-ageing at Boatrocker, before moving to Hawkers then Deeds, where he's created their first mixed culture beers.
Brew & A: Stingray
When you work in a bar or brewery, you may well impart a little of your personality onto the business. For Bodriggy's Stingray, however, he's gone rather further: his name is now that of their upstairs bar and an offshoot beer brand.
Brew & A: Steve Wearing
They might not brew hype beers or indeed be a hype brewery, but King Road Brewing Co have been quietly carving a fine reputation – and collecting trophies – in WA. We caught up with head brewer Steve Wearing to find out more.
Brew & A: Matt Cuthbert
He's brewed for many Australian brewing companies across three states, and has been at Revel since the Brisbane operation launched. Here, Matt Cuthbert traces his brewing career from high school to head brewer.
Brew & A: Jum Ryan
Moving from Singapore and Hong Kong to brew in Alice Springs is one of the more unlikely moves you'll come across. Ahead of their tap takeover at Miss Moses as part of Good Beer Week, we chat to Jum Ryan, who swapped Little Creatures for the Red Centre.
Brew & A: Currumbin Valley Brewing
As GABS returns after a year of cancellations, we catch up with the duo behind the People's Choice winning beer from 2019, Smokey and Luke of Currumbin Valley Brewing.
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Brew & A: Ben from Ida Pruul
Westside Ale Works in South Melbourne always have a wide variety of beers pouring from their 30 taps. These days, they tend to include wild ales created on-site by Ben Sewell under the Ida Pruul banner.
Brew & A: Chase Saraiva – Wildflower
COVID-19 hit during American brewer Chase Saraiva's two-month working holiday in Australia. He's turned the situation into a good one, however, now installed as head brewer at Wildflower working with fellow expat Topher Boehm.
Brew & A: Five Barrel Brewing
From bushfires to COVID, closures, cans, quarantine and a Kiwi, it's been a full-on year at Wollongong's Five Barrel. As they launch their new look lineup, we chat to founder Phil and his new head brewer, imported via hotel quarantine from NZ.
Brew & A: Cam Turner
Cam Turner has been brewing beers on the Mornington Peninsula for close to 15 years, first for Hickinbotham then Dainton. We traced his career in beer right back to caring for cask ales in London and beyond.
Brew & A: Ash Hazell
He started homebrewing at 17 before cleaning kegs at Little Creatures followed by a stint with Barrow Boys led to the head brewer role at one of the biggest craft breweries in the land. Here's Ash Hazell to tell us more.
Brew & A: Caolan Vaughan
They might be best known for their Pacific Ale but the Counter Culture series has been exciting beer geeks since launching last year. Overseeing brewing of all Stone & Wood beers is Caolan Vaughan, so we invited him for a Brew & A.
Brew & A: Sow & Piglets
It's named after an iconic tourist spot, is found in a hostel, and the Sow & Piglets team are already working on a new brewery venture in regional Victoria. We sat down with the German brewer behind their traditionally-minded beers.
Brew & A: Bright's Reid Stratton
As Bright Brewery prepare to launch their first "Mystery Beer" we caught up with head brewer Reid Stratton. The recent signing from New England Brewing Co has a fascinating past take in Jolly Pumpkin and musical squeaks and farts.
Brew & A: Sam Clayman
Sam Clayman loves the uncertainty of nature, from the biochemistry of snails to the distinct characteristics of different yeasts. Find out how the All Hands head brewer balances science and creativity in this Brew & A.
Brew & A: Mattias Isaksson
Mattias Isaksson has a dual role heading up the brewing at Queenscliff Brewhouse while also part of Old Wives Ales – two very different operations making very different beers. We caught up with him to see how he does it.
Brew & A: Headricks Lane
Rockhampton gained its own brewery this year. Headricks Lane launched in March and Matt Aitken wasted little time calling in to catch up with head brewer Alex Taubert.
Brew & A: Keegan Steinbacher
As they close in on ten years of beers, Eagle Bay have appointed a new head brewers as co-founder Nick D'Espeissis steps into a new role. We caught up with the new man for our Brew & A series.
Brew & A: Ken Friend
He went from homebrewing in the Air Force to trainee brewer to head brewer in just a year. Now settled in at the helm of 4 Hearts in Ipswich, we invited Ken Friend to be part of our Brew & A series.
Brew & A: Stu Grant
As he embarks on a new head brewer role with plans for more of his beers to be sent into the world, we invited Ocho founder Stu Grant to feature in our Brew & A series.
Brew & A: Hannah Honnef
She grew up helping her dad on the family winery before a trip to Germany sparked a passion for beer,leading Hannah Hontef to build a brewery at Ocean View Estates. We dropped in to find out more.
Brew & A: Mick O'Rance
Sunday Road are soon to open the doors of their brewery in Sydney's south. As the day nears, we chatted to their new head brewer, Mick O'Rance, who's taken a colourful route through beer, working for breweries big and small.
Brew & A: Jack Beavis of Woolshed Brewery
There's few breweries in Australia with as picturesque a location as Woolshed in SA's Riverland region. At the helm for most of its existence has been Jack Beavis, a local lad who returned to Renmark to follow his brewing dream.
Brew & A: Jack Purser
Indian Ocean Brewing Co, found in a marina on Perth's northern fringe, is a much-changed brewery from three years ago. Much of that is down to head brewer Jack Purser, so we decided to find out more about him.
Brew & A: The Gold Coast Pioneers
Long before the Gold Coast became a hotbed of world class beer, a couple with young kids jacked in their jobs and built a brewery there. Eleven years on, we got back to the beginning and beyond with Peta and Brennan of Burleigh Brewing.
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.
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.
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.
Brew & A: Pizey
A decade ago, he was offered the chance to help out at Bootleg Brewery by a couple of mates from his cricket team. Now head brewer and celebrating a decade at the WA legend, Ryan "Pizey" Nilsson-Linne tells all as part of our Brew & A series.
Brew & A: Ben Simmons
When the family that owned the Clifton Hill Hotel decided to move it from being an Irish pub with TAB to inner-city brewpub, we doubt they envisaged it would lead to the development of a sour beer program. We caught up with the brewer that started taking it in that direction.
Brew & A: Charlie Hodgson
The rapid growth of the beer industry in and around Brisbane continues apace. Among the newcomers is Helios Brewing, a Yeerongpilly based operation that made a great signing before launch, snapping up Mash's trophy-winning brewer Charlie Hodgson.
Brew & A: Keith Grice
The Hunter Valley today boasts quite the collection of diverse microbreweries. But, for many years, there was just one: the Hunter Beer Co based at Potters Hotel. Keith Grice has been at the brewing helm for the past decade; we find out more.
Brew & A: The Innovative Goat
Little did we know until recently, but a chance meeting with Alana Rees set her on the path to becoming a brewer. In a short space of time, she's gone from homebrewer to Innovation Brewer at Goat to AIBA trophy winner.
Brew & A: Mornington's Barrel Man
Earlier this month, Mornington Peninsula Brewery released the first beer from its barrel program, the luscious Old Pumping Station. Overseeing the program is young brewer Kristian Martin. Here, we find out more about him.
Brew & A: Wilson Hede of Two Birds
He may not be a "bird", but Two Birds head brewer Wilson Hede has certainly played an important part in helping the Spotswood brewery stretch its wings. Here, he shares his brewing tips and insights as part of our Brew & A series.
Brew & A: Thirsty Crow
Craig Wealands wasted little time putting Wagga's Thirsty Crow on the map, winning an AIBA trophy for his Vanilla Milk Stout within months of opening. With his new, bigger brewpub firing on all cylinders, he fielded questions in our latest Brew & A.
