Bendigo has come a long way on the beer front in recent years with a growing number of good beer venues, a brewery and festivals including the unique walking affair that is the annual Bendigo on the Hop.
With the fourth Bendigo On The Hop approaching, we caught up with the city's sole commercial brewer, Doug Brooke. Now into his fifth year at Brookes Beer, we picked his brains about the challenges of being small, independent and regional.
A new brewing company that takes its name from its home town of Castlemaine has started up in Victoria. It brings a decidedly old school approach to its beers, so we decided to find out why.
For the first Brew & A feature since the relaunch of The Crafty Pint, we head to Bendigo where Doug Brooke talks classical music, megabrewers, getting old and cocaine.