Search results for "beer travel"

Pikes Beer Company Brewer

The Pike family's story begins a long time ago; indeed, the brewery’s foundations were laid long before any of us were even born. Theirs is a tale of long distance ocean travel, all in the hope of starting life anew in Australia and creating a long lasting legacy. It all began in 1878, when a 41-year-old…

Good Land Brewing Co Brewer

Welcome to Gippsland’s Good Land Brewing, the place where good beer comes from. It’s a simple tagline and, while building a brewery in your hometown might seem like a worthy enough dream, the journey to get Good Land open was far from simple or straightforward. Instead, when Good Land finally…

Sobremesa Fermentary & Blendery Brewer

It is, without a doubt, the kind of thing that can elevate the small moments in life into something special. I’m talking about that period towards the end of a meal with mates: the food has been served and enjoyed and you’re relaxing around the table – talking, catching up, taking pure pleasure…

Wildflower Brewer

As the Australian craft beer world becomes ever more crowded with breweries, it’s increasingly difficult for new businesses to stand out from the crowd. Wildflower is one of the most unique to open in recent times. Started by American expat Topher Boehm and Australian brother in law Chris Allen,…

Swell Brewery & Taphouse Brewer

Dan Wright is the nomadic type, living a life that’s seen him travel far and wide searching for great surf and rolling snow covered mountains while absorbing the buzz of the local craft beer scene wherever he roams. The owner and head brewer at South Australia’s Swell, he first came up with the…

Barossa Valley Brewing Brewer

These days, beer lovers still tend to return from trips to the USA enthused by the beers they've sampled on their travels. But they also know they can lay their hands on some great local brews too. It wasn't always the case, however, as Denham D'Silva learned when he spent time Stateside studying and…

CoConspirators Brewing Brewer

Conspiracy theories have long marched hand and hand with human history. Whenever impressive or outrageous feats take place, there’s likely to be people eager to offer their own hot take on what exactly went down. And, as social media has made ever greater inroads into our everyday lives, conspiracies…

Modus Beer Brewer

The more things change, the more they stay the same. That’s as true at Modus as it is anywhere. If you’ve been following their journey since the beginning, you’ll have seen the evolution of the brewery. You see it in the transition from the name Modus Operandi to simply "Modus". You see…

Shedshaker Brewing Brewer

Long ago, Castlemaine’s claim to fame was the local abundance of two valuable resources: gold and beer. Despite the town retaining so many of its historical buildings, those particular reasons for being had long since gone; the gold had all been mined and the last brewery closed its doors in 1925. Prior…

Green Gully Brewing Brewer

Despite the fact there are far more breweries and beer brands operating in Australia than at any point in history, it’s surprisingly rare to be surprised. Sure, there’s a cornucopia of beer styles available in hundreds of bars, pubs and bottlos but, for the most part, brewers are focusing most of…

Reub Goldberg Brewing Machine Brewer

An epic cycling trip from Alaska to Costa Rica, visiting 150 breweries along the way, was all it took to convince partners Billy Barneston and Anna Suthers to start a brewery of their own. Travelling more than 9,000 kilometres through nine countries provided them not only with an impressive amount of…

2 Halfs Brewing Distilling Brewer

Good things take time. It’s a well-known piece of wisdom that few of us take to heart. But spend a little time at 2 Halfs Brewing and you’ll see that Kirk and Dragana Bozinovski apply this wisdom to their brewery. You can taste it in the European-style beers they serve up, but chat with Kirk and…

Aunty Jacks Brewer

Thanks in large part to the gold rush, Ballarat is a city with a long connection to beer and brewing. As one of the wealthiest places on Earth for a period, it became not just a grand city, but one awash with pubs; at one time, you’d have found hundreds of watering holes scattered throughout the booming…

Badlands Brewery Brewer

They say the best things come to those who wait and, boy, did Jon Shiner wait. Fully thirteen years passed between the day he released the first Badlands Brewery beers in 2010 and the day he welcomed the first guests through the doors of his Orange brewpub. For context, in the intervening period,…

Bandolier Brewing Brewer

Bandolier Brewing’s name stems from a love of Western movies and, while Warragul isn’t exactly the sort of place that conjures the likes of Deadwood, the name still feels incredibly apt. That’s not because Warragul sits in West Gippsland, about an hour out of Melbourne, either. It’s due to…

Bells Beach Brewing Brewer

Bells Beach’s surfing credentials are known far and wide. The Rip Curl Pro has been held there continuously since the 1960s and tourists regularly flock to the beach – and the surrounding Surf Coast region – for a dip, surf and wipe out. However, as anyone who’s spent time there over the years…

Blackman's Brewery Brewer

After witnessing the success of the first Great Australian Beer Festival in Geelong, the organisers told The Crafty Pint that their aim was to turn the city into something of a craft beer capital for Australia. The festival's ongoing success and the boost given to the local beer scene by the arrival…

Bridge Road Brewers Brunswick Brewer

It’s Bridge Road Brewers but not as you knew it. In 2005, Ben and Maria Kraus launched in Beechworth and the pioneering brewers have always been innovators. Much of that has to do with their beers, but the approach extends to hospitality too; their welcoming brewpub in the Old Coach House (where…

Brouhaha Baringa Brewer

“What do you like to drink?” It’s such a simple question, but when it comes from a smiling bartender standing at the beer taps, it brings with it so much opportunity. It’s a world apart from the monolithic and monochromatic beer culture of decades ago, and more the vibe of farmers’ markets,…

Burnley Brewing Brewer

There might be a lot of breweries in Melbourne but there are still ways to stand out. One way is to brew beers that are a little more traditionally-minded than most modern lineups, or you can throw a tonne of hops and adjuncts at beers and spend your time on new ingredients and styles. Alternatively,…

Coldstream Brewery Brewer

When Coldstream Brewery launched in 2007, the size, shape and character of the local beer world was a long way from where it is today. And, like the roads that lead to the their home in the Yarra Valley, the Coldstream story since then has followed a far from a straight path. Originally brought to…

Deep South Brewing Co Brewer

Australia’s southernmost city can be a cold place at times but there’s never a bad moment to be in Hobart. The Tasmanian capital is surrounded by natural beauty, cultural experiences, and food and drink encounters that aren’t just embraced locally but worthy of taking a trip across the Bass Strait.…

Fixation Brewing Co (Lion/Kirin) Brewer

Around 2014, we'd often hear refrains along the lines of: "Everyone's got an IPA these days." Yet it didn't take much investigation to discover that, a few exceptions apart, this was far from the case. Sure, there were plenty of one-off or occasional draught only releases hitting taps, but in terms of…

Green Beacon (CUB/Asahi) Brewer

Such has been the phenomenal rise of craft beer in and around Brisbane in recent times that, despite only throwing open its roller door for the first time in January 2013, you could argue that Green Beacon is one of the elder statesmen of the local scene. Just as the number of quality beer bars has flourished…

Grifter Brewing Company Brewer

The Grifter Brewing Company of today is immeasurably different to the one that Trent Evans, Matt King and Glenn Wignall launched in 2012. Back then they were simply three friends mixing up home brew recipes in the kitchen with little ambition to be brewers. But timing and circumstance saw them presented…

Hard Road Brewing Brewer

At one point during our chat at their brewery taproom in Melbourne’s east, Lein Jenkins points out how surprised he and wife Angie were to discover the name “Hard Road” hadn’t already been taken by another brewing company. If you’ve spent time in and around the beer world, you’ll understand…

Indian Ocean Brewing Brewer

Out past the Northern suburbs of Perth, the Indian Ocean Brewing Co sits on Mindarie Marina looking out over the water. As brewery views go, there's not many that would beat it: palm trees, blue skies, yachts, endless ocean. It's a view that comes with the added advantage that the attached venue offers…

King River Brewing Brewer

Just like the wider High Country region it calls home, King Valley is a beautiful place to visit. And, just like its neighbouring valleys, it has much to offer visitors, whether their intention is to explore nature, enjoy outdoor pursuits or indulge their senses with fine local produce. Unlike some…

Mismatch Brewing Co Brewer

Bringing together a bunch of seemingly mismatched people to start a business might not seem the smartest of ideas. But take a look at where Mismatch Brewing Company – and its associated operations – sits today and you’d have to conclude the founders were onto a good thing. Mismatched they might…

Moon Dog Brewer

Back when Moon Dog first appeared on the Australian beer scene, we were moved to open this description with the iconic words of Monty Python: "And now for something completely different." It's testament to the evolution of the beer world – and the impact Moon Dog have had upon it locally – that…

Morrison Brewery Brewer

Presumably, every home brewer in Australia would like to have a family like Paul Morrison's. Having displayed talent for the art of brewing by picking up medals at competitions in his home state of Tasmania and in Melbourne, his dad suggested he should consider doing it commercially. By 2011, along with…

Noosa Hinterland Brewing Co Brewer

The heritage-listed timber building that Noosa Hinterland Brewing Co call home is more than 90 years old, and the front wall still bears the sign of its original occupant: ALFREDSONS JOINERY. It’s almost as if setting up in a joinery has cast some kind of magic on the brewpub – magic that joins things,…

Red Bluff Brewers Brewer

Spend enough time around the beer industry and you’ll likely hear someone utter the joke: “How do you make a small fortune? Start with a big one and open a brewery.” Equally, while the appetite for beer that’s something other than industrial lager continues to grow, the marketplace is a tough…

Shapeshifter Brewing Co Brewer

Creativity sits at the very heart of modern craft beer yet even when brewers push boundaries they’re drawing upon millennia of traditions and knowledge. Shapeshifter are the most modern of craft breweries, with an approach that shows just how exciting and forward-thinking those traditions can…

Six String Brewing Brewer

If you want an example of the passion that drives the craft beer industry in Australia, look no further than Erina's Six String Brewery. This brewery, set up by longtime friends Chris Benson and Adam Klasterka on the New South Wales Central Coast, is a lesson in following your dream no matter what gets…

St Andrews Beach Brewery Brewer

In a country in which craft beer continues its seemingly inexorable rise, breweries are beginning to appear in all manner of unlikely spots. While reimagining an old warehouse in an industrial corner of town still seems to be the primary mode of transformation, beer tourists can discover much else on…

The Coastal Brewing Company Brewer

Forster possesses the kind of force that draws people in. The coastal getaway in New South Wales and its twin town of Tuncurry are surrounded by pristine waterways, and sandwiched between Wallis Lake to the west and the Pacific to the east. The glistening waters and beaches of the Barrington Coast…

The Mill Brewery Brewer

Collingwood is home to an impressive number of small breweries, pubs and craft beer bars, but it’s not just the scale of postcode 3066’s beer scene that makes it impressive, it’s also the scope. The breweries that have turned many of Collingwood’s old warehouses into watering holes and community…

The Suburban Brew Brewer

“Love Thy Neighbour, Love Their Beer” is the motto which epitomises The Suburban Brew’s embrace of a strong community, and an ethos centred around fostering good conversation and a supportive, welcoming environment at their Adelaide taproom. The name was sparked by the time when owner Tony Dichiera…

Uraidla Brewery Brewer

The Adelaide Hills region is a treasure trove of quaint, quirky towns that typically boast little more than a pub, a general store and a post office. These popular towns ooze a certain quiet country charm capable of luring travellers and day-trippers from near and far. One such place is Uraidla,…

Van Dieman Brewer

A few years back, Will Tatchell departed Tasmania to take up a brewing job at Guinness in Ireland. He never made it, the dream position dashed by an email that landed in his inbox while he travelled through Nepal with his dad telling him the job had gone. Undaunted, he continued on to the UK, sent emails…

Beer DeLuxe Venue

As the name suggests, this bar in the heart of Melbourne’s Federation Square has always offered solace for the beer aficionado. But it really started to come into its own as a craft beer destination since the end of 2008. Where once there were four beers on tap, there became nine, then more than a…

Archive Beer Boutique Venue

Travel to Brisbane today and you'll find a thriving craft beer community. There are dedicated beer bars of all shapes and sizes showcasing beers from home and abroad, a growing number of microbreweries - even major beer festivals. It makes the dark and depressing days of 2010/11, when the closure of…

Far Side Beers VenueBottleshop

Far Side Beers is the kind of craft beer bar and bottleshop no community should be without; fortunately for the people of Hawthorn East, it’s been theirs to enjoy since 2016. Located on Burwood Road, the front bar features six taps that constantly rotate through what’s fresh and tasty, while out…

Saint John Craft Beer Venue

For years before Adelaide’s bar scene began waking up to the good stuff, beer loving travellers would return from visits to the city like explorers who had chanced upon the Holy Grail. The cause of their epiphany was The Wheaty, the Thebarton pub that would regularly attract declarations along the…

Benchwarmer Venue

When you’re located in a part of Melbourne that’s rich when it comes to excellent cafés but relatively sparse on the craft beer front, it suggests two things. Firstly: it’s an area where people like to enjoy a quality drink as they catch up with friends. Secondly: if they like catching up over…

The Wheaty Venue

Ask well travelled Aussie beer lovers for their favourite craft beer bars and the chances are The Wheaty's going to feature high – if not first – on their list. Leading the way for better beer in Adelaide since 2003, when it was launched by avowed hopheads Jade Flavell, Emily Trott and Liz O'Dea,…

Freddie Wimpoles Venue

In contemplating what you might look for in a craft beer venue, few people would think to put taxidermied deer heads and political references at the top of their must have list, but St Kilda’s Freddie Wimpoles manages to deliver on both so well that you couldn’t imagine it any other…

Grape & Grain Liquor Cellars VenueBottleshop

Up until 2012, the Moorabbin area of southeast Melbourne was in need of a high-quality bottle store to service the beer lovers of the surrounding suburbs. Then Grape & Grain came along and those beer lovers rejoiced. But, even then, those beer lovers still lacked anything in the way of a quality bar…

Hopheads Altona VenueBottleshop

Build it and they will come might be the mantra central to classic heartstring-tugging flick Field of Dreams but it’s not just Kevin Costner’s character who's driven by that vision. Australia’s beer industry is filled with people who share that same dream, whether it’s small breweries in quiet…

Kekou Venue

Beer has come a long way in Australia. Whether judged by a glance through the myriad breweries and beer styles covering the country, or by considering the number of venues and bottleshops now serving craft beer, things have most definitely changed. Beer’s elevation to the dining table has come a long…

Moonah Hotel & Cellars VenueBottleshop

It might have been constructed back in 1934 but it’s the recent history of Moonah Hotel & Cellars that seems to best capture why it was built. When the first stones of any pub are laid, surely the idea driving the founders is that they’re creating a legacy that will last – that the gathering place…

Oldfield Cellars – Gosford Bottleshop

Even those with little more than a passing interest will have noticed that the craft beer scene across New South Wales has, in recent years, been expanding wildly in all directions like a raging bull. In general, that’s meant it has become far easier to find a good local drop, with the distance you…

The Local Taproom Venue

There are few words destined to send a shiver down the spines of many Victorians more than “lockdown”, yet there are some aspects of the pandemic’s legacy that are positive. Prominent among those is the embrace of local businesses and a better connection with our surrounding communities; after…

The Retreat Hotel Venue

There are few spots to enjoy a pint quite like the front bar at The Retreat. It’s a space soaked in both character and history, where the stained-glass detailing above the well-worn bar and the walls lined with photos of bygone Melbourne create the feeling you’ve travelled back to an earlier point…

The Winston VenueBottleshop

What do you do if your local doesn't serve good beer? You could travel a bit further and hunt down a bar that does. Or you could do what Kris and Caroline Miles did: take over said local and make it awesome. The local in question is The Winston in North Hobart, the pub just around the corner from where…

To All My Friends Venue

In my travels through the global craft beer world, I’ve come across many a brewery launched by people from the world of IT. It’s actually quite uncanny just how many have made the switch, yet it’s not a path many have taken when it comes to hospitality. On the evidence of To All My Friends, the…

Banks Brewing Oktoberfest Beers (2023) Beer

They’ve long had a love for lager at Banks and if you too have a deep affinity for their cold fermented crispies, here’s some delightful news. The brewery’s recent expansion saw them bring in some design elements to allow them to get more traditional with their lagers, such as through step mashing.…

Hawkers Beer Trio Of Dips Beer

In the spirit of IPA Day, Hawkers have released the third instalment in their Experimental Series. Release one was a [trio of IPAs featuring Citra](https://craftypint.com/beer/9463/hawkers-beer-sheer-terroir) from different American farms, then we had [early versus late harvest Nelson Sauvin](https://craftypint.com/beer/9910/hawkers-beer-fashionably-punctual),…

Bodriggy Brewing Travel Insurance Beer

Do you have friend after friend travelling to Europe at the moment? If so, you could do the petty thing and spend your winter wishing they didn’t buy travel insurance and their luggage ends up in Cape Town. But a more joyful way to live would be by grabbing your own Travel Insurance from Bodriggy.…

Modus Beer Social Club & Outer Disco Beer

Modus’ double release might seem like two very different beers at first but dive a little deeper and there’s a symmetry at play. **Social Club** is a mango wheat ale that provides fresh mango aromas and flavours, with the smooth and textural mouthfeel of a wheat ale. Although there’s a light touch…

Moon Dog Ginger Beer Beer

Moon Dog first released an alcoholic ginger beer in late 2021; a year or so later a new version appeared with a new look and a tweaked recipe. Of v1 we said it "looks like one of those sports drinks made by dolloping powder into your drink bottle. It doesn't drink like one, however, instead serving…

Moon Dog Goin' Steady & Alcoholic Ginger Beer Beer

While they became known for their outrageous approach to beer, names and labels, Moon Dog got themselves where they are today in terms of volume with rather more sessionable options. And that's where **Goin' Steady** fits, a mid-strength beer tagged XPA that's been added to their core range in spring…

Modus Operandi Barry White Beer Beer

While Modus Operandi have focused much of their brewing on US-style hoppy beers (with plenty of Aussie tinkering), a quick look over their history shows that they’re willing to enter the ring with European styles as well – saison has set the pace from day one, there was a doppelbock to keep us company…

White Bay Beer Co Wherever I Rove Beer

The plan at young Sydney brewery White Bay is to always have an IPA as part of their lineup. Just not the same one all the time. And with head brewer Dennis de Boer having spent a few years knocking out IPAs a little to the north at Modus Operandi before becoming part of the founding team at the Balmain…

Bridge Road Brewers The Harvest Fresh Hop IPA & Dark Harvest 2020 Beer

For breweries in bushfire-impacted regions, it's been hammer blow upon hammer blow in 2020. No sooner had Victoria's High Country brewers seen the risk from fires recede than COVID-19 took hold, meaning plans to welcome visitors back to the region for their annual High Country Hops festival were scuppered…

Deeds Brewing Fortune & Glory & The Traveller Beer

They might both be hazy double IPAs that sit at 8 percent ABV, but these two releases from Deeds Brewing show how well murky beers can shine a light on different hop profiles. **Fortune & Glory** was originally brewed a few months ago to mark the launch of the Deeds’ Glen Iris brewery. Even though…

Beer Travel: Yorkshire News

Earlier this month, we published the third in a series of travel pieces by young brewer Nic Sandery, who set off around the globe seeking inspiration from beer, brewing and the cultures surrounding it that he could pour into forthcoming operation Molly Rose Brewing. That third article found him…

Beer Travel: Denver's RiNo District News

America has no shortage of cities crammed with excellent beer but there’s much about Denver that makes it a genuine craft beer city. First of all, 150 or so breweries in a city with less than a million people feels like a pretty sweet ratio and, on top of that, the Mile High City also plays host…

Beer Travel: Bavaria News

Beer culture in Bavaria is one of the most deeply embedded and richly woven in the world. It is the region of the world that helped create and define the lagers that would on to dominate the planet's drinking habits, home to the longest continually operating brewery in the world, the heartland of hefeweizen…

Beer Travel: 48 Hours In Rome News

It’s the eternal city, and it wasn’t built in a day. All roads lead there, and Nero fiddled while it burned. There may be more sayings about Rome than any other city, and for good reason – it used to be known as the capital of the world.  It’s arguably the most beautiful city in the world…

Beer Travel: A Taste Of Mexico City News

As I soon discovered when I first moved to Mexico City in 2016, beer – or cerveza here – has an important place in Mexican culture.  No fiesta – if not lunch or dinner every day – would be complete without a few caguamas (literally, "turtle" - one litre bottles shaped like said…

Beer Travel: Vancouver News

Vancouver has long been a hotspot for craft beer in Canada, home to the country’s first prohibition craft brewery back in the 1980s. Unfortunately, British Columbia, the province in which Vancouver is located, has lagged behind compared to the rest of the Pacific Northwest, which also comprises the…

Beer Travel: Bali, Hops, Water & Yeast II News

In part one of his endeavour to hunt down good beer in Bali, Mick Wust focused on the offerings from Big Beer. In part two, he delves a little deeper... If your biggest complaint about a trip to Bali was that you were limited to Bintangs on the beach, Euro lagers with pizza, and the odd stout on…

Beer Travel: Another Belgium News

I realised this year that I had been to most countries in Europe, but never to Belgium. For someone who writes beer travel stories it had become a bit of a joke. Spontaneously, I decided it was time to fill the gap on the map. I was curious about the stories of newer Belgian brewers; plenty has…

Beer Travel: Port Macquarie News

Port Macquarie is known for its pristine beaches, surrounding natural beauty and koalas. Lots and lots of koalas. The surrounding area in this part of New South Wales' north coast has the largest population of the furry critters in Australia’s east and boasts the world’s first koala hospital. Unfortunately,…

Beer Travel: South Gippsland News

South Gippsland has many claims to fame. Its wineries produce some of the finest pinot noir in the land, it's long been the heart of Victoria’s dairy industry and, as a result, the region is filled with butter factory after butter factory that would make for ideal breweries. Back in 1989, that’s…

Beer Travel: The Breweries Of The Sunshine Coast News

The Sunshine Coast is known for many things: a beautiful climate, stunning beaches, great surf, its spectacular Hinterland. If you're heading there as a family, there's Australia Zoo, the Big Pineapple and the odd theme park to keep you entertained. Heck, thanks to the Russell Crowe's jockstrap and the…

Beer Travel: Bamberg News

Last year, we published a series of articles on and by Nic Sandery. The young brewer had embarked on a global beer tour, exploring other country's beer cultures to seek ideas that would inform the beers he planned to release as Molly Rose Brewing on his return. Now, with the first Molly Rose beers…

Beer Travel: Thirsty In Hungary News

Let’s start with a little lesson in linguistics: the Hungarian word for "beer" is sör, pronounced "shewr" (or something close to that); it's a funny little word that has travelled.  That’s Hungarian for you – it’s a fascinatingly diabolical language, the word-hoard of equestrian…

Beer Travel: Cruising The Murray News

Cruising along the Murray River on a houseboat is a relaxing, tranquil experience at any time. With a beer in hand, it's even better. When it's draught beer that's travelled only a few metres from where it was brewed to the bar on the houseboat, well...  A gentle breeze blows across the…

Beer Travel: Iceland Revisited News

In 1809, there was only one place to drink in Reykjavík, a den for Danish merchants that they called the "klúbbinn". I had returned to Iceland in order to research the events of that summer; it’s a rather interesting history, but I’ll spare you most of the details, other than to say when I finished…

Beer Travel: Bali, Hops, Water & Yeast I News

Over the years, we've written travel pieces covering much of New Zealand, parts of the US, Scandinavia, the UK and more besides. But what of one of the closest and most popular destinations for Australians? On a working holiday to Bali, Mick Wust set out to see whether there's any solace for…

Beer Travel: Yarra Valley News

It may not be the world’s most impressive – or clearest – river but the Yarra has long been the lifeblood for much of Victoria. While the parts of the river closest to Port Phillip Bay pick up a green hue, further upstream in the Yarra Valley the river maintains its majestic brown and still brings…

Beer Travel: High Country Part II News

Earlier this week, we ran the first part of Kerry McBride's jaunt through the Victorian High Country, calling in on the members of the region's Brewery Trail. Today, she completes the trip at the three remaining breweries. You can catch up on Part I here. The team at Bridge Road Brewers doesn't…

Beer Travel: World Beer Cup / Craft Brewers Conference 2014 News

Every two years, the beer world gathers in the States for the World Beer Cup, the biggest beer awards of its kind, which runs alongside the annual US Brewers Association Craft Brewers Conference. And each time, more and more Australians head over to be a part of what is a truly huge gathering. Having…

Beer Travel: Beervana 2014 & The Road To Beervana News

Last week, The Crafty Pint joined a huge contingent of Australian brewers and beer lovers to make the trek to Wellington. The Kiwi city now calls itself Craft Beer Capital and with good reason: Stu from the Yeastie Boys contends that 50 percent of draught beer consumed in the CBD is craft (probably rising…

Otherside Brewing Presents: RIPTIDE Blues & Rock Event

Based on location alone, this is an event worth getting to. But given what awaits when you arrive, there's all the more reason to go. On April 7, Otherside Brewing will be hosting RIPTIDE, a mini blues and rock festival held on the iconic Rottnest Island. Sat in the sun-soaked Hotel Rottnest,…