News & Feature Stories

Hops 'n' Robbers

It's not uncommon for brewpubs to have a stack of games for anyone looking to settle in but no there's a card game with breweries at its heart. We caught up with the creators of Hops ‘n’ Robbers to find out more.

HPA Invest In Major New Pellet Plant

The country's largest hop grower is investing in a major pelleting plant in Victoria which will allow them to keep up with their expanding farm capacity. Hop Products Australia also believe it will provide more consistent hops for brewers.

Sobah & The Good Beer Co Coral’ate For The Reef

Sobah and The Good Beer Co have long supported important causes. Now, with their latest beer they have come together to give the Great Barrier Reef a bit of TLC.

Shut Up And Drink Your Dessert: Pastry Beers Part 2

Pastry beers are everywhere now, like it or not. In part two of our deep dive, we explore their appeal: who's drinking them, the brewers' intentions and why they're still "real beer" – as well as the cost to your wallet and waistline.

Who Brews Yard Kings Beers?

Yard Kings Brewing Co combines brewery, taproom and smokehouse in Morriset. We got in touch with one of the five families behind the venture to find out more about their decision to enter the world of pro brewing.

Stomping Ground Bought By Good Drinks

Good Drinks, the company that includes beer brands such as Gage Roads, Atomic and Matso's, has bought Stomping Ground. The 100 percent acquisition sees the ASX-listed company expand its portfolio and establish a foothold in Victorian.

SurfCraft: Celebrating The Brookvale Six With Beer

A new brewing company is launching in the Northern Beaches this week. SurfCraft has been created to celebrate the Brookvale Six – the surfboard manufacturers who helped change the face of surfing in Australia.

Curly Lewis Bring Brewing To Bondi

Sydney's west is bursting at the seams with breweries yet the city's inner east hasn't enjoyed the same beer boom. That looks set to change, however, with Curly Lewis about to open the doors to their Bondi Beach brewery and bar.

Shut Up And Drink Your Dessert: Pastry Beers Part 1

Sweet, thick beers that taste like dessert used to be few and far between, but now it feels like they're everywhere. In the first of this two-part deep dive, we look at what pastry beers are, where they came from, and how they're made.

Who Brews Forgotten Worlds?

It's taken a dozen years, but finally we're able to feature a brewing company run by omniscient entities that exist outside our earthly dimension. Judd Owen makes contact with the quartet keeping the Forgotten Worlds alive.

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$6m Lager Brewery To Open In SE Queensland

South East Queensland will welcome a lager brewery next year when Perentie Brewing opens in the Distillery Road Market precinct. Although it's new, there are some experienced hands involved in the six million venture too.

Valhalla To Open A Brewery In Geelong

Valhalla Brewing have spent six years making beer without a home of their own. That's set to change in March next year, now that owner Scott Hunt has signed a lease on a space in North Geelong’s Federal Woollen Mills precinct.

2022: Craft Beer's Strangest Year Yet?

Lockdowns are a thing of the past yet 2022 is proving to be another grim year for many in the beer industry. We ask why, and look at what can be done to ensure better days lie ahead.

Who Brews On King Island?

King Island is rugged and isolated but, just like a growing number of small communities, it's also home to a brewery. We caught up with the family behind King Island Brewhouse to find out about living and making beer in the Bass Strait.

Sydney Brewery & Wayward Triumph At Sydney Royal Beer Awards

A trio of past winners enjoyed more trophy success at the 2022 Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Awards. The champion beer trophies were claimed by Sydney Brewery, Wayward Brewing and the Australian Brewery.

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.

The Story Of: Lark Imperial JSP

It's not hard to find barrel-aged beers in winter but Wolf of the Willows' Lark Imperial JSP still manages to stand out. As brewer and distiller celebrate the fifth vintage of their collaboration, we take a deep dive with Wolf co-founder Scott McKinnon.

Who Brews Communion Beers?

They started out brewing tiny batches of beer for their café called The Chapel and now the Turners welcome guests to enjoy communion at their brewery-meets-restaurant in North West Tasmania too.

Crafty Crawls: Freo Beer-Ho II – Day Two

All aboard the Freo Beer Bus! Graham Frizzell completes his jaunt around Fremantle's beeriest haunts by hopping on the Blue CAT for a trip featuring a brewery-distillery, an OG crafty bottlo, a hotdog hotspot and more.

Bells Beach Brewing Surf Onto Bigger Waves

Torquay can be a little quiet over winter but Bells Beach Brewing have been making the most of it. They've just completed an expansion that will see them double their output and are working towards gaining B Corp certification.

Nowhereman: Five Years In Five Beers

Five years ago to the day, Nowhereman opened the doors to their West Leederville brewpub for the first time. Here, the team reflects on five years of meaningful fun via five of their favourite beers.

Who Brews At Scarborough Harbour?

A trip to Canada inspired Sonia and Guy Schweitzer to open a craft brewery close to their home on the Redcliffe Peninsula. They finally achieved their dream this Easter, so we called in to check it out.

Crafty Crawls: Freo Beer-Ho II – Day One

Freo has long been recognised as the birthplace of today's craft beer culture in Australia. Now, following an explosion of new breweries and beer venues, it's better than ever for beer lovers seeking adventure.

Moo Brew To Open A New Hobart Brewpub

Moo Brew have announced plans to open a new home in Hobart. Tasmania's longest-established independent brewery has signed a lease on a site in Salamanca where they hope to open a brewpub before the end of 2022.

12 Taps Rises Again In Sydney

COVID's impact on hospitality saw the 12 Taps team close their two Sydney venues. But they're back – opening one in Marrickville last month. We spoke to bar's co-founder to find out about their comeback and plans for the future.

Who Brews Warrandyte Brewing Beers?

Warrandyte might sit within Melbourne's boundary but it's not your typical outer suburb, sitting on the banks of the Yarra River and home to stunning bushland. It's a spirit that Warrandyte Brewing have looked to capture with their beers.

Left Barrel On Top At SA's Beer Awards

The punnily-titled Bob's Ya Dunkel from Left Barrel was named Most Outstanding Beer in Show at the 2022 Royal Adelaide Beer and Cider Awards. Champion brewery titles were claimed by Vale Brewing and Nowhereman.

Dean Can Draw – Bringing Crushed Cans To Life

To some, a crushed tinnie is a piece of rubbish ready to be recycled. To artist Dean Spinks, it's inspiration for a 30-hour photorealistic drawing.

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.

3 Ravens To Open A Perth Brewpub

3 Ravens have announced plans to build a home in WA as well as upgrading their brewery home in Thornbury. We caught up with head brewer Brendan O'Sullivan and general manager Nathan Liascos to find out more.

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Who Brews On Magnetic Island?

Magnetic Island is home to scenic beaches, stunning hikes, and a slower pace of life. Soon it will be home to a brewery too. We caught up with the head brewer of Maggie Island Brewery to hear what they have planned.

David Cryer – 30 and Out

One of the most influential figures of the past three decades in the Australian and NZ beer industries has today announced his retirement. We chatted to David Cryer (and friends) about a stellar life in beer.

The Perfect Pour: The Art Of The Side-Pull

It's a pretty good time to be a lover of lager but breweries and venues are finding ways to ensure such beers are perfectly poured. We chatted to the Australians dedicated to the fine art of the side-pull; a Czech traditional that's gaining ground locally.

Waiting To Be FOUND.

FOUND. is an ambitious brewery and hospo project set to start taking shape in Perth later this year. We caught up with Steve Finney, the ex-Little Creatures, Feral, Gage Roads and Otherside man who's been working on his vision for seven years.

Who Brews Eclipse Beers?

Eclipse are one of the new kids in WA's bustling brewery scene but the name reaches back into the 19th century. The mates who have brought it back have big plans for the future too, with homes in the works in two parts of the state.

The 2022 Australian Craft Beer Survey Launches

The largest survey of consumer trends and attitudes in the local beer industry is back. The Beer Cartel Australian Craft Beer Survey last took place in 2020, and this time has a focus on alc-free and GF beer plus purchasing habits.

No Alcohol: All Choice

There's a multitude of reasons why people seek out alcohol-free beers and the good news is that the choice has never been broader. Ahead of Dry July, we caught up with some of the people behind the more interesting non-alc beers.

The Collaborators: Freestyle Hops

If you love limited release hazy beers, you might have spotted the name Freestyle Hops on a can from your favourite brewery. We caught up with the managing director of the NZ grower to find out what the Freestyle life is all about.

Little Bang Bought By SA Pub Group

What one of the brewery's founders called "the worst-kept secret in South Australia" is no longer secret. The fast-growing Duxton Pubs Group has bought Little Bang Brewing in a move that sees a highly-rated SA brewer join the Stepney business too.

Who Brews Beachport Beers?

Beachport Brewing are located in a small coastal community on SA's Limestone Coast where the founders have ambitious plans to put Beachport on the map, and to see their beer, spirits, grain and meat all feed into each other.

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Atomic Whip Their Way To The Top

In a sea of wacky beers, making waves isn't easy. But Atomic have managed to do it, with their flame-kissed Lemon Whip Sour taking out the People's Choice from all the festival beers at GABS 2022.

The Collaborators: Flavour Logic

Taste is highly subjective but if you work in the beer industry or are passionate about beer, recognising off-flavours can be essential. Which is where sensory analyst Briony Leibich – AKA Flavour Logic – comes in.

Catchment Buy Fellow QLD Brewery Fortitude

Catchment Brewing have acquired Fortitude Brewing Co and their offshoot brand Noisy Minor as part of ambitious future growth plans. The West End-based operation is targeting ten venues and more brewery brands.

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.

The Wild Ones: Two Metre Tall

The Wild Ones is a series showcasing Australian brewers creating spontaneously fermented ales. Here we caught up with the couple behind the truly unique farmhouse operation that is Tasmania's Two Metre Tall.

The Mateship Tour: Shouting Beer In The Remotest Spots

There are worse ways to make new mates than to spend three months touring around Queensland giving away free beer... so Hep from Your Mates Brewing decided to do just that. Welcome to the Mateship Tour.

A Grodziskie Wins The Perth Royal Beer Awards

The rarely-seen historical Polish beer style, grodziskie – a low-alcohol smoked wheat ale – was named best beer at the Perth Royal Beer Awards tonight. It's from Rocky Ridge, who also claimed Champion Large Brewery.

Sam Sets Sails For Bali

One of Australia's best-known and most-awarded brewers is setting sail on a new adventure. Sam Füss is off to Bali to become chief brewer at Beaches Brewing Co Bali, where she hopes to help develop the exciting young beer scene.

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.

Carving Out A Niche: Small Festivals. Big Ideas

It's been a tough couple of years for beer festivals but events both large and small are roaring back. We chatted to the folks behind Juicy Fest, Rauchbier Festival and Lagerland to hear how breweries are carving out a niche in the festival space.