People & Culture
Celebrating the people who make the beer world such a colourful place.
Key Topics
brew & a behind bars beer slingers craft beer heroes beer nuts media who brews slays beer
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.
Emily Usher Slays Beer
Slays Beer is a new series shining a light on younger members of the beer world: who they are, why they're in beer, how they think the industry could do better. Kickstarting our celebration of beer's next gen is Emily Usher from Deeds.
Who Brews In The Brew Garage?
Another suburb of Perth has a brewpub to call its own with Brew Garage opening in East Victoria Park. Guy Southern dropped in to soak in the charms of a venue that's also an urban winery serving up damn fine pizzas.
Who Brews At Future Brewing?
A trip to Texas sparked Brady Hannett's love for West Coast styles, one that led him to study in California and start his brewing career in Monterey. Now he's at the helm of Future Brewing in Sydney, alongside partner Laura Howard.
Who Brews Village Days Beers?
Given the rise in brewing hubs across the city, you'd be forgiven for all parts of Sydney were well covered for local beer. But Village Days found an area in need, opening in Gladesville and leaving North Shore locals glad they did.
Who Brews Great Hops Beers?
Great Hops' home in Armidale is an impressive dome shed on the outskirts of town filled with a bunch of "collected shit". It's popular with locals and a much-appreciated stop for anyone travelling through, as our weary writer discovered.
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.
Behind Bars: Saccharomyces
It's like a German beer hall. Or a Belgian beer café. But it's mostly full of Aussie beer. But sometimes it's full of German or Belgian or American beer. It's Saccharomyces Beer Café, and there's not much like it.
Who Brews Smiley Beers?
Pakenham welcomed its very first brewery in the shape of Smiley's Brewing following a multi-year journey that involved COVID, planning objections and, ultimately, a lot of local support. Find out more in this Who Brews...?
Who Brews Yellow Matter Beers?
Their name is taken from a Beatles classic, their idiosyncratic venue will transport you to another era, and their beers are designed to be super comfy and approachable. Meet the team behind Adelaide brewpub Yellow Matter.
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The Beer Slingers: Bendigo's Black Swan
Bendigo's craft beer scene is a vibrant one that welcomed another member when one of the city's oldest pubs switched its focus to regional breweries. We chatted to the Black Swan's new owners about the grand building's new life.
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.
Who Brews As Quakers Hat?
Quakers Hat Brewing is a genuinely family-run affair: driven by head brewer Cam, with brother Nick on IT and maintenance, dad Dave on logistics, building and pizzas, mum Sue on social media, cheese boards and chandeliers.
Podcast People: Aussie Beer Voyage
Like beer? Like TV? Like exploring new breweries and hearing from people in the industry from the comfort of your home? Then take an Aussie Beer Voyage, the YouTube show guiding you through the Aussie beer scene.
Who Brews At Ward's Brewery?
Gladstone has long been known for its exports but when it comes to beer, typically that's been imported via long highways. Ward's Brewery have helped rectify that problem by turning the cordial factory into a local beer factory.
Who Brews Boundary Island Beers?
Boundary Island Brewery launched in 2022 and have wasted little time making an impression beyond their coastal home in WA. After they won Best New Exhibitor trophies in Melbourne and Perth, we got in touch to find out more.
Who Brews Mountain Monk Beers?
The Bellman family has a long association with Mount Beauty, from working on the mountain to regular family holidays. Now, their association runs deeper than ever after they took over the local pub and built a brewery there too.
Who Brews Cypher Beers?
Mention Canberra and brewing to most Aussie beer lovers and BentSpoke and Capital are most likely to come to mind. There's more to the capital's beer scene than the big-hitters, however, not least now Cypher's brewpub is open.
Who Brews Crafty Robot Beers?
Tim and Damo met while brewing at Mismatch in the Adelaide Hills in 2018. Now, alongside Damo's wife Genevieve, they're at the helm of Crafty Robot, a brewery and taproom that opened in Adelaide's CBD this autumn.
Behind Bars: Mongrel
If you're into skeletons, sour cocktails and sausage daddies – or, at least, if they don't scare you off – then Mongrel's brand of weirdness is for you. We chatted with the pint-pouring pooches at the Milton bar for our Behind Bars series.
Want to know more?
Who Brews As The Thirsty Messiah?
He might not be the Messiah, and he may be a very naughty boy. What we know for certain is that Thomas Delgatto, alongside wife Libby, is now the owner of Newcastle's newest brewpub. Meet the Thirsty Messiah.
Who Brews On Point Beers?
Alexandra's old butter factory has been brought back to life by two best mates who've known each other since high school. We got in touch to find out more about On Point Brewery, which opened to the public at the tail end of 2022.
Who Brews Hiker Beers?
A celebration of the great outdoors, beers ranging from Scottish light ale to highly-rated hazy IPA, and a big airy venue with a place for everyone. Meet Hiker Brewing Concern in this instalment of our Who Brews...? series.
Who Brews As The Brewers Collective?
Bendigo has garnered a fine reputation for beer over the years, with festivals, bars and even its own beer-pushing association. Yet it didn't have a brewpub. Until now. Meet the homebrewers gone pro behind the Brewers Collective.
The Boxer and the Brewer
A veteran brewer with an overflowing trophy cabinet is now at the helm of Boxer Brewing, started by a winery on Mount Tamborine. Take a deep dive into what can happen when a champion brewer and winemakers rub shoulders.
The Beer Slingers: Buddy's
It takes something to stand out from the crowd in today's beer and hospo market. For the mates behind new Newtown hangout Buddy's, they're aiming to do so with 30 self-serve taps, house party vibes and *checks notes* fairy bread.
The Beer World Pays Tribute To Pops
The beer world has been paying tribute to one of its "special men", after brewer and mentor Neil "Pops" Whittorn lost his battle with cancer. We spoke to some of those who knew him best.
Who Brews At Mixtape?
Spooning Goats was a pioneering craft beer venue – not to mention one of the quirkiest joints in Sydney. And while it fell victim to COVID, the founders' vision lives on at Mixtape Brewing & Bar in Marrickville.
A Day In The Life Of: A Beer Buyer
Being a beer buyer is an essential but somewhat hidden side of the industry and the kind of job that sounds as easy as they come. But, as Cherry Murphy explains, much work goes into deciding what makes the shelves at Blackhearts & Sparrows.
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.
Who Brews BOBs Beers?
From studying chemical engineering via a wine business in Bangkok and Singapore to opening a brewpub in the former Louis Vuitton store in Surfers Paradise, the story of BOBs Beer's genesis is one of the more circuitous.
Who Brews Tiny Fish Beers?
When demand for his homebrew started to outstrip the rate at which he could make it, Brett Whiting decided it was time to step up. So he launched Tiny Fish, bringing a bunch of the mates who'd been enjoying his homebrew along for the ride.
Who Brews Whale Rock Beers?
It started out as a way to liven up a COVID lockdown but, with a helping hand from the team at Frenchies, the three-dads-escaping-lockdown-boredom-by-homebrewing has already morphed into Whale Rock Brewing.
Who Brews & Blends Barrel Shepherd Beers?
Wollongong has always been a manufacturing city but these days it feels like much of that production is beer. The Barrel Shepherd has joined the city's thriving beer scene, bringing with it a unique tale and love for barrels, local fruit and yeast.
Who Brews Aetheon Beers?
Kevin Martinovich’s fascination with all things fermented led him into a career encompassing retail, hospitality, and global travel. Now with his own brewing company, we invited him to take part in our Who Brews...? series.
Better Together With A Better Vision
A conversation with Emily Tankey about brewing venture Better Together grew into a conversation about brewing at Brouwerij De Molen, the importance of female ownership, and the need for distinction in contract brewing.
Who Brews Wooden Axe Beers?
What could possibly possess someone to turn up to a homebrew competition with nothing but a couple of flannels, a homemade, lumberjack-themed jockeybox, and a keg of 9.5 percent ABV white stout? Meet the mates behind Wooden Axe.
Who Brews Gallows Beers?
The brand may have a dark name and dark labels (and started with a dark beer), but the story of Gallows Brewing is one of sunshine as three friends were drawn back together in gorgeous Coffs Harbour to start a brewing company.
Who Brews Good Folk Beers?
Newcastle's beer lovers have another brewery of their own after two well-known local publicans ventured into brewing for the first time. We caught up with the team at Good Folk Brewing as they opened their doors to the public.
Who Brews Cosmo Beers?
Brewing good beer isn't enough for the couple behind Cosmo Brewing. They want the Bathurst-based operation to be a force for good too. We got in touch for a chat about foraged fruit, community values, and serendipitous saison.
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.
Who Brews Little Giant beers?
An Aussie wine label making European-inspired beers in funky little bottles isn't something you see every day. So here's the story behind Little Giant beers in this Who Brews…? with a difference.
Who Brews Dusty Lizard Beers?
Dusty Lizard opened in Wollongong in later 2020 and, while their taproom has proved a hit, the runaway star has been Dustin the lizard. He was too busy to chat, so ahead of their second birthday we chatted to the founders instead.
Who Brews Cold Hands Beers?
The crew behind Cold Hands Brewing only started brewing together in February but they've wasted no time launching with their first commercial release out in September. We got in touch to hear how they brought it all together.
Who Brews Hedonbar Beers?
It was while travelling they decided to start a brewery, and a beer label in Hong Kong that gave them their name. We caught up with the couple behind Hedonbar as they prepare to open their brewery and taproom on the Yorke Peninsula.
Who Brews Method Brewery Beers?
It takes a particular set of skills to set up a new brewery but when it comes to Newcastle's latest, the founders feel like they've been building towards it for some time. We caught up with the folks at Method Brewing to find out about the method behind the Islington brewery and beers.
Who Brews Common People Beers?
People are drawn to the Northern Rivers village of Bangalow for many reasons. One group of friends was drawn there to start a brewery by the people, for the people. Find out more as we ask Who Brews Common People Beers?
The Beer Slingers: Bobbie Peels
After years running various hospo businesses, including launching Burnley Brewing, old mates Phil Gijsbers and Neil Mills have their first pub. With renos complete at the historic Bobbie Peels, we invited them to kick off a new series.
The Brewer Who Can See Flavour
When Ian Watson tastes beer, he sees colour. He has synaesthesia, and this condition shapes the way he tastes beer – and the way he brews it. We caught up with one of the country's most experienced brewers to find out more.
Who Brews Ursa Major Beer?
Ursa Major is only visible in the Northern Hemisphere but the brewing company bearing the name brew their "otherworldly beer" in Australia. The founders are global brewers, who met in another city and still make beer from two bases.
