Articles by Benedict "Benny" Kennedy-Cox
Benedict "Benny" Kennedy-Cox is a comedy/travel writer and craft beer enthusiast from a lovely little harbour village called Sydney. His dreams include opening his own taproom, hosting his own travel beer show, and to one day be able to pay someone to write these for him instead of doing it himself in third person.
The beer(s) or moment (s) that turned you onto good beer:
One two punch of receiving a Beer Book for Christmas when I was just about to be 18 and getting a mixed set of international beers from my aunt for my 19th birthday.
You've got three beers to turn someone else on to good beer; what are they and why?
-
Serpents Kiss by Grifter – This will help me figure out if they like sweet. A pilsner with a bit of watermelon, lovely, perfect one to start off an arvo at the pub, refreshing and tasty.
-
Pale Ale by Mountain Culture – Lots of big juicy and floral flavours. If they don't like this we might be out of luck!
-
Roast Pear Sour and Salted Caramel IPA Beer Blender by Urbanaut – Some people don't like these but, in my opinion, even non-beer drinkers can have the time of their life with a beer blender, and I reckon this one is the best.
The last beer you enjoyed:
RocknRoada Imperial Pastry Stout (14.6%) by Bacchus.
Three things that represent you:
- Being a smartarse and answering questions incorrectly
Crafty Crawls: Sydney's Northern Beaches
Sydney's Northern Beaches are often called The Insular Peninsula but word has spread about the sheer number of local breweries that call the area home. Let us be your guide as we traverse the coast and backstreets in this Crafty Crawl.
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.
Crafty Crawls: Wollongong
Sydneysiders sometimes poke fun at their southern neighbours but the amount of craft beer to enjoy in Wollongong is no joke. Let The Crafty Pint be your guide to the best places for a beer in a city that's worth the travel.
Crafty Crawls: South Sydney
South Sydney is a diverse place in which industrial zones rub shoulders with residential and commercial hubs. As such, it's a perfect place to open a brewery – and plenty have, as you'll discover in this delicious Crafty Crawl.
Crafty Crawls: The Breweries Of Marrickville
Five years on from our first Marrickville Crafty Crawl and much has changed, while some has remained the same. Join Benedict Kennedy-Cox for a guided tour of the most brewery-soaked suburb in the land.
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.
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.
Crafty Crawls: Penrith & The Blue Mountains
Mountain Culture have helped turn beer lovers' attention towards the Blue Mountains in fine fashion. But as local boy Benny Kennedy-Cox discovers, there's much more of a crafty bent to be found in Penrith and the wider region too.
Crafty Crawls: Darling Harbour & The Rocks
In the heart of Sydney and keen to enjoy some waterside views with a local beer in hand? Well, whaddya know... here's a guide to just that. Join us for a tour of the craftiest spots in Darling Harbour and The Rocks.
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.
Get more Crafty!
Sign up to our newsletters and get the latest craft beer news delivered free to your inbox. Choose from our Friday Roundup of the week, the quick-read, social feed-like Crafty Cuppa – or both!
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.
Who Brews Brew Mountains Beers?
Watching his grandad brew fired a lifelong fascination with brewing for Craig Talbot, so he quit the commuting life to launch Brew Mountains. We invited him to take part in our long-running Who Brews...? series to find out more.
The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre Is Democracy Manifest
Hawke's Brewing have opened their brewery venue in Marrickville. Or to be more accurate, they've opened The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre, a place that's less taproom, more a time capsule of not just of another era but another mindset.
Grassy Knoll Become The New Seekers
A new brewery is set to open in the Gong this weekend, except it's not quite new. Seeker Brewing sees Grassy Knoll founder Jeff Argent take over the space that previously housed Bulli Brewing for a new joint venture.
Who Brews At Broulee Brewhouse?
The need for a community space in Broulee was brought to a head by the Black Saturday fires of 2019/20. So, over a few games of tennis, two couples decided to make it happen and, late last year, Broulee Brewhouse was born.
BecauseWeCAN Vol.6: Sour Power
There's little in beer as divisive as sours: often people love ‘em or can’t bloody stand ‘em in any way, shape or form. So, for the sixth edition of BecauseWeCAN we tackle three of the kookier offerings to hit stores over summer.
Dr Benny's Crafty Fixes: Homebrand Beers
With major retailers stocking more of their own crafty-looking brands, how does a passionate indie beer lover encourage their mates to support local brewers rather than stocking up on homebrand offerings?
South Coast NSW: Frothier Than Ever
The NSW South Coast is now home to a dozen breweries, leading one local to launch the South Coast Ale Trail. We chatted to him, and the founder of Dangerous Ales as they unveil their brewery expansion, about a region on the rise.
Casey’s Brewery Opens Bar To Thirsty Locals
After spending six years keeping Penrith locals well supplied with takeaway beer and fresh wort, Casey's Brewing have finally opened a bar. We caught up with founder and head brewer Patrick Casey to find out more.
Beer, Algae & Cow Burps
Young Henrys and researchers at UTS have been researching the potential certain algae have to turn CO2 created during brewing into oxygen since 2020. Now The Algae Project is looking to reduce harmful emissions from livestock too.
Want to know more?
BecauseWeCAN Vol.5: Crazy For Hazy
A hazy with no hops, another with next to no booze, and one with heaps of hops and heaps of booze... Welcome to the fifth instalment of BecauseWeCAN, our look at some of the more out there beers in Australia today.
Dr Benny's Crafty Fixes: Special Occasion Beers
Ever found yourself in an awkward situation involving beer? Stuck in a quaffable quandary and can't see a way out? Meet Dr Benny, here to fix your every crafty dilemma. This time: what to do with an overabundance of big beers.
BecauseWeCAN Vol.4: Barrel-Aged Imperial Stouts
The colder months tend to bring out the beasts inside brewers, beasts that often take the shape of barrel-aged imperial stouts. Here, we take a look at three of the biggest and most unusual to hit Aussie fridges this winter.
Dr Benny's Crafty Fixes: Lockdown Loneliness
Stuck in lockdown and over Zoom events and refreshing your Instagram feed? Well, so is Dr Benny, who's here with some ideas on how to make it through to the other side – maybe with some new beer-loving mates to boot.
BecauseWeCAN Vol.3
Is your diet deficient in fruit and veg? Fear not, as we're back with another BecauseWeCAN look at some of the more unusual beers on the market, this time each featuring fruit or veg, plus some black tea and mica for good measure...
BecauseWeCAN: GABS 2021 Edition
The Crafty Pint kicked off the BecauseWeCAN series in April as a means of examining some craft beer's weirdest releases. Now, with the a festival that celebrates outlandish beers returning for 2021, we've taken the concept to GABS.
BecauseWeCAN Vol.1
BecauseWeCAN is a new series on The Crafty Pint that puts some of the most out there beers under the microscope, looking at how and why they were brewed, and whether they achieve their unusual goals.
Dr Benny's Crafty Fixes: Cheap Mates
Ever found yourself in an awkward situation involving beer? Stuck in a quaffable quandary and can't see a way out? Worry no more as help is at hand... Meet Dr Benny, here to fix your every crafty dilemma.
