Articles by Mick Wust
A Curran Affair: Sunshine Coast's Oldest Brewery Passes To The Next Generation
The longest-running indie brewery in Queensland is changing hands – from parents to daughter. Sunshine Coast Brewery is growing and changing under Bernadette Curran too, but its connection to community is as strong as ever.
Range Open A Second Suburban Bar: Rays In Camp Hill
Range have opened a second suburban bar, the colourful Rays by Range in Camp Hill, which captures the energy of their first, Patio, while bringing something fresh.
A Yeast For The Senses: Life Inside A Sensory Lab
Getting paid to drink beer - that's the dream, right? "It can be very tough, I tell you, to do beer evaluation in a cage for one hour..." See what sensory analysis is really like with Gabriela Montandon, head of sensory at Fermentis.
"Better Every Day" – Jervis Bay Become A B Corp
"It helped us become a better business." Jervis Bay Brewing Co have been certified as a B Corp business, telling The Crafty Pint the process has helped them make their corner of the world a better place.
Episode 010: Gillian Letham, Brisbane's Queen of the Suburbs
Gillian Letham never meant to build an empire of suburban bars. But in 11 years, she's gone from not drinking beer to owning three and become a pillar of Brisbane’s beer community. She tells us how it happened on The Crafty Pint Podcast.
The Staying Power Of Mountain Rye
What if we could harvest grain crops for five years instead of having to re-plant them every year? It would be better for farmers and the environment. That's the promise of mountain rye, a perennial grain that could be a game-changer.
Who Brews Surfboat Beers?
Surfboat Brewing's story begins with a closed RSL, an overabundance of honey, and nostalgic memories of being a volunteer surf lifesaver. Today, it lives on as a community hub that welcomes drinkers, dogs and jive dancers alike.
Brewed In Queensland: A Documentary Five Years In The Making
Dan Osper didn't plan to spend five years making a documentary about the craft beer industry. But Brewed In Queensland just kept evolving, from the first interviews in 2019 to the YouTube launch of the 12-part series in 2024.
Mash Gang Australia: No Alcohol, No Limits
"Forever experimenting." The non-alc beer space hasn't always been associated with the broadest of choice, but Trenno of Mash Gang Australia is on the case, playing with new styles and creative ingredients with each brew.
Brewski To Close After A Decade Of Beers
"Want it to be a celebration of what we created, not a woe-is-me story.” Brisbane's legendary beer bar Brewski is closing its doors, with the owners citing ever-increasing rent and changing drinking habits for their decision.
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La Petit Rocher's Belgo-Brisbane Beer
A new project from beer industry legends Ian Watson and Rocky Reed captures the spirit of Belgian brewing, mixes tradition and innovation, and manages to be both fancy and rebellious. It's La Petit Rocher, and it's launching in July.
Local Brewing Family Buys 4 Hearts Brewing
4 Hearts Brewing and Pumpyard Bar have been bought by the local family behind Stony Creek Brewing. Mick Wüst spoke to those involved about what it means for the longstanding Ipswich operation.
Hiker To Open Taproom At Former Black Hops Brisbane & Semi-Pro Site
Less than 18 months after opening their Salisbury brewery, Hiker Brewing Co are opening a second location: a brewery and taproom in East Brisbane’s Manilla Street, in the space formerly occupied by Black Hops.
Who Brews At Buddy Brewing?
Joining with others to "fight the greater evil," converting locals to malt-driven beers, and adding Carolina Reaper chillies, coffee and caramel to an ESB. Meet Buddy Brewing: more than friends... they're family.
Changing The World One Bag Of Regen Malt At A Time
“We wanted to use beer as a catalyst for change.” We examine how one ingredient – malt made from regeneratively grown barley – can make all the difference, and why Stone & Wood are so eager to showcase it to punters and brewers.
Kobey Smith Slays Beer
When Kobey Smith started as a brewer at 7th Day, he didn't even drink craft beer. Now he brews dragonfruit hazies, has a career he's passionate about, and has ideas on how breweries can reach Gen Z drinkers.
Marking Ten Years Of The Best Beer Media
The Beer Media trophy at the Australian International Beer Awards will be presented for a tenth time in May. Here, the current holder of the title looks back and forward with the winners from the past decade.
Who Brews At Hodfellow's?
Hodfellow's is one of the country's newest breweries, but the founders take their inspiration from some of the world's oldest beer cultures. Mick Wüst got in touch to find out more.
Sunshine Coast Beer Given A Platform At The Station
What do you get when you cross a concert venue, a skate park and a street food market? The Station, a family-friendly entertainment precinct on the Sunshine Coast with locally-made beer and spirits on the menu.
For The Love Of Japanese Rice Lagers – Part II
In part two of his look at Japanese rice lager, Mick Wüst chats to some of the brewers playing around with the style and considers just where such beers sit within the contemporary Australian beer landscape.
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For The Love Of Japanese Rice Lagers – Part I
“For us, it’s the pinnacle of beer. We’re just trying to do it justice.” Japanese-style rice lagers are showing up all over Australia these days. But what exactly are they? Mick Wüst explores the local appeal.
The Beer Slingers: Travellers Brewhouse
The building may be 150 years old, but Traveller's Brewhouse is all about new flavours, with street food from around the world and 14 taps of local and independent beer. We talked with Cameron James for this instalment in our Beer Slingers series.
Jett Righetti Slays Beer
At just 23, Jett Righetti has finished a brewing course at TAFE, is an assistant brewer at Happy Valley, and has his eyes set on winning awards and opening a brewery. Read on to find out how Jett Righetti Slays Beer.
Tim's Bucket List Beer Trip For MND
“Life’s too short to drink crap beer.” When Tim Eggert was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, he decided to get out and enjoy the time he has left by visiting breweries and raising awareness of MND.
The Best Of Beer 2023: Queensland
We continue our trek up Australia's east coast for the third instalment of our Best Of Beer 2023 series, moving on from Victoria and New South Wales to cast an eye over the beer scene in Queensland.
Netherworld Team To Launch Lost Souls "Theme Park" Karaoke
A new karaoke bar unlike any other is opening next to Brisbane's Netherworld. It features local beer, intricate art design, and "theme park level karaoke". You'll be singing to save your soul.
Who Brews Wild Barrel Beers?
Small batches, single barrels, slow processes, sustainable businesses. Mick Wüst took a look at Wild Barrel, based in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, for our long-running Who Brews...? series.
Brewski: Ten Lessons From Ten Years
"Matt, don’t buy any more barleywines!" just about sums up a decade of Brewski. But for more on watching your intake, sleeping with your business partner and starting fondue fires, here's their Ten Lessons from Ten Years.
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.
Currumbin Valley Brewing's Taproom Finally Opens
After seven years of brewing and a false start last year, Currumbin Valley Brewing have finally opened their taproom. We chatted to co-owner Smokey about their rustic, upcycled new space literally just around the corner from Balter.
Crafty Sprawl: Sunshine Coast Venues & Bottleshops
To wrap up our guide to the best of beer on the Sunshine Coast, we ducked into the bars, restaurants and bottleshops dedicated to showcasing good beer. Spoiler: it was at a lot of places.
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.
Crafty Sprawl: Sunshine Coast Breweries Part II
The Sunny Coast has far too many breweries to contain them all in just one article. Here, we continue our three-part guide to the Sunshine Coast, this time looking at the breweries in the upper half of the region.
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.
Crafty Sprawl: Sunshine Coast Breweries Part I
When you hear "Sunshine Coast", you think "beaches". But the Sunny Coast is a sprawling region that includes hinterland towns, cities and farms... and plenty of good beer. Our three-part guide to the region starts in the south.
Crafty Crawls: Fortitude Valley
The beast that is Fortitude Valley is ever evolving, so we've updated our Crafty Crawl through this dodgy and frequently delightful part of Brisbane in order to guide you to the best craft beer breweries and bars.
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.
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.
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.
Working Title To Open Brewpub in Newstead
After operating without a brewery of their own for two years, Working Title have found a home. They're set to move into Newstead Brewing’s soon-to-be vacated brewpub in Doggett Street, Newstead, on April 1. No joke.
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.
The Collaborators: Candy Warhol's Colouring Cans
If a colouring book featuring 148 beer cans from breweries across Greater Sydney appeals to you, then you're in luck – ex-graphic designer Connor Dempsey has made one to scratch his own creative itch and support good mental health.
The Best Of Beer 2022: Queensland
The remarkable rise of Queensland's craft beer scene continued apace in 2022, even in the face of floods and the challenges faced by the industry across Australia. Here's our take on the tumultuous 12 months that was.
Going Green: The Common Good Company
What if every single thread of your beer merch was made from recycled cotton and recycled drink bottles? We caught up with The Common Good Company for a chat about their high quality apparel with a low impact on the planet.
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.
Archer Touch Down In Newmarket
What better place for an aviation-themed brewery to set up home than inside a World War Two era hangar? After a turbulent few years, Archer Brewing are landing in Newmarket with a new brewery to call home.
The Story Of: Moff's Summer Ale
How does a session IPA designed for easy beach drinking beat out both session beers and bigger IPAs for beer awards? None of us, including the brewer, seem to quite know the answer. But read about the beer that does it in The Story Of Moff's Summer Ale.
Blackflag Open Their Coolum Compound
Blackflag Brewing's production brewery and taproom in Coolum Beach is a big step up from their Mooloolaba alleyway venue, with space and demand to expand almost immediately. We got in touch as it opens to the public.
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.
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.
