Articles by Will Ziebell
Will Ziebell is a history graduate who knows more about The Wire than he does about beer. He was awarded the AIBA Best Media trophy for 2018; HBO have told him to please send his fan mail elsewhere. He can be found on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
The beer(s) or moment(s) that turned you on to good beer:
Spending time living in the UK (and backpacking across Europe) when I was 21 certainly gave me a better understanding of the beer and different styles of the world. But I'd say it was a holiday to the High Country a little while later when lunch and a tasting paddle at Bridge Road Brewers created an obsession with Australian breweries and locally made beer.
You've got three beers to turn someone else on to good beer; what are they and why?
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Boatrocker's Miss Pinky: It's a raspberry-packed Berliner Weisse that neither looks or tastes the way many people conceive of beer.
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Bad Shepherd Hazelnut Brown: A luscious mix of chocolate and hazelnut that can appeal to the sweet tooth within us all.
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Stone & Wood Pacific Ale: As the father of my oldest friend once said to me: "It's the perfect refreshing pint that smells like they've loaded it with the God's herb."
The last beer you enjoyed:
Garage Project's DFA while sitting at the bar at Miss Moses as the sounds of The Rolling Stone drifting in the background.
Three things that represent you:
- Bruce Springsteen
- Ken Burns
- The State Library of Victoria
Scholarships Made Beerable
Looking to learn more about the science of brewing? The founders of Science Made Beerable have launched a scholarship to give people eager to study a science-focused beer-related course a helping hand.
The Beer Gear of Tmorrow
Band and brewery t-shirts have much in common; now thanks to a Sydney-based business, they're becoming more sustainable too. Learn how Tmorrow are turning clothing waste and plastic bottles into excellent tees.
Willie The Boatman Have A Fresh New Look
Willie the Boatman have recently rebranded, with the Sydney brewery using their cans to celebrate their community and ethos.
Local Brewing Co Lay Waste To Waste
Over the last few years, Local Brewing have been working closely with Coles Liquor and local farmers to turn excess fruit into beer. As they prepare to launch the fourth Surplus Series release, we chatted to the brewery and retailer about how it all works.
BinaryBeer Make Waves In Europe
Wollongong-based BinaryBeer has been building an international presence for several years and has just announced their smart keg tech has been picked up by Asahi in Europe.
Sobah Launch Australia's First Non-Alc Brewery
Sobah's brewery features the stainless you'll find in any Australian brewery yet the Gold Coast operation remains entirely unique. We visited Australia's first non-alc brewery to chat with founders Clinton and Lozen Schultz.
Temple Top GABS 2023 Can Design Awards
The winners of the GABS Craft Beer Can Design Awards have been revealed, with Temple Brewing's Hello, My Name Is Amber taking out top spot and joined on the podium by Brick Lane and Aether Brewing.
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...?
Burnout And Beer: A View From The States
Craft beer is an industry driven by passion but, if that fades, where can workers turn? Katie Muggli took an industry-wide moment of self reflection and decided to build a resource to support those working in American craft beer.
The Kegmaster Mini Brings Draught Beer Home
It's always been easy to drink beer at home but pouring a draught beer has often alluded drinkers - particularly if they're tight on space. The Kegmaster Mini aims to bring the bar experience into even small homes.
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Cryer Malt & Froth Technologies Announce New Partnership
Cryer Malt has announced a new partnership with New Zealand's Froth Technologies, which will see them bring the liquid yeast into Australia.
Creating A Winning Brewery Experience
Breweries have transformed warehouses into social spaces and created new kinds of hospitality experiences. But what makes a good brewery venue and what do founders think about before they start building?
Growing With Intention
Craft beer is a fast-paced industry in which small breweries tend to be nimble operations. Now, in a time of economic uncertainty, many are adapting and changing, but what's it like to change course? And why do it?
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.
Brewing A More Sustainable Future
A conversation over beers at Russian River in California sparked a multifaceted collaboration between businesses big and small that has led to the production of Certified Sustainable malts on both coasts of Australia.
Craft Beer's Next Generation
Is craft beer becoming cringe or cheugy? Listen to many senior figures and you could easily draw the conclusion Gen Z poses an existential threat but is the industry really engaging with Zoomers? We chatted to craft beer's next generation.
Mighty Craft To Sell Jetty Road And FogHorn
Mighty Craft has announced agreements to sell both Jetty Road and FogHorn. The buyer of either remains unclear with the ASX business stating it is also looking to sell all or part of their stake in Better Beer too.
Festive Cheer?
Summer brings with it a raft of beer festivals of all shapes and sizes. But there are concerns about how they will fare this time around as consumers continue to tighten their belts and the costs of staging major events rise.
The Writer Behind The Beer Drinker's Toolkit
Mick Wüst is one of the most recognisable names on The Crafty Pint; now the award-winning writer is launching his first book. Here he tells us about the Beer Drinker's Toolkit and his longstanding love for the written word.
GABS Acquire More Festivals
The GABS team has expanded its festival reach considerably after buying a number of beer and drinks festivals from the Schwartz Family Company. We spoke to GABS owner Mike Bray about the acquisition and their future plans.
Want to know more?
A Full Colour Life: From Brewer To Leader
Most people open a brewery or become brewers because they love making and drinking beer. Yet, as businesses grow and careers progress, brewing can play second fiddle to management tasks requiring very different skills.
Brookvale – Brewing A Beer Paradise?
Brookvale has been hailed as a beer paradise with multiple breweries joining the local scene in recent years. But despite each carving out a niche and being packed to the rafters on weekends, it's not always smooth sailing on the Northern Beaches.
Backing Beer: Australia's Cicerone Community
Paul Daley has spent the best part of a decade advocating for beer. Now, he's launched the Australian Cicerone – Certified Professionals Community with some of the country's top beer advocates to better promote the industry they love.
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.
Lion Kill Two Birds With One Move
Lion are to close Two Birds' Spotswood home and discontinue the brand. The move comes less than two years on from the multinational's acquisition of Fermentum, which included Two Birds and other breweries alongside Stone & Wood.
Blizzard Brewery Founder's OnMarket Raise
A significant number of craft breweries have crowdfunded in recent years. Now, with sources of funding ever harder to come by, a former brewery owner is hoping to help guide others along that path as he returns with OnMarket.
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.
Beer Travel: Denver's RiNo District
The Denver Nuggets waited a long time to become NBA champs but you don't have to wait long - or travel far - to find excellent beer in the Mile High City. Join Will Ziebell for a stroll through the city's RiNo district, soaking in the local beer.
The Story Of: B2 Bomber
When Bridge Road Brewers first released their B2 Bomber in 2010, the imperial Belgian black IPA was unlike anything else. It remains an oddity to this day so, as Mach 13.0 lands, we asked brewery founder Ben Kraus how it came to be.
That's Dope! The US Brewers On A High
The cannabis plant is a close relative of hops but we don't – legally – see them together in Australia. The situation is rather different in the US, as Will Ziebell discovered in conversation with some of those pioneering weed-beer hybrids.
I'm Growin' Down: Lessons From America's Shrinking Breweries
Late last year, Tomme Arthur did something brewery owners don't often do: talked about shrinking The Lost Abbey to survive. Will Ziebell caught up with him in America to find out what's happening in a country often seen as craft beer's future.
BoozeBud Bought By Hairydog
BoozeBud is set to continue operating after being bought by fellow online retailers, Hairydog Group. The announcement follows Boozebud appointing voluntary administrators in early May as the business collapsed.
The Australian International Beer Awards at 30
The country's biggest beer competition, the Australian International Beer Awards, takes place for the 30th time this May. Here, we take a stroll down Memory Lane with some of the key figures from the past three decades.
Ziebs' Final Letter From America
In the last of his Letters From America, posted as he awaited a boarding call in LAX, Will Ziebell reflects on a few days spent exploring the breweries of San Diego on a hunt for the perfect West Coast IPA.
Letters From America: Aussie First-Timers
More than 10,000 attended the 2023 Craft Brewers Conference, among them a number of Australians. Will Ziebell caught up with a few of the first-time attendees to find out why they were there and what they'd learned along the way.
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.
Ziebs' Letters From America Part 2
With the Craft Brewers Conference and World Beer Cup wrapped up, Will Ziebell has moved onto Denver. Here, he reflects on his experiences in Nashville, the issues raised there, and the delicious IPA awaiting him in the Colorado capital.
Bucketty's Claim Another Medal At The World Beer Cup
Northern Beaches-based Bucketty's are one of the smaller operations in Australia but continue to punch above their weight. For the second year running, they've claimed a medal at the world's biggest beer comp, the World Beer Cup.
Getting Bigger In Japan
Collaborations have long been part of craft beer culture, and Pint of Origin 2023 will see one host venue take things to another level. We caught up with Benchwarmer founder Locky and his Japanese partners to find out more.
Ziebs' Letters From America Part I
Crafty Pint senior writer Will Ziebell is in the States for the Craft Brewers Conference but is taking the opportunity to do some exploring too. In his first missive, he reports back on his experiences in Nashville before the formalities start.
HPA Eclipse Past Years In The 2023 Hop Harvest
As they release their 2023 crop report, we spoke to Australia's largest hop grower, Hop Products Australia, about their faith in their latest commercial variety, Eclipse, what's on the horizon, and the wider world of hops.
Ferveo's New Form Of Yeast For Brewers
Ferveo is a yeast company that's been working with Adelaide brewers for some time before officially launching with an innovative range. Here, Tommaso Watson tells us about his journey from winemaking to wort-wrangling.
Beer Grows Here: The Devilbend Farm
The paddock-to-plate philosophy runs deep on the Mornington Peninsula and myriad wineries let you enjoy a glass while looking at the vines that were the source of your enjoyment. Devilbend Farm Beer is a new brewery that is growing its own grains, hops and plans to make estate ales.
Infusion Malt: Belgian Innovation, Aussie Roots
Malt doesn't tend to elicit the same excitement in craft beer circles as hops or even yeast yet it sets the stage for all beer. A recent innovation looks set to boost excitement levels, however, and driving it is an Australian brewer.
Bootsy's Business Of Beer
This year has been a challenging one for breweries large and small. Nick Boots is a longtime industry member eager to support indie breweries, which has led him to launch The Business of Beer. We got in touch to find out what he's planning.
Abbl: For Local Brewers From A Local Brewer
Typically, brewers like to make beer but, day-to-day, running a brewery can involve doing everything else. Abbl is a new brewery management software designed to help cut down on paperwork, designed by a small brewery.
Six String: Ten Lessons From Ten Years
It wasn't easy for Six String to open the doors of their Central Coast brewery but, ten years on, their local community seems lucky to have them. Here, we invite founders Chris and Sharon Benson to reflect on their first decade of beers.
Range Go Out On The Patio
Range Brewing have a brand new Brisbane venue on the way, going by the name of Patio. We chatted with the team to find out about their plans for Paddington as well as their soon-to-open barrel room and function space.
Tribe Avoid Liquidation, Strike Deal Involving Kathmandu Founder
Tribe Brewing has avoided liquidation, with creditors approving a deal that will see just five cents to the dollar paid to unsecured creditors. The proposal was brought by a group led by the Elsie Cameron Foundation and VBS Investments.
The IBA Put The Spotlight On Finding Indie Beer
The IBA has launched a new awareness campaign to help drinkers better identify indie beer. We chatted with the person leading the charge within the organisation about the campaign and the research behind it.
