Feral
Feral Boar Out. Slumdog In
Brewing is back at the former Feral brewpub in the Swan Valley. Feral co-founder Al Carragher has brought in former Feral brewer Will Irving to helped launch Slumdog Brewing at what will reopen as the Baskerville Tavern.
Feral To Be Sold As Coca-Cola Exit The Beer Market
Just days after we reported one of Feral's original founders was to buy back the brewpub where the brand started comes the news the brand is to be sold. Owners Coca-Cola EuroPacific Partners (CCEP) have decided to exit the beer market in Australia.
Feral's Brewpub Comes Full Circle
Just weeks after Feral closed their Swan Valley brewpub, there's good news for WA's beer lovers. One of the original founders of Feral has taken over the site and will be opening a tavern and recommissioning the on-site brewery.
Feral To Close Their Iconic Swan Valley Brewpub
After close to two decades, Feral's iconic Swan Valley brewpub is set to close in five weeks. The trailblazing brewing company, acquired by Coca-Cola Amatil in 2017, will move its pilot brewery to Bassendean with last drinks on October 3.
WA Trailblazers Feral Turn 18
Feral are one of a few breweries you can say without any doubt changed beer in Australia forever. As they turn eighteen, and with co-founder Brendan Varis no longer involved, we chatted to the new team about the future.
Crafty's Advent Calendar: Will Feral
He was a crap sales rep but turned out to be a bloody good brewer and these days leads the weay for Feral following the WA brewery's sale to CCA. He's also a goose's best friend; on day 23 of our Advent Calendar it's Will Irving.
The Story Of: Hop Hog At Ten
When the story of this crazy period in Australia's beer history comes to be told, there will be a special place for Feral and its flagship beer, Hop Hog. As the beer turns ten, we go back in time with the two men behind it.
The Big Issue: Ownership Revisited
Back in 2015, we looked at brewing company ownership, which was becoming a topic for regular discussion in the industry. Now, following a slew of acquisitions last year and with the launch of an independence seal, we take another deep dive.
What's In A Name?
While many brewers are happy to stick to the [Brewery Name] [Beer Style] format when naming their beers, there are plenty who take great pleasure coming up with beer titles. We find out why from three of the most avid fans of beery wordplay.
Best New WA Beers of 2017
Big beers. Small beers. Hazy beers. Crazy beers. Which new releases from WA's brewers made our Best New Beers of 2017 list? Here, Guy Southern and Pia Poynton present the rundown selected by beer gurus from across the state.
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!
The Other Side Of The Coin
When Feral sold to Coca Cola Amatil last month, two iconic WA brands were affected. The other was Nail, which had been in partnership with Feral for the past six years. We caught up with Nail's John Stallwood to see what the sale means for him.
Getting Blind With Crafty: American Pale Ales
With so many pale ales on the market today, we split our latest tasting into two rounds. First to be put to the blind taste test was American style pales, with New World to follow before the year is out. Who did our panel put on top?
Coca-Cola Amatil Buys Feral Brewing
WA trailblazer Feral Brewing has become the latest leading Australian craft brewery to sell its business to a multinational operation. Today, it was announced the business has been acquired 100 percent by Coca-Cola Amatil.
The Big Issue: Branding Revisited
With the marketplace becoming ever busier, cans on the rise and breweries rebranding seemingly every week, it's time to revisit the issue of branding. Over two days, our trio of WA writers examine one of the great challenges facing brewers.
Best Beers of 2017 – So Far
With so many new releases hitting taps and fridges every week, it can be hard to keep up. So here's a mid-year refresher featuring the thoughts of 40 beer writers, educators and venue operators on the best of 2017 so far.
The Golden Handshake
Outgoing Feral sales boss Steve Finney was sent off in fine style last night as the beer brewed as his farewell gift picked up a trophy at the Perth Royal Beer Awards. There was major success for Margaret River Brewhouse too.
Getting Blind With Crafty: Hoppy Reds & Ambers
After an unplanned seven month break, we brought our blind tasting panel back. We focused on hoppy reds and ambers, with readers helping select the featured beers. Here's the results – and how readers can join us for a public version of the tasting.
Aussie Exports: Gerad Giles
Aussie Exports is a series in which we check in on Australians doing cool things in beer overseas. Here, we head to British Columbia where former Esperance inhabitant Gerad Giles is working for BNA Brewing.
Brew & A: Brendan O'Sullivan of 3 Ravens
As sour beers continue to grow in popularity, one man well set to reap the rewards is Brendan O'Sullivan. The 3 Ravens head brewer has been exploring that realm with success since long before he became a commercial brewer.
The Big Issue: The Canned Wagon Pt I
After a slow start, the rise of craft tinnies has been little short of phenomenal. Today, we kick off a two-part Big Issue feature, looking at how and why they've come to prominence and how popular they may become.
Want to know more?
Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of 2016: Infographic
In what's becoming a time-honoured tradition, we present a breakdown of the results of the Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers poll in colourful infographic form. Complete, appropriately, with lots of hops.
The Crafty Pint’s Top Stories of 2016
Time for one final look back at the year in craft beer that was 2016. This time, instead of reflecting via the prism of its best new beers, we gather together some of the most read stories on the site over the past 12 months.
Best New WA Beers of 2016
Part two of our look back at 2016's best new beers heads to the birthplace of modern Aussie craft beer. There our panel finds fascination in collaboration and is impressed by some of the lesser known lights of the local industry.
Brew & A: Cowaramup at 10
Margaret River has long been home to a good number of brewing companies; these days it must be the most populous of any region of Australia. One of the longest established is Cowaramup, which marks a decade since opening today.
Cabal Update - 18.11.16
WA Beer Week is coming to its finale, one that includes a trio of The Crafty Cabal events. And there's plenty happening for our supporters elsewhere too, with a ballot just opened for a birthday tasting with Old Wives Ales.
Cabal Update - 4.11.16
It's all eyes to the West this week, as The Crafty Pint lines up a long-mooted WA launch party at the Dutch Trading Co, while new offers abound in South Australia, Queensland, and Victoria, where we've got a couple of exclusive new events coming up too.
Aussie Exports: Tracy Gan
Our Aussie Exports series has so far featured Australians who have gone overseas and are working in beer. This month, we change tack slightly to bring you Tracy Gan, a Hong Kong native by way of Queensland who now spends her days importing Aussie beers to her craft beer store. Literal Aussie Exports, if you will.
Cabal Update – 07.10.16
In this update from The Crafty Pint's beer lovers bonus scheme, we prepare to ramp things up in WA, announce winners, launch new prizes and unveil the latest new offers to go live around the country.
Cabal Update – 26.08.16
Plenty of new offers for Crafty Pint supporters this week, including some coming up this weekend. Updates on forthcoming events and a reminder that deadlines are approaching in some giveaways too.
What Drinkers Want
The biggest ever survey of Australian craft beer drinkers has been carried out by Sydney bottleshop Beer Cartel. The results of what they plan to turn into an annual survey are out today.
Home State Glory In Perth
Most of the silverware stayed at home at last night's Perth Royal Beer Show. Indeed, much of it ended up headed to one place: the joint brewery shared by Feral and Nail, with other winners including Billabong, Gage Roads and Elmar's.
Reduced To Beers
A Perth restaurant is taking the beer cocktail concept to another level. At Baby Mammoth, they're creating beer vermouths with local and imported craft beers to use within cocktails, a Pia Poynton discovers.
The Story Of: Watermelon Warhead
We're kicking off a new series looking at the story behind some of the coolest, most iconic and downright funky beers to come out of Australia. With 100 kegs ready for a major release, first up is Feral's Watermelon Warhead.
The Collaborators: Getting A Handle On The Beer World
It's not just brewers and those that sell their beer that are thriving as the craft beer industry grows; others are sharing in the success. One WA firm has a fast-growing division that has small brewers to thank for its existence.
The Big Issue: Quality
Is there anything more important when it comes to beer than quality, both when it leaves the brewery and the experience enjoyed by each drinker who buys a beer? For our first Big Issue feature of 2016, six experts share their views.
Vote For The Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers
It's time to vote for your favourite beers of 2015 as the Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers poll returns. The poll launched by The Local Taphouse eight years ago has become a national event, with results announced once again on Australia Day.
Enter The Cabal
Fancy helping us in our mission to elevate Australian craft beer to even greater heights and getting free beer and other awesome benefits at the same time? Then you can! By joining our new reader bonus scheme, The Crafty Cabal.
Amalgamation For The Nation
Australia's longest running beer week kicks off tomorrow night. One of the defining features of this year's WA Beer Week is the proliferation of colourful collabs. Guy Southern gets the lowdown.
Sweet And Sour
A sour beer has been named Australia's best craft beer of 2015, while there was more champion glory for Two Birds and Modus Operandi, as well as Freo's Monk at last night's Craft Beer Awards in Sydney.
Brew & A: Will from Feral Brewing
WA's Feral Brewing has been a genuine trailblazer for the Australian beer industry. Key to their success in recent years has been brewer Will Irving, owner Brendan Varis' trusted lieutenant in the breweries.
Crafty Six: Independence Day
You could argue that American craft beer has influenced Aussie brewers more than any other beer scene in the world. So, for July 4th, we've chosen six of the best locally-brewed, US-inspired beers.
