Radio Brews News focuses on the issues facing the Australian brewing business and discusses them with the people shaping the industry. Every Tuesday, hear an interview with a leader in the brewing industry and every Thursday, hear the Brews News team discuss the news of the week.
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Steve Drissell, owner of Staves Brewery, shares his inspiring journey from a corporate job to opening a unique English-style brewpub and live music venue in Sydney. He details the arduous process of establishing the brewery in an old workshop, navigating council regulations, and the challenges of creating an accessible, community-focused space. The discussion highlights Staves' handcrafted beers, their award-winning quality, and Steve's philosophy on organic growth and the true meaning of "proper beer," along with the rewarding nature of pursuing a personal passion despite hard work.
This is a special edition of Radio Brews News. Today Scottish brewery BrewDog has announced Brisbane will be the home of its new Australian brewery. The Queensland capital beat out rival Newcastle - and even South Australia - for the brewery’s attention. Brews News had the chance to sit down with BrewDog’s Australian Director - their Top Dog as she is known - Zarah Prior, and co-founder Martin Dickie for a quick chat about the brewing company’s plans, why they chose Brisbane and also a little ab...
This week on Beer is a Conversation we have our second last interview from our series of interviews in Sydney's inner West. This time our conversation is with Mick Bain of Sydney’s Royal Albert Hotel. A longtime hospitality professional, Mick bought the Albert in 2011 and has since turned it into one of Australia’s top craft beer venues. A passionate advocate for independently brewed beer, Mick has also recently taken a minor stake in West Australian brewery Beer Farm. He’s never short of an opi...
Thanks to Cryer Malt , this week on Radio Brews News the editorial team discuss the beer news of the week. We discuss the biggest story of the week, the results of the GABS Hottest 100 Craft Beers, including: Yes, it actually is a popularity contest, but it’s not only a popularity contest. No, the votes are not rigged No matter what they say, brewers do care about the results. Ale of a Time’s social media highlights Having spent too much time discussing the Hottest 100 with great seriousness, we...
Welcome to a special podcast from the Australian Brews News team. Thanks to Bintani , we ran a live broadcast of the last two hours of the GABS Hottest 100 craft beers of 2017. We broadcast live from Balter, who ended up being named #1 in the poll. We chose Balter early in the voting process, well before the results were known, which turned out well for the show. While we managed to keep the show pretty on track despite a number of planned and unplanned guests dropping by the studio, good order ...
This week on Beer is a Conversation we continue the series of interviews that we recorded during our swing through Sydney’s inner -west last December and we meet Topher Boehm from Wildflower Brewing and Blending . In an increasingly congested craft beer market it can be hard for a business to be unique, but Topher is doing a great job of standing out from the pack. Wildflower isn’t a brewery, Topher works with his friends down the road at Batch to make the wort he uses before taking it to his Ma...
On Radio Brews News the Brews News editorial team discuss the beer news of the week. This week Pete, James and Matt discuss: 49 new breweries in 2017 and how the list was calculated. Are local breweries killing local bars? Watchdog clears Angry Cock cider Lion confirms MOCU closure It's a good beer, Brent is a really good lesson And much, much more. And finally, don't forget we will be counting down the last two hours of the GABS Hottest 100 live on Mixlr. You can either download the Mixlr app t...
Matt King and Glenn Wignall of The Grifter Brewing Company share their journey from gypsy brewers to owning a successful brewery and taproom in Enmore, Sydney. They discuss their organic growth, commitment to beer quality, and the challenges and triumphs of building a community-focused business in the evolving craft beer market, including unique beers like the Watermelon Pilsner. The conversation also covers their strategies for long-term sustainability and future expansion plans.
This week on Beer is a Conversation we join Chris Sidwa and Andrew Fineran in the bar at Batch Brewing Company. It’s been two years since we last chatted with Batch on Radio Brews News. This time we visited the brewery just before Christmas for a glass of their raspberry farmhouse ale Chapeau, and chatted about topics including the evolution of the Marrickville locale, where they first established a beachhead for craft beer in late 2013. Over that time two mates making beer has grown to a busine...
On Radio Brews News the Brews News editorial team discuss the beer news of the week. This week, our last Radio Brews News for 2017, we also look at the highs and lows, bests and worsts of 2017 and look ahead to 2018. We also look at one big story for the week, James' story about brewers’ corporate tax contributions . Beer is a Conversation will continue over the break with interview from our recent travels through Sydney's inner west. The Radio Brews News team wishes all of our listeners a Merry...
This week we join Haydon Morgan at the Malt Shovel Brewery in Sydney. Haydon recently took over the reins of the home brewery of the James Squire brands from Chris Sheehan. Having attained the highest level of brewing qualification offered by the Institute Of Brewing and Distilling, Master Brewer, Haydon joins Malt Shovel from the Tooheys brewery in Sydney, where he worked in roles including technical brewer, as well as acting head brewer. We talk about his plans for Malt Shovel, upcoming releas...
This week on Beer is a Conversation, James Atkinson catches up with Will Tatchell, founder of Van Dieman Brewing in Northern Tasmania. Founder and Head Brewer, Will got into brewing as a distraction during University years, whilst studying Agricultural Science, and came to see the brewing industry as an extension of the primary industry he'd grown up in. Upon completing university, he sought further experience in the brewing sector and travelled to the United Kingdom to immerse himself within th...
On Radio Brews News the Brews News editorial team discuss the beer news of the week. This week Pete, James and Matt get to have a beer together and discuss: Sydney's Inner West brewing scene When Did Rarity Start to Equal Greatness in Beer? Discuss the discussion to Pirate Life sale a wake-up call for drinkers And much, much more. You can send feedback and suggestions here . In return, we'll send you a Brews News bottle opener....
This week on beer is a conversation Pete and Matt catch up with Scott Brandon, co-founder and owner of Bright Brewery in Victoria’s High Country. Scott and his late wife Fiona Reddaway founded the brewery with the desire to create a cellar door experience that provided great beer and celebrated the outdoor lifestyle of the surrounding high country region. They first purchased the land for the brewery in 2003. The the first beers under the Bright label were brewed at Jamieson Brewery near Mansfie...
On Radio Brews News the Brews News editorial team discuss the beer news of the week. This week we discuss: The wash-up from the Pirate Life sale Including Jamie Cook's observations on selling to the big guys Are beer festival a good or a gouge Craft beer is causing a spike in Drinking Driving Or is it? Ad we also catch up with Chris O’Leary from Emerson's who is the Convention Chairman for next year's Institute of Brewing and Distilling conference in Wellington. And much, much more. You can send...
This week on Beer is a Conversation we play an interview James Atkinson recorded recently with Ken Stout and Dave Tohtz of Goose Island Brewing. Both Ken and Dave have been with the Goose Island business since before it was acquired by the world’s largest brewer, ABInBev, in 2011. A longtime beer industry professional, Ken joined the Chicago brewer as regional sales director in 2009, eventually becoming its president and general manager in 2015, and more recently, the president of its internatio...
On Radio Brews News the Brews News editorial team discuss the beer news of the week. We announce how to get tickets for our free listener drinks in Sydney thanks to Malt Shovel Brewery. This week we discuss: Gage Roads beers for new stadium Which led to a discussion about this Broo's China deal GABS Hottest 100 turns ten And changes the date to much discussion Garage Project drops Death From Above And apparently things are blowing up elsewhere. And much, much more. You can send feedback and sugg...
In this is a special 'Breaking News' edition of Radio Brews News we managed to steal a quick 10 minutes with Pirate Life’s Michael Cameron and AB InBev’s Peter Filopovic just after the announcement to talk a little about Pirate Life's sale to AB InBev. We find out Michael’s reasons for the sale and also AB InBev’s plans for the brewery, as well as discuss how Pirate Life will fit into the ABI’s growing list of breweries. Enjoy the conversation.
This week on Beer is a Conversation we meet brewer Matt Jancauskas from Brouhaha Brewery in Maleny Queensland. Matt is a brewer who, on his own admission has had a series of very lucky breaks that took him from working in the electrical industry in Australia to travelling to London and snagging a job at Beavertown Brewery with Logan Plant where in short time he moved from packaging supervisor to became production manager. Matt then returned to Australia to partner to open a brewery which has qui...
On Radio Brews News the Brews News editorial team discuss the beer news of the week. This week we discuss: Stone & Wood For Cups Sake Our recent Beer is a Conversation guest Dave's Tours gets a gong at the NSW Tourism Awards Craft Beer is a serious business When is beer actually 'draught' Matt gives 5 minute review of the GrowlerWerks uKeg. And much, much more. You can send feedback and suggestions here ....
On Radio Brews News the Brews News editorial team discuss the beer news of the week. This week we welcome back editor James Atkinson and hear a little about his travels through Japan as well as his visit to Melbourne for Goose Island's Migration Week activities. In the news we look at Coopers volumes up but draught sales down, Hawkers signs a deal to export beer to the UK and Pink Boots brewday. James gives some insight both into Goose Island's plans for Australia and also Coopers has run the ru...
This week on Beer is a Conversation we catch up with Dave Phillips and Liam Pereira from Sydney Beer Week . Dave is the name behind the growing multi-faceted beer tours and events business that is Dave's Events, while Liam is the General Manager of one of those events, Sydney Beer Week. This was the first year that Dave's has managed Sydney Beer Week, so we check in with Dave and Liam to find out the background to taking over Sydney's week of beer and how the event went. And congratulations to t...
This week on Beer is a Conversation we chat with Chris McNamara, Executive Officer at the Independent Brewers Association . In our chat we get the IBA’s thoughts on the upcoming container deposit scheme and the effect it is going to have on Australia’s small brewers and what the association is doing to try and mitigate those changes. We also chat briefly about the IBA’s upcoming strategic review and the membership changes in wake of the recent independent brewery takeovers....
This week on Radio Brews News the Brews News editorial team discuss the beer news of the week. This week we discuss: The impending Container Deposit Scheme Sauce Brewing's Planning woes Whether craft beer's next big thing is being small And much, much more. You can contact us here ....
This week on Beer is a Conversation we chat with Richard Knight, marketing manager for XXXX. This conversation was originally planned as a short chat about XXXX’s sponsorship of the Ashes to drop in as a brief segment in next week’s Radio Brews News but it turned into a much longer – and quite interesting - chat about the mainstream beer market generally so we’re running it as a stand alone discussion here… There are fascinating changes occurring in the beer market generally and what is happenin...
This week on Radio Brews News we are joined by guest host Ian Watson from Brisbane's Slipstream Brewery to discuss the beer news of the week. We discuss how beer travels for beer awards, Tuatatara claiming to have 'spawned ' the New Zealand Pilsner, the most environmentally friendly way to drink beer, $120 keg pricing and much more. Thanks to Slipstream Brewing for hosting us....
Today on Beer is a Conversation we chat with Hop Products Australia’s Owen Johnston. OJ as he is better known, is no stranger to Radio Brews News listeners, both through his role as HPA’s Sales and Marketing Manager, or his previous roles as Director with the Craft Beer Industry Association and Head Brewer and General Manager at Tasmania’s Moo Brew brewery. While we have had a number of chats with OJ about all manner of hop topics, this is the first time we have discussed advanced hop products. ...
This week on Radio Brews News' Pete Mitcham and Matt Kirkegaard are joined by Ale of a Time’s Luke Robertson to cover the beer news of the week ending 28 October. In this episode we discuss: Beer prices in the wake of a Sydney venue charging $25.50 for a Schooner of BrewDog Punk IPA. Although the venue eventually said it was a mistake, price is an ongoing issue for craft beer. Also: The price of BrewDog craft beer in supermarkets Cloudwater boss defends craft beer prices after 13 a pint uproar C...
In this week's Beer is a Conversation meet Dave Bonighton and Ian Morgan from Mountain Goat Beer as the brewery celebrates its 20th anniversary. Dave Bonighton is a co-founder of Mountain Goat and has stayed on board as a brewing consultant since the brewery's acquisition by by Asahi almost two years ago. Mountain Goat's current head brewer, Ian Morgan has brewed at Holgate Brewhouse and Asahi. In this conversation we discuss 20 years of Mountain Goat, the lead up to the sale to Asahi, what has ...
On Radio Brews News, the Brews News editorial team discuss the news of the week. This week we look at: The fallout from the Feral takeover The US Brewers Association 'Take Back Craft Beer' campaign XXXX launches the Summer of Cricket Sydney Beer Week Keep up with the news and the best conversations in Australian beer by subscribing to Australian Brews News ....
