Pete and Matt catch up to debate the hard news over a hard iced tea and find out if ice in your pacific ale is "a thing". Shopping centres provide a new home for craft beer Bottle shops and venues in the ABAC firing line CUB snaps up canned wine company Riot Shock revelation - Queenslanders put ice in their ‘Pak’Ales. Will hard iced teas take off in Australia? No beer on a dead planet Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt . With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bring...
Sep 19, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 374
This week we chat with Paul Halsey CEO of UK's Purity Brewing. Regular listeners will know that we tend to have a preference for local beer on radio Brews News. As a rule, beer doesn't travel well. And as we become more environmentally aware it seems inconsistent to seek out beers that have travelled thousands of kms when local versions exist. Purity and Prancing Pony have entered an agreement to brew their beers reciprocally to ensure a reduced carbon footprint and to support and encourage sust...
Sep 17, 2019•35 min•Ep. 373
Our coverage of BrewCon19 was made possible by Bintani , who are not only providing brewers with the finest ingredients, they gave us the opportunity to bring you the finest guests live. This week, Rodenbach’s Rudi Ghequire. His BrewCon bio reads thus. "Born in the shadow of the historic Rodenbach Brewery in Belgium, Rudi Ghequire has spent the last 37 years advancing the legacy of the region’s distinctive sour beer, brewing with a combination of old-world and new-world technologies. Rodenbach h...
Sep 16, 2019•29 min•Ep. 372
Brews News Week is our look back on the beer news of the week. This week we look at: CUB’s viral marketing win with VB Great Northern’s Father’s Day Campaign Byron Bay Brewery’s lager’s bottle is clearer than its orgin Deschutes Unveils New FMB Brand Modified Theory at Distributor Summit Are alcohol companies using digital marketing to target minors Colorado football eliminating plastic beer cups at home games Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt . With over 25 years in the field,...
Sep 13, 2019•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 371
This week we hear from Sam Hambour, co-founder with friend Duncan Gibson, of Hop Nation . Sam is a straight shooter and we chat about his move from the wine industry to creating a contract brand and growing it to opening their own brewery. We hear a little about about their philosophy and approach to brewing, what they have learned about running a business from running a business and how, while they were anticipating potential legal issues about Jedi Juice, they were a little blind sided by thei...
Sep 10, 2019•40 min•Ep. 370
This is the first of our special editions of Radio Brews Brews recorded live at BrewCon 19. Our coverage of BrewCon19 was made possible by Bintani , who are not only providing brewers with the finest ingredients, they gave us the opportunity to bring you the finest guests live. We were grateful to the IBA that they engaged with us as their official media partner and we had a studio to record some great chats that you will get to enjoy over coming weeks. Anyone who thinks and reads about beer sho...
Sep 09, 2019•47 min•Ep. 369
Pete and Matt record live from BrewCon 2019 to discuss the news of the week. IBA launches Indie Beer Day Shakeup as Cryer Malt and Bintani swap malt suppliers No shit: This beer was made from Berlin's recycled wastewater Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt . With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world’s best local and imported malts. Your premium brewing partner and proud supporters of Brews News. We thank Rallings Labels and Stickers for sponsorin...
Sep 05, 2019•46 min•Ep. 368
This week we chat with Mike Bennie, a drinks writer and one of the Founders of the Drink Easy Awards. The Drink Easy Awards promises beers will be judged, not against style, but in an egalitarian system aimed at elevating collections of drinks that represent not only the notion of high quality but the development and creativity found within their community. Topher Boehm even wrote in to say that this was not just another drinks awards. He said the awards were born out of frustration of style bas...
Sep 03, 2019•37 min•Ep. 367
As millennials shun beer because of its carbs, Pete and Matt discuss the origins of the beer gut. And of course the big news stories of the week: Green Beacon ineligible for Indies Independent Brands Australia becomes a signatory to Alcohol Marketing Regulator Lion microbrewery scaled back after Townsville objections Spanish brewer Mahou to acquire Founders Brewing Millennials are shunning beer because they say it makes them 'fat' Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt . With over 2...
Aug 30, 2019•52 min•Ep. 366
Beer is a Conversation is our weekly sit down with some of the people who make the beer industry the interesting and dynamic industry it is and through these conversations we dig a little deeper into the stories behind the business of beer and brewing. And this week’s conversation is a deeper dive on steroids as we chat with Stone & Wood’s Jamie Cook. Jamie is no stranger to Radio Brews News, if just as the namesake for the Cook limit. But more importantly he has been a frequent guest throug...
Aug 27, 2019•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 365
Details emerge around the sale of Green Beacon as Matt and Pete discuss the brews news of the week. Green Beacon sale rumours finally true Is this beer name ok Countdown is on for BrewCon 2019 ‘Miscommunication’ behind Swan Valley exclusion Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt . With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world’s best local and imported malts. Your premium brewing partner and proud supporters of Brews News. We thank Rallings Labels and St...
Aug 22, 2019•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 364
Thanks to our Malt Mates at Cryer Malt , welcome to a special breaking news edition of Beer is a Conversation. Well, it’s Australian craft brewing’s longest running rumour finally proved true today when Brisbane’s Green Beacon announced the full sale of the business to Asahi. There will be a million views on the sale, but we decided to go straight to co-founder Adrian Slaughter and get his story on the rumours, the sale and the future of Green Beacon. As you would expect there is a lot of “nothi...
Aug 21, 2019•43 min•Ep. 363
Thanks to Bintani this is a special edition of Radio Brews News, live from the West Australian Brewers Association Craft Brewers Conference. Today we have two conversations. Firstly Rhys Lopez, Head Brewer from Otherside Brewing and then Dylan Hunter from Cheeky Monkey . Both are brewers who, on their way to other places, fell into craft beer and then into brewing. Rhys was a young journalism student who 14 years ago was saved from taking a part time job as a supermarket night filler by a friend...
Aug 20, 2019•46 min•Ep. 362
Matt and Pete are running Craft Beer Ally at the Brisbane Ekka this week and stopped to chat about the news of the week. Boston Beer Launches Truly Hard Seltzer Ads Featuring Comedian Keegan-Michael Key Government set to audit venues over glass measures Why Craft Beer Is Dying A brewery called ‘Manhattan Project’ decides to release a beer called ‘Bikini Atoll’. Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt . With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world’s best...
Aug 16, 2019•42 min•Ep. 361
This week, we meet Richard Jeffares from Two Bays Brewing in Victoria. Imagine being a beer lover - and the brother of the owner of one of the best beer pubs in the country - and then finding out that you can’t drink beer. That was the predicament that Richard found himself in, but as they say - when life gives you lemons you make lemonade...or in his case he went and found some ancient grains and made beer that he could drink...and others would want to even if they had the choice of drinking be...
Aug 13, 2019•49 min•Ep. 360
Pete joins Matt up in Brissie ahead of the EKKA and to discuss the news of the week. This episode also features bonus chats with Stephen Beaumont on why we should stop following trends from the USA and Paul Holgate on equity crowd funding. Investigation reveals alcohol content of fermented ‘soft drinks’ Venues face fines for selling growlers without manufacturer licence Brewers Association Reports Continued Growth for Small and Independent Brewers A taxing double standard Illawarra Brewing Co ap...
Aug 08, 2019•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 359
The month of July, traditionally a quieter time for brewers as sales slow and the opportunity arises for brewers to update equipment, prepare brew schedules for summer stocks and to take some well-earned R & R. for veteran (but still young and sprightly) brewer Jayne Lewis, July was a time to take a step back, to take stock and to reflect. Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt . With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world’s best local and importe...
Aug 06, 2019•41 min•Ep. 358
Could VB join the list of worst beer trends with their new tea? And why government red tape is hindering smaller brewers. Matt and Pete discuss Brews News Week. The Worst Trends in Beer Right Now, According to Brewers Qld Craft Brewing Strategy fails first test . Brewers face impact of Sydney lockout laws Victoria Bitter launches VB Tea Brewbound Editor Leaves Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt . With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world’s best ...
Aug 01, 2019•58 min•Ep. 357
This week we catch up with Jaz and Grant Wearin from Modus Operandi . We caught up with Grant around 12 months ago after Modus was named Champion Large Brewery at the Indies and we had a wide ranging chat about that award, beer quality and date coding. This conversation was recorded last week as the pair were gearing up for their fifth birthday celebrations and I was interested in hearing from the couple about the realities of running a family brewery. When I last spoke with Grant, the pair were...
Jul 30, 2019•52 min•Ep. 356
Matt and Pete take a dive into the biggest beer news story for quite some time - the sale of CUB, as well as some breaking local stories. QLD fire levy “case-by-case” says government Is Coopers the Dunlop Volleys of beer? Launches XPA . Or does it need some star power ? CUB snapped up by Asahi in $16bn deal ACCC takes note and craft brands remain in wake of CUB sale Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt . With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world’s...
Jul 25, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 355
When news broke that CUB has been purchased by Asahi for $16 Billion the comments and questions came thick and fast. Some things were clear, if the sale went ahead Asahi would become the worlds third largest brewing company. What was not so clear was the fate of the various company layers within the CUB network. Questions and opinions soon began circulating as to the future of CUB's craft brands like 4 Pines and Pirate Life as well as online services such as Booze Bud and Rate Beer. We turn to M...
Jul 23, 2019•35 min•Ep. 354
Radical changes to ice cold beers and second hand drinking catch the boys attention this week as Matt and Pete discuss Brews News Week. Radical change to the iconic VB can Pilsners Are an Elegant Outlier to the Craft Beer Hype Machine 'Second-hand drinking' damage is more common than you may think Better margins see publicans invest in craft beer despite lure of pokies Rules tightened on alcohol home delivery ABAC rules against Star Wars-themed beer Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer...
Jul 18, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 353
This week we have a very timely conversation with Harry Jenkins, independent chair of the Alcoholic Beverages Advertising Code scheme (ABAC). This conversation had been booked for some weeks but happened to be recorded the day before the news come out about ABAC’s Jedi Juice ruling so we weren't able to canvas that specifically. We did discuss the ABAC code generally, its aims and objectives, and also the criticism it has faced from both sides of the industry. It’s an interesting conversation ab...
Jul 16, 2019•56 min•Ep. 352
Thanks to Bintani this is a special edition of Radio Brews News, live from the West Australian Brewers Association Craft Brewers Conference. Two Birds co-founder, Jayne Lewis, opened the conference with her keynote. Jayne eschewed the usual keynote update and platitudes by addressing some of the important issues the industry has been tackling and she address them head on, but in a very supportive way. We didn’t initially plan to podcast the keynote, but it was a message that we think everyone sh...
Jul 12, 2019•31 min•Ep. 351
This week Matt and Pete discuss the big ideas. Have we reached peak beer here in Australia and why is ABAC copping so much hate? Have We Reached Peak Beer? Happy 21st birthday ABAC: Here’s twenty-one times you’ve been labelled a failure Growth plans in the works as FogHorn invests in wholesale Stomping Ground to open airport brewery Beer is a Conversation: Shawn Sherlock Beer is a Conversation: Mark Haysman Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt . With over 25 years in the field, Cr...
Jul 11, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 350
A Baltimore-born, Brooklyn raised, Israeli soldier/homebrewer marries and settles in Melbourne and finds himself the Head Brewer in his friend’s business venture – a revamped Docklands pub tucked quite literally beneath the Melbourne Star Ferris wheel. Whilst it sounds like the opening to a convoluted Hollywood movie plot, it is, in fact, the story of Shaya Rubenstein from Urban Alley Brewing . The business itself began life as Collins St Brewing when Shaya’s friend Ze’ev Meltzer conceived a pla...
Jul 09, 2019•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 349
Which brewer is taking part in Dry July? Find out as Matt and Pete discuss Brews News Week. Bintani launches 2019 vintage Signature Malt NE-IPA’s Quest for “Juicy” Has Led Us Toward Increasingly Undrinkable Beer, and “Hop Burn” is the Culprit AB InBev launches RateBeer marketplace Woolies set to offload Endeavour Drinks Brewers give their verdict on excise changes Dry July Australian Craft Beer Survey 2019 Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt . With over 25 years in the field, Cry...
Jul 04, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 348
This week on Beer is a Conversation we visit Gage Roads Brewing and meet co-founder John Hoedemaker and Chief Strategy Officer Aaron Heary. As a publicly listed brewery, we probably know more about Gage’s business than almost any other brewery but at the same time John and Aaron keep a low profile personally and we have long wanted to talk to them to hear the Gage story of its evolution. Gage Roads has been brewing for 15 years and it is a unique brewery in the Australia landscape. Its journey h...
Jul 02, 2019•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 347
Bintani has launched the 2019 vintage of its premium Signature Malt produced with Joe White Maltings. We wanted to dig a little bit deeper into all things malt and learn the reasons behind the creation of Signature malt and why this year was such a good year for Tasmanian malting barley. A product such as Signature Malt has implications right along the supply chain from the farmer, to the maltster, the brewer and also to the communities that support these businesses and we wanted to find out mor...
Jul 01, 2019•32 min•Ep. 346
Today we learn that listening to Brews News Week is great for your fitness. So jog along as Matt and Pete discuss the news of the week. Board changes at the IBA Beer excise changes set to come into effect Is market concentration actually good for craft brewers? North of Nowhere Pale Ale 'Completely wrong': alcohol retailer BWS partners with Dry July Bintani launches hops selection trial Real Men of Genius commercial Wine Wars: The Curse of the Blue Nun, the Miracle of Two Buck Chuck, and the Rev...
Jun 27, 2019•52 min•Ep. 345
