The Crafty Pint Podcast

"The whole craft beer industry is built around community." We wrap up The Year In Beer 2025 series with a look at what's been going on in the Canberra region and the Northern Territory. The episode kicks off with James and Will joined by Mat Farrington from CanBEERra [http://www.canbeerra.com/] for a discussion about openings and closures in and around the capital, some of the festivals large and small he's enjoyed in 2025, the growing prevalence of terpenes in beer and more. Sticking in Canberra, James is then joined by Paul Docherty from craft beer and pizza joint To All My Friends [https://craftypint.com/bar/990/to-all-my-friends] at the end of a year in which he and the team have created a number of collabs with some of their favourite brewers. The final stop for the series is at Purple Mango [https://purplemangocafe.com.au/], a brewery and café set in bushland just over an hour from Darwin on the way to Kakadu. Co-owner Adam Asanovski reflects on their ongoing expansion, use of local ingredients, and the challenge of trying to secure tap points in the Top End. We also reveal the final winner of the year in our Bluestone Yeast [https://bluestoneyeast.com.au/] Brewery of the Month campaign, with the podcast now taking a break until the second half of January. Thanks to everyone that's watched and listened; if you've any feedback, we'd love to hear from you via this survey [https://craftypint.com/news/3805/the-crafty-pint-podcast-tell-us-what-you-think]. Start of segments: * 2:45 – Mat Farrington * 20:09 – Paul Docherty * 34:07 – Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month * 37:36 – Adam Asanovski To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"That nostalgia is really hitting super-hard after COVID because everyone really misses going to the pub." Regular podcast hosts James and Will are on home turf for the last state-based episode of The Year In Beer 2025 series [https://craftypint.com/beer-knowledge/insight-and-analysis/year+in+beer+2025] before we wrap up the series in the Territories. While trying not to retread topics covered in the National Trends article and episode, we discuss the year's openings, closures, sales and expansions, the success of smaller festivals, good pubs and taproom activations, acknowledge the breweries in or entering their third decade as independent small businesses, awards triumphs and more – while also doffing our caps to all the people who've helped make the show possible in 2025. James is then joined by Ben Carwyn and Ben Duval from Carwyn Cellars [https://craftypint.com/news/3792/carwyn-cellars-back-with-the-carwyns] to hear about their ongoing efforts to recover from the collapse of Fox Friday and their plans for 2026. Last but not least is Conna Mallett, one of Love Shack's [https://craftypint.com/brewery/644/love-shack-brewing-co] founders, who joins us from the front bar of his Castlemaine brewpub hot on the heels of a highly entertaining collab [https://www.instagram.com/p/DQ8PnxKDRKG/] with Tropical Fuck Storm. We touch upon luck, nostalgia, branding, community, good hospo and more. Mid-show we also unveil the identity of the last good beer citizen to be crowned this year in Have You Done A Rallings? And as the podcast wraps up for the year, we're keen for feedback via this survey [https://craftypint.com/news/3805/the-crafty-pint-podcast-tell-us-what-you-think]. Start of segments: * 0:00 – James & Will * 27:27 – Ben Carwyn & Ben Duval * 43:53 – Have You Done A Rallings? * 47:30 – Conna Mallett To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"Breweries who are spending time and effort on making their venue really good and increasing the quality of their beers are doing really well." Our audio-visual travels across the country continue as we reach Queensland in The Year In Beer 2025 series. First up, Will Ziebell is joined by Craig Williams and Mick Wüst, both of whom work with The Crafty Pint. Mick has long been a Crafty contributor, at one point based in Sydney but more recently back in Brisbane, while Craig looks after partnerships for the site as well as working with several indie brewers on the Sunshine Coast. The three of them discuss some of the highs, lows, trends and changes in Queensland's beer scene. James then speaks to Deale Stanley-Hunt and Gavin Croft from Slipstream Brewing [https://craftypint.com/brewery/363/slipstream-brewing-co]. Slipstream have enjoyed an incredible couple of years with several major trophies taking up residence in their Yeerongpilly brewery and taproom. As well as reflecting on another successful year, they talk about the impact of the taproom they opened on the Sunshine Coast late in 2024, their recent rebrand, favourite styles, and hopes for the future. Then it's back to Will, who catches up with Ivy Macario [https://craftypint.com/news/3198/craft-beers-next-generation] from Fortitude Valley's good-times haunt, the craft beer bar-meets-arcade-meets-diner that is Netherworld [https://www.netherworldarcade.com/], for a chat about their year in beer and ongoing efforts to support artists. In the middle of the show, we hear from Beer30 [https://craftypint.com/business/1322/the-5th-ingredient-beer30] with more of their tips for brewers. If you enjoy this episode, please like, subscribe, rate and review on whichever podcast platform you use. Start of segments: * 2:01 – Craig Williams & Mick Wüst * 24:12 –  Deale Stanley-Hunt & Gavin Croft * 29:04 – Beer30 * 37:12 –  Ivy Macario To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"I'd love to see craft beer become a little bit more approachable." We turn our focus to New South Wales as we hit the midway point in The Year In Beer 2025 series. Crafty Pint contributor and one of the key players in the Inner West Ale Trail [https://innerwestaletrail.com/], Jason Treuen, kicks things off. As well as discussing the role trails and tourism [https://craftypint.com/news/3723/episode-036-beer-tourism-on-the-brookie-trail] can play in the local beer world, we cover diversification, rightsizing, openings, closings, mergers and more. From there, we head to the north of the state for a chat with Bec Read of Curious Craft [https://craftypint.com/news/3879/behind-bars-curious-craft] to hear who's been impressing there in what's been another roller-coaster year. Bec also shares her fears for the future of larger beer festivals, notes on changing tastes, and a desire for craft – or indie – beer to tell its story better. Our final guests are Sunday Road Brewing [https://craftypint.com/brewery/487/sunday-road-brewing] founder Brad Walker and head brewer Mick O'Rance, who've enjoyed another awards-flecked 12 months. They're in the middle of a significant expansion and upgrade to their brewery and venue in The Shire ahead of the brewery's tenth anniversary in 2026. In the middle of the show, we hear from Beer30 with some more tips for brewers, while there's still time to get nominations in for our final Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month [https://craftypint.com/bluestone] and Have You Done A Rallings? [https://craftypint.com/rallings] celebration of good beer citizens of 2025. Start of segments: * 2:01 – Jason Treuen * 24:12 – Beer30 * 29:04 – Bec Read * 37:12 – Brad Walker & Mick O'Rance To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"People are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel." Having leapt all the way south and east from WA to Tassie, we find ourselves back in the middle of them for the third instalment of our state by state by territories tour of Australia for The Year In Beer 2025. Beer gurus Briony Liebich (Flavour Logic [https://craftypint.com/business/1402/flavour-logic]) and Steve Brockman (AMSAT Character Malts [https://craftypint.com/news/3273/amsat-adelaides-new-locally-focused-maltster] / Tour Dad) reprise their starring roles from 2024, casting their gaze far, wide and deep across the state's scene. While acknowledging it's been another tough year – Big Shed's announcement they'd been locked out of the brewery by their landlord came just after we recorded the chat – there's plenty more to cover, from the rise of small, often collaborative events to the growing popularity of local ingredients and advanced hop products. They're followed by Alex Marschall and Josh Talbot, who this year oversaw major expansion of Bowden Brewing [https://craftypint.com/news/3855/birthday-bonanza-a-bigger-bowden-brewing] on the one hand and celebrated ten years of indie-supporting beer bar NOLA [https://craftypint.com/bar/386/nola-adelaide] on the other. They discuss the changing beer scene, exploring new styles, and hopes to see indie brewers lead the next generation of beer festivals. Speaking of which, the duo behind Adelaide's biggest beer festival, Beer & BBQ [https://www.beerbbqfest.com.au/], are our final guests. Gareth Lewis and Aaron Sandow look back at the event's tenth anniversary, drop hints about its potential future, praise the loyalty of beer fans, and offer some tips for ways state governments can easily throw their weight behind local producers. This episode is presented by Mogwai Labs [https://www.mogwailabs.com.au/]. Start of segments: * 1:40 – Briony & Steve * 21:05 – Alex & Josh * 37: 36 – Aaron & Gareth To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

For stop two in The Year In Beer series for 2025 [https://craftypint.com/beer-knowledge/insight-and-analysis/year+in+beer+2025], we take a trip across Bass Strait. Tasmania's beer scene is one that mainlanders tend to have to watch from afar, with just a tiny handful of the dozens of breweries operating there sending beer off the island; indeed, many don't sell anything too far beyond their own taprooms. The state's brewing industry did catch the eye of the beer world further afield in 2025, however. Fox Friday, which launched in Hobart before changing hands in 2019 and embarking on an ambitious national expansion, collapsed under a weight of questionable funding; Mountain Culture acquired their assets [https://craftypint.com/news/3779/mountain-culture-acquire-fox-friday-from-administrators], although have since halted production in Hobart. Another Hobart-based operation, Overland Brewers & Distillers went into liquidation, too, while 2025 also saw the pioneering Seven Sheds welcome their last customers, although founders Willie Simpson and Catherine Stark [https://craftypint.com/news/3806/episode-050-seven-sheds-and-countless-stories] left on their own terms and in credit with the drinkers who'd passed through their bucolic Railton home over the previous 17 years. Meanwhile, as the year drew to a close, Tassie craft beer pioneers Moo Brew celebrated 20 years [https://craftypint.com/news/3937/episode-072-two-decades-of-moo-brew] of beers. In this episode, Matt Fielding from Science Made Beerable [https://www.beerablescience.com/] once again joins us to chat about the not-for-profit he founded with Kelsey Picard as well as what's exciting him locally. We then hear from Hobart Brewing Co's marketing manager, Nick Devereux, who talks about the brewery's acquisition of The Hope & Anchor Hotel [https://craftypint.com/news/3858/history-ahoy-hobart-brewing-co-take-over-the-hope-and-anchor] while hinting at other future plans given the state's "will they-won't they" stadium is set to be built over their Red Shed brewery venue. Our last guest is Sam Reid, who alongside Will Horan runs Launceston-based Du Cane Brewing [https://ducanebrewing.com.au/], which featured in a three-part guide to beer [https://craftypint.com/news/3821/crafty-crawls-launceston] in the state's north earlier in the year. He tells us about the brewery's busy events schedule, his decision to step back from Willie Smith's Cider, and their forthcoming ramen bar. Midway through the show, James and Will reveal the latest Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month [https://craftypint.com/bluestone] too. Start of segments: * 2:48 – Matt Fielding * 11:17 – Nick Devereux * 20:45 – Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month * 24:10 – Sam Reid To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

The state by state by territories part of The Year In Beer series kicks off, as ever, in Western Australia where we're joined by Crafty contributors Guy Southern and Jono Outred to give us the lowdown on the state's beer scene. Their wide-ranging report takes in chaos, collaboration and consolidation, beer venues gaining accolades in the wider hospo world, new openings and big name comebacks, fruity beers, West Coast pilsners, "naughty" beers and more. They're followed by Rocky Ridge [https://craftypint.com/brewery/334/rocky-ridge-brewing-co] co-founders Hamish Coates and Mel Holland, who reflect on a mammoth year for the brewery and its expanding venue offering. We discuss balancing acts, brewing 100-plus beers in a year, their focus on people, concerns about the potential impact of climate change on ingredients, and their desire to help others become more sustainable operators by sharing their learnings from over the years. Wrapping up the episode is Chris Bausor, who operates events company Bar Pop with wife Jemma. They celebrated ten years of Froth Town [https://www.froth.town/] this year, enjoying rare ongoing success in the challenging major events space. As his team prepared to host Franz Ferdinand at the Ice Cream Factory, Chris spoke about the importance of keeping the "Holy Trinity" happy as well as the decisions they face about where to take the festival in its second decade. We also unveil the latest good beer citizen in our Have You Done A Rallings? campaign [https://craftypint.com/rallings]. The Year In Beer 2025  series will run every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until December 23. After that, we'll be taking a few weeks off before The Crafty Pint Podcast returns in the second half of January. If you enjoy this episode, or indeed any of the 50ish we've published in 2025, please like, subscribe, rate and review – think of it as an early Christmas present for us! Start of segments: * 1:53 – Guy Southern & Jono Outred * 27:22 – Have You Done A Rallings? * 31:18 – Mel Holland & Hamish Coates * 43:41 – Chris Bausor To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"This has been a year of holding patterns, of people trying to work out how they fit into the new reality."  If you've read The Year In Beer 2025: National Trends article, you already know many of the topics that are the starting points for discussion as we kick of our end-of-year podcast series. If not, you can check it out here [https://craftypint.com/news/3947/the-year-in-beer-2025-national-trends].   This episode gives us an opportunity to expand on many of the trends and issues raised there, as well as a chance to look back at the news of the past week and our most read articles of the past 12 months. When it comes to the news of the past week, the main talking point was the change in ownership of GABS and the subsequent decision to cancel all 2026 festivals [https://craftypint.com/news/3946/gabs-2026-cancelled-new-owners-planning-reimagined-event-in-2027] with the intention of returning with a refreshed concept in 2027. The other story we discuss is one that hasn't made it to the pages of The Crafty Pint, but has taken up much of our time: the launch of the Daughter beer brand by Chuck Hahn and his family. In terms of the articles that were read most widely in 2025, it goes without saying that the vast majority occupying the upper echelons involve sales, VAs, openings, closures and mergers, but elsewhere it's encouraging to see what topics really engage readers: travel articles; deep dives into styles; features on fascinating folks doing cool things; awards winners and more. The show features another Bintani [https://www.bintani.com.au/] Brewery Booster as well as James and Will's hopes for beer in 2026, and acts as the precursor for our state by state by territories shows kicking off next Tuesday and running through until just before Christmas. Start of segments: * 07:58 – National Trends * 34:26 – Bintani Brewery Booster * 38:36 – Biggest Stories Of 2025 * 47:24 – Hopes For 2026 To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"Little Creatures is iconic, and I think we'll always have that iconic status." Ask people who've been working in, or merely enjoying the delights of, the Aussie beer world for a decade or more which beers turned them onto craft beer in the first place, and if any beer is referenced more than Little Creatures Pale Ale we'd be surprised, if not amazed. Little wonder then that Russell Gosling, head brewer at the brewery he joined two decades ago, uses the word "iconic" in this episode – timed to coincide with the Freo-based operation's 25th anniversary. The impact of that beer, and indeed the the Little Creatures approach to hospitality, has been game-changing – arguably only Stone & Wood's Pacific Ale has come close since. Russell joined us from Freo amid the "chaos" as a major overhaul of the brewery's original site nears completion – at the same time as a Little Creatures brewpub opens in Perth's Elizabeth Quay. As well as discussing the challenges of stewarding Little Creatures Pale Ale [https://craftypint.com/news/1273/the-story-of-little-creatures-pale-ale] through the years, we look back to the brewery's earlier days, its evolution – half of which has been as part of Lion, his favourite beers – including some that never took off, recent projects involving the regen agriculture space, and the excitement that came with working amid a group of pioneers aiming to change beer culture in Australia. We also head back in time pre-Creatures to Russell's earlier days as a brewer in the UK, where he notched up spells at marquee breweries such as Harvey's, Fuller's, and his hometown heroes Everards. With Will on holiday, James was joined by Guy Southern, one of our WA contributors and a man with his fingers in pretty much every beer-flavoured pie in the state. He provides some local context on the way Little Creatures has influenced so much and so many, as well as chatting about this week's other stories on the main Crafty site: a look at the growing importance of events [https://craftypint.com/news/3938/roll-up-roll-up-how-events-are-keeping-taprooms-pumping] to beer venues; the opening of 27 South's taproom [https://craftypint.com/news/3943/27-south-brewings-brisbane-taproom-opening-this-week] in Brisbane; and soon-to-open Melbourne bar Donny's [https://craftypint.com/news/3936/the-beer-slingers-donnys]. If you enjoy the show, please like, subscribe, rate and review. Start of segments: * 15:25 – Russell Gosling Part 1 * 35:51 – Russell Gosling Part 2 To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"You don't have to reinvent the wheel to make good beers. That's not to say we don't try." There's little like Moo Brew in the Australian beer landscape, however you look at it. The brewery blazed a trail for craft beer in Tasmania and remains something of a figurehead for the state's beer scene as one of the few breweries with a presence on the mainland. The unique bottles and John Kelly artwork on their labels marked them out as something different from the off – and that was before founder David Walsh carved the world-famous Mona into the rock underneath the original brewery. You could argue their refusal to bend from a dedication to finely-honed, classically-minded styles while the rest of the beer world was losing its mind also marks Moo out as different. Meanwhile, making it to this month's 20th anniversary with just three head brewers – all of whom still meet up in Hobart – is pretty extraordinary too. Ahead of their birthday celebrations, we were joined by the latest of those three, Jack Viney, to look back on two decades of Moo Brew. The chat covers the brewery's ethos and evolution, distinct brand and place within the Walsh empire, Moo's pioneering role within Tasmania, the arrival of Manky Sally's brewpub in Salamanca, Jack's career in beer, and the state of affairs for beer today. There's plenty to cover before we get to Jack too: Grifter becoming the latest local brewery to secure B Corp status [https://craftypint.com/news/3931/the-grifter-brewing-co-become-australias-latest-b-corp-brewery]; little Central Coast bottlo Oldfield Cellars beating all-comers [https://craftypint.com/news/3933/golden-oldfield-cellars] to an ALIA trophy; a collab ten years in the making [https://craftypint.com/news/3921/naked-ned-a-collab-a-decade-in-the-making]; and a look at the ins, outs, magic and mishaps of beer advent calendars [https://craftypint.com/news/3934/christmas-advent-ures-inside-the-festive-beer-box-boom]. We also unveil the latest winner in the Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month – nominate yours here [https://craftypint.com/bluestone] – and hear about the opening of submissions [https://craftypint.com/event/13908/entries-open-for-the-2026-royal-queensland-beer-awards] for the 2026 Royal Queensland Beer Awards. Start of segments:  * 13:45 – Jack Viney Part 1 * 37:11 – Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month * 40:24 – Jack Viney Part 2 To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"We just like making full-flavoured, unapologetic, big beers." There's nothing in the Australian beer world quite like Seeker Brewing [https://craftypint.com/brewery/715/seeker-brewing]. The Wollongong operation was founded by identical twins Jeff and Curtis Argent, our guests on this week's show, alongside mate Ben Boorer [https://craftypint.com/news/3252/chronically-crafty-managing-health-in-the-beer-industry]. Prior to running a brewery together, the brothers were in a band together, only denied their dreams of touring overseas by the pandemic. While their no-holding-back approach to brewing – whether that's adding more hops to a beer or ramping up the ABV – isn't unique, they've found new ways to approach it, not least in their Art of Flight series [https://craftypint.com/news/3522/seeker-take-flight-with-tiny-tins] featuring big beers in small cans. To find out more about one of the most joyous success stories of recent years, the twins joined us from their brewery to reflect on working (and sometimes living) together in Pirra and Seeker, the pleasure they take in watching a brewery full of people enjoying live music – from flamenco and salsa to rock and reggae, the plans they're currently hatching, and why they love working with others. There's plenty to discuss ahead of the main interview too: our Secret Sales Rep article on the death of relationships [https://craftypint.com/news/3925/the-secret-sales-rep-the-death-of-relationships], Venom's takeover [https://craftypint.com/news/3924/venom-to-open-taproom-at-former-mrs-parmas-in-melbourne] of the former Mrs Parma's site in Melbourne's CBD, Bad Shepherd's Ten Lessons From Ten Years [https://craftypint.com/news/3927/bad-shepherd-ten-lessons-from-ten-years], an inspiring collaboration [https://craftypint.com/news/3928/pillars-of-society-froths-all-australian-fundraiser-for-veterans] between veterans in WA, and our upcoming festive feast, Crafty Cheer! [https://craftypint.com/event/13873/crafty-cheer-a-festive-feast] We're always keen for feedback on the show, which you can provide here [https://craftypint.com/form_builder/view/a684eceee76fc522773286a895bc8436/the-crafty-pint-podcast-survey-2025-part-1], as well as nominations in our Have You Done A Rallings? [https://craftypint.com/rallings] and Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month campaigns. Don't forget, if you enjoy this episode, please like, subscribe, rate and review on whichever podcast platform you use. Start of segments: * 15:14 – Jeff & Curtis Part 1 * 44:22 – Have You Done A Rallings? Winner * 47:37 – Jeff & Curtis Part 2 To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"Our isolation leads to innovation." In the last of the episodes recorded at the inaugural Grainstock [https://craftypint.com/news/3902/episode-067-grainstock-2025] in the Riverina in October, we take a sidestep into the world of spirits, welcoming one of Australian whisky's true characters onto the show. Tim Duckett, who grew up on a farm in Tasmania's North West, bought his first barrels of whisky back in 1999, so has been both participant in and observer of the rise of the local industry. The whiskies he releases under the Heartwood [https://www.heartwoodmaltwhisky.com.au/] banner are sought-after the world over, often selling out batches in advance, admired for their consistency of quality, renowned for the might of their impact, and noted for the humour found in their names and labels. Since 2015, he's also released lower-ABV, typically more approachable whiskies under the Tasmanian Independent Bottlers banner. An outspoken commentator on the industry, one unafraid to ruffle feathers, he joined us to reflect on his own life in whisky since meeting Lyn and Bill Lark in its fledgling days, how Australian whisky is regarded globally, the current issues that have brought some businesses down – not unlike in the beer world, the need for federal support, and the difficulty in defining an Australian characteristic beyond "We give it a crack" in a vast country where distillers operate in such varied climes. James is joined by a guest co-host this week too. Luke McCarthy [https://ozwhiskyreview.com.au/] is one of the country's most respect drinks writers, recently penned a piece [https://craftypint.com/news/3871/australian-whiskys-growing-pains-and-the-long-road-to-maturity] for us on the trials and tribulations of the Australian whisky industry, and provides background and context ahead of the main interview. Start of segments: * 10:32 – Tim Duckett Part 1 * 37:06 – Tim Duckett Part 2 To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"It's a big picture approach. I love it because our kids are going to have a future." The phrase "more than the sum of its parts" shouldn't really apply when the parts in question are as significant in their own manner as Wildflower Beer [https://craftypint.com/brewery/359/wildflower], Organically Greenwood [https://craftypint.com/news/3014/revolution-in-the-riverina] and Voyager Craft Malt [https://craftypint.com/news/3843/episode-057-voyagers-vision]. Yet there can be no denying that these pioneering operations are stronger together – their impact magnified by their ongoing collaboration. Since first discovering each other, the trio – respectively a brewer favouring native, wild and organic ingredients, a farmer exploring innovative regeneration techniques, and a maltster of world-beating ingenuity – have encouraged each other to push their ideas further, to chase their wildest dreams, and to inspire others along the way. We sat down with two of them – Wildflower's Topher Boehm and Organically Greenwood's Chris Greenwood – at an event conceived by the third, the Stu Whytcross-curated Grainstock [https://craftypint.com/news/3902/episode-067-grainstock-2025]. They told us about their first encounters, the friendship forged between their families, the exploration and experimentation they've enjoyed together, and their hopes for the future of grain, regen farming, sustainable brewing practices and the planet itself. They're fascinating and eloquent guests who take us from brewing with saltbush in Belgium to old man Ivan and his crop-enhancing "voodoo juice" with plenty of insight and laughter along the way. Due to some unexpected and insurmountable gremlins in the system, which we only discovered three hours before this episode was due to be published, there's no full intro this week. Will and James had discussed the week's news –  two more [https://craftypint.com/news/3908/misfit-taproom-closes-just-weeks-after-taking-over-wayward-brewings-former-home] venue closures [https://craftypint.com/news/3907/lion-to-close-stone-and-woods-brisbane-brewpub] in the local beer world, a fledgling brewpub [https://craftypint.com/news/3906/who-brews-tocumwals-beers] changing tastes on the Murray, and the new "Northern IPA" [https://craftypint.com/news/3909/true-north-fermenting-a-new-style-of-ipa] style – but instead you just get a brief word from James before the main course. We're always keen for feedback on the show, which you can provide here [https://craftypint.com/form_builder/view/a684eceee76fc522773286a895bc8436/the-crafty-pint-podcast-survey-2025-part-1] (just don't mention this week's intro), as well as nominations for good beer citizens in our Have You Done A Rallings? [https://craftypint.com/rallings] campaign and wonderful breweries you'd like to see named Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month [https://craftypint.com/bluestone]. As ever, if you enjoy this episode, please like, subscribe, rate and review. Start of segments: * 3:05 – Topher & Chris Part 1 * 33:17 – Topher & Chris Part 2 To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"We're all massive grain users – bakers, brewers, distillers – so it's so good to get to connect with them." Grainstock [https://www.grainstock.com.au/] was a first-of-its-kind industry gathering and beer festival celebrating grain, agriculture, brewing, distilling and baking under the one banner. Held at Voyager Craft Malt's home at the Whitton Malt House over three days, it brought diverse yet linked industries together for farm tours, networking, and a symposium exploring the opportunities, challenges and future for farmers and businesses that rely on grain. During the conference, Will and Craig sat down with three guests to chat about their respective backgrounds, what brought them to Whitton, and their experience at the conference.  First up, we have Caolan Vaughan, head brewer at Stone & Wood, who has been overseeing the introduction of regen and organic ingredients at the brewery. He's followed by Phil Stevens, who used to lead brewing at The Welder's Dog and is now focused on native grains, before we're joined by distiller and CIBD board member Lisa Macrae. Ahead of those interviews, James and Will discuss Lachy Crothers' new fresh AF beer project [https://craftypint.com/news/3898/lachy-crothers-faffs-about-with-fresh-beer], the return of Ballarat Bitter [https://craftypint.com/news/3900/ballarat-bitter-and-bertie-back-in-family-hands] to its founding family's hands, and Rehn Bier's move into the Old Mill Brewery [https://craftypint.com/news/3901/rehn-bier-and-friends-brew-a-bigger-barossa-beer-hub] with some Barossa mates. We also unveil the latest Have You Done A Rallings? [https://craftypint.com/rallings] winner. Start of segments: * 17:42 – Caolan Vaughan * 27:59 – Phil Stevens * 39:19 – Have You Done A Rallings? * 43:07 – Lisa Macrae To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"The ethos was trying to provide that cultural shift and be a catalyst for that." What's it like brewing beer in paradise? Or, more precisely, in Exmouth: gateway to the Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area that's home to awe-inspiring, barely-populated beaches and an abundance of glorious wildlife that can make it feel like you're living in a David Attenborough documentary. We sat down with Pete Firth and Justin Fuery, respectively co-founders of Froth Craft Brewery [https://frothcraft.com/] and Whalebone Brewing [https://www.whalebonebrewing.com.au/], to discover the answer to that question (unbearably hot in summer, for one) and more. They opened their breweries in the same year, 2017, in what was then a far sleepier town than it is today, and have helped change the culture to the degree that Exmouth – despite a permanent population of just 3,000 – hosts more live music than any WA city or town north of Perth. As well as delving into their backstories, the ethos driving each brewery, and the different paths they've taken – Froth now operate multiple venues; Whalebone sell cans across the state and have launched Ningaloo Distillery – we explore the challenges facing such businesses in far-flung regional locations, how they built, maintain and continue to expand their audience, the huge boost COVID brought to the region, and the rise of beer tourism. Ahead of the main chat, Will and James look forward to this week's Grainstock [https://www.grainstock.com.au/] in the Riverina and discuss a trio of new articles: the sixth instalment of our Beer By Design series [https://craftypint.com/news/3895/beer-by-design-marketing]; the impending launch of Ripple Brewing; and the first beer in Australia brewed with a new yeast strain [https://craftypint.com/news/3896/straining-at-the-bit-coconspirators-aussie-first-yeast-experiment]. Mid-show, you'll hear from Mogwai Labs [https://craftypint.com/business/1398/mogwai-labs] and Kicks Brewing on brewing festbiers too. We're always keen for feedback on the show, which you can provide here [https://craftypint.com/form_builder/view/a684eceee76fc522773286a895bc8436/the-crafty-pint-podcast-survey-2025-part-1], as well as nominations for the Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month [https://craftypint.com/bluestone] and Have You Done A Rallings? [https://craftypint.com/rallings] celebration of the country's good beer citizens. Start of segments: *  11:20 – Pete & Justin Part 1 * 28:07 – Mogwai & Kicks Brewing * 34:47 – Pete & Justin Part 2 To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"Our goal was always to showcase every beer at every brewery as if it was our own." Joslyn Erickson works in a unique but essential part of the beer industry. She runs Hop On Brewery Tours [https://hoponbrewerytours.com.au/] alongside partner Matt Farrelly, which the pair launched nearly a decade ago in Queensland. Back then, Brisbane had only six craft breweries and the Gold Coast was home to just a handful of breweries and venues where you could find anything other than mainstream beer. It means Joslyn has enjoyed a front row seat to take in craft beer's growth in South East Queensland, observing how the culture and attitudes have changed, whether for better or worse. At the same time, she's performed a crucial role stewarding [https://craftypint.com/news/2993/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-beer-steward] at some of the country's major beer awards. Will Ziebell and Craig Williams caught up with Joslyn to talk about the importance of embracing beer tourism, ways she believes breweries can find new customers, and her passion for beer education, which has seen her launch The Lauter Tun [https://www.instagram.com/thelautertun.pod/] on Instagram. Ahead of the chat, James and Will discuss a new series [https://craftypint.com/news/3770/the-mash-tun-and-the-melting-pot-belgian-australian-beer] from Rob Horner on the impact of global beer cultures on Australian brewers, Mick Wüst's second deep dive into life at Fermentis [https://craftypint.com/news/3888/big-yeast-big-changes], the lessons learned by Your Mates [https://craftypint.com/news/3891/ten-lessons-from-ten-years-your-mates-brewing] over their first decade, a joyous collab event featuring Deaf artist Gonketa [https://craftypint.com/news/3696/crafty-signs-auslan-beers-magnificent-mission], and the benefits of joining our Crafty Cabal beer club [https://craftycabal.com/]. If you enjoy the show, please consider liking, subscribing, rating or reviewing! Start of segments: * 13:30 – Joslyn Erickson Part 1 * 41:13 – Grainstock 2025 [https://www.grainstock.com.au/] Preview * 45:48 – Joslyn Erickson Part 2 To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"A lot of my ethos about what I'd like brewing to be is that DIY punk vibe, which is really collaborative." A year on from Feral's return to independence [https://craftypint.com/news/3455/nail-and-beerfarm-buy-feral-and-their-brewery-from-coke], the brewery unveiled a new look, a tightened core range, and a new head brewer, with ex-Beavertown and Beerfarm brewer Charlotte Freeston [https://craftypint.com/news/3827/the-rewilding-of-feral] entrusted with shaping the next chapter in the iconic brand's story. Ahead of Froth Town 2025, we joined her at Feral's brewery (with AIBA Best Media 2025 winner Guy Southern along as co-host) to find out more about the new direction and plans for the future, from barrels and a new venue to the return of Tusk. As anyone who has met Charlotte would know, beer and brewing formed just part of the conversation. We find out about her pre-Beavertown career, which took in fine art, making bespoke paint and music videos, set-building, and travelling the UK in her grandad's old BMW gaining brewing experience, as well as her views on the wider beer community here and in the UK, the Pink Boots Society, and learning not to apologise for being unapologetic. It's a delightful chat, which follows a look back at the week on Crafty – Sobah entering VA [https://craftypint.com/news/3883/sobah-beverages-enter-voluntary-administration], more on the beer scene in Central Queensland [https://craftypint.com/news/3876/besser-blocks-and-brewpubs-central-queenslands-burgeoning-beer-scene-part-ii], a peak inside brewer trials [https://craftypint.com/news/3884/new-hop-portunities-inside-the-brewer-trials-for-nz-s-newest-varieties] for new hops, and the second part of Creating A Venue [https://craftypint.com/news/3882/creating-a-venue-ii-from-consultants-and-council-to-cement-and-chatgpt] – and includes the latest winner in our Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month [https://craftypint.com/bluestone] campaign. Enjoy! And if you do, please consider liking, subscribing, rating and reviewing! Start of segments: * 17:21 – Charlotte Freeston Part 1 * 33:21 – Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month * 38:00 – Charlotte Freeston Part 2 To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"To see [our barley] from start to finish, and to also see the result in our beers, is something that's pretty beautiful." Michael Stanzel first came to the attention of Australian beer drinkers when he and wife, Chloe Hoiberg, joined Burnley Brewing upon their return to Australia from Germany. While in Europe, he'd trained as a brewer, with those influences shining through many of the releases from the now-closed Richmond brewery. Today, you'll find him at Devilbend Farm Beer Co [https://craftypint.com/brewery/891/devilbend-farm-beer-co], on the Mornington Peninsula, still producing a range of both classically-minded and contemporary craft beers but with a real point of difference. As the name suggests, the brewery is based on a farm [https://craftypint.com/news/3123/beer-grows-here-the-devilbend-farm], where they grow hops and barley for use in many of Michael's beers. Will Ziebell joined him at the farm for a chat about their sustainable approach to brewing, Michael's love for lager, and how and why he learnt to brew in Germany. Before the main interview, Will and James discuss Sydney Brewery's second brewery acquisition this year [https://craftypint.com/news/3873/sydney-brewery-acquires-white-bay-brewerys-rozelle-site], the results from the Royal Sydney Beer and Cider Awards [https://craftypint.com/news/3878/sunday-road-claim-top-prize-at-sydney-royal-beer-and-cider-awards] and what's going on in the beer scenes in both Central Queensland [https://craftypint.com/news/3875/besser-blocks-and-brewpubs-central-queenslands-burgeoning-beer-scene-part-i] and the Northern Rivers [https://craftypint.com/news/3879/behind-bars-curious-craft]. Mid-show we also reveal the latest winner in our Have You Done A Rallings? [https://craftypint.com/rallings] celebration of the country's good beer citizens. If you enjoy the show, please like, subscribe, rate and review. Cheers! Start of segments: * 14:30 –  Devilbend Part 1 * 42:21 –  Have You Done A Rallings? * 47:06  – Devilbend Part 2 To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"I try to do as few things on purpose as possible." More than a thousand brewing companies have launched in Australia since the turn of the millennium, but there's been nothing quite like Evil Mega Corp [https://craftypint.com/news/3657/evil-mega-corps-no-scale-ambition]. The one-man "worker's-owned Utopia" is the brainchild of Rhys Lopez, formerly head brewer at Otherside Brewing, and it's fair to say that in the world of Aussie brewers there's nothing quite like Rhys either. It's probably not worth trying to summarise the operation or the man behind it in these notes; as he admits in the chat: "Sometimes I take a joke too far." Instead, settle in for a conversation – with AIBA 2025 Beer Media winner Guy Southern along as co-host – that goes well beyond the origins of Evil Mega Corp, the wild beers he brews for his Squares, and the subscription model he operates to take in AI, the heroes at Médecins Sans Frontières, travel, and turning his dog into a Pope-like figure, a Roman war elephant and a Mariachi musician. NB If you're watching or listening in time, we're hosting an event with Rhys at Freo.Social [https://craftycabal.com/member-events] on September 20. Ahead of the main chat, James joins Will from Warroora Station in WA to discuss the week's stories, which include a rare foray into the world of whisky [https://craftypint.com/news/3871/australian-whiskys-growing-pains-and-the-long-road-to-maturity] thanks to Oz Whisky Review's Luke McCarthy, insight into Seeker Brewing's sustainable new brewery [https://craftypint.com/news/3872/going-green-seekers-sustainable-thermal-oil], and a festive take on crowdfunding [https://craftypint.com/news/3870/crowdfunding-with-a-difference-a-festival-called-george] from Tassie brewery Manchild. Start of segments:  * 13:13 – Grainstock 2025 Preview *  19:06 – Rhys Lopez Part 1 *  45:45 – Rhys Lopez Part 2 To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"We're lucky to work in an industry that's a lot about fun." This week's guests need little, if any, introduction. Not only is BentSpoke [https://craftypint.com/brewery/256/bentspoke-brewing-co] – the brewery launched in a Braddon brewpub in 2014 and now a national brand – one of the country's best-loved operations, but its founders have connections with Canberra's beer scene stretching back three decades. Richard Watkins and Tracy Margrain met while working in the kitchen at the Wig & Pen, a tiny Canberra brewpub that became a hotbed for experimentation and innovation. Once he'd swapped the stovetop for the mash tun, Richard started hunting down new ingredients and styles, while playing with barrels and funk long before the craft beer was even called "craft", picking up major awards and influencing many that passed through its doors. Since launching BentSpoke together, alongside the Meddings family who run Bintani, the couple have continued to innovate, helped bring IPA to a wider audience – their unexpected best-seller Crankshaft has topped the GABS Hottest 100 poll twice [https://craftypint.com/news/2835/bentspoke-top-the-gabs-h100-again], and kept winning major awards, all the while adding their voice to discussions around the direction of the local beer industry. As well as reflecting on an incredible three decades in beer, their affinity for the homebrewing world, the state of play for beer today, and future plans for the brewery, arguably the key takeaway from our chat is their ongoing, deep-rooted affection for beer and the community that surrounds it. Prior to the main interview, Will and James discuss some exciting breaking news from Sydney, where a trio of brewing companies under the banner Misfits have taken over Wayward's Camperdown taproom [https://craftypint.com/news/3865/trio-of-brewing-misfits-take-over-waywards-inner-west-taproom] and are opening today. Also in Sydney, we invited Bracket Brewing to reflect on their first five years via five key beers [https://craftypint.com/news/3866/bracket-brewing-five-years-in-five-beers], while there was further positive news as the men's mental health-supporting Convo Crates have been given new life via Nick's Jerky [https://craftypint.com/news/3862/convo-crates-continue-mental-health-crusade-with-new-owners-nick-s-jerky], and Urban Alley announced plans [https://craftypint.com/news/3867/urban-alley-set-to-open-major-new-chadstone-venue] to open a far bigger venue at Chadstone Shopping Centre. We also highlight a trio of upcoming events [https://craftycabal.com/member-events] for our beer club members in Freo, Brisbane and Melbourne, and, of course, issue a reminder to get in your nominations for the Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month [https://craftypint.com/bluestone] and Have You Done A Rallings? [https://craftypint.com/rallings] campaigns. Start of segments: * 13:04 – BentSpoke Part 1 * 36:07 – Breaking Down Beer Styles with Mogwai Labs * 42:47 – BentSpoke Part 2 To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.