Radio Brews News

This week on Beer is a Conversation we talk the business of making beer as we catch up with Brick Lane’s Paul Bowker. We last spoke with Paul, together with his head brewer Jon Seltin, back in November 2018, not long after the celebrity-backed brewery launched. Over the past three years it has grown drastically, both with its partner brands that it brews under contract, and its own Brick Lane bran...

This week the team discuss Lion's decision to sell off major assets, the rise of private label beer and a big social media misstep. Please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcasting app. It costs nothing and helps other beer lovers discover the podcast! Mighty Craft buys Mismatch Brewing Co. Crisis comms in the spotlight after social media misstep Lion selling m...

The brewing industry internationally was faced with a crisis last month after stories about sexism, harassment and assault from women in the US industry went viral. Notch Brewing Co. production manager Brienne Allan shared stories from women all over the US, and it quickly spread here, prompting wider discussions in the Australian and New Zealand industries about diversity, inclusion and creating...

This week the team discuss the growth of craft on the Sunshine Coast, new recommendations from ABAC and who had to hand back their AIBA trophy. Please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcasting app. It costs nothing and helps other beer lovers discover the podcast! NZ’s Deep Creek hand back AIBA trophy New Sydney venture to bring five craft brewers together ABAC...

This week is Dollar Bill Brewing as we’re joined by Fiona and Ed Nolle who are just getting over taking out the Champion Beer trophy at the 2021 Australian International Beer Awards. As you’ll hear, Dollar Bill is an ironic name for a businesses producing less than 15,000 litres a year, and taking up to two years to produce it. But you’ll hear a fascinating chat with two people pursuing their pass...

This week the team discuss the AIBAs, new restrictions on advertising, and why some breweries are being forced to change their name. Please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcasting app. It costs nothing and helps other beer lovers discover the podcast! 2021 Australian International Beer Award winners revealed Former director moves to wind up Endeavour Second v...

This week we speak with Nick Leach, a passionate home brewer, craft beer drinker, trained brewer and also HR professional, initially about his path into the industry. As you’ll hear we can potentially chalk Nick up as one of the people we have talked out of the industry, but not quite. Nick has blended his professional expertise in recruitment with his love of the industry, into a side hustle brew...

This week, the team make time during Good Beer Week to catch up over the weeks news including new labelling conditions which could be imposed on brewers. Please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcasting app. It costs nothing and helps other beer lovers discover the podcast! More labelling conditions set to be imposed on brewers Deeds Brewing long-awaited venue...

Pete Mitcham is no stranger to listeners, but at the same time, his involvement is usually speaking with others, rather than talking about himself and his background. Last night the team at Bad Shepherd recognised Pete’s long and surprisingly unsung contribution to the Indie beer movement. Matt was thrilled to be present to see Pete be recognised because of all he has contributed to the industry,...

This week the team discuss all things federal budget, crowdfunding and seltzers. Please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcasting app. It costs nothing and helps other beer lovers discover the podcast! Expansion for IronBark Hill Brewhouse Young Henrys solar crowdfund Exit Brewing rebrand marks new growth phase Windfall for shareholders in Endeavour Drinks deme...

This week we speak with Chris Kelly from East Coast Canning, buts it’s not really about canning it’s a genuinely free-ranging conversation about the industry. His role as founder of East Coast Canning gives Chris a unique overview of the brewing industry, and his thoughtful approach and honesty ensure his insights are worth capturing. We hear how his COVID year went, being the pivot point for many...

This week on the podcast, the team discuss updates to the excise rebate for small brewers and the ups and downs of Broo. Please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcasting app. It costs nothing and helps other beer lovers discover the podcast! Budget to increase excise rebate to small brewers Losses continue but revenues up at Broo Dave Macgill set to open Deep S...

Last Saturday news broke that in the upcoming Federal budget brewers are going to get a significant boost through changes to excise. These changes have been long lobbied for, and it’s a big boost for the IBA to have brought it home. At the same time, there was a touch of irony as the announcement was made at Canberra’s BentSpoke Brewery - the irony being that BentSpoke founder Richard Watkins has...

This week the team discuss Stone & Wood's expansion plans and the latest news from the 2021 hop report. Please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcasting app. It costs nothing and helps other beer lovers discover the podcast! Stone & Wood confirms expansion plans Making it official: Moon Dog’s Game of Thrones beers Record revenue growth for Mighty Craft Strong g...

This week the team discuss Victoria's plan to get people excited about locally produced drinks and new research showing risky drinking is down. Please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcasting app. It costs nothing and helps other beer lovers discover the podcast! $1.5m program to get Victorian beer into local bars Risky drinking and alcohol consumption down sa...

This week we roll out the barrel and meet Ballistic's Jake Harrison. Recently Brisbane’s Ballistic Beer launched its Bunker Project, that will focus on mixed fermentations and barrel-aged beers. It follows similar moves from breweries across the country to create dedicated spaces for beer in barrels. With Ballistic already on a tear as a business, recently announcing the purchase of its third and...

This week the team discuss what constitutes "illicit" alcohol and look at some rather interesting press releases.  Please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcasting app. It costs nothing and helps other beer lovers discover the podcast! SA’s Beer Garden Brewing up for sale ATO clamps down on ‘illicit’ alcohol TV ads, billboard and social media in front of ABAC S...

This week we meet Alistair Turnbull from Lobethal Bierhaus. This is a fun conversation. As you’ll hear, Alistair gave up a banking career to open a brewery in 2007 - and worried he had already missed the boat when it came to craft beer. Fourteen years later, he says he is working 100 hours a week, humping kegs to local venues around Lobethal and making less money than he did in banking with no pla...

This week the team chats all things beer packaging and whether a tax break would be a good or a bad thing for the industry. Please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcasting app. It costs nothing and helps other beer lovers discover the podcast! Endeavour to hold EGM as shareholders await accounts Black Hops invests $3m in packaging expansion Brick Lane delivers...

This week, we're chatting about hops as we catch up with journalist, author and industry legend, Stan Hieronymus. Stan is a professional journalist and amateur brewer who has made beer his beat since 1993. He is perhaps best known here for influential books Brew Like A Monk: Trappist, Abbey and Strong Belgian Ales and How to Brew Them; Brewing with Wheat: The "Wit" and "Weizen" of Wheat Beer Style...

This week the team get fired up in defence of ABAC and rejoice over a new recycling scheme.  Please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcasting app. It costs nothing and helps other beer lovers discover the podcast! ABAC refutes pandemic marketing criticism Indie brewers bring $1.9 billion to economy: IBA Industry body applauds government drink roadmap Craft beer...

In this special edition of Beer is a Conversation, we talk about beer money. As we recorded this, the Batch Brewing crowd-sourced funding campaign has been open for a day and has exceeded its minimum target, and is halfway to the $1.5 million full raise. Incidentally, it has nearly raised more in a day than BrewDog has in four months. While the expression of interest phase has been going for a few...

This week we catch up with Oscar McMahon and Dan Hampton from Young Henrys. Young Henry’s is one of those brands that just stands out in the Australian brewing industry. There are few breweries with a stronger brand identity, or identifiable corporate culture. In terms of size, they are one of the largest independent brands and their presence can’t just be seen on tap handles, but pub walls across...

This week the team have some good news on sponsorship deals and expansion plans for Your Mates and White Lies. Please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcasting app. It costs nothing and helps other beer lovers discover the podcast! Your Mates plans expansion after major growth Second brewpub in the works for White Lies TAFE brewing students win beer medal Spons...

This week we catch up with Russ Gosling, head brewer at Little Creatures Fremantle. Regular listeners will know that Matt holds a special place in his beer drinkers heart for Little Creatures Pale Ale and the venue in Fremantle. With this podcast being a decade old, and Russ having been with the brewery for 17 years it seems a statistical anomaly that we haven’t spoken with Russ before. But now we...