Radio Brews News

This week on Beer is a Conversation, Matt Kirkegaard speaks to Ian Watson from Slipstream about why he choses to use brewed on and best before dates. Ian invites Matt to taste the difference between a fresh brew and a beer that is several months old. 

Pete and Matt announce a Goose Island giveaway and discuss Queensland's craft beer strategy, BewCon 2018 and whether bland beer is here to stay.

This week on Beer is a Conversation, Matt is joined by Chris Kelly from East Coast Canning. Chris established Australia’s first mobile canning business, and now operates three mobile lines and services across Australia’s East Coast.

This week on Radio Brews News Pete, Matt and James are live from Byron Bay after a trip to Stone & Wood. They discuss Stone & Wood’s trademark appeal, another brewer who has trademarked the colour of beer and the Queensland Government’s plan for craft beer. 

This week on Radio Brews News Pete and Matt are joined by marketing guru Zoe Ottaway. They discuss Brewdog’s recent marketing fail with their “Pink IPA”, the declines faced by Sierra Nevada and what it means for 'classic' craft and why Malt Brewing had to rebrand as Revel. Read more about Ian Davis and donate here.

This week on Beer is a Conversation, we have a long chat with Greg Koch, co-founder of San Diego’s Stone Brewing. Brews News first chatted with Greg back in 2010 when he was actively campaigning against the grey importing of Stone beers into Australia. At that time many drinkers took the view, “what’s the harm? Sure the beer isn’t always great - but it will still be good and at least I get to tast...

This week on Radio Brews News guest host Steve ‘Hendo’ Henderson from Rockstar Brewer shares his views on date coding and why Greg Koch from Stone Brewing backtracked on his earlier decision not to sell Stone in Australia. 

Pete Mitcham and Matt Kirkegaard are joined by guest host Pia Poynton from Girl + Beer to discuss the news of the week, including whether governments are sending mixed messages about alcohol. 

This week on Beer is a Conversation, James Atkinson and Pete Mitcham are joined by Steve Carpenter, Chief Operations Officer at Yakima Chief-Hopunion, a global hop supplier headquartered in Yakima USA.  His family has been growing hops in the Yakima Valley since 1869, so it’s fair to say the business of hop growing is in his blood. He talked about current trends in the hop sector and the challenge...

This week on Radio Brews News we welcome Pete Mitcham back and get his thoughts on the BewDog announcement as well as discuss the other news of the week including the Pirate Life grant and sporting sponsorships. 

This week on Radio Brews News the editorial team are joined by Cassie O’Neill, Australia’s first female certified Cicerone and Stomping Ground brewery’s sales representative, to discuss the beer news of the week.

This week on Beer is a Conversation we have the last interview from our recent swing through Sydney' inner-west breweries and feature our conversation with Steve Drissell of Sydney’s Staves Brewery. Hidden away in a back alley in Glebe, Staves is one of Sydney’s more unique brewery venues, featuring English-style pub atmosphere and a live performance space that is well known on the city’s music an...

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 Dic...

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 ha...

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 socia...

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...

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, Tophe...

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 do...

This week on Beer is a Conversation we join Matt King and Glenn Wignall of Sydney’s The Grifter Brewing Company in their brewery bar in Enmore, Sydney. Starting out in 2012 as a gypsy brewer, The Grifter has since opened its own brewery and taproom where the guys are turning out some great beers in what is undoubtedly one of the country’s most visually appealing venues. Matt Kirkegaard, Pete Mitch...

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...

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...

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 techn...

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 furth...

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 y...

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 brew...