“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.

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 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 thanks to Oz Whisky Review’s Luke McCarthy, insight into Seeker Brewing’s sustainable new brewery, and a festive take on crowdfunding 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 – 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, 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 and are opening today.

Also in Sydney, we invited Bracket Brewing to reflect on their first five years via five key 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, and Urban Alley announced plans to open a far bigger venue at Chadstone Shopping Centre.

We also highlight a trio of upcoming 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 and Have You Done A 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.

“Tumut is a bit of a hidden gem still and one of the things we're trying to do is help put it on the map via the brewery.”

Late in 2024, two former employees took ownership of Tumut River Brewing Co, a brewpub-based operation at the gateway to the Snowy Mountains that had gone into liquidation.

Michael Cichocki and Mary Richmond said their intention was to return the brewery to its community and tourism-focused roots – so we paid them a visit midway through 2025 to find out how their mission was going.

We hear about the changes they’ve made – and are making – to bring in customers old and new, local and passing through, as well as their serendipitous rebrand, a renewed focus on celebrating the region and its history through their new beers and labels, a shared desire to bring more bands to the brewery floor, and much more besides.

Before we get to the people behind one of the good news stories of the past 12 months, Will is joined by James from Karijini National Park, where he’d rocked up after attending another fantastic Froth Town and pre-festival warmup event at Phat Brew Club.

As well as reflecting on the festival’s tenth running, we head to Tasmania as Hobart Brewing Co take over the country’s oldest licensed venue, stopping in Bicheno for a Who Brews…? before chatting to Leo Salancon, the French winemaker, distiller and brewer now heading up operations at Westside Ale Works in Melbourne.

Mid-show, we reveal the latest winners in our Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month campaign; don’t forget to get your nominations in here.

Start of segments:

• 10:20 – Tumut River Brewing Co Part 1
• 30:35 – Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month
• 35:33 – Tumut River Brewing Co Part 2

To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.