"We've got big plans and big ideas, and want to have some fun with it along the way.”

Canberra’s beer scene has been dominated – in a nice way – by two breweries for the best part of a decade now, but since Cypher Brewing released their first beers in April 2023 the Gungahlin crew have been angling to join BentSpoke and Capital and turn the Big Two into a Big Three.

We joined co-owner Jeff Wilson-Shipley and head brewer Matt Thiele at their brewpub as part of our podcast road trip odyssey in June. The former is one of a group of soccer-playing mates from diverse backgrounds behind the brewery, the latter a brewer who joined Capital a month after they launched and moved across town for the chance to take more creative control of a brewhouse.

We talked about their ethos and brand, the building of what they refer to as “The Cypher World” – one that seems to involve plans to open a brewpub on Mars, their efforts to celebrate and engage their multicultural local community, balancing hardcore fans’ (and their own) desire for big beers with more approachable offerings for the wider market, and their work advocating for indie brewers with the pollies down the road.

It’s a pretty snappy intro this week, covering the week’s news – the founders of pioneering Red Duck Brewery putting the business on the market as they approach 20 years; the launch of an indie maltsters association in WA; tickets going on sale for the industry components of Grainstock – as well as Mick Wüst’s lovely tale featuring the founders of Brisbane Pub Chess.

We also reveal the latest winner in our Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month campaign; keep the nominations for that coming, as well as for our Have You Done A Rallings? celebration of good beer citizens.

Start of segments:

• 7:54 – Grainstock 2025 Preview
• 11:37 – Cypher Brewing Part 1
• 32:25 – Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month
• 37:41 – Cypher Brewing Part 2

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

“From very early on, we all agreed that we would play to our strengths.”

More than a thousand brewing companies have come and, in many cases, gone since the craft beer era began in Australia, but there’s never been one quite like One Drop.

The Botany-based operation make cracking “normal” beers yet have become a byword for the wild and WTF, the experimental and eccentric. They weren’t the first brewery to make smoothie sours, for example, but they’ve taken such beers – and myriad other styles – to new places others wouldn’t have conceived, let alone dared, creating beers that defy the odds and just work.

James joined them at their brewery earlier in the year for a chat about their storming of the GABS Hottest 100 with We Jammin’, the serendipitous way brewer Nick Calder-Scholes was discovered by founders Meg Barbic and Clay Grant, their approach to brewing, “contained chaos”, being “collectively creative”, and moving craft beer away from “pale, male and stale”.

If you’re wondering why this episode is running so late after the recording, it’s due to technical issues. It was the first recording with a new setup and somehow James was capturing video at such high quality it filled his laptop’s entire hard drive before the chat was over, leaving us with a corrupted file. So lovely was the backdrop for the guests, he was determined to rescue it, but despite many attempts it wasn’t to be. That said, the chat is colourful enough to paint vivid pictures with words.

There’s one of our longer intros this week, as Will and James reflect on the imminent closures of Wayward’s taproom and White Bay Brewery following various mergers and acquisitions. We also discuss the news that Coles and Endeavour Group will be making it clearer which beer brands they own – and issue a shout out to anyone who has been de-ranged by the big two retailers (hit up will@craftypint.com if that's you).

Other stories from the past week include Guy Southern’s wonderful interview with new Feral head brewer Charlotte Freeston and the second part of Benedict Kennedy-Cox’s tour of Tasmania’s north, while the show also features the latest winner in our Have You Done A Rallings? campaign highlighting the country’s good beer citizens.

Start of segments:

• 20:18 – One Drop Part 1
• 42:25 – Have You Done A Rallings?
• 47:31 – One Drop Part 2

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

“At the heart of [the beer industry] is the beer drinker who just loves beer, appreciates quality, and wants to share that experience.”

Ahead of their biggest event of the year, Ramjet Day, we joined Boatrocker founders Matt and Andrea Houghton at their Barrel Room in Braeside.

Given Matt and his brewers have released more beers in different styles than pretty much anyone in Australia since 2009 – not to mention their move into spirits after they absorbed former Perth distillery Hippocampus – there’s plenty of discussion of their approach beyond the iconic Ramjet and its many spin-offs.

We head back well beyond the launch of their first beer, Alpha Queen, to the European travels before they met that opened their eyes to the breadth and beauty of the beer world, how they manage such a diverse portfolio and adapt to the changing market, and the importance of community.

After Andrea dashes off to collect their kids from school, Matt offers his thoughts on many of the issues impacting the industry – from cheap kegs and VAs to Australia’s convoluted tax system – plus some tips for anyone thinking of starting out today.

Prior to the main interview, James joins Will from Kings Canyon to cast an eye over the week’s news, including the latter’s interview with Eclectic Brewing, a guide to beer in Montreal, and the arrival in our brewery directory of inner-west Sydney breweries Bracket and Pickled Monkey.

We also flag the launch of Blobfish 2025 – including a ticket giveaway for our beer club members – and there's the return, mid-show, of Milo Applebottom with another film tie-in for Point Break Brewery Invitational 2025.

Start of segments:

• 8:49 – Matt & Andrea Houghton, Boatrocker
• 40:31 – Point Break Brewery Invitational ft Milo Applebottom
• 43:42 – Matt Houghton, Boatrocker

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

“These large multinationals aren’t really interested in a diverse portfolio of beer. They would love it to be only two products but their hand is forced by independents."

Bridge Road Brewers’ story is one of the great stories of the craft beer era. It’s centred around a family-founded (and now partially employee-owned) business and features everything from a cross-hemisphere love story, global collaborations and inspired innovation to major events and even the creation of an independent micronation.

As they celebrate two decades of beers, we joined founders Ben and Maria Kraus at their ever-expanding brewery venue in Beechworth for a trip through the years – right back to the days when Maria was a ski instructor singing in a blues band in the Austrian mountains and Ben was washing glasses in a bar while learning how to make wine.

While much of the chat focuses on the evolution of Bridge Road Brewers and the manner in which they’ve pushed the story of independence as well as anyone in Australia, we also discuss their successful move into non-alc beers, beer tourism, their 20th birthday celebrations, and delicious drunken cows.

Before the main interview, Will and James cover the success of relative newcomer Eclectic Brewing at last week’s Royal Adelaide Beer & Cider Awards, the launch of our new Creating A Venue series, our Who Brews…? feature on fledgling Sydney operation Blackwattle Bar + Brewery, and the IBA’s call for submissions in support of their work around market access for indie brewers.

Start of segments:

• 11:01 – Ben & Maria Part 1
• 37:22 – Bintani Brewery Boosters
• 41:35 – Ben & Maria Part 2

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

“People’s tastes won’t go back to where they were before. So, whatever shape it takes in the next few years, we’re still going to see better beer in Australia.”

For 30 years and counting, Bintani have played a key role supplying the beer industry with essential ingredients. But more than that, they’ve also been a key pillar of support for brewers and industry events – and an important sounding board for ideas too.

For this episode of The Crafty Pint Podcast, James and Will were fortunate enough to be joined by Pete, Phil and Dale Meddings at Bintani HQ in Melbourne.

Pete founded Bintani in 1995 when he secured a distribution deal with DCL Yeast, which later became known as Fermentis, after taking still-at-school son Phil along for moral support.

He built the business to supply homebrew shops but, in the decades since, Bintani has grown with, and become a major player in, the craft beer industry. As a result, Phil and Dale are now co-CEOs of a much larger business responsible for putting products from a number of major brands into the hands of Aussie and Kiwi brewers, while still supporting all facets of the industry.

Before the main interview (and a detour into country music), Will and James chat about their recent jam-packed road trip, the former’s Beer By Design story on rebrands, the slick new Prospect Hotel & Cellars in Adelaide, and the addition of Kick Back Brewing to the Crafty directory.

As ever, we're always on the lookout for more Have You Done A Rallings? and Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month nominations, as well as listener feedback on the show so far. And if you're enjoying the show, feel free to like, subscribe, rate and comment!

Start of segments:

• 7:54 – Bintani Part 1
• 26:38 – Roxset
• 29:57 – Bintani Part 2

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

“If you don't hustle you haemorrhage."

Will Ziebell visited Bright Brewery for their annual Darker Days festival and, while in the High Country town, sat down with their national business development and brand manager Evin Craney.

Evin joined the brewery six years ago following a career in sales that saw him move from bottleshop retail to a repping for number of Victorian breweries, and has since become chair of the Independent Brewers Association (IBA).The first half of the episode focuses on the IBA’s advocacy work both before and after the federal election, while the second half covers Evin’s role at Bright Brewery, the brewery’s recent growth and acquisition of a Melbourne pub, and what it takes to sell beer – and indie beer’s message – to the country’s retailers.

Before getting into the main interview, Will and James discuss the week’s news from Tumut, which they’d visited as part of a podcast-filled road trip. The main topic is UK-based Powder Monkey Group buying Akasha and Wayward, which will become part of an Australian portfolio that already includes Southern Highlands Brewing Company and Willie the Boatman, while we also announce June’s Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month.

*Start of segments:*

* 06:01 – Evin Craney Part 1
* 21:36 – Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month
* 23:52 – Evin Craney Part 2

“I think Seven Sheds was a bit like the Velvet Underground. It’s been said about the Velvet Underground that they didn’t sell many records, but every second person who bought a record went off and started their own band. And I think we were a bit influential… to our own detriment.”

Less than a year on from the first episode of The Crafty Pint Podcast, we’ve reached our 50th show, and mark the occasion with suitably distinguished guests.

While many who first discovered craft beer in recent years may never have encountered Seven Sheds, or indeed co-founder and head brewer Willie Simpson, those who have enjoyed their beers or read Willie’s words will be well aware of the vital role he played in bringing beer – and respect for it – to a wider audience.

A few weeks ago, Willie and partner Catherine Stark bade farewell to cellar door customers for the last time, bringing to a close 17 years of brewing and pouring at their home in Railton, all while helping build the region’s tourism infrastructure.

They joined us for a broad-ranging chat that covers Willie’s homebrewing days in Sydney and lengthy career as a freelance drinks writer, their decision to open a tiny residential brewery, meadery, hop garden and cellar door in Railton, the bureaucracy crushing small businesses, brewing beers with home-smoked peat bought from a guy called Pete, the beauty of open fermenters, the toilet tax and more.

The start of the episode sees Will and James discussing the week’s news, although once again doing so a few hours before we could confirm Rocky Ridge were the buyers of Fox Friday’s Perth outpost.

In non-Mountain Culture-related news, there was our Brew & A with Tim Howard – the head brewer at double AIBA trophy-winners Merino Brewery, a feature on the man behind the beers at Bicheno Brewing on the Tasmanian East Coast, and a heads-up for three upcoming Crafty Pint events at BentSpoke, KAIJU! and Slipstream, each with discounts for our beer club members.

We reveal the identity of the latest “good beer citizen” in our Have You Done A Rallings? campaign and, given we’ve racked up 50 episodes, we’re also keen for feedback from listeners / viewers and have launched a survey so you can tell us what you think of the show.

Start of segments:

• 10:41 – Willie & Catherine Part 1
• 36:19 – Have You Done A Rallings?
• 38:32 – Willie & Catherine 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've done some really hop-forward, Brettanomyces-fermented beers which have been really neat with Vic Secret too, just the way that the Brett biotransforms some of the compounds in Vic Secret is pretty cool."

In partnership with HPA, Australia's leading hop grower, we've created a series of podcast episodes – an Aussie Hop Series – looking closely at some of the country's most recognised and impactful hop varieties.

Over the course of the series, we've spoken to leading brewers from across Australia and abroad, as well as experts from HPA, discussing their experience with these hops, what they've learned along the way, as well as some technical tips and tricks to maximise the impact of these hops in their beers.

We wrap up the series in the company of Zach Nichols, owner and brewer at Cellar West in Colorado, and Chris Swersey from HPA. The hop in question is Vic Secret, known for its pine and pineapple qualities.

Zach and Chris talk to host Craig Williams about how and where the hop works best, the hugely diverse range of beers in which Vic Secret is used by Cellar West, how Chris first came across the variety, how the "oil monster" evolved over the years, and more.

For more information on HPA and their range of hops, visit hops.com.au.

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