The Crafty Pint Podcast

• Behind The Scenes At The CIBD Convention 2025

  In early March, The Crafty Pint headed to Hobart for the 38th Chartered Institute of Brewers and Distillers Asia Pacific Convention. The event brings together brewers, distillers and suppliers from all over the globe for several days of technical presentations and networking with the aim of improving standards and education for technical brewers and distillers.To provide a behind-the-scenes slice of what CIBD is all about, we recorded three distinct, shorter-than-usual podcast interviews for this episode.First up, you’ll hear Will and Craig chat to CIBD CEO Tom Shelston and president Dr Megan Sheehy PhD about the organisation's purpose, history and why there’s now a C in front of IBD. Next up is Carlos Ruiz, chief sales officer at HVG, a major German hop grower and supplier. Against the backdrop of the craft lager renaissance, we wanted to pick his brains about the growing interest from craft brewers in traditional German hops as well as his impressive journey in the Bavarian beer industry, one that starts in Venezuela.Finally, we look more locally and talk to Tim Bishop, co-founder and head brewer at Easy Tiger, about his experience at CIBD and his brewery’s story. Based on Tassie’s northeast coast, the brewery is as tiny as it is unique, complete with a café, multiple restaurants and a cinema. Ahead of those chats, James and Will cover the industry’s recent news, including Last Man Standing's takeover of the former home of Newstead, and Nail Brewing’s impending 25th anniversary.We’re excited to announce that Pint of Origin is return for a thirteenth time – touching down in Melbourne from May 8 to 19, and to bring back Bintani's Sam Bethune with more ways breweries can get the most out of their ingredients. We’re also eager to see more submissions for the Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month and our Have You Done A Rallings? campaign celebrating the country's good beer citizens.Start of segments: 14:26 – Tom Shelston & Dr Megan Sheehy 27:37 – Bintani Brewery Booster 31:29 – Carlos Ruiz 54: 55 – Tim BishopRelevant links: CIBD Hobart HVG Easy Tiger Last Man Standing Take Over Newstead Tough As Nail Pint of Origin 2025 Bintani Nominate a good beer citizen Nominate a Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the MonthTo find out more about supporting the show or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact [email protected].

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  1:10:07
• Beer Tourism On The Brookie Trail

  Beer tourism was back on the cards in 2024 in a big way – locally, at least, as we noted in our Year in Beer 2024 wrap. A number of new ale trails popped up, with those in WA's South West, Newcastle and the enhanced Inner West Ale Trail joining well-established ventures in places such as the NSW South Coast and Collingwood.Already in 2025, they’ve been joined by the Brookie Trail, which formalised the unofficial trek between the breweries of Brookvale. Not only is it the country’s newest at time of writing, it has to be the easiest to take on: many of the venues are within easy eyesight of each other.To find out how it came about, what it’s all about, and to learn more about beer businesses can work in harmony to bring visitors through all of their doors, we paid a visit, catching up with Freshwater Brewing co-founder Jonny Bucknall and 7th Day Brewery GM Joel Ridzuan (who had to travel an arduous 60m from brewery door to brewery door).As well as picking their brains about Brookie, beer tourism, and how they got the trail off the ground, we delve into their stories, the diversity the area’s breweries bring, the challenges of operating as a small beer business in 2025, and what the local Macca’s carpark needs to do to qualify for the trail.Prior to the main interview, we reflect on another tough few days in the beer industry. First, Brisbane pioneers Newstead Brewing closed their doors for good suddenly after trying to navigate years of endless unforeseen challenges; days later, Konvoy Kegs was placed into receivership after their main lender cut off funding.Rather more upbeat is the tale out of WA, where the founders of Funk Drinks Co. – best known for their ciders – have launched their first beer brewed with grains grown on their farm and malted locally too, while expressions of interest are now open for Sydney Beer Week, and you can still nominate for our second Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month.Start of segments: 9:17 – Jonny & Joel Part 1 31:00 – Rockstar Brewery Academy 37:36 – – Jonny & Joel Part 2 Relevant links: Crafty's Year in Beer 2024 Freshwater Brewing 7th Day Brewery The Brookie Trail Newstead Closes For Good Konvoy Kegs Go Into Receivership Funk Farmers Go Paddock To Pint Sydney Beer Week Nominate a Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month Rockstar Brewer AcademyTo find out more about supporting the show or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact [email protected].

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  1:07:21
• (Gluten) Free To Do What I Want

  TWØBAYS weren’t the first gluten-free brewers in Australia, but they’ve certainly done their bit when it comes to putting Australian gluten-free beer on the map, not least when their Session Ale was named best GF beer on the planet at last year’s World Beer Cup in the States.Before achieving that prestigious high, they’d already become the first indie brewer to breach the macro-booze citadel that is the MCG – a move that has opened more doors for them – and set about changing people’s perceptions as to what beers brewed without barley and a range of other malts typically used in brewing can be.Ahead of their 2025 Free The Taps event, at which some of the country’s best beer venues are hosting TWØBAYS tap takeovers during Coeliac Awareness Week, we joined founder Richard Jeffares and head brewer Kristian Martin at the brewery’s Dromana home.As well as hearing about Richard’s journey from coeliac diagnosis relatively late in life to brewery owner via tours of GF breweries in the US, we discuss the ethos driving the business, the challenges of brewing with atypical ingredients, and their lofty – yet entirely reasonable – goals for the future.Before we get to Richard and Kristian, we discuss Labor’s latest election promise to the beer world, Slipstream’s success at this year’s Royal Queensland awards – plus our “Slays Beer” feature on the young brewer behind their green Pandan-Monium beer, the recent openings of Rocky Ridge Duncraig and the new Bracket Brewing, Bright’s move into the heart of Melbourne, the closing of entries for this year’s Australian International Beer Awards and more.We also celebrate more good beer citizens with the second winner in our "Have You Done A Rallings?" campaign: Russell Steele, from Easy Times Brewing in Brisbane.Start of segments: 15:47 – Richard & Kristian Part 1 42.48 – Have You Done A Rallings? 46.14 – Richard & Kristian Part 2Relevant links: TWØBAYS' World Beer Cup Gold Free The Taps Labor Boost Their Election Promise Slipstream's Awards Success John Nguyen Slays Beer Bracket Brewing Are Back Rocky Ridge Duncraig Opens Bright Buy PAs In Carlton Have You Done A Rallings? The High Country Hop 2025To find out more about supporting the show or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact [email protected].

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  1:29:51
• Take The Good Times & Make Them Better

  “Citra is like salt – you kinda need it… but also we have a lot contracted so we need to get through it!”Banks Brewing hold a place in many Aussie beer drinkers’ hearts, not least as one of the country’s finest brewers of all things hop-forward and hazy. Yet the Seaford brewery launched by Chris and Penny Farmer back in 2016 has – usually without fanfare – pioneered many other styles and techniques over the years.These days, West Coast pilsners are at the very top of both Chris and Penny’s list of favoured beers; we wrote about them alongside Cali IPAs in late 2024, yet they released their first all the way back in 2018. That beer was inspired by one of many fact-finding missions (holidays?) to the States, and a fondness for studying what’s happening in other beer cultures is often behind their desire to keep pushing forwards.We sat down with the couple at their brewery, one that’s much-changed from its earliest days. Then, they only ever envisaged having a tiny, winery-esque cellar door before they realised very eager drinkers wanted more, which has led to Banks – formerly Mr Banks – evolving and expanding ever since.We discuss building a business alongside a young family, the beers that showed them who they were as a brewery, the beauty of collaborations, forging new outlets, constant renewal, and their brush with a Hollywood icon.Before we get to that, however, we discuss the moment Albo seemed to offer hope for small producers in an election promise only to dash those hopes once the details were revealed. And Will talks about a good news story from the Central Coast, where Six String have this week opened their new venue ready to host live music once more.We also reveal the first winner of the Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month: Cypher Brewing in Canberra.Start of segments: 9:30 – Chris & Penny Part 1 32:24 – Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month 37:58 – Chris & Penny Part 2Relevant links: Banks Brewing Labor's Promise Too Little, Too Late Six String's Big Move Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month Cypher Brewing Have You Done A Rallings? OPM DesignTo find out more about supporting the show or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact [email protected].

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  1:07:55
• Shapeshifter & Their Fun, Hoppy, Modern Beers

  "I think we got tagged early on as a hype brewery. We're not afraid to say that we were."In the words of Willie Nelson, we’re on the road again for this episode – or at least we were – as our chat with James McCall and Carla Naismith of Shapeshifter Brewing is the last of the shows we recorded in Adelaide at the tail end of 2024.James founded the brewery with Kevin Mulcahy after the pair met on a brewing course run by SA legend Stephen Nelsen. They launched their first beers before opening a brewery and quickly made a name for themselves on the back of some banging oat cream IPAs.These days they brew and welcome punters to their brewpub home in Findon – part of a brewery circuit in Adelaide’s west – and continue to experiment with new styles, techniques, and ingredients, with a particular fondness for hops.As well as delving into their stories and the evolution of Shapeshifter, we discuss some of the issues still impacting many in the beer and hospitality negatively, as well as steps that can be taken to make it a more inclusive and welcoming industry.Prior to the main interview, Will and James discuss the week’s news, including Sydney Brewery’s acquisition of Rocks Brewing from liquidators, the inspiring tale of the mates behind Auslan Beers, and the continuing mainstream media coverage of the unfair excise tax system and its impact on brewers, venues, retailers and drinkers alike.Funnily enough, it was podcast regular Craig Williams – back here with Hendo for some more Rockstar Brewer Academy advice – who landed on the TV news and Sunrise off the back of a viral video he shot about beer’s “fifth ingredient” with his Blackflag Brewing hat on.Don’t forget to get your nominations in for the Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month and, if you’re in Sydney on February 26, James is hosting an Ale Trail Blind Tasting Face-Off at Hopsters. Just ten tickets left when this show was uploaded – ticket link below.Start of segments: 10:12 – James & Carla Part 1 32:13 – Rockstar Brewer Academy 38:21 – James & Carla Part 2Relevant links: Shapeshifter Brewing Brew & A: Carla Naismith Sydney Brewery Take Over Rocks Auslan Beers Beer Tax on TV Ale Trail Blind Tasting Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month The High Country Hop Rockstar Brewer Academy FOBOHTo find out more about supporting the show or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact [email protected].

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  1:00:43

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