The Crafty Pint Podcast

“When people are happy and passionate then the experiences that you have are just going to be better.”
The story of Molly Rose Brewing and the man behind it, Nic Sandery, has been one of constant evolution, all in the pursuit of delicious flavours and delightful experiences.
Launched initially as a subscription service while enough pennies were put away to open phase one of the brewery’s home in Collingwood, that original brewpub has since been joined by an ambitious, high-end bar, restaurant and beer garden, then a pilot brewery and rotovap for creating small-batch spirits.
By the time we sat down with Nic for the show – almost a decade on from the first article he wrote for us as he embarked on global travels to study beer, food and drinking cultures around the world – Molly Rose had evolved once more. The team has revamped the “brew-restaurant” part of the venue into what the team refers to as “Collingwood beer hall chic”: more casual, more laid-back, more European in feel.
It felt like the perfect time to chat to one of the finest flavour merchants and most thoughtful figures in the beer world, not just to talk about the recent changes, but also his belief that people will always want nice things, his grandmothers’ values that infuse the business, the turbulence of recent years that saw Molly Rose restructure and go into liquidation at one point, and the importance of community and collaboration.
Prior to sitting down with Nic, we look back at the week that was – and a little further too: to the Royal Queensland Beer Awards and the good news that trophy-winners Happy Valley shared afterwards; a feature on KAIJU! brewer Kat Howes as she joined the brewery’s women to create a beer for International Women’s Day; a new beer history tour by one of our writers; Tilray’s purchase of BrewDog Australia; and our involvement in the upcoming High Country Hop Technical Symposium.
Start of segments: 0:00 – The Week On Crafty
14:22 – Nic Sandery Part 1
32:52 – Philter on their Australian International Beer Awards success – Part 1
33:55 – Nic Sandery Part 2
59:11 – AIBAs Part 2
To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact [email protected].

“The brewpub model has proven itself to be the right model over the last few years.”
Few people have been through as eventful a few years as Dave Padden. The founder of Akasha Brewing spearheaded a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2022 which enabled the acquisition of two new venues, only for one of them to later close overnight, followed by a period in voluntary administration, and a subsequent merger with fellow Sydney operation Wayward.
Soon afterwards, both businesses were acquired by the Powder Monkey Group, a UK-based operation whose Australian wing, headed by Southern Highlands Brewing founder Ben Twomey, now owns all of the above plus Willie the Boatman.
Confused? You’ve every reason to be, but help is at hand.
Dave is now the GM for Powder Monkey Australia, so we joined him at the soon-to-open Powder Monkey brewpub in Camden to find out how the brands are working together within the group, as well as what its founders’ goals are – both here and overseas.
We also trace his time in the beer industry, from the pioneering 77 and 777 IPAs he created at his first brewery, Riverside, to the recent roller-coaster at Akasha. And we explore his approach to brewing while seeking his thoughts on the state of the wider industry.
There was plenty for Will and James to discuss in this week’s intro too: the launch of HPA’s new hop Luna; Cheeky Monkey’s plans for a fourth venue; Loam and Voyager’s success at the 2026 Malt Cup; the launch of the Cross Keys Hotel in Newcastle; and Stoic’s acquisition of Bass Point Brewing in Shellharbour.
In fact, so much has happened in the week since our last show that we even forgot to talk about the launch of the lineup for our very own festival, Pint of Origin… Speaking of festivals, look out for a High Country Hop Technical Symposium preview with festival founder Ben Kraus midway through the show.
Start of segments: 0:00 – Intro
18:55 – Dave Padden Part 1
38:50 – The High Country Hop Technical Symposium
42:16 – Dave Padden Part 2
To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact [email protected].

In this exclusive series - The New Hop Order, presented by HPA - The Crafty Pint Podcast explores what’s happening on the cutting edge of hop innovation from breeding and processing to brewing.
In this episode, we’re celebrating the launch of Luna®, a new flavour hop from HPA’s powerhouse breeding program, tracking its fascinating 20-plus year journey to commercialisation with HPA’s Head of Breeding & Research Dr Simon Whittock.
We also talk with Bright Brewery’s Operations Manager Lewis Kerr, for his insights on the new hop.

“We built a business that was really there to be connected directly to the community, and I think we succeeded in that.”
There are plenty of family-owned and run businesses in the local beer world, but few in which so many family members are as directly involved as Five Barrel Brewing in Wollongong.
As if to prove the point, on the day we visited to record this podcast, Jane (mum) and Mike (dad) were setting up the bar and beer garden. Meanwhile, two of their three kids working in the business, Phil and Lucy, took a break from work to join us upstairs above the brewpub where, at various times, both Phil and his parents have lived. And it wasn’t long before brother Tim got a mention too, in relation to a new side business he and Phil have just launched (which we learned about from Mike).
The O’Sheas first opened Five Barrel in December 2015, just the second brewery in the Illawarra. Now, as they celebrate their first decade, they’re part of a far larger local beer scene, which itself forms the start of an ever-longer South Coast Ale Trail stretching most of the way to the Victorian border. It’s a scene in which they helped pave the way for the others, the evolution of which is just one of the topics covered in this episode.
As well as reflecting on the ten years-and-counting – from the early days pouring samples in a restricted tasting room, releasing Hoppy Amber, and winning best brewery at the 2016 Sydney Craft Beer Week – right through to the launch of brewery software platform Abbl and plans to find a new home in the coming years, Lucy and Phil share insights on all manner of subjects relevant to anyone working in the craft beer community – all in typically thoughtful style.
Prior to that chat, our look back on the week that was takes in our man in the South West’s day spent soaking up the sights and smells of Margaret River Hops, part two of our Metro Tunnel Crafty Crawl, the new-look Molly Rose, and our jam-packed, inspiring trip to NSW.
If you enjoy the show, please feel free to like and subscribe, rate and review wherever you watch or listen. And feel free to get in touch with ideas and feedback.
Start of segments:
0:00 – The Week On Crafty
12:56 – Lucy & Phil Part 1
34:21 – Bowimi: Managing Multiple Drinks Brands With An All-In-One Sales CRM
39:37 – Lucy & Phil Part 2
To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact [email protected].

“How rock n’ roll to take our largest space and fill it with 20,000 litres of barrel-aged beer.”
There’s little in Australian beer like Felons Brewing. First appearing as part of the Howard Smith Wharves (now Artemus Group) development on the Brisbane River as it flows under the iconic Story Bridge, the brewery’s home has steadily gobbled up more of the riverbank to the point its multiple venues can host thousands.
Since late 2024, they’ve been steadily taking over the equally iconic Manly Wharf, most recently opening the Barrel Room live music venue (in addition to the Barrel Hall in Brisbane) and a seafood restaurant for which they’ve devised a way to pour their lager at sub-zero temperatures for maximum crispiness.
Such grandiosity, especially in an era of frugality for many, might seem at odds with much of the indie beer industry. Yet, as our chat with head brewer Tom Champion and brand director Dean Romeo – two of the Little Creatures alumni brought into the business before it launched – shows, they’re community players, in beer and elsewhere, driven by a belief that a rising tide lifts all boats. Or, in this case, indie brewers.
What’s more, there are few breweries in Australia with similar potential to act as a first point of contact for newcomers to craft beer.
Our conversation takes in their story to date, their approach to hospitality, events and collaborations, maintaining one of the country’s largest barrel programs within such a large commercial entity, their thoughts on the wider beer industry, beer tourism and more.
On the eve of a trip to New South Wales to record more podcasts, catch up with beer world mates old and new, and host an event with Wildflower and Garage Project, Will and James open the show with a look at the week on Crafty: a new Crafty Crawl via Melbourne’s new Metro Tunnel; an entertaining tenth anniversary Brew & A with Young Henrys’ head brewer; and the launch of Allday Brewing by the mates behind Forward Hops beer importers.
Start of segments: 0:00 – The Week On Crafty
14:05 – Dean & Tom Part 1
44:08 – Pint of Origin Festival 2026 Promo
45:00 – Dean & Tom Part 2
To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact [email protected].