Radio Brews News

As part of the 2019 northern hemisphere hop harvest we joined Bintani as they travelled to the US to make their final selections from the Autumn crops. We headed north from Portland, Oregon to the Yakima Valley in Washington State just after the competition of the harvest and were granted a rare insight into the wonderful world of hop breeding and development and the process by which the harvested fresh hops are assessed and then selected before being processing. The first stop is CLS Farms in Moxee in the Yakima Valley. The Desmarais and family has been farming the land here for five generations and while they produce some of the state’s best cherries, apricots, peaches and plums, it is hop production for which they are rightly renowned. Eric Desmarais, in this wide ranging chat, takes us through the farms’ history and his family’s connection to the land as well as the ways in which they have made the business more sustainable as both a farm and as an employer through a progressive agronomic approach, cutt

This conversation is a very deep dive into the industry and the stories behind it as we chat with Doug Donelan, who recently retired from his role as CEO at New Zealand Hops. After a varied career, that included falling in love with home brew, Doug got his start as an apprentice brewer under Chuck Hahn at the original Hahn Brewery in 1990. He saw the triumphs and the challenges that saw the business eventually go into receivership before being purchased by Tooheys. Deciding to stay on Doug worked in product development roles before being tapped on the shoulder to re-join Chuck as he launched what we now know as the James Squire brand at the Malt Shovel Brewery. He worked there in the early days of Australia’s craft brewery renaissance before spending the last 13 years as head of New Zealand hops. In a similar vein to our chats with Jamie Cook and Phil Sexton, this is a wide ranging chat the looks at the modern evolution of beer and the rise of craft brewing, as well as the development of the New Zealand h

She's finally back! Zoe Ottaway from Totem Marketing joins Matt and Pete this week and weighs in everything from pregnancy warning labels to the 2019 Australian Craft Beer Survey.  Indie Beer Day Indie brewers face $100m bill for pregnancy risk labels Consumers want larger packs finds Beer Cartel survey Beer on the agenda at Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt. With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world’s best local and imported malts. Your premium brewing partner and proud supporters of Brews News. We thank Rallings Labels and Stickers for sponsoring this podcast. Call Rallings on 1300 852 235 to discover a more efficient way to get your small batch canning labels done. We also thank Unleashed Software for supporting the show. Unleashed is more than inventory management software. It’s a system that runs your whole business operations and gives you an unfair brewing advantage. Learn how Unleashed can help you ru

This is part two of our special edition of Beer is a Conversation, a chat with Akasha’s Dave Padden recorded live at My Beer Dealer. Thanks to Antoinette, Matt and Les at My Beer Dealer for hosting us - and congratulations on your first year. We will be recording more live chats there, so please let us know how the live chat translates to podcast so we can continue to improve how we do it. Enjoy part two of Dave Padden live from My Beer Dealer. Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt. With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world’s best local and imported malts. Your premium brewing partner and proud supporters of Brews News. We also thank Unleashed Software for supporting the show. Unleashed is more than inventory management software. It’s a system that runs your whole business operations and gives you an unfair brewing advantage. Learn how Unleashed can help you run and grow your brewery.  If you like what we do at Radio Brews News you can help us out by: Spo

This is part one of our special edition of Beer is a Conversation a chat with Akasha’s Dave Padden, to borrow a phrase, recorded live in front of a studio audience This conversation took place as part of the first birthday celebrations at Brisbane’s My Beer Dealer, one of Brisbane’s best bottleshops. We were invited to record a live chat with Dave to discuss many things, including a special two-way collaboration with Hop Nation to celebrate the birthday. It’s a very wide ranging chat that we have split into two parts, looking at Dave’s progression from a systems engineer to ‘falling hard’ for beer and taking up home brewing, to progressing to his own brewery, to moving on and the challenges and learnings around that and then starting his current brewery Akasha. We look at his approach to brewing, his love of hops, the rapidly evolving beer scene and whether he will ever brew a milkshake IPA. Thanks to Antoinette, Matt and Les at My Beer Dealer for hosting us - and congratulations on your first year. We wi

Thanks to Bintani this is a special edition of Beer is a Conversation. As part of the 2019 northern hemisphere hop harvest, Matt and Pete went with Bintani to the US to make their final selections from the autumn crops. While there they made a visit to the Portland HQ of Indi Hops. A relatively new kid on the block, Indi Hops is an overnight success story 10 years in the making. The company began with a hop breeding program launched at Oregon State University back in 2009 which grew to include Oregon's first post farm hop processing facility and an experimental hop program. Co-founder Jim Solberg and first employee Matt Sage are avid craft beer lovers and as this chat shows they bring a wealth of business and brewing experience to Indi Hops. Jim and Matt generously share their very different background stories before introducing us to Strata and Meridian - the latest hop varietals for which high hopes are held. Enjoy the conversation. Enjoy the conversation. If you like what we do at Radio Brews News yo

Several beers receive ABAC's judgement as Pete and Matt discuss the news of the week.  Craft pioneer returns to helm of Matilda Bay ABAC rules against Joker-themed beer and citrus IPA Spike in packaging complaints dominates ABAC report Colorado’s oldest craft brewery is downsizing, ending distribution and laying off 21 employees Pure Blonde goes organic with transparency campaign Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt. With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world’s best local and imported malts. Your premium brewing partner and proud supporters of Brews News. We thank Rallings Labels and Stickers for sponsoring this podcast. Call Rallings on 1300 852 235 to discover a more efficient way to get your small batch canning labels done. Brews News you can help us out by: Sponsoring the show Reviewing us on iTunes or your favourite podcasting service Emailing us at producer@brewsnews.com.au to share your thoughts All letter writers will receive a brews

Thanks to Bintani we were able to take Radio Brews News to BrewCon and capture a little of what was on offer to those who were lucky enough to get to Australian craft brewing’s annual conference and trade show. In this episode we chat with Ruth Leary from Fermentis. Ruth holds a Bachelor of Science degree in food science from Otago University and also an IBD Diploma in Brewing. Ruth studied fermentation science as a post grad and fell in love with beer when she started at Lion Brewery in New Zealand in 2002. First in the technical team and then as a yeast propagator. She is now the Regional Sales Manager for Fermentis. We chat about her career starting at Lion in 2002 and her experiences in the beer industry joining a very male dominated business in the early 2000s. Then we take a look at yeast and learn a little about what's happening in yeast development in a hazy beer world. BrewCon 2020 will take place on September 21 and 22 next year. Enjoy the conversation. If you like what we do at Radio Brews New

Thanks to Bintani we were able to take Radio Brews News to BrewCon and capture a little of what was on offer to those who were lucky enough to get to Australian craft brewing’s annual conference and trade show. In this episode we chat with Kegstar's Kevin Dinn and Andrew Higginbotham. There has been a lot of talk about smart kegs over the last few years - kegs that are able to report back to base about where they are, their temperature, and even whether they are full or empty. Despite all of that talk, nothing has yet hit the market. But with Kegstar announcing it is ready to roll out scan free keg tracking, we use this opportunity to catch up with Kegstar's Chief Technology Officer and learn about what they're doing and what's possible, and what's likely in the smart keg space. While we're chatting with Kegstar, we also catch up with General Manager Andrew Higginbotham to update the chat we had with him at GABS earlier this year about demand for smaller kegs post 1 July. If you're in the business of movin

Beer is a Conversation is our weekly sit down with some of the people who make the beer industry the interesting and dynamic thing that it is and through these conversations we dig a little deeper into the stories behind the business of beer and brewing. This week we chat with Luke Corbin who is brewing with Myanmar’s first modern brewery, Burbrit Brewery. This conversation came out of a chance meeting at the recent SEA Brew conference in Bangkok. Luke is a home brewer - one of the founders of Melbourne’s Merri Mashers homebrew club. He’s also a PhD candidate in Anthropology at the College of Asia & the Pacific, Australian National University. He came to be in Myanmar as part of his doctoral fieldwork and ended up working for the country’s first modern brewery. This is a fascinating chat about beer, brewing and the drinking culture in a very exotic location. Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt. With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world’s best local and imp

In one of the biggest news stories of the year, Phil Sexton is returning to take control of the Matilda Bay brand nearly 30 years after leaving the brewery he founded. Sexton, who founded Matilda Bay Brewing in 1983 before seeing it purchased by what is now CUB in 1990, has announced plans to open a Matilda Bay brewpub in Healesville, an hour east of Melbourne, in partnership with CUB. You can read the full story on Brews News here, and we managed to catch up with Phil today to learn about the history of Matilda Bay and how he came to approach CUB to partner with them on this project. It's a fascinating chat with a pioneer of craft beer in Australia about his plans for a storied beer brand.  

The boys are back in Oz this week discussing all the big news stories.  James Squire and Pirate Life face ABAC panel Hard Seltzers and Small Brewers  Link to Brewbound Brew Talk 'Spirits are seen to be sinful': Gin and vodka taxes pay for cheap beer and wine Baltimore brewers clap back at review culture with ‘2 Stars Not My Style’ sour  Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt. With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world’s best local and imported malts. Your premium brewing partner and proud supporters of Brews News. We thank Rallings Labels and Stickers for sponsoring this podcast. Call Rallings on 1300 852 235 to discover a more efficient way to get your small batch canning labels done. Lastly we thank Unleashed Software for supporting the show. Unleashed is more than inventory management software. It’s a system that runs your whole business operations and gives you an unfair brewing advantage. Learn how Unleashed can help you run and grow your brew

Thanks to Bintani we were able to take Radio Brews News to BrewCon and capture a little of what was on offer to those who were lucky enough to get to Australian craft brewing’s annual conference and trade show. In this episode we chat with Colonial Brewing's Marketing and Communications Manager Jenna Godley. Jenna has extensive experience in sponsorship and communications and has brought that background to her work at Colonial. As smaller breweries strive to stand out from the crowd, innovative sponsorships are increasingly how they are doing it. Colonial was one of the first small breweries to partner with a major football team when they teamed up with Essendon. Jenna was on a BrewCon panel sharing insights and strategies from the sports business world that can be applied and replicated for breweries in the craft beer industry. This chat is a must for anyone responsible for building their businesses brand through partnerships. Enjoy the conversation. If you like what we do at Radio Brews News you can hel

Pete and Matt coming to you direct from San Francisco with the big news of the week. Drinks companies worldwide could lose more than US$430 billion in brand value if plain packaging laws are extended to alcohol Good Beer Week 2020 open for business Nostalgia and the rise of Reschs and Emu Export Greg Koch responds to UK watchdog group's "feelings" towards Arrogant Bastard Ale Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt. With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world’s best local and imported malts. Your premium brewing partner and proud supporters of Brews News. We thank Rallings Labels and Stickers for sponsoring this podcast. Call Rallings on 1300 852 235 to discover a more efficient way to get your small batch canning labels done. If you like what we do at Radio Brews News you can help us out by: Sponsoring the show Reviewing us on iTunes or your favourite podcasting service Emailing us at producer@brewsnews.com.au to share your thoughts All letter wr

This week Matt chats with Phillip Rankmore, Head Brewer at South Korea's Budnamu Brewery in Gangneung. Phil was at the recent SEA Brew Conference in Bangkok and he told a fascinating story that took him from volunteering to do work experience under Dave Padden at Riverside Brewing in Sydney to Berlin and then to getting a job as brewer during a 2 day lay over in Seoul on the very day that brewing was legalised in South Korea. It sees him starting up the Korean Goose Island Brewery and also growing his own rice to make beer. Enjoy the conversation. Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt. With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world’s best local and imported malts. Your premium brewing partner and proud supporters of Brews News. We thank Rallings Labels and Stickers for sponsoring this podcast. Call Rallings on 1300 852 235 to discover a more efficient way to get your small batch canning labels done. Lastly we thank Unleashed Software for supporting the show. Un

Thanks to Bintani we were able to take Radio Brews News to BrewCon and capture a little of what was on offer to those who were lucky enough to get to Australian craft brewing’s annual conference and trade show. In this episode we chat with intellectual property lawyer James Omond from Omond and Co. While it wasn’t on the BrewCon program, during BrewCon James had an article published in the Fairfax papers looking at talks that have started with the European Union over the use of geographical indications. I wanted to sit down and find out more about this and how it could affect brewers and whether locally produced Munich Helles will have to change its name to Australian sparkling lager. As craft beer matures, these are always interesting topics and James is an expert on the subject. BrewCon 2020 will take place on September 21 and 22 next year. Enjoy the conversation. If you like what we do at Radio Brews News you can help us out by: Sponsoring the show Reviewing us on iTunes or your favourite podcast

Thanks to Bintani we were able to take Radio Brews News to BrewCon and capture a little of what was on offer to those who were lucky enough to get to Australian craft brewing’s annual conference and trade show. In this episode we chat with Weyermann Malt’s Axel Jany. Axel is an international customer consultant for Weyermann but when we sat down to speak I was intrigued that he was a beer sommelier, something I don’t associate with German beer, so I ask him about that and what follows is a wide ranging chat about German beer culture, how it is facing the challenges of the hop-driven craft beer wave, naming conventions and whether Berliner Weisse is an appropriate style name for a beer brewed other than in Berlin, and - of course - malt and the influence that malt and terroir can play in a beer.. It’s a great chat with a passionate character in the craft beer world, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. BrewCon 2020 will take place on September 21 and 22 next year. Enjoy the conversation. If you like

Matt and Pete impart their chemistry and wit on the news of the week.  Pressure forces government back down over fire levy Brewers urged to prepare for NSW container deposit scheme deadline Mid-strength, no and low alcohol beers make up 25% of CUB sales Wolf’s new lair Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt. With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world’s best local and imported malts. Your premium brewing partner and proud supporters of Brews News. We thank Rallings Labels and Stickers for sponsoring this podcast. Call Rallings on 1300 852 235 to discover a more efficient way to get your small batch canning labels done. Lastly we thank Unleashed Software for supporting the show. Unleashed is more than inventory management software. It’s a system that runs your whole business operations and gives you an unfair brewing advantage. Learn how Unleashed can help you run and grow your brewery.  If you like what we do at Radio Brews News you can help us out by

This week we sat down to chat with Green Beacon’s Johann van der Walt to talk about using experimental hops and got much more that expected from a brewer who has proved to be a reluctant podcast guest in the past. You will hear a brewer talking effusively and passionately about his background, how he got into brewing, his progression to become head brewer at Green Beacon and his approach to crafting a beer... and also to making beers with experimental hops. Watch the art and science of hop breeding from Dr Simon Whittock, HPA's Hop Breeder. Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt. With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world’s best local and imported malts. Your premium brewing partner and proud supporters of Brews News. We thank Rallings Labels and Stickers for sponsoring this podcast. Call Rallings on 1300 852 235 to discover a more efficient way to get your small batch canning labels done. If you like what we do at Radio Brews News you can help us out by: S

Thanks to Bintani we were able to take Radio Brews News to BrewCon and capture a little of what was on offer to those who were lucky enough to get to Australian craft brewing’s annual conference and trade show. In this episode we chat with Accountant Maria Pearman whose BrewCon presentation was on the proper costing for beer. Maria is a CPA with a professional understanding of the running of breweries. She teaches finance and accounting for the craft brewer and her book, Small Brewery Finance: Accounting Principles and Planning for the Craft Brewer is about to be published on 4 October...and if you’re a US Brewer’s Association member and you’re quick, you can save 30% on preorders before Monday 23rd September. Maria discusses the lessons small brewers need to learn about finance in their brewery...and how much beer actually costs to produce. BrewCon 2020 will take place on September 21 and 22 next year. Enjoy the conversation. If you like what we do at Radio Brews News you can help us out by: Sponsori