The Crafty Pint Podcast

"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 [https://craftypint.com/news/3959/five-barrel-ten-lessons-from-ten-years], 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 [https://craftypint.com/business/1320/abbl-brewery-management-software] 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 [https://craftypint.com/news/3995/margaret-rivers-bines-amid-the-vines] of Margaret River Hops, part two [https://craftypint.com/news/3996/crafty-crawls-melbournes-metro-tunnel-part-ii] of our Metro Tunnel Crafty Crawl, the new-look Molly Rose [https://craftypint.com/brewery/457/molly-rose-brewing], and our jam-packed, inspiring trip to NSW [https://www.instagram.com/p/DVKgZ12k-wG/?img_index=1]. 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 [https://www.bowimi.com/crafty-pint/]: 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 craig@craftypint.com.

"I really love this industry and I love the people." Steve Jeffares requires no introduction for pretty much anyone working in the Australian beer world – or, for that matter, for many of the country's beer drinkers. Since relaunching his pub in St Kilda as The Local Taphouse back in 2008, inspired by legendary US venues like Toronado, he's been part of the small team responsible for creating the GABS festivals and Hottest 100, as well as Stomping Ground Brewery and its multiple venues. Last year, he struck out on his own to create a new venue [https://craftypint.com/news/3967/creating-a-venue-iv-huzzah-at-last] with beer at its core: Huzzah [https://craftypint.com/bar/1503/huzzah] opened on the former site of Deed Brewing on January 2, combining indoor beer garden, dining areas, a vast bar, pool table, darts, bocce and more. And, while we discuss his approach to opening a hospo venue in 2026 compared to 2008 in this episode – how times have changed but how certain core principles remain the same – we also take the opportunity to pick the brains of this most experienced and creative of operators in other areas. The chat covers the rise of vast, homogenous hospitality groups and the opportunities this opens up for smaller, indie owners, his take on the future of GABS after the 2026 festivals were cancelled, and the health of the wider craft beer industry in Australia. Prior to welcoming Steve onto the show, we discuss James' new position [https://www.instagram.com/p/DUXKao9k0Gf/] as a director of the Independent Brewers Association as well as the week's news, including Kegstar's fresh bid [https://craftypint.com/news/3985/kegstar-resubmit-proposal-to-acquire-konvoy] to acquire Konvoy, our new Building A Brewery [https://craftypint.com/news/3987/building-a-brewery-striking-the-black-match] series, a feature on Hawkers' well-travelled head brewer [https://craftypint.com/news/3986/brew-and-a-alex-lovelock-hawkers] ahead of the brewery's 11th birthday, and the upcoming High Country Hop Technical Symposium [https://craftypint.com/news/3984/the-high-country-hops-technical-symposium-returns-for-2026-stones-jeremy-moynier-to-headline]. Start of segments: * 13:08 – Steve Jeffares Part 1 * 37:13 – Bowimi [https://www.bowimi.com/crafty-pint/] on Froth Distribution * 42:48 – Steve Jeffares 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 all from here, and we want to give back." When Ryefield Hops started producing hops commercially on land formerly used for dairy in the South Coast region, they were the first to do so in New South Wales. A decade on from launching the business, the family operation run by Jade McManus and Morgan and Karen Taylor remains the only grower in the state. Now the third largest producer of hops in the country, admittedly with just 0.5 percent of the market, they're standard-bearers when it comes to sustainability – in all facets of the business – and part of a small but growing band of indie suppliers working alongside the local brewing industry. James joined them at their farm in the beautiful Bemboka Valley just as much-needed rain arrived – thankfully wrapping up the chat just as the heavens really opened. The trio took him through the genesis of the project, their first customers (Batch and Wildflower), subsequent growth, installation of a pelletiser, and plans for the future. They addressed the challenges of being first-generation farmers, dealing with buying plants that weren't as advertised, the steps they take to give back to the land as well as their local community, their delight at seeing Ryefield Hops [https://craftypint.com/business/1492/ryefield-hops] introduced into core range beers, and partnering with fellow indies [https://craftypint.com/news/3918/telling-the-story-of-local-indie-suppliers], such as Voyager Craft Malt and Mogwai Labs. The discussion of the week's news looks back at the weekend's Hottest 100 countdown [https://craftypint.com/news/3974/mountain-culture-maintain-the-status-quo-with-a-fourth-straight-gabs-hottest-100-win] and forward to the impending launch of The Beer Championships [https://craftypint.com/news/3975/leading-figures-in-aussie-beer-to-launch-new-awards-competition] – a new competition for the beer industry conceived by two of the country's best-known brewers and judges. Start of segments: * 13:51 – Ryefield Hops Part 1 * 36:59 – Enter the Royal Queensland Beer Awards * 38:04 – Ryefield Hops Part 2 To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"The whole craft beer industry is built around community." We wrap up The Year In Beer 2025 series with a look at what's been going on in the Canberra region and the Northern Territory. The episode kicks off with James and Will joined by Mat Farrington from CanBEERra [http://www.canbeerra.com/] for a discussion about openings and closures in and around the capital, some of the festivals large and small he's enjoyed in 2025, the growing prevalence of terpenes in beer and more. Sticking in Canberra, James is then joined by Paul Docherty from craft beer and pizza joint To All My Friends [https://craftypint.com/bar/990/to-all-my-friends] at the end of a year in which he and the team have created a number of collabs with some of their favourite brewers. The final stop for the series is at Purple Mango [https://purplemangocafe.com.au/], a brewery and café set in bushland just over an hour from Darwin on the way to Kakadu. Co-owner Adam Asanovski reflects on their ongoing expansion, use of local ingredients, and the challenge of trying to secure tap points in the Top End. We also reveal the final winner of the year in our Bluestone Yeast [https://bluestoneyeast.com.au/] Brewery of the Month campaign, with the podcast now taking a break until the second half of January. Thanks to everyone that's watched and listened; if you've any feedback, we'd love to hear from you via this survey [https://craftypint.com/news/3805/the-crafty-pint-podcast-tell-us-what-you-think]. Start of segments: * 2:45 – Mat Farrington * 20:09 – Paul Docherty * 34:07 – Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month * 37:36 – Adam Asanovski To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"Breweries who are spending time and effort on making their venue really good and increasing the quality of their beers are doing really well." Our audio-visual travels across the country continue as we reach Queensland in The Year In Beer 2025 series. First up, Will Ziebell is joined by Craig Williams and Mick Wüst, both of whom work with The Crafty Pint. Mick has long been a Crafty contributor, at one point based in Sydney but more recently back in Brisbane, while Craig looks after partnerships for the site as well as working with several indie brewers on the Sunshine Coast. The three of them discuss some of the highs, lows, trends and changes in Queensland's beer scene. James then speaks to Deale Stanley-Hunt and Gavin Croft from Slipstream Brewing [https://craftypint.com/brewery/363/slipstream-brewing-co]. Slipstream have enjoyed an incredible couple of years with several major trophies taking up residence in their Yeerongpilly brewery and taproom. As well as reflecting on another successful year, they talk about the impact of the taproom they opened on the Sunshine Coast late in 2024, their recent rebrand, favourite styles, and hopes for the future. Then it's back to Will, who catches up with Ivy Macario [https://craftypint.com/news/3198/craft-beers-next-generation] from Fortitude Valley's good-times haunt, the craft beer bar-meets-arcade-meets-diner that is Netherworld [https://www.netherworldarcade.com/], for a chat about their year in beer and ongoing efforts to support artists. In the middle of the show, we hear from Beer30 [https://craftypint.com/business/1322/the-5th-ingredient-beer30] with more of their tips for brewers. If you enjoy this episode, please like, subscribe, rate and review on whichever podcast platform you use. Start of segments: * 2:01 – Craig Williams & Mick Wüst * 24:12 – Deale Stanley-Hunt & Gavin Croft * 29:04 – Beer30 * 37:12 – Ivy Macario To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"People are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel." Having leapt all the way south and east from WA to Tassie, we find ourselves back in the middle of them for the third instalment of our state by state by territories tour of Australia for The Year In Beer 2025. Beer gurus Briony Liebich (Flavour Logic [https://craftypint.com/business/1402/flavour-logic]) and Steve Brockman (AMSAT Character Malts [https://craftypint.com/news/3273/amsat-adelaides-new-locally-focused-maltster] / Tour Dad) reprise their starring roles from 2024, casting their gaze far, wide and deep across the state's scene. While acknowledging it's been another tough year – Big Shed's announcement they'd been locked out of the brewery by their landlord came just after we recorded the chat – there's plenty more to cover, from the rise of small, often collaborative events to the growing popularity of local ingredients and advanced hop products. They're followed by Alex Marschall and Josh Talbot, who this year oversaw major expansion of Bowden Brewing [https://craftypint.com/news/3855/birthday-bonanza-a-bigger-bowden-brewing] on the one hand and celebrated ten years of indie-supporting beer bar NOLA [https://craftypint.com/bar/386/nola-adelaide] on the other. They discuss the changing beer scene, exploring new styles, and hopes to see indie brewers lead the next generation of beer festivals. Speaking of which, the duo behind Adelaide's biggest beer festival, Beer & BBQ [https://www.beerbbqfest.com.au/], are our final guests. Gareth Lewis and Aaron Sandow look back at the event's tenth anniversary, drop hints about its potential future, praise the loyalty of beer fans, and offer some tips for ways state governments can easily throw their weight behind local producers. This episode is presented by Mogwai Labs [https://www.mogwailabs.com.au/]. Start of segments: * 1:40 – Briony & Steve * 21:05 – Alex & Josh * 37: 36 – Aaron & Gareth To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

The state by state by territories part of The Year In Beer series kicks off, as ever, in Western Australia where we're joined by Crafty contributors Guy Southern and Jono Outred to give us the lowdown on the state's beer scene. Their wide-ranging report takes in chaos, collaboration and consolidation, beer venues gaining accolades in the wider hospo world, new openings and big name comebacks, fruity beers, West Coast pilsners, "naughty" beers and more. They're followed by Rocky Ridge [https://craftypint.com/brewery/334/rocky-ridge-brewing-co] co-founders Hamish Coates and Mel Holland, who reflect on a mammoth year for the brewery and its expanding venue offering. We discuss balancing acts, brewing 100-plus beers in a year, their focus on people, concerns about the potential impact of climate change on ingredients, and their desire to help others become more sustainable operators by sharing their learnings from over the years. Wrapping up the episode is Chris Bausor, who operates events company Bar Pop with wife Jemma. They celebrated ten years of Froth Town [https://www.froth.town/] this year, enjoying rare ongoing success in the challenging major events space. As his team prepared to host Franz Ferdinand at the Ice Cream Factory, Chris spoke about the importance of keeping the "Holy Trinity" happy as well as the decisions they face about where to take the festival in its second decade. We also unveil the latest good beer citizen in our Have You Done A Rallings? campaign [https://craftypint.com/rallings]. The Year In Beer 2025 series will run every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until December 23. After that, we'll be taking a few weeks off before The Crafty Pint Podcast returns in the second half of January. If you enjoy this episode, or indeed any of the 50ish we've published in 2025, please like, subscribe, rate and review – think of it as an early Christmas present for us! Start of segments: * 1:53 – Guy Southern & Jono Outred * 27:22 – Have You Done A Rallings? * 31:18 – Mel Holland & Hamish Coates * 43:41 – Chris Bausor To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.

"Little Creatures is iconic, and I think we'll always have that iconic status." Ask people who've been working in, or merely enjoying the delights of, the Aussie beer world for a decade or more which beers turned them onto craft beer in the first place, and if any beer is referenced more than Little Creatures Pale Ale we'd be surprised, if not amazed. Little wonder then that Russell Gosling, head brewer at the brewery he joined two decades ago, uses the word "iconic" in this episode – timed to coincide with the Freo-based operation's 25th anniversary. The impact of that beer, and indeed the the Little Creatures approach to hospitality, has been game-changing – arguably only Stone & Wood's Pacific Ale has come close since. Russell joined us from Freo amid the "chaos" as a major overhaul of the brewery's original site nears completion – at the same time as a Little Creatures brewpub opens in Perth's Elizabeth Quay. As well as discussing the challenges of stewarding Little Creatures Pale Ale [https://craftypint.com/news/1273/the-story-of-little-creatures-pale-ale] through the years, we look back to the brewery's earlier days, its evolution – half of which has been as part of Lion, his favourite beers – including some that never took off, recent projects involving the regen agriculture space, and the excitement that came with working amid a group of pioneers aiming to change beer culture in Australia. We also head back in time pre-Creatures to Russell's earlier days as a brewer in the UK, where he notched up spells at marquee breweries such as Harvey's, Fuller's, and his hometown heroes Everards. With Will on holiday, James was joined by Guy Southern, one of our WA contributors and a man with his fingers in pretty much every beer-flavoured pie in the state. He provides some local context on the way Little Creatures has influenced so much and so many, as well as chatting about this week's other stories on the main Crafty site: a look at the growing importance of events [https://craftypint.com/news/3938/roll-up-roll-up-how-events-are-keeping-taprooms-pumping] to beer venues; the opening of 27 South's taproom [https://craftypint.com/news/3943/27-south-brewings-brisbane-taproom-opening-this-week] in Brisbane; and soon-to-open Melbourne bar Donny's [https://craftypint.com/news/3936/the-beer-slingers-donnys]. If you enjoy the show, please like, subscribe, rate and review. Start of segments: * 15:25 – Russell Gosling Part 1 * 35:51 – Russell Gosling Part 2 To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.