Drinks Adventures - Wine, beer, whisky, gin & more with James Atkinson

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer frontman Maynard James Keenan joins us to discuss the winemaking career he's had in parallel over the last 17 years.Maynard founded Arizona, USA wine company Caduceus Cellars and its affiliated label Merkin Vineyards in 2004.We spoke a little while ago now – on the eve of Joe Biden's inauguration as President.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresIt's a wide-ranging interview in which Maynard shares with you some of the winemaking projects currently exciting him at Caduceus, as well as his recent forays into making mead and cider.He gives you an overview of wine in Arizona, where the industry is still in its infancy but showing a lot of potential with its expressions of Mediterranean grape varieties.Maynard reveals how he cut his teeth on Australian wine and became a huge fan of Penfolds, which you previously heard featured on this show back in Season One.We talk about the untimely passing last year of Maynard's close friend, the hugely respected Adelaide Hills winemaker, Taras Ochota, who Maynard cites as his biggest influence in recent years.And, if you stick around to the end, Maynard updates you on Puscifer and how he's has been coping during these strange times of the COVID-19 pandemic.All tracks used in this episode are from the brilliant new Puscifer album, Existential Reckoning, released in October 2020.Thanks to Maynard for giving us the nod to use them in this episode.Oh, and beware, there is a language warning on some of these tunes.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Gin lover Caroline Childerley launched The Gin Queen in December 2013 to share her enthusiasm for gin and the people who make it.The website has since expanded to include cocktail recipes, interviews with distillers and distillery guides.It is now Australia's most influential website dedicated to all things gin. And last year, Caroline's efforts were recognised at the Icons of Gin Awards in London, where she was named communicator of the year.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresIn this episode, Caroline shares with you her insights on the evolution of gin in Australia, and her Top Ten Australian gins of 2020.But first, you'll hear how Caroline turned her passion for gin into a career.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.American beer writer Tom Acitelli is with us this episode to tell you all about his latest book.It's called Pilsner: How the Beer of Kings Changed the World and it's a character-driven narrative that shows how this one beer style influenced everything from modern-day advertising and marketing to the craft beer movement of recent decades.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresThe book shatters myths about the birth of pilsner, demonstrating that it's largely a German invention rather than a Czech one.Pilsner is something of a prequel to Tom's brilliant history of the American craft beer movement, The Audacity of Hops.So I took the opportunity to ask Tom about the current outlook for this industry sector in America, where conditions have gotten very difficult for the more than 8000 craft breweries that were operational when the pandemic hit in 2020.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Orlando Wines returned in October 2020 with icons such as Steingarten Riesling, Jacaranda Ridge Cabernet and Lawson’s Shiraz joined by some new wines that are fresh and on-trend, such as a Barossa Grenache and some contemporary-style chardonnays.Orlando chief winemaker Ben Thoman is with you on the Drinks Adventures podcast to tell you everything you need to know about the iconic brand's return.Founded by the Gramp family in 1847, Orlando was considered one of Australia's top producers of quality wine, winning more than 1000 awards and accolades since records began in the 1980s.In this special episode, Ben Thoman tells you all about the exciting new Orlando wines, which excel across the board in showcasing some of South Australia's leading wine regions.You'll also also hear some brilliant archive audio we managed to access that helps tell the story of Orlando; including excerpts from an interview with the late Colin Gramp, a hugely important figure in the Australian wine industry who passed away last year.I hope you enjoy this episode that we've been able to produce with the support of Orlando Wines.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks Adventures

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Following a controversial ownership change, McLaren Vale Distillery launched its debut single malt whiskies in late 2020.Jock Harvey of McLaren Vale winery Chalk Hill last year revealed he had taken full control of the distillery he co-founded in 2014 with John Rochfort.The split followed John's departure to set up another brand – Rochfort Distillery – which has since entered liquidation and become the subject of a legal dispute.You can read all about that on the website too.Jock is with us in this episode to tell you everything you need to know about the McLaren Vale whiskies, which will largely be matured in locally sourced red wine and fortified wine casks.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Cricket legend Ricky Ponting's new wine venture was understandably met with some scepticism when it was first announced.I'll admit that my initial reaction was, 'not another celebrity wine brand'. But I subsequently learnt that there was much more to Ponting Wines than one of those, shall we say cynical agreements where a famous person licenses their name and image in exchange for royalties on the resulting sales.On his retirement from test cricket in 2012, Ricky was gifted 41 bottles of Penfolds Grange by Cricket Australia – one for every test century he scored in his remarkable career.This certainly helped crystallise an interest in wine that Ricky and his wife Rhianna have since continued to explore in his retirement.Ricky and Rhianna are partners in Ponting Wines and they see it as a long-term venture that they can maybe one day pass on to their children.And they are working on this project with a very reputable winemaker. Ben Riggs has been in the winemaking game both in Australia and internationally for more than 35 years, initially at renowned McLaren Vale winery Wirra Wirra. And then later at his own company, Mr Riggs Wine Co., which he founded in 2001.Ben and the Pontings are working on the project with drinks industry veteran David Krenich, who spent 17 years in commercial and marketing roles at Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Wine expert Emilie Steckenborn founded the Bottled In China Podcast in 2016, to share the stories and adventures of passionate individuals in the Asian food and beverage scene.Emilie has lived in Shanghai, China for more than nine years. She previously worked at Summergate Fine Wines & Spirits, the Chinese importer founded by Ian Ford, with whom we discussed the China drinks industry more broadly in Season Five of the Drinks Adventures Podcast.Emilie oversees wine programs for top-tier businesses in Asia, including serving as the wine consultant for China Eastern Airlines.And she's also very knowledgeable about Chinese wine and the culture of wine appreciation in China.Emilie joins us to share this knowledge, and also tell us a bit more about Bottled In China. The show is already on my regular rotation, and in fact I'll be making an appearance in the coming weeks, so be sure to tune in and subscribe to Bottled In China, wherever you listen to podcasts.First up in this episode, I asked Emilie how she found her way from Canada to work in the wine industry in China.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Peter Lalor is chief cricket writer and beer editor at The Australian newspaper and has been a reporter for over 30 years.In recent weeks, The Australian published Peter's Top 20 Beers for 2020. It's the 17th consecutive year that he's had this honour, so I invited him onto the Drinks Adventures podcast for a chat about this impressive knock, and some of the beers that made this year's list.I couldn't talk to Peter with mentioning the somewhat unusual item on his CV: Purchaser of the most expensive beer in history.And we also touch on his podcasting debut as co-host of the Cricket, Et Cetera program with fellow cricket scribe, Gideon Haigh, and get his thoughts on Australia's upcoming test series against India.Subscribers to The Australian can access Peter's list by clicking here.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Best known for craft beers including Newtowner Australian Pale Ale, Young Henrys has been operating a distillery in parallel since 2015.However, likely because of the scale of Young Henrys brewing operation, its flagship Noble Cut Gin has flown somewhat under the radar.The company hopes that will change with an improved recipe for Noble Cut that was awarded a Gold Medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition earlier this year.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresAlso in 2020, Young Henrys launched the second iteration of its Barrel-Aged Gin along with another expression that looks set to become a permanent fixture in the range, Newtown Strength Gin.The company's new head distiller is Carla Daunton, who started at Young Henrys after previously learning distillation in her previous role at an ethanol facility.First up, you'll hear from Carla how she found her way into brewing and then distilling at Young Henrys.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.The NSW Wine Awards were created in 1996 to build awareness about the quality of the state's wines.Dave Brookes has been chief judge for the last four years and he joins us in this episode of the Drinks Adventures podcast.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresA highly accomplished wine writer and wine judge, Dave was Dux of the Len Evans Tutorial in 2011 and has judged at more than 70 shows globally.The 2020 edition of New South Wales Wine Awards took place in recent weeks and it was Dave's final year at the helm.As such, it's an appropriate juncture to meet Dave and find out what he reckons are some the most exciting wines coming out of NSW today, and other interesting trends and developments in NSW wine.Home to Australia’s oldest continuously operating wine region – the famous Hunter Valley – and exciting new cool climate regions such as Orange, the Southern Highlands and Tumbarumba, NSW produces a hugely diverse array of different wine styles.This is a special episode of Drinks Adventures, produced with the support of the NSW Wine Industry Association.I started by asking Dave how NSW wine has evolved during his tenure.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Wine expert Andrew Caillard MW has been a key figure in shaping Australia's fine wine agenda for over 25 years.Andrew is a wine marketing graduate of Roseworthy Agricultural College in South Australia and he passed the Master of Wine examination in 1993.He founded Langton's, Australia's leading wine auction house, which was acquired by Woolworths in 2009.Since then, Andrew has worked with Pinnacle Drinks, a division of Endeavour Drinks Australia – the Woolworths subsidiary behind retailers such as Dan Murphy's and BWS – as Fine Wine Principal.This year, Andrew published a new book called ‘Imagining Coonawarra’, which tells the story of how Wynns founder John Riddoch pioneered the Coonawarra wine region.I could go on about Andrew's highly decorated career. But today, he's here to talk about the debut of two Australian wines – Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon and Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz – on the prestigious international wine marketplace, La Place de Bordeaux.I started by asking Andrew why this milestone is so important for Australian wine.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks Adventures

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Bartender veteran Jason Crawley has been working with Squealing Pig on the launch of several new gin and wine hybrid products.When I launched this podcast back in 2018, I spoke about the fact that the drinks industry was in a state of flux.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresDrinkers are increasingly enjoying a wider repertoire of different beverages than ever before.And producers are responding with new and innovative products that increasingly blur the lines between beer, wine and spirits.Marlborough, NZ-based winery is owned by Treasury Wine Estates, the company behind Penfolds and Wynns, which have previously featured on this podcast.Squealing Pig Rose is the number one selling rose wine in the Australian market, and the Squealing Pig Pinot Noir is also a strong performer.The company has built on this success with the launch of several new hybrid products in the space of a year; a Rose Gin, a Pinot Noir Gin and now, the ginsecco premixes, which combine the same base gin with Squealing Pig Prosecco and soda in a 250ml slimline can.Jason has an unrivalled perspective on some of these exciting trends we've been speaking about on the Drinks Adventures podcast.He joins us in this bonus episode sponsored by Squealing Pig.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Renowned for its fine wine and craft beer, Victoria's High Country region can now claim whisky among its regional specialties.Backwoods Distilling was founded in 2017 by husband-and-wife team Leigh and Bree Attwood in the small town of Yackandandah.Backwoods' whiskies are produced using 100% Australian farmed and malted grains from Voyager Craft Malt, located across the border in the Riverina region of NSW.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresThey mature their whisky exclusively in barrels that have previously held Australian wine and whisky, where possible using ex-wine casks from local wineries such as Sorrenberg in Beechworth and Scion in Rutherglen.Backwoods' first whiskies – a Rye and a Single Malt – were released in August 2020, with both selling out in less than 24 hours.We meet the Attwoods with Leigh currently preparing to finish up his full-time teaching job in order to focus purely on the Backwoods Distilling business.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Distilled craft spirits have taken hold in recent decades, followed by a corresponding boom in premium mixers.Founded in 2004, UK company Fever-Tree was undoubtedly the company that started the latter trend.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresFever-Tree mixers are now sold in over 75 countries globally and the company is listed on the London Stock Exchange with a market cap of 2.46 billion pounds.In this episode of the Drinks Adventures podcast, we're joined by Fever-Tree co-founder and CEO, Tim Warrillow.Tim shares with us the story of Fever-Tree's journey from start-up phase with just a single tonic water to something of a global phenomenon.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Out now on Netflix, the TV series Oktoberfest: Beer & Blood is the closest you can get to the Oktoberfest in 2020.Six million visitors were expected to descend upon on Munich this year for the festival, originally scheduled to run between September 19 and October 4.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresBut the coronavirus pandemic has meant this is the first year since World War 2 that Oktoberfest – the world's biggest beer festival – has not gone ahead.Oktoberfest: Beer & Blood was a smash hit in Germany, where it was created, and it is now being shown globally by Netflix.The lead character in the series is Curt Prank, whose story is loosely based on the life of a man named Georg Lang, who had an important role in shaping the Oktoberfest as we know it today.Finland-born Hannu Salonen is the director of the series, and he joins us in this opening episode of Season 7 of the Drinks Adventures podcast.I started this episode by asking Hannu how the series was conceived.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Winemaker Louisa Rose is the signatory on Yalumba Wines The Signature 2016, released on October 1, 2020.Since 1966, The Signature Cabernet & Shiraz has honoured individuals who have made a significant contribution to the culture and traditions of Yalumba, one of Australia's most important family-owned wineries.Previously honoured as winemaker of the year by multiple organisations, Louisa joined Yalumba in 1992.She is the current chair of the Australian Wine Research Institute and a Grand Master of the Barossa Valley fraternity, Barons of Barossa.In this episode, you'll hear from Louisa how The Signature ritual began at Yalumba, and the significance of this wine; a Great Australian Red as previously explored with Matthew Jukes on this podcast.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Whisky distillery Joadja draws upon the Spanish backgrounds of its founders, Valero and Elisa Jimenez, maturing its spirit exclusively in ex-sherry wine casks.Their whisky distillery is unique in many respects, not least its location among the ruins of a fairly isolated heritage-listed 1870s mining town in the NSW Southern Highlands.First up in this episode, you'll hear from Valero how it was that he and Elisa found themselves purchasing the 1000-acre property in 2011, and ultimately running a paddock-to-bottle whisky operation on the site.As is the case for many Australian whisky start-ups over recent decades – Joadja Distillery may not have gotten off the ground were it not for the encouragement of industry legend, Bill Lark.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks Adventures

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.The craft beer movement that has taken hold globally over recent decades has been spearheaded by a single beer style – India Pale Ale.IPA absolutely dominates craft beer in North America, where the movement started, and it has become increasingly popular here in Australia over recent years.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresOne of the brewers who has been in the box seat to witness and help drive that evolution is Richard Watkins founder of Bentspoke Brewing Company in Canberra.Richard has been brewing continuously since 1994. By that I mean he still actively involved in the day-to-day process of making the beer, rather than delegating that to someone else.By his reckoning, that potentially makes him Australia's longest serving brewer.Bentspoke produces a whole host of different IPAs, led by its flagship beer Crankshaft IPA.But this interview coincides with the latest release of Cluster 8, Bentspoke's big, bold Double IPAthat is part of its ‘Drifter’ series of beers that drift in and out of availability each year.A quick note: As regular listeners would well know, Bintani – the brewing and distilling ingredients supplier – is a major sponsor of the Drinks Adventures Podcast.Bintani is also a shareholder in Bentspoke Brewing Company so I just want to disclose that conflict of interest so you don't find out later and think there was anything cynical about this episode, which really isn't the case.Bentspoke is one of Australia's largest independent craft breweries and Richard Watkins was bound to come up as a guest one way or an other.And as someone who has been brewing for as long as he has, I thought Richard was about the best person to answer some questions about the evolution of IPA in Australia:How it's brewed; the different styles of IPA in Bentspoke's range, the continued splintering of this style into many sub-genres; and whether it is always best to drink IPAs as fresh as possible – as we're always told by brewers.Our conversation started with Richard recalling his earliest memories of IPAs in Australia.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.NZ wine company Two Paddocks was founded 27 years ago by Sam Neill in the emerging pinot noir hotspot of Central Otago.Better known for his acting, Sam has been a lover of pinot noir ever since he first tasted Burgundy in Europe in the 1970s.He spoke to Drinks Adventures from Sydney prior to setting off for London to reprise his role as Dr Alan Grant in Jurassic World: Dominion, the sixth film in the Jurassic Park franchise.It's been a pivotal few years for Two Paddocks, which Sam tells us is now making the best wines it ever has, and is finally getting the respect it deserves from critics.Settle in and enjoy our wide-ranging interview with Sam Neill.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks Adventures

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Newcastle, 2014: Shawn Sherlock founds FogHorn Brewery.Hunter Valley, 2020: Foghorn takes over the brewery formerly known as Hunter Beer Co at Potters Hotel, in the region better known for its wine.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresThe expansion has been made possible by FogHorn's partnership with Founders First, the craft beverages-focused investment vehicle that listed on the ASX in 2019 and now has stakes in six breweries and three distilleries.This is not the first time FogHorn has opened a second venue. Shawn and I discuss what he learnt from its previous expansion to open a taproom in Erina on New South Wales' Central Coast.And as a veteran brewer with more than 20 years' of industry experience, Shawn reveals some of the beer styles he hopes to champion together with the expert brewers at Hunter Beer Co that have now become part of the FogHorn team.First up though, we got talking about the dreaded C-Word. It wasn't too long before the onset of the pandemic that FogHorn launched its first beers in cans.I asked Shawn whether that had helped FogHorn through this difficult period.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.The sale of McWilliam's Wines following some well publicised financial struggles has sparked debate about private equity's involvement in the wine industry.With a rich history of 143 years, McWilliam's is one of Australia's best known family wine companies. It has operations encompassing a huge variety of different wine styles and wine regions stretching the entire breadth of the country.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresYou've previously met Scott McWilliam on this podcast back in Season Two when we discussed his unique beer/wine hybrid, the Chardonnay IPA.Scott joins me again this episode, together with his relatives Stephen and Chris McWilliam. All three family members were still working in the business at the time of its recent sale.And Stephen gave me access to some really cool archive material that was enough to tempt me to turn this into a documentary-style episode.If you've been listening to this podcast from the very beginning, you'll know that I've previously experimented with the documentary format, most notably with a really popular episode on the history-making feats of Stone & Wood Brewing Company.That was nearly 18 months ago now, so I've sufficiently recovered to attempt another one.Thanks to the McWilliam family for their candid conversation during what has been a pretty tumultuous time.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Bourbon master distiller Marianne Eaves is the first female to achieve that title in Kentucky since Prohibition.With a background in chemical engineering, Marianne found her way into the bourbon industry via an internship at Brown-Forman, the company behind whiskey brands such as Jack Daniel's, Woodford Reserve and Old Forrester.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresShe ultimately became master taster at the company and was on track to succeed Chris Morris as Woodford's master distiller.But 28-year-old Marianne fast-tracked her progress to the title of bourbon master distiller when she accepted a unique offer in 2015 to work on the resurrection of the Old Taylor Distillery – an incredibly ambitious project.The historic distillery, which is now known as Castle & Key, had fallen into disrepair since it was shuttered in 1972.Marianne has since moved on from Castle & Key and is now consulting on a host of interesting distilling projects right across the US, including a collaboration with California winery Hoopes Vineyard turning smoke-damaged wine into high-end brandy.It was a pleasure to have Marianne join us from Texas for this interview.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Melbourne-based wine and drinks journalist Max Allen has been writing about drinks for more than 25 years.Max is the wine and drinks columnist for the Australian Financial Review, a longtime contributor to Gourmet Traveller Magazine and the Australian correspondent for jancisrobinson.com. (As discussed with Jancis herself, when she joined us on the podcast back in Season Four).I've long been a fan of Max's writing so I was excited to learn about his latest book, Intoxicating: Ten Drinks That Shaped Australia.Max joined me on the show to discuss this personal journey through Australia's colourful and complex drinking history.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks Adventures

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Respected Tasmanian distiller, Overeem, has recently returned to family ownership.You may have read on the Drinks Adventures website my interview with Geoff Bainbridge, the CEO of Lark Distilling Company – formerly Australian Whisky Holdings – in which he explained the company's reasons for selling the Overeem brand to founder Casey Overeem’s daughter Jane Overeem and her husband Mark Sawford.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresThat sale of the Overeem brand and inventory has now settled, which is exciting news for all concerned.So this episode, we catch up with Jane Overeem for a chat about this development and what the future holds for the Overeem Whisky brand.Join the Drinks Adventures mailing list by clicking here.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Wine expert Angus Hughson from Winepilot.com joins me to answer a listener question about purchasing back vintage Aussie red wines.Season Six of Drinks Adventures is coming soon. Join our mailing list for updates on the podcast.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks Adventures

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Wine and spirits entrepreneur Ian Ford found himself navigating the second disease outbreak of his career in the China drinks industry, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.SARS had very similar impacts on the Chinese economy to those of COVID-19. As such, Ian has a unique perspective on recent events, and what the next few months could look like for those of us who are in the process of emerging from lockdown.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresBut this interview was also an opportunity to find out a bit more about the Chinese wine, beer and spirits market from Ian, a co-founder of Summergate Fine Wines & Spirits, who has an intimate understanding of the local consumption trends.Since selling Summergate to Australian retailer Woolworths in 2014, he founded a new company called Nimbility, which provides expertise to wine, spirits and beer producers seeking to export their products to Asia.And in fact, I know of at least one company previously featured on Drinks Adventures that has used Nimbility's services.First up though, you'll hear from Ian how he originally came to relocate from New York City to begin a career in the Chinese drinks industry in 1995.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.In 2015, Teeling Irish Whiskey opened Dublin's first new distillery in 125 years.Brothers Jack and Stephen Teeling have recently achieved another significant milestone with the launch of Teeling Single Pot Still, the company's interpretation of this classic whiskey style that is unique to Ireland.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresIn this interview recorded on May 29, 2020, Stephen and I discuss the origins of single pot still. He explains the significance this new product has to the Teeling family, which has an association with Irish whiskey dating back to 1782.Also on the agenda is the company's launch of a 28-year-old single malt whiskey, following on from the 24-year-old – finished in sauternes wine casks – that was named world's best single malt at the World Whiskies Awards 2019.And we take a look at the evolution of Irish whiskey more broadly, and the reasons behind the Teelings' decision to sell a minority share of their business to Bacardi Limited in 2017.But first, you'll hear from Stephen how Teeling Whiskey has been handling the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.One of America's most respected breweries, Firestone Walker is based in Paso Robles Wine Country, California.The company excels in the production of beers that run the full gamut of styles.Brewmaster Matt Brynildson joined the company in 2001. He has since been named Champion Brewmaster four times at the World Beer Cup and Brewer of the Year four times at the Great American Beer Festival.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresThis interview comes courtesy of the Drink Beer, Think Beer podcast presented by John Holl, one of America's leading beer writers and commentators, who also co-hosts the popular Steal This Beer podcast, among other beer programs.Drink Beer, Think Beer is a weekly conversation with brewers, growers, and other brewing industry professionals that explores the art, culture, and business of beer.Hosted by John Holl and recorded on location, this podcast gets to the bottom of every pint and offers insight into the dynamic world of beer.This interview was recorded in the incredible surrounds of the De Koninck Brewery in Antwerp, a sibling brewer of Firestone Walker in that both are owned by the Belgian brewing company Duvel Moortgat.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Whisky writer since 1988, Dave Broom, is undoubtedly one of the world's leading commentators on spirits.Dave was in Australia recently for the film premiere of The Amber Light, a documentary that follows Dave on a tour around Scotland where he explores the history of whisky as a cultural product.Production of the film was partly funded by Fever-Tree, a valued sponsor of this podcast, so it's thanks to Fever-Tree that I had the opportunity to sit down with Dave.Prior to enjoying some Fever-Tree whisky highballs at the premiere, Dave and I discussed the film, his career to date, and some of the most important recent developments – good and bad – in the world of whisky.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks Adventures

Ed Carr is the only non-champagne winemaker to have won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships.As group sparkling winemaker at Australia's Accolade Wines, he oversees production of brands including House of Arras.Join the Drinks Adventures mailing list here Arras wines have won more than 100 trophies in Australian wine shows since the 1990s, when Ed saw the potential in Tasmanian grapes to produce world class sparkling wine.In this episode, Ed shares some fascinating insights to share about his own career over the last four decades.But he also has a unique perspective on the Australian wine industry's drive towards more elegant, colder climate wine styles.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks Adventures

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Sensory expert Tina Panoutsos joins us this episode, having last year celebrated her 30th anniversary at Australia's largest brewer, Carlton & United Breweries.Tina is associate director of beer knowledge at CUB, where she started out as a quality assurance chemist in 1989.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresShe is undoubtedly one of Australia's leading beer judges, having officiated at just about every major beer competition in the world over the last 20 years including the World Beer Cup and the Australian International Beer Awards, for which she is currently on the advisory panel.We caught up with Tina for a chat about her own career evolution, the state of beer quality in Australia, and how we can all develop our sensory skills.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.ENTER.Sake is a boutique Japanese sake collection curated by renowned techno artist Richie Hawtin, who joins us this episode of the Drinks Adventures podcast.Richie aka Plastikman has been drinking sake while touring Japan on a regular basis since 1994.But he very quickly became obsessed with it on a much deeper level, so much so that he enrolled in the Japanese sake course taught by the legendary John Gauntner, a previous guest on the show.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresIn this episode, Richie discusses his evolution from Japanese sake drinker to aficionado, then founder of the ENTER.Sake brand.In 2014, he was recognised for his efforts in promoting Japanese sake around the world, when he was awarded the prestigious title of Sake Samurai.In Australia, you can find Richie's brand ENTER.Sake in retailers stocking from distributor De Ja Vu Sake, whose founder Yukino Ochiai – a fellow Sake Samurai – we met in the very first episode of the podcast.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.When is beer vegan? These days, the vast majority of beers on the market would qualify, but there a few exceptions.We're joined this episode by James Harvey and Tom Davies of Yulli's Brews, which has its vegan brewery and restaurant in Alexandria, Sydney.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresLeading our discussion is Yulli's commitment to producing 100 per cent vegan beer; what this means, and which animal-derived products have historically been used in brewing.Yulli's was founded by James and Karl Cooney in 2014. We discuss the company's journey to date, its expansion into making sake, and an interesting beer and wine hybrid they have in the pipeline.Since recording this interview, Yulli's like many other breweries has been forced to close its Alexandria taproom due to COVID-19.You can support them during this difficult time by seeking out their beers from bottleshops near you.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Rye whiskey company The Gospel Distillers is one of many Australian distilleries that has adapted extremely quickly into producing sanitiser in the face of the COVID-19 crisis.The virus has wreaked havoc on the drinks industry, and The Gospel co-founder Andrew Fitzgerald joins me to discuss the impacts on his business.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresWe discuss how the Melbourne distillery got the sanitiser project off the ground in a matter of days, and Andrew's concerns about the profiteering he believes is occurring with the supply of sanitiser to essential services providers.Andrew also tells us a bit about The Gospel's original reason for being, which is not sanitiser but whiskey, made using rye sourced from the renowned South Australian grain growing region of Murray Mallee.Our thoughts are with the hospitality industry and all its suppliers as they navigate through these trying times.Shout out to Matt and Pete at my old stomping ground, Radio Brews News. They've launched a new daily podcast show called The Antidote where each day they have different guests from the beer industry talking about some of the challenges they are facing due to the coronavirus.I joined Matt & Pete on The Antidote earlier this week, so you can hear that and other episodes by finding and subscribing to Radio Brews News wherever you listen to your podcasts.A massive thank you to our partners Bintani and Fever-Tree for sticking by the show during this uncertain period. It literally would not happen without their support.A reminder to visit the podcast website, drinksadventures.com.au and sign up to the Drinks Adventures newsletter.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.If you're a regular listener to the show, you'd recognise that we spend a lot of time talking about oak.Oak plays a vital role in the production of wine and spirits, and increasingly in beer. In this special episode, we're going to delve into it more deeply with Darren Lange, founder of leading oak supplier Master Cask.Growing up in the Barossa Valley, Darren has spent his life in and around the wine industry.He has a technical winemaking background and the last 20 years of his career have been focused specifically on oak, initially as an employee of a leading importer and distributor of French and American oak wine barrels.Darren founded Master Cask in 2010, realising a vision to assemble his own portfolio of cooperages.He was instrumental in establishing the Tasmanian Cask Company in 2014 and purchasing SA Cooperage in 2017.These cooperages are producing increasingly specialised barrels for the emerging Australian spirits industry, and it's that area of Darren's expertise that we spend most of our time discussing today.Drinks Adventures will be returning properly for 2020 in the next few weeks, so stay tuned for what promises to be a ripper season five.In the meantime, this is a special episode of the podcast made possible by the support of Master Cask.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.The Tommy's Margarita is one of only 16 cocktails that have been officially recognised as 'New Era Drinks' by the International Bartenders Association.It was created by Julio Bermejo in 1990 at the restaurant founded by his parents in San Francisco, USA.Under Julio's influence, Tommy's Mexican Restaurant moved towards a singular focus on 100% agave tequilas, as opposed to what are known as mixto tequilas, in which distillers supplement the agave with cheaper sugars.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresThis crusade brought global recognition for Tommy's as the world's leading tequila bar, honoured six times in The World's 50 Best Bars list since 2000.Julio was in Australia recently to judge the Patron Perfectionists cocktail competition, and thanks to Patron Tequila, I was able to catch up with him to record this interview that I'm delighted to share with Drinks Adventures listeners.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Based in Adelaide Hills, SA, Laura and husband Brendan Carter have long championed sustainable practices across their business, such as actively selecting grape varieties that best suit the Australian climate in order to minimise water use.In August 2019 – just like Stone & Wood Brewing Company, who we featured in that documentary back in season two – their wine company Unico was recognised more broadly for its social and environmental performance, becoming the first Australian distiller to be certified as a B Corporation.I started this interview by asking Laura how Team Unico got inspired to follow this particular path of wines and spirits production.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks Adventures

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.The NZ Lighter Wines initiative has 18 participating wineries. Their mission is to produce naturally low in alcohol wines that offer the same great drinking experience you can expect from their full-strength counterparts.The innovative project is being led by Dr David Jordan, known to his industry peers as DJ, a renowned viticulturalist who consults to many leading wineries in Australia and New Zealand.I'm excited to share with you this interview with DJ recorded recently in Marlborough, New Zealand, where I was a guest of New Zealand Lighter Wines.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Mention American whiskey to someone and they will likely think you are talking about bourbon and rye.But there's a new category of American whiskey that is on the rise, that of American single malt.Located in Portland, Oregon, Westward whiskey is the largest craft distiller on America's West Coast.In 2018 it received a minority investment from Distill Ventures, the same accelerator fund that has a stake in Australia's own Starward Whisky, as featured in season one of this podcast.In this episode, I speak with Westward CEO and co-founder Thomas Mooney about the company's journey to date taking American single malt whisky to the world.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks Adventures

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Wine critic Jancis Robinson MW joins us on this episode of the Drinks Adventures podcast.In 1984, Jancis became the first person outside the wine trade to qualify as a Master of Wine. She was awarded an OBE in 2003 by Her Majesty the Queen, on whose cellar she now advises.But Jancis may be best known for her hugely admired reference books. She is co-author of The World Atlas of Wine, editor of The Oxford Companion to Wine and co-author of Wine Grapes.Jancis was in Australia recently to launch the eighth edition of The World Atlas of Wine, recognised as the essential and most authoritative wine reference book available.It was a privilege to sit down with Jancis for this extended interview.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Cabernet/Shiraz is the definitive Australian red blend, according to British wine writer Matthew Jukes.Together with Australia's Tyson Stelzer, he founded The Great Australian Red wine competition to recognise and celebrate this unique wine style.While in Australia recently for the 2019 competition, Matthew visited Coonawarra for the annual Cabernet Celebrations festival, where he presented a Great Australian Red masterclass at Wynns Coonawarra Estate – and of course, don't forget to check out my interview with Wynns senior winemaker Sue Hodder in season three of this podcast.I was at Wynns for Matthew's masterclass, and thanks to Coonawarra Vignerons and the digital agency Made With Moxie, I've been able to edit together a highlights package from the masterclass to share with Drinks Adventures listeners.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Scottish craft beer company, Brewdog, is now a multinational business with 95 Brewdog bars globally.Its co-founder, Martin Dickie, joins us in this episode of the Drinks Adventures podcast.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresBrewDog's phenomenal growth has been fuelled by its record-breaking Equity for Punks crowdfunding initiative, which has seen the brewery raise more than $137 million by selling shares to more than 123,000 beer enthusiasts around the world.BrewDog has never been far from controversy, creating outrageous beers such as The End Of History, which at the time the world's strongest and most expensive beer.Just 12 bottles of it were released, packaged inside taxidermied animals.And in 2017, the company received a 213 million pound investment from American private equity firm TSG Consumer Partners, in a deal valuing it at one billion pounds.I was invited up to Brisbane by Brewdog to check out their impressive new DogTap bar and brewery in planning, where I sat down with Martin to record this interview.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Katoomba, NSW brewpub Mountain Culture Brewing Company was founded in 2019 by husband and wife team DJ and Harriet McCready.American-born DJ McCready exploded onto the Australian brewing scene at the inaugural Craft Beer Awards, now known as The Indies, in 2014.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresAt the time DJ was brewing with a little known start-up from Sydney's northern beaches, Modus Operandi Brewing Company, where he created beers such as Former Tenant Red IPA, which won Champion Australian Beer at the awards that year and is still picking up gongs today.In fact, it was named Champion IPA at The Indies earlier in 2019.Now with their new brewing company Mountain Culture in a heritage building in the centre of Katoomba, DJ and Harriet have built a fantastic brewpub that is already being embraced by the locals.And as you would expect from a brewer of his calibre, the beers DJ is making up there are outstanding.We began our chat by returning to that night in 2014 when the Australian brewing industry fast became very familiar with the name DJ McCready.Help us fund Season Four by purchasing your limited edition podcoasters here.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Is it Australia's craft beer capital? The Sydney suburb of Marrickville almost certainly has the highest concentration of breweries of any suburb in Australia. I'm happy to be corrected on that if anyone has information to the contrary.There's yet another brewery soon to join their ranks by the end of 2019, with the news that Philter Brewing is poised to set up shop just down the road from the original Batch Brewing facility.Co-founder Sam Fuss joined me for a chat about this momentous development for Philter, which has fast become one of Australia's larger independent beer brands without having a brewery of its own.And meanwhile, the company has picked up a slew of trophies for its flagship XPA.Sam and I chat about the Marrickville brewing scene, and whether the emergence of so many breweries in one suburb is a good thing.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresBut also, we find out a bit more about Sam's brewing career, which began at Little Creatures in 2000.There, Sam worked alongside Creatures' first ever brewer, Janice McDonald, who was one of the first guests on the Drinks Adventures podcast, back in Season One.A special thanks to Chris Lukianenko AKA The Beer Healer for recently having me on his podcast, The Beer Healer Interviews.It was something of a new experience for me, having Chris ask the questions for a change.If you want a little more insight into my background and how Drinks Adventures was conceived, please head on over to The Beer Healer Interviews.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Tasmanian Independent Bottlers and Heartwood Malt Whisky were founded by Tim Duckett, and both have developed a cult following.In this episode, Tim and I discuss his journey to date and the role that independent bottlers play in the whisky industry more generally.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresAnd as someone who has been closely involved with Australian whisky since the early years, Tim has some interesting views to share on its recent trajectory and future prospects.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Distillery Archie Rose may be best known for gin, vodka and other weird and wonderful products, none moreso than ArchieMite, its buttered toast spirit.But in this episode, master distiller Dave Withers joins me predominately to discuss their ambitious plans for whisky.Australian whisky to date has been dominated by single barrel, single malt releases aged in ex-wine casks.With its first two whisky releases, Chocolate Rye Malt Whisky and Rye Malt Whisky, Archie Rose has made it abundantly clear that it won't be following these conventions.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Distilling spirits from native Australian foods excites Sacha La Forgia, whose company Adelaide Hills Distillery has released a raft of innovative products.These include Green Ant Gin and more recently, Native Grain Whiskey, which explores the potential of making truly Australian whisky using the native cereal grain wattleseed.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresI'm joined this episode by Sacha, a winemaker who travelled the world for over six years working wine vintages and exploring the world of distilling.His travels inspired him to launch a distillery of his own on his return to Australia.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Wine packaging is getting a revamp, thanks to winemaker Tom O'Donnell of Riot Wine Co.In 2016, O'Donnell co-founded the Adelaide, Australia-based company Riot, which releases its wines exclusively in cans and in kegs.Riot wines have been pouring on tap at bars and restaurants across Australia since 2017, which the Riot founders claim has a range of benefits, starting with the environmental impact – the lifetime of just one keg can replace 23,000 bottles.Riot also hopes to educate Australians on the benefits of canned wine, which is a rapidly growing market segment overseas.I caught up with Tom at The Cannery, Riot's new Adelaide tasting room.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Sour and strong ales are the mainstay of Boatrocker Brewing. The company is home to one of the largest barrel ageing facilities in Australian brewing, which you can visit at Braeside in Melbourne's south east.Founded in 2009 by Matt and Andrea Howton, the brewery is also excelling at the more commonly available lagers, pale ales and IPAs.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresAnd in 2017, the Boatrocker Brewing became Boatrocker Brewers & Distillers, as the Perth-based distillery Hippocampus was merged into the Boatrocker business, opening up a whole new array of experimentation.I caught up with Matt at Boatrocker HQ in Braeside.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.One of Australia's best known winemakers, Sue Hodder of Wynns Coonawarra Estate, joins us this episode.Sue has just completed her 27th wine vintage at Wynns, where she oversees production of some of Australia's most cellared wines, including Black Label Cabernet.Together with Wynns' renowned viticulturist, Allen Jenkins, Sue has transformed the quality, and subtly redefined the style of the company's flagship Coonawarra reds.Sue and Allen were joint winners of the 2010 Gourmet Traveller WINE Winemaker of the Year Award, among many other accolades Sue has picked up in her esteemed wine career.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks Adventures