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 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 hop industry.

It is a fascinating chat, and one that could have gone on and on. 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 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:

• 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 news bottle opener and go into the draw to win a mixed six-pack thanks to our good friends at Beer Cartel who sponsor our letter for the week.