Some of the best discussions during Good Beer Week take place late at night as brewers bump into each other and chat about the more controversial issues ofthe beer world over a beer.

These are always candid and canvass a range of topics rarely discussed in polite conversation butthe topics are always important…and interesting.

Radio Brews News is capturingsome of that candid chatter in an afternoon of Q&A style discussions during Good Beer Week.

Taking place in the Cryer Malt Trade Hub, upstairs at Beer Deluxe, Federation Square, we will be hosting three discussion panels tackling the big – but often hidden – issuesin craft beer.

Tap contracts generate more heated discussion than just about anything else in the brewing world, but we ask “when is a mutually beneficial agreement between a brewery and a venue an important business relationship and when is it the dead hand stifling innovation and destroying competition?”

Our panel of outspoken experts will discuss the ins and out of business arrangements to hear the good and the bad of current practices. The panel includes Mazen Hajar from Hawkers Beer, Michael Conrad from Newstead Brewing, Mark Goulmy – General Manager, Coopers Premium Beverages and Derek Cowes – Beer Buyer, Beer Deluxe.

The second panel session will look at the secret life of draught beer. With an ever expanding array of venues pouring craft, competition is intense to grab the attention of beer drinkers…but is the quality of the draught beer suffering due to some of the practices employed?

Venues with expanding tap numbers but slow pull through of all the taps, recycling kegs back into the cool room to maintain the appearance of high tap rotation and drinker interest and poorly maintained tap lines are just some of the issues that brewers are reporting. But what can be done to ensure the quality of draftbeer once it leaves the brewery? Does the brewer give up his rights when he sells a keg?

Our panel will discussthe keys todraught beer quality, what brewers should be looking to avoidand how to prevent bad practices ruining your good name. Our panel includesEd Bodey, Draught Quality Manager, Stone & Wood,Tony Feehan – Draught Beer Operations Manager, Lancer Beverages,Darren Arrowsmith – National Manager, Brewery Fresh Team, CUB,Brad Murray – General Manager, Micro-Matic andCorey Crooks – Publican, The Grainstore.

The final panel will look at the question of whether craft brewing is art or science…or more accurately explaining why science should be at the heart of what happens in the brewhouse and what even the craftiest brewers should be measuring and monitoringto ensure the quality of the beer leaving their brewhouse.

The panels will be hosted by Pete Mitcham and Matt Kirkegaard and will be recorded for Radio Brews News.

The event kicks off at 11am with the first panel starting at 11.30 and running until 4pm. The ticket price of just $40 includes beers and food, and some very robust chat.

Date:
Wednesday 18th May 2016

Times:
Panel 1: 11.30am – 12.30pm
Lunch 12.30pm – 1.15pm
Panel 2: 1.30pm – 2.30pm
Panel 3: 2.45pm – 3.45pm

BUY TICKETS