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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 distilleries Lark and Sullivans Cove are likely the best known pioneers of Australian whisky.Founded in 1999, Bakery Hill came soon after. It was the first whisky distillery on the mainland, and the third to open in the modern era after those two celebrated Tasmanian brands.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresLocated in Melbourne's north east, Bakery Hill might be lesser known today, but that's certainly not down to the quality of its whiskies, which have received consistent acclaim from critics across the globe.I visited David for a chat about their journey to date, and to hear some exciting news about their expansion plans, coinciding with their 20th birthday this year.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 powerhouse Four Pillars expects to sell 500,000 bottles of its gin in 2019.The Australian distillery founded in in 2013 by Cameron Mackenzie, Matt Jones and Stuart Gregor has doubled its sales year on year and its gin is now available in 30 different markets globally.This rapid growth did not go unnoticed by some of the drinks industry's larger players. In early 2019, Four Pillars Gin sold a 50 per cent stake in its business to brewer Lion, the company behind XXXX, Tooheys, Little Creatures and myriad other Australian beer brands.For this opening episode of Season Three, I caught up with co-founder and head distiller Cameron Mackenzie at Four Pillars' distillery in Healesville, Victoria.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 master distiller and cocktail historian Jared Brown joins me in this Season Two finale episode.But we're not talking about Sipsmith Gin this time (see S1E2 for that!) , because Jared has another, far more interesting title, that of cocktail historian.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresWith his wife Anistatia Miller, Jared has written more than 30 books on drinks, bars and cocktails.He's an absolute encyclopaedia on these topics and a fascinating fellow to chat to, so settle in for a great interview.Thank you to our major partner Bintani, Australia’s leading supplier in ingredients for the brewing and distilling industries.And thanks also to Fever-Tree Premium Mixers for their support of the spirits episodes in this season.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 expert Andrew Derbidge is director and cellarmaster for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society Australia and has been heavily involved with the whisky industry for many years as an educator, presenter and writer.Some of his excellent writing is on his own website Whisky & Wisdom, which is where I happened across a really insightful article by Andrew about the evolution of Australian whisky and some of the growing pains the local industry is currently facing.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresIt was that article that inspired me to get Andrew on the show for an in-depth conversation about Australian whisky.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Chardonnay IPA, and rum aged in wine barrels are some of the exciting collaborations happening on the fringes of beer, wine and spirits.Brix Distillers is a rum distillery that opened in Sydney in 2018. And they are trying to re-educate Australians about the potential of rum, which – as I discussed with Kathleen Davies two episodes ago – is somewhat misunderstood in this country.They're also trying to make uniquely Australian rums aged in barrels supplied by leading winemakers such as Thomas Wines in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales.Turns out founder Andrew Thomas is a huge enthusiast for premium rum, so it's a collaboration that's close to his heart. I spoke with Andrew and Brix co-founder James Christopher recently to find out more about the project.But first, I caught up with Luke Scott, head brewer at Prickly Moses Brewery in Victoria's Otway Ranges, and McWilliam's Wines' global ambassador and sixth generation winemaker Scott McWilliam.For several years now they've been collaborating on an unlikely but very successful beer/wine hybrid, the Chardonnay IPA.The latest batch is out now so Luke and Scott joined me for a sample and an interview.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 industry legend Desmond Payne MBE has probably been distilling gin since before you were born.In 2017, the Beefeater Gin master distiller celebrated his 50th year as a gin distiller and he's still going strong today.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresI caught up with Desmond while he was in Australia recently to have a chat about his career to date and the many changes he's seen in the gin category over that time.Desmond truly is a legend of the gin industry and I hope you enjoy our conversation.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, whisky and rum are among the craft spirits categories that are currently on fire in Australia.Australian craft spirits champion Kathleen Davies joins us this episode to discuss these market trends and the evolution of her business Nip of Courage.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresFounded in 2014, Nip of Courage is the first ever distributor to represent exclusively Australian craft spirits, and the country's first spirits distribution company that is female-owned.​Today the company represents four distilleries: Belgrove in Tasmania, Stone Pine in NSW, and two distilleries in Victoria; Reed & Co and Timboon Railway Shed Distillery.Kathleen also founded and distributes the Australian Tipple Company range of bottled cocktails, which includes a Negroni, a Dry Martini and an Espresso Martini, all made exclusively with ingredients sourced from Australian artisan producers.So as long as you're listening at an appropriate time, settle in with a nip of a fine Australian spirit and enjoy this chat with Kathleen.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, beer, cider and whisky, Tasmania has it all in spades.In season one I talked Tasmanian whisky with Sullivans Cove Distillery, and cider with Willie Smith's Cider.This time I explore the unique brewing operation of Bruny Island Beer and Cheese with head brewer Evan Hunter.I also catch up with Paul Lipscombe of Sailor Seeks Horse, an exciting new wine company located in Huon Valley, Tasmania.Paul and his wife Gilli also make the highly acclaimed pinot noirs for Home Hill Winery in the Huon.This is a chat exploring the evolution of Australian pinot noir, which has made leaps and bounds in recent years and is just starting to get the respect it deserves on the world stage.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.Sake and its rising popularity outside Japan was explored in the very first episode of Season One of Drinks Adventures.My recent sake press tour with the Japanese Sake & Shochu Makers Association brought the opportunity to interview John Gauntner, who is recognised as the world's leading non-Japanese sake expert.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresA resident of Japan since 1988, he has been writing and lecturing about sake since 1994 and has published six books on the topic.Next up, I visited the Japanese Sake & Shochu Makers Association Information Centre in Tokyo where I sat down for a chat with the centre manager, Shuso Imada.Shuso has spent almost his entire life in the sake industry - he was born into a family that owns a sake brewery.At first he had little interest in following in his family's footsteps, so much so that he did the unthinkable and study a sommelier equivalent qualification in wine.But little by little, sake drew him back in. And as you would expect for someone of his experience, he has some really interesting insights into Japanese sake industry.And if you're heading to Tokyo, I highly recommend you visit the JSS Information Centre, it really is one of the best places you can taste a lot of sake and learn about it.I also want to recommend John Gauntner's excellent book, Sake Confidential - I bought a copy last year and it's a fantastic introductory resource for sake beginners.And finally, also for people visiting Japan, look out for Rangitoto Tokyo. It's a brand new wine and sake bar in Tokyo opened by Wayne Shennen, a sommelier from New Zealand who also has a passion for sake.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.We kick off season two of the Drinks Adventures podcast with a in-depth look at the brewery founded in Byron Bay, Australia in 2008, Stone & Wood Brewing Company.Stone and Wood celebrated its tenth anniversary last year and I started covering drinks as a journalist not long after Stone & Wood started brewing.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresAs such, I've followed their evolution very closely over the years, reporting on their key milestones along the way, which has given me a lot of insight into their business and some excellent resources to draw upon in putting this story together.But in fact, this story isn't only about Stone & Wood, it's also a bit of a look at the current state of play in Australian independent brewing, an industry sector that is in the midst of an unprecedented boom that is not without its challenges.The Drinks Adventures podcast is proudly supported by our friends at Bintani, Australia’s leading supplier of ingredients for the brewing and distilling industries.Bintani has all the ingredients you need, and they have experts in all categories on the team, so they understand how ingredients work together like no one else in Australia.NB: Since recording this documentary earlier this year, Alexis Roitman has departed her role as CEO of the Independent Brewers Association. We wish her the best of luck.This episode would not have been possible without the generosity of the organisations that gave me permission to use their audio.Thank you to the Telstra Business Awards, Finance News Network and Matt Kirkegaard at Australian Brews News.Thanks also to the wonderful music acts that cleared their tracks for use on the show: From London, Asad Rizvi AKA Silverlining; From New York City, No Regular Play and from my home town of Sydney, We Lost The Sea.If you watched the recent Ricky Gervais series After Life on Netflix, you may have heard We Lost The Sea's tune A Gallant Gentleman feature on the soundtrack.Ricky is a big We Lost The Sea fan and I'm privileged to be able to use that same track on this episode of the podcast.And thank you to Dave Robertson for his massive efforts in mixing and editing this episode and all episodes in Season Two.If you enjoyed this episode on Stone & Wood, go back to Season One, Episode Three and check out my interview with Janice McDonald, who was the first head brewer at Little Creatures. It'll give you some fantastic insights into Australian independent brewing in the decades prior to Stone & Wood's arrival.Thank you to the companies that have sponsored the Drinks Adventures podcast as of this year. The support of our major partner Bintani Australia and other brands makes the show viable, so I'm very grateful for it and I'm sure our listeners are too.I know some listeners enjoyed the weekly giveaways we had throughout season one. We're still going to be doing those whenever we can but you'll have to keep an eye on my Facebook page for announcements of those competitions.Tracklisting:Wayne Jones – Under CoverJosh Lippi & The Overtimers – St. FrancisNo Regular Play – Where They LaySilverlining – Sticky SnailsSilverlining – DevocionWe Lost The Sea – A Gallant GentlemanThe 126ers – End of SummerFollow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.Sir Ian Botham is deadly serious about his new winemaking venture, Botham Wines.Celebrity-branded drinks have had a chequered history, to say the least. Look no further than Shane Warne's ill-fated forays into wine (Shane Warne Collection) and craft beer (99 Not Out).It was for this reason that I approached the launch of Botham Wines with a healthy scepticism.But Sir Ian is deadly serious about his new career, as he was at pains to stress when we caught up the SCG for a quick interview.He has spent over 40 years playing and commentating on international cricket. During this time, he has travelled the world and off the field, spent time nurturing his other passion; wine.The new range of Sir Ian Botham Wines were made working closely with Australian winemakers, including Nick Badrice, Chief Winemaker at Dorrien Estate in the Barossa, Marty Edwards, Head Vigneron at The Lane in Adelaide Hills and his old friend, Geoff Merrill of Geoff Merrill wines.The wines also bear homage to Sir Ian’s legendary sporting career, from design – stumps and cricket balls feature on the labels – to the names of the individual wines.I hope you enjoy this short chat with Sir Ian ahead of Drinks Adventures' return to normal programming in 2019.All other Drinks Adventures episodes, show notes, transcripts and many helpful links are available on the podcast website, DrinksAdventures.com.au, and you can contact me here.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Cameo Culture. You can listen to more from Cameo Culture at https://soundcloud.com/cameoculture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.Champagne is a beloved wine style in Australia, the world’s sixth largest champagne market with the biggest per capita consumption per head of population outside Europe.First up this episode, I take a look at the Vin de Champagne Awards, a uniquely Australian award organised on behalf of the Comité Champagne, which represents champagne houses, growers and co-operatives of the Champagne region in France.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresThis year was the 43rd edition of these awards and in a short documentary, I speak to several personalities involved in these awards, which seek to discover Australians who are truly passionate about champagne, so much so that they are prepared to put their knowledge about champagne to the test.Next up is a short stand alone interview with renowned wine writer and champagne expert Huon Hooke of The Real Review, who's been somewhat outspoken about what is, in his words, Australia's boring taste in champagne.He talks about how you can spend just a little bit more to get your hands on some champagne that is a bit more complex and interesting.And we also discuss the rise of Australian sparkling wine, which continues to win global recognition for its quality.Last up is an interview with Hervé Dantan, who is chef de cave at Champagne Lanson, one of the largest champagne houses.We talk about what makes champagne unique, what makes Lanson unique and the upcoming launch in Australia of Clos Lanson, a single vineyard champagne.Thanks for your support during Season One of the podcast. I hope you'll join me again in the new year when I embark on Season Two.I'd also like to thank Dave Robertson and Matt Brown, who have each assisted with mixing some of the episodes in this season.And thanks to Asad Rizvi AKA Silverlining for the use of some of his awesome music in the documentary section of this champagne episode, as listed below.Tracklisting:Doodlebug - Loose in your mind (Silverlining Remix)Silverlining - DevotionSilverlining - Ni-Cd DeluxeYou can listen and purchase Asad's tunes on the Silverlining Dubs bandcamp page.All other Drinks Adventures episodes, show notes, transcripts and many helpful links are available on the podcast website, DrinksAdventures.com.au, and you can email me at [email protected] James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Cameo Culture. You can listen to more from Cameo Culture at https://soundcloud.com/cameoculture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 upstart Sullivans Cove won World's Best Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards three out of four years running.Sullivans Cove Whisky head distiller Heather Tillott reveals the secrets to its success in this episode of the Drinks Adventures podcast.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresBut we also hear from Heather about her career background starting in wine production in the New South Wales Shoalhaven region.She moved to Tasmania after a life change, thinking she would continue in wine. But a chance visit to Sullivans Cove put her on course to become a distiller.I caught up with Heather at Sullivans Cove earlier this year.You can find all other shows, show notes, transcripts and many helpful links on the podcast website, DrinksAdventures.com.au, and you can email me at [email protected] James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some further excerpts from my interview with Sam Reid, co-founder of Willie Smith's Cider.Topics include the importance of real cider apple varieties to Australia's emerging cider category. We also discuss what you'll find at the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival in the way of food, cider, wine, beer and music, and the planning that goes into it.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks Adventures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.William Smith & Sons is one of the oldest family businesses in Tasmania's Huon Valley wine region.Founder Willie Smith planted the first tree in their apple orchard in 1888 and fourth generation family member Andrew Smith is the current orchardist, responsible for taking the farm organic in the late 90s.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresAnd in 2012, drinks marketer Sam Reid partnered with Smithy to launch Willie Smith's Cider, putting apples that are not good enough to sell to very good use.They've continued to evolve Willie Smith's over the last few years with the introduction of heritage apple varieties to their orchard.Most of the ciders made in Australia that are actually made from real apples are made using the same varieties of apple you would find in your local supermarket, which is the equivalent of making wine from table grapes.There's been a few cider makers that have pioneered the use of proper cider apples in Australia but arguably it's been Willie Smith's that's brought this evolution of cider to the fore, with its multiple wins of Best In Show at the Australian Cider Awards, most recently in the last few weeks with the single variety Kingston Black Cider.Willie Smith's has also introduced to Australia the ancient ceremony known as 'wassailing' at its Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival held annually in July. I went down this year to find out what it's all about.Thank you to all the bands who performed at the festival and gave me permission to use their music in this episode: 8Foot Felix, The Dead Maggies and Vulgargrad.Congratulations to Jeni Port who I spoke with last week and was subsequently awarded the Wine Communicators of Australia 2018 Legend of the Vine Award for Victoria, recognising her contribution to the wine industry as a journalist and a critic over many years.Look out for some bonus content in the podcast feed over the next few days featuring Sam Reid of Willie Smith's.You can find all previous shows, show notes, transcripts and links to lots of related information on the podcast website drinksadventures.com.au.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Music tracklisting for this episode:8Foot Felix - Mad IsleVulgargrad - Oy Yo Oy8Foot Felix - Q Town8Foot Felix - Whales PreludeThe Dead Maggies - Black MaryThe Dead Maggies - Tommy PiemanVulgarGrad - Super GoodTheme music ‘Sandbox’ by Cameo Culture. You can listen to more from Cameo Culture at https://soundcloud.com/cameoculture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 writer Jeni Port has been tasting and critiquing Penfolds Wines for many years. In this episode, she discusses the Penfolds Collection 2018 and the changing face of Penfolds Wines, Australia's most iconic winery.It's been a massive few months for Penfolds, which in July announced the somewhat surprising plans to begin making wine offshore, being Penfolds-branded champagne in France and also wines in California's Napa Valley region.The other big announcement on the same day was the launch of Penfolds Special Bottlings, a new series of limited edition, unique products inspired by the pioneering nature of founders Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold.Now the first two releases are not table wine, or even wine – at least as you or I know it. They are Lot 1990 - a single batch brandy that was distilled and put into barrels in 1990, and Lot 518 – a Shiraz-based wine fortified with the Chinese spirit baiju.These special bottlings have ushered into the limelight veteran fortified winemaker at Penfolds, James Godfrey, who I spoke with in the Barossa Valley earlier this year.It's a fascinating chat about fortifieds, which accounted for the vast majority of wine produced in Australia up until the 1960s. While they may be somewhat out of fashion, they remain among the greatest wines produced in Australia today.But first, we're talking table wine, and not just any table wine. That's a very common and offhand way to refer to The Penfolds Collection – 21 extremely high quality wines that start at $40 and range up to the 2014 Grange, which is now an incredible $900 on release.All other Drinks Adventures episodes, show notes, transcripts and many helpful links are available on the podcast website, DrinksAdventures.com.au, and you can email me at [email protected] James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 company Starward is Australia's market leader, thanks to founder David Vitale's ambitious strategy of pursuing larger scale whisky production from the very beginning.This has meant that Starward Whisky has been able to offer its range of high quality, red wine cask-matured whiskies at pretty affordable price points.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresThey commonly sit under the $100 mark in contrast to the routine pricing upwards of $200 a bottle that you see from most other Australian distillers.With David, I discuss this pricing differential and other challenges for Australian whisky, as well as his decision to relocate to North America to develop it as an export market.We also touch on Starward Whisky's recent expansion into distilling gin, which I remind David is something he said they would never do.And lastly, the company's entry into bottled whisky cocktails with the launch of the Starward New Old Fashioned.All other Drinks Adventures episodes, show notes, transcripts and many helpful links are available on the podcast website, DrinksAdventures.com.au, and you can email me at [email protected] James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 at Burch Family Wines in Western Australia, Janice McDonald oversees the Howard Park and Mad Fish wine brands using grapes sourced from vineyards in the Margaret River and Great Southern regions.Named Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine's Winemaker of the Year in 2018, Janice previously ran her own Margaret River wine label Stella Bella Wines to great acclaim, together with her partner Stuart Pym.But we're not just talking about wine today, because Janice has been making beer for just as long as she's been making wine.She worked as a brewer at Australia's original craft brewing company, Matilda Bay, in the 1980s, and then at Little Creatures in 2000, its first year of operation. And she still brews today - if you've ever visited the Settlers Tavern in Margaret River Town and had one of the beers under the Margaret River Ale Company label, that's Janice's handiwork too.All other Drinks Adventures episodes, show notes, transcripts and many helpful links are available on the podcast website, DrinksAdventures.com.au, and you can email me at [email protected] James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices