As we move into the cooler months, things are meant to slow down… but that hasn’t quite been the case around here! With Yusuf taking a well-earned break to visit family back in Turkey, it’s been all hands on deck. The rest of the team and I have had to step up to keep everything running smoothly while he’s away. And of course, this has coincided with a busy stretch of industry events, making it a real challenge (and a rewarding one) to keep all the balls in the air. ## Bintani Trade Day: A First-Time Experience Worth the Wait One of the standout moments of the past few weeks was attending the Bintani Trade Day, my first time at the event, and hopefully not the last. The atmosphere was relaxed and inviting, a perfect setting for catching up with brewers and, more importantly, listening. Really listening, to their needs, their challenges, and the ever-evolving landscape we’re all navigating together. The absolute highlight for me was hearing Pete Meddings share reflections on Bintani’s incredible 30-year journey. It’s hard not to be inspired when you hear how it all began: selling three small packets of yeast to homebrew retailers. Fast forward three decades, and Pete stood before us in their massive warehouse, a physical symbol of what they’ve built. But more impressive than the bricks and mortar is the community they’ve helped foster. The friendships, the collaborations, the thousands of businesses they’ve supported over the years. What struck me most was the genuine humility in Pete’s storytelling, and learning how Phil and Dale have been part of this journey from the very beginning, working in some capacity since high school! Anyone who has built or grown a business knows how tough it is to not only get off the ground, but to keep growing year after year. It’s no small feat. There were plenty of celebrations to mark the milestone, and rightly so. A huge congratulations to Pete, Phil, and Dale, not just for what you’ve built, but for the way you’ve done it. Your impact on the brewing community is immeasurable, and your success is shared by the many businesses who’ve thrived thanks to your support.
## [IBA Meetup at Bridge Road Brewers: Conversations, Coaches & Cold Ones](https://www.bridgeroadbrewers.com.au/) Following the Trade Day, I hopped on one of the buses Bintani kindly organised from the warehouse to the next big stop: the IBA event at [Bridge Road Brewers](https://www.bridgeroadbrewers.com.au/)' Brunswick venue. On the ride over, I was lucky enough to sit next to none other than [Hendo from Rockstar Brewer Academy](https://www.rockstarbrewer.com/). If you're a professional brewer looking for hands-on, practical solutions to brewing challenges, I can't recommend his program highly enough. Hendo's passion and knowledge are second to none, and if you ever bump into him, ask him to repeat the joke he cracked on the bus. Absolute gold. The IBA event itself was another fantastic opportunity to connect with more amazing brewers. The team at Bridge Road hosted a regional Victorian tap takeover, so there was no shortage of excellent beers to sample. It was a great reminder of just how much talent there is out there, especially in our regional communities. ## AIBA Awards Night: Trophies, Toasts & Total Triumphs The following evening, we kept the good times rolling at the AIBA Awards Dinner, and what a night it was. We were lucky to share a table with some fantastic company, [Callum Reeves](https://www.kaijubeer.com.au/), founder of Kaiju! Beer, and Ashur Hall, Head Brewer at [Stomping Ground Brewery](https://www.stompingground.beer/), joined us for the night. The others on the table were from [Ecolab](https://www.ecolab.com/), as well as Mike and Steph from [Bulla Creek Brewing Co.](https://bullacreekbrewing.com.au/). The evening started with a bang as [Kaiju! Beer](https://www.kaijubeer.com.au/) took home the first trophy of the night:🏆 Best Australian-Style Lager for their Cerveza Crisp Lager. As you can imagine the loudest cheers erupted from our table as Callum went up on stage and accepted the Trophy with Nat. It was particularly special for us at Bluestone, having worked with Nat, Kat, and the team at Kaiju over the last 18 months on this beer from the yeast side, seeing them recognised like this was a proud and thrilling moment. But before we even had a chance to sit back down, the next trophy was announced:
🏆 Best European-Style Lager, and the winner? Stomping Ground Brewery for their Hanging Rauch, Draught! Cue even more yelling, clapping, cheering, and maybe a few teary eyes. Two of our valued customers taking out the first two trophies of the night, safe to say, we were on cloud nine. 
The accolades didn’t stop there. Both Kaiju! and Stomping Ground picked up multiple gold medals, with Stomping Ground also being awarded Champion Victorian Brewery. What a moment. Check out some of the photos from the night. And it wasn’t just them, many of our customers walked away with gold, silver, and bronze medals. One of the most meaningful awards in our view is the Consistency of Excellence medal, given when a beer earns gold three years in a row. That’s no small feat, it’s a Herculean task in brewing. So a huge shout-out to these stellar brews and teams: - The Chop, Draught, Hop Nation - Slapshot, Draught, Urban Alley Brewery - Pale Ale, Draught, Mountain Goat - Hazy, Draught, Balter Brewing Company - Road Trip American IPA, Packaged, Holgate Brewhouse - Estuary Ale XPA, Draught, Boundary Island Brewery - Hawke’s Underdog Session Lager, Draught, Hawke’s Brewing Co - La Trappe Dubbel, Packaged, Bierbrouwerij de Koningshoeven (via Heron Beverages) You can check out the full list of winners and results here:
👉 AIBA 2025 Winners List Massive congratulations to all. It was such a joy to celebrate your achievements, and to know we’ve played even a small part in helping those beers come to life makes it even sweeter.
