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 Adventures
As 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 Summer
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.
Beer brand Stone & Wood Brewing Company will be the subject of a special report in the opening episode of Drinks Adventures Season Two.
Beefeater Gin master distiller Desmond Payne MBE will also join us as he notches up his 52nd year as a gin distiller in 2019.
You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks Adventures
We'll take at look at farm-based brewing, Tasmanian pinot noir and Australian craft spirits in various guises.
And in Tokyo, we catch up with sake expert John Gauntner, the only non-Japanese certified Master of Sake Tasting in the world.
Season Two will be bigger and better than last year's debut. We look forward to your company in a few weeks' time.
Theme music by The Rudists. Mixing and mastering by Dave Robertson.
You can follow James Atkinson and Drinks Adventures at @byjamesatkinson on all social media platforms.

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.

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 Adventures
This 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 Deluxe
You 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].
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.

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 Adventures
But 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].
Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.

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

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 Adventures
And 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 Good
Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Cameo Culture. You can listen to more from Cameo Culture at https://soundcloud.com/cameoculture.

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].
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.
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 Adventures
They 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].
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.
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].
Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.
Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists.