Part two of the Hop Harvest Fest crawl sees Boyd Robson back on the Inner West Ale Trail, tackling the final five breweries of Sydney’s freshest beer festival. With higher ABVs, bigger crowds, and a few curveballs (including a sold-out festival beer), this episode dives deeper into the culture, community, and chaos of chasing fresh hop beers across Sydney.

From tiny taprooms punching above their weight to 8.4% double IPAs that test the legs, this is the full Sunday session experience—complete with locals, brewers, and a well-earned final beer at Young Henrys. 

• Fresh Hop Chaos (and Big ABVs):
  Kicking off with a 7% IPA before ramping up to Bracket’s 8.4% double IPA, this is not your average Sunday session. 
• Inside Kicks Brewing:
  A deep dive into West Coast pilsners, small batch brewing advantages, and how a 70 person venue handled overwhelming festival demand. 
• Local Perspective – Ryan (Beers & Bobs):
  What it’s like living in the Inner West beer bubble, Scottish beer culture comparisons, and why proximity can make you take great beer for granted. 
• Craft vs Independent Beer Debate:
  A key mindset shift in why “independent beer” might resonate more than “craft beer” for Aussie drinkers. 
• Festival Reality Check:
  Sold-out beers, missing XPA kegs at Grifter, and how popularity exceeded expectations within days. 
• Final Stop:
  Wrapping at Young Henrys with Jason from the Inner West Ale Trail—discussing turnout, community vibes, and what made this year a roaring success. 

Breweries 

• Kicks Brewing
  https://www.kicksbrewing.com.au/
• Bracket Brewing
  https://www.bracketbrewing.com/
• The Grifter Brewing Co.
  https://thegrifter.com.au/
• Young Henrys
  https://younghenrys.com/
• Future Brewing
  https://futurebrewing.com.au/
• Mixtape Brewing
  https://www.mixtapebrewing.com.au/

This is the episode that captures what makes Sydney’s beer scene tick -community, experimentation, and a bit of organised chaos. It’s equal parts pub crawl, cultural deep dive, and love letter to independent beer.

Episode produced by: WHEN Studios
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Host: David A. Lennon – @davidalennon
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