“Tumut is a bit of a hidden gem still and one of the things we're trying to do is help put it on the map via the brewery.”

Late in 2024, two former employees took ownership of Tumut River Brewing Co, a brewpub-based operation at the gateway to the Snowy Mountains that had gone into liquidation.

Michael Cichocki and Mary Richmond said their intention was to return the brewery to its community and tourism-focused roots – so we paid them a visit midway through 2025 to find out how their mission was going.

We hear about the changes they’ve made – and are making – to bring in customers old and new, local and passing through, as well as their serendipitous rebrand, a renewed focus on celebrating the region and its history through their new beers and labels, a shared desire to bring more bands to the brewery floor, and much more besides.

Before we get to the people behind one of the good news stories of the past 12 months, Will is joined by James from Karijini National Park, where he’d rocked up after attending another fantastic Froth Town and pre-festival warmup event at Phat Brew Club.

As well as reflecting on the festival’s tenth running, we head to Tasmania as Hobart Brewing Co take over the country’s oldest licensed venue, stopping in Bicheno for a Who Brews…? before chatting to Leo Salancon, the French winemaker, distiller and brewer now heading up operations at Westside Ale Works in Melbourne.

Mid-show, we reveal the latest winners in our Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month campaign; don’t forget to get your nominations in here.

Start of segments:

• 10:20 – Tumut River Brewing Co Part 1
• 30:35 – Bluestone Yeast Brewery of the Month
• 35:33 – Tumut River Brewing Co Part 2

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