“This country has been crippled in the way politicians handle affairs … Well, someone needs to step up at some point and have the courage to recognise that we are now at a breaking point.”

Anyone paying attention to craft beer in Australia over the past decade will be aware of two things. One, that Hawkers have consistently put out some of the best beers of any brewery in the country over that period. And, two, that founder and outgoing CEO Mazen Hajjar is one of the sharpest and most outspoken commentators on the industry.

Both were among the reasons we invited him to be a guest on the podcast: Hawkers turn ten this month while the beer and hospitality worlds are experiencing existential threats from multiple directions. Since we extended that invite late last year, he’s found himself in the eye of the news too after merging his brewery with White Bay in Sydney to form Social Drinks Group.  

The move provided more ammunition for what was always going to be a fascinating, wide-ranging, and occasionally fiery chat – one in which we addressed the issue of excise tax and a lack of support from the Federal Government just days before it blew up again on the back of the latest bi-annual tax hike and accompanying comments and directives from the Treasurer and ACCC respectively.  

The latter part of the interview is where Mazen really builds up a head of steam, taking on not just excise tax but other hot topics, including the abandonment of indie brewers by the homebrand-hawking retail duopoly, tap contracts, the inequities of the country’s various container deposit schemes, and the lack of support for local producers from the government.  

He also expresses hope, however, even as he acknowledges that much of the industry is at breaking point, while reflecting on his decade at the helm of Hawkers, lessons he brought with him from his home country of Lebanon, and educating drinkers through experimentation.

He also takes us inside the merger with White Bay – how it came aboutand is their attempt to carve out a future in a much-changed landscape – while sharing his experience of going through voluntary administration, as well as his future plans.

Prior to joining Mazen, there’s a longer-than-usual intro as Will and James discuss the fallout from the most recent rise in excise tax, its coverage in the media, and how the calls for change seem to be coming from more quarters and getting ever louder in this election year.

Hendo is back with more tips on brewing efficiently, and we look ahead to the reopening of Tiny Mountain in Townsville after the brewery was bought from Lion by a Queensland-based hospo group.

Start of segments:

• 22:27 – Mazen Hajjar Part 1 
• 50:00 – Rockstar Brewer Academy 
• 55:34 – Mazen Hajjar Part 2

Relevant links:

• Hawkers & White Bay Merge 
• The Exploding Cost Of Brewing Beer 
• IBA response to the Treasurer's comments on excise tax
• IBA's Save Indie Beer Campaign 
• Tiny Mountain To Reopen 
• The Crafty Pint's Brewery & Venue Directory 
• Rockstar Brewer Academy

To find out more about supporting the show or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact [email protected].