Well, we finally did it.

If we thought assisting in a brew day was our goal, then how did we forget that consuming the result was the ultimate dream?!

All bias aside, this year's Victorian High Country Rule 47 collaborative brew might just be the best one yet. If our on-site episode earlier this year had you anticipating the Black Cali Pils, then we can assure you those instincts were correct.

However, this new episode is no one trick pony. We also sample 3 other brand new beers from our friends at Mountain Monk. Tis the season for some German inspiration, and our friends have absolutely nailed it again, crafting a crisp, delicious Bavarian Pilsner, funky Dunkel Weizen, and thirst quenching Holy Lager.

Be sure to grab your tickets for the Mount Beauty Dachshund Derby and Oktoberfest on Saturday 11 October 2025! As well a fresh can of the 2025 Rule 47 before it's all gone and they call on us once again to brew best beer of 2026!*

*probably had nothing to do with us, and likely won't in the future either.

https://www.mountainmonkbrewers.com.au/

Cheers to Great Beers!

Reach out to us at our website:

https://borderbarrels.com/

OR

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/borderbarrelspodcast/

Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms.

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnh

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

This week we take a little trip down memory lane, while also sampling 3 new MASSIVE stouts from craft beer OG's Deeds Brewing. 'How is this possible', you may ask?

Due to the unfortunate economic climate and difficulties facing the craft industry, Deeds are no longer with us on a full time scale. Thankfully, some bourbon barrel aged beauties are still being kegged and canned on a semi-regular basis, and Simmo (through fortunate circumstances) got his hands on today's beer bounty.

Despite not being our standard 'brewery showcase' type of episode, we do complete our deepest dive ever into Untapped, due to Deeds being a major contributor to why we have a podcast in the first place.

Elsewhere, it's your usual shit talk for near 90 minutes, amped up by 3 of the biggest beers we've ever sampled.

Thanks to Deeds for igniting our passion in the early days, and Simmo for nearly destroying our entire post-recording afternoons.

https://deedsbrewing.com.au/

Cheers to Great Beers!

Reach out to us at our website:

https://borderbarrels.com/

OR

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/borderbarrelspodcast/

Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms.

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnh

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

It was a boozey Sunday afternoon in the Border Barrels studio, as Gratzy (via his wife) supplied the boys with FIVE delicious beers from Mornington's hidden gem Tar Barrel Brewery & Distillery.

We were fortunate enough to get our hands on the limited '4 Pack of Darkness', resulting in a malty selection including a Dark Lager, Brown ale, Porter and Big Imperial Stout.

Since we're hop fiends, we also sample the brand new 'Daddy Needs a New Pair of Shoes' IPA, which immediately hits as one of our favourite IPA's of all time. (Regular listeners will know, that's a massive accomplishment).

We struggle through a couple of technical difficulties (apologies), as we we're still getting used to a new computer system after Sunday Road Brewing and their incredible Imperial Stout finally claimed Simmo's laptop as its first (and final?) victim.

Elsewhere, there just might be a delectable little treat that acts a special postscript to our regular beer tastings. Without giving too much away, Tar Barrel isn't JUST a brewery remember. (Insert wink face emoji).

Thanks Tar Barrel for making delicious alcoholic beverages and Sophie for acting as our beer courier.

https://tarbarrel.com.au/

Cheers to Great Beers!

Reach out to us at our website:

https://borderbarrelspodcast.com/

OR

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/borderbarrelspodcast/

Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms.

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnh

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

We love a Canberra brewery.

So much so that we've returned to Cypher Brewing Co. for a very special sequel episode!

You won't find our usual brewery history report, or overall score index, because this one is entirely "powered by friendship".

The friendship between the Border Barrels crew, as well as our friendship with malt, hops, yeast, water and the magic they create.

We hope you like sours, pastry stouts and mystery beers, because we bloody sure do.

Thanks Cypher for 2 years of epic-ness, and Hudo for purchasing this week's beers.

https://www.cypherbrewing.com.au/

Cheers to Great Beers!

Reach out to us at our website:

https://borderbarrelspodcast.com/

OR

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/borderbarrelspodcast/

Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms.

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnh

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

Well, there's something to tick off the bucket list!When starting our beer journey in podcast form, something we hoped to achieve was being part of a brew day. Thanks to our besties at Mountain Monk Brewers, we were able to make that dream a reality.Our vision board certainly didn't involve a special collaborative beer, nor did it necessarily involve 7 other High Country legends. Most significantly, we never thought we'd be on hand to witness (and be a small part of) the creation of the annual Rule 47 Victorian High Country beer! But here we are. The luckiest craft nerds on the planet. As a bonus, podcast favourite Punky (Mountain Monk Brewers) joins us for a chat to discuss everything about the creation, collaboration and what to expect from the epic new brew. Special thanks to the team at Mountain Monk Brewers for hosting the day, and the incredibly passionate, talented and friendly brewers who we met, spoke and drank with. In no particular order, thanks Bridge Road Brewers, King River Brewing, Crank Handle Brewery, Bright Brewery, Last St. Brewery, Mitta Mitta Brewing Co and Black Dog Brewery, plus North East Tourism for also being superstars.Make sure you check out all the breweries on the High Country Brewery Trail at https://www.victoriashighcountry.com.au/food-and-drink/breweries/high-country-brewery-trail/https://www.mountainmonkbrewers.com.au/https://bridgeroadbrewers.com.au/https://www.kingriverbrewing.com.au/https://www.crankhandlebrewery.com.au/https://brightbrewery.com.au/https://lastst.com.au/https://www.mittabrewing.com.au/https://blackdogbrewery.com.au/Cheers to Great Beers!Reach out to us at our website: https://borderbarrelspodcast.com/ ORInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/borderbarrelspodcast/Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms.Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnhApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

Completing the trifecta of first class Canberra breweries, we finally showcase Fyshwick legends, Capital! The Border Barrels team were generously gifted an all-time care package, containing 7 delicious beers, ranging from an alcohol free pacific ale to a FRESH collaborative New World IPA. There is massive ground to cover this week, as Capital have left a huge imprint on the scene throughout a decade of operation. As well as taste testing their finest work, we discover the individuals themselves behind the business, as well as their impressive inclusion in the Climate Active scheme.There's historical Untappd reviews, GABS countdown stats, general tomfoolery, a surprise dessert and your usual dose of poorly worded tasting notes. Sit back, crack a Trail Pale and immerse yourself in our Capital Brewing showcase episode. Thanks to Maws for being a legend, and the rest of the team that makes Capital who they are.https://capitalbrewing.co/Cheers to Great Beers!Reach out to us at our website: https://borderbarrelspodcast.com/ ORInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/borderbarrelspodcast/Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms.Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnhApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

This week on Border Barrels, we're celebrating all things GABS and the hottest 100 countdown! We put last years top 5 to our Border Barrels rating test, with some surprising and not-so-surprisng results. We also take a deep dive into past countdowns, reminisce about some of our favourite beers of yesteryear, plus reveal our very own, unique top 5's for the upcoming edition! It's been a long hot summer, and it's great to be back with a hot, average length episode. Cheers to great beers.

Instagram:   / borderbarrelspodcast   Twitter:   / border_barrels   Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms. Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnh Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

It's brewery discovery week in the Border Barrels studio, and Gratzy has supplied the POD with 6 tasty treats from Brookvale's rising stars, Bucketty's!

These bigger tasting sessions generally revolve around a brewery we aren't yet familiar with. The most rewarding part is realising that ignorance is entirely our mistake!

A stunning Ginger Beer (+ lime) adds a new style to our database, while an XPA brewed with Norwegian super yeast and a delectable West Coast IPA also yield big results.

Somehow (blame the beers), conversation veers towards Quakers and Red Frogs, as well as a hilariously unfortunate entry read in it's entirety ripped straight from the Bucketty's blog.

If you can forgive Gratzy for quoting the incorrect purchase price then there are liquid nuggets of gold to be found everywhere on this week's episode of Border Barrels.

Thanks to the team at Bucketty's Brewing Co for being legends, as well as mighty fine craftsmen of our favourite beverage.

https://www.buckettys.com.au/ Cheers to Great Beers! Reach out to us at our website: https://borderbarrelspodcast.com/ OR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/borderbarrelspodcast/ Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms. Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnh Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

Thank goodness Hudson loves a family holiday. More specifically, thank goodness Hudson (seemingly) plans his family holidays around the best breweries Australia has to offer. This week, he takes us inside his journey to Phillip Island, with our booze buds from Ocean Reach Brewing acting as the local guide. This is a rather special episode, with a collection of 3 of the best IPA's we've sampled in a long time, as well as a delicious stout as a decadent little treat. If there is one thing we learnt this week, it's that the immensely talented team at Ocean Reach might collectively be the most underrated hop-juice slingers in Australia. Don't sleep on them! Thanks to Ocean Reach Brewing for the beers, and Hudson for bringing them home. https://oceanreach.beer/ Cheers to Great Beers! Reach out to us at our website: https://borderbarrelspodcast.com/ OR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/borderbarrelspodcast/ Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms. Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnh Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

On this week's episode we take a long-awaited trip to Traralgon's Good Land Brewing Co.! Our journey sees us navigate through a brief history of Jimmy Krekelberg's vision of a cracking brew, followed by 3 big limited beers. Stops include a dessert for a refreshing Salted Lime and Agave Gose, New Zealand for a light, Fuzzy IPA, and pure flavour-town with a delicious, classic West Coast IPA. We also get serious for a minute, highlighting the ongoing battle the independent brewers of Australia are facing thanks to ridiculous excise taxes. Do your bit and send a letter to your local MP today! Thanks to Good Land Brewing Co. for the great beers and Beer Cartel for supplying them this week. https://www.goodland.beer/https://www.beercartel.com.au/ Cheers to Great Beers! Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/borderbarrels/message Instagram:   / borderbarrelspodcast   Twitter:   / border_barrels   Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms. Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnh Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

They might actually be Giants! Small Gods by name, big beers by nature. For just the second time in Border Barrels history, we cross the ditch to New Zealand for a brewery showcase. Auckland's Small God's stunned our senses with a delicious assault of hops, wheat and extra thicc malts. An orange and clove Belgian dark strong ale takes the number 1 spot for most unexpectedly, awesomely unique beer we've ever sampled, (although we're not sure if that's an actual category). Elsewhere, a lassi mango sour hits us right in the fresh spot, while a combination of stouts brings the podcast home, with our heads hitting pillows not long after. For those viewing on YouTube, we apologise for visual issues that plagued us at the end. You might have to drink a bit of those with your ears instead. Thanks Small God's for being our new beer deity, Modern Liquid for facilitating the purchase, and all of you who tune in each to see what we'll taste next!

https://www.smallgods.co.nz/https://www.modernliquid.com.au/ Cheers to Great Beers! Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/borderbarrels/message Instagram:   / borderbarrelspodcast   Twitter:   / border_barrels   Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms. Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnh Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

Our love affair with Hargreaves Hill is no secret, and this new episode might just turn that love into a genuine obsession. Once again, Andrew and the crew have supplied the podcast with five stunning, fresh and exciting beers, including some exclusive collaborations and new beer series additions. We learn about Apollo hops, thanks to a beer of the same name. Texas legends Celestial Beerworks get a special showcase section, thanks to the aforementioned collab. A new West Coast IPA leaves us gobsmacked once we (possibly) discover the origins of its name and backstory. Plus we finally delve into the history of the classicly divisive Black IPA. All this and more on this week's very special episode of Border Barrels. The biggest of thanks to Hargreaves Hill for their humbling generosity and impeccable brewing skills. https://hargreaveshill.com.au/ Cheers to Great Beers! Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/borderbarrels/message Instagram:   / borderbarrelspodcast   Twitter:   / border_barrels   Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms. Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnh Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

We bring you a BIG SHED, from the comfort of our small one.

It wouldn't be a Gratzy episode without a brewery from South Australia, and this week we finally take on the legends at Big Shed Brewing. While this might be a rare 'core range only' tasting session, the boys from Old Port Road have been crafting some of the most unique and delicious beers for the better part of a decade now. So many questions to ask through the modicum of beer consumption. Will we enjoy our first ever Brown Ale on the pod? Do Boozey Fruit and Golden Stout Time taste exactly like their Aussie icon inspiration points? (Spoiler. YES!) Could two Bears fornicate on a surf board? Who cares, I guess? As long as the IPA is good! (Another spoiler. It is) Thanks to the guys from Big Shed for being all round brewing superstars, Canberra's Plonk for supplying the goods, and Raygun for the inspiration behind our opening 5 minutes. https://bigshed.beer/https://plonk.net.au/ Cheers to Great Beers! Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/borderbarrels/message Instagram:   / borderbarrelspodcast   Twitter:   / border_barrels   Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms. Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnh Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

We love discovering new breweries through our podcast, and up and comers Noodledoof hit us right in the sweet spot this week. New frontrunners for best brewery name in Australia? Maybe. Us 3 idiots probably need to learn how to to pronounce it correctly first. These dooofus' supplied the podcast with some classic style brews and a humdinger of a twist on the legendary stout. It might be deep in the winter wilderness, but the beers and vibes are keeping us happy and warm. Thanks to our friends at The Lane Cellars in Albury (R.I.P) for the beers, and supporting the podcast for essentially our entire run! Make sure to continue supporting them by buying online from their original store in Orange. https://www.noodledoof.com/https://thelanecellars.com/ Cheers to Great Beers! Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/borderbarrels/message Instagram:   / borderbarrelspodcast   Twitter:   / border_barrels   Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms. Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnh Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

This week we pledge allegiance to the hoppiest of nations, indivisible with beers and good times for all. Footscray champions Hop Nation Brewing Co. finally get their very own episode, which we must admit is way overdue. We visit the East and West Coast of IPA land and finish with a descent into fields of Cream and Cookies. A very special collab between Hop Nation and Bright Brewery producing stunning results on the Border Barrels beer leaderboard! Simmo's very special fourth "beer" also might just be the most absurd and hilarious addition to our entire beer catalogue. Thanks to Hop Nation for producing this week's fun fuel. Be sure to get down to their beautiful brewpub on Whitehall St and support some of Australia's finest! https://hopnation.com.au/ Cheers to Great Beers! Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/borderbarrels/message Instagram:   / borderbarrelspodcast   Twitter:   / border_barrels   Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms. Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnh Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

Murraytowns are officially open for business! That calls for a very special sitdown chat, as we're joined for the second time by Barry and Jodie. Alongside these familiar legends is the third member of the Murraytowns team, Adam. Adam is a wealth of brewing knowledge with an extensive history in the industry. We quickly discovered that it won't be easy finding a more passionate individual about the art of crafting beer. The guys let us know how things have been going since the doors finally opened, the long journey it took to get there, plus exciting plans for the future! Treat yourself to a Sue or a Sal, put up your feet, and enjoy a freshly poured episode of Border Barrels. Also make sure to visit the spanking new brewpub, located at The Lincoln on the Causeway between the beautiful cities of Albury/Wodonga.

We've been fortunate on Border Barrels to be gifted interview opportunities, stubbie holders, shirts and most importantly, beer. To be given that important final gift by an OG of the Australian craft beer scene still has us pinching ourselves. The mighty BentSpoke, from our nations capital, supply the POD with 5 core range bangers, including our very first 0% beer, as well as classic experimentals in the tasty Flemm and exhilarating Muther Funker. If you do find yourself in Canberra, PLEASE visit their fantastic brewpub in Braddon. The extended taplist is always pouring exciting, brand new beers. For now, kick back with a Crankshaft and enjoy our BentSpoke Brewery Showcase. https://www.bentspokebrewing.com.au/ Cheers to Great Beers! Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/borderbarrels/message Instagram:   / borderbarrelspodcast   Twitter:   / border_barrels   Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms. Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnh Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

Holy hell. We love a good discovery as much as a good beer drinking session. Combine the two and it's deadset heaven for the Border Barrels crew. We take a trip via tastebuds to our nation's capital, with new kids on the block at Cypher Brewing. This journey has LEVELS. We ease our way into 6 delicious beers, beginning with a tasty little standard Aussie Pale, concluding with a trifecta of a sour and 2 double IPA's, all clocking in at over 7%! As a result, we must apologise for the tangents about WWE, various television programs and parenting anecdotes. At least Canberra gets a solid tourism plug! Thanks to Cypher Brewing for an unforgettable afternoon. We hope to visit you soon.

It's another brewery introductory episode of Border Barrels, but with an extra boozy twist. Simmo has been busy behind the scenes forging friendships with the legends at AVNGE brewing! What's the aforementioned twist, you ask? SEVEN delicious beers, put to the test by our unique ratings system. Oh, and we recorded at night as well. Far less lawnmower related background noise as a result. Cool can art, great blurbs and exceptional independent Australian beer is all we ever ask for, and AVNGE fulfilled those wishes. As always, we also dive into the history of the brewery and discover how they came to be. Thanks to the team at AVNGE for their generosity in supplying us with beers for this week's episode. We can't wait to see what comes next. https://www.avnge.com.au/ Cheers to Great Beers! Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/borderbarrels/message Instagram:   / borderbarrelspodcast   Twitter:   / border_barrels   Podcast available on all your favourite podcast platforms. Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3H0aRnh Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3080NIb

( ) We're heading back to the craft beer Mecca, for one of Sydney's finest breweries you may have never tried. The exceptional father-son duo over at Bracket Brewing have been whipping out incredible beers for a handful of hop-filled years now, and the Border Barrels crew have finally done their deep dive. Possibly the greatest Maibock to exist, a fresh West Coast Pilsner and a unique (and brilliant) IPA are on the menu this week. The weather is still fine, the beers are still brilliant and the good vibes are ongoing in this week's brewery showcase episode. Thanks to The Oak Barrell for supplying the beers, and Bracket Brewery for being one of Australia’s most underrated and rising superstars.