Last year I reported on the worrying spate of insolvencies in the drinks industry, particularly among craft brewers. And things have gotten even worse so far in 2024. Dave Padden of Sydney’s Akasha Brewing was pretty open with us last year on the show about the difficulties his business was confronting. Sadly, Akasha last week became the latest brewery to enter voluntary administration. In this episode I’m joined by Dale Meddings, joint CEO of Bintani, Australia’s leading supplier of ingredients to the brewing and distilling industries, and a long-term sponsor of the podcast. Coming up, Dale shares with us the impact this brewing industry turmoil has been having on his business, and we get a health check on the emerging craft spirits sector. Dale reveals what are some of the hottest ingredients currently on the market that will shape the drinks of the future. And you’ll hear why, in spite of everything that’s going on, he is still optimistic about the future of independent brewing in Australia. Where to here for local beer? (Crafty Pint article)