The High Country Hop Technical Symposium 2024 - Presented by IBA

2024 High Country Hop Technical Symposium: Crafting Excellence in Australian Craft Beer

Tickets include lunch and refreshments.

Welcome to the premier event for the Independent Australian craft beer industry.

Join us for a day filled with insightful sessions, expert speakers, and networking opportunities.

9:00 am - Acknowledgment of Country and Welcome to Beechworth.
Will Ziebell, The Crafty Pint - Senior Journalist
Will Ziebell is an award-winning journalist at Australia's home of craft beer, The Crafty Pint.

9:15 am - State of the Industry Update.
Kylie Lethbridge, Independent Brewers Association CEO

10:00 am - HPA Crop 2024: Quality Improvements & Experimental Hop Rub 'n’ Sniff
Michael Capaldo, National Sales Manager, HPA Crop 2024
Passionate about people, beer, and learning, Michael has enjoyed a 17-year journey in the beer industry, from Little Creatures to Sydney Brewery. Now, as HPA’s National Sales Manager, Michael uses his expertise in leadership, sales, sensory evaluation, and technical brewing to help brewers make great beer.

10:45 am - Networking Break

11:00 am - Crafting Success: Digital Transformation Drives Brewery Growth
Steve Ansermino, Solution Director, Netsuite
Steve, a seasoned professional in sales, tech, and business, excels at simplifying complexities as Cloud Culture's Solutions Director. With NetSuite certification and a business-focused approach, he guides businesses to success through collaboration, continuous improvement, and attention to detail.

12:00 pm - Lunch Break
Complimentary lunch and refreshments for ticket holders in the foyer.

12:45 pm - Tritordeum: Sensory and Technical Exploration
Sam Bethune, Bintani
Join Sam, with a beer in hand, as he explores the new Barley/Wheat Hybrid Cereal and its interaction with novel yeast strain SafAle W-68™.

1:45 pm - Beer Tourism: Is it a Thing?
- Josh Donohoe, Sunshine Coast Craft Beer Tours
- Bess Nolan Cook, CEO Tourism North East
- Jimmy Krekelberg, Good Land Brewing Co.
- Panel host: Will Ziebell, The Crafty Pint

Explore craft beer as a tourism driver with insights from Tourism North East's CEO, a Sunshine Coast beer tour expert, and a brewery owner from an emerging tourism destination.

2:30 pm - Trophy Grade Brewing: Insights from Australia's Champion Hop Forward Brewery
- Matt Wilson, Moffat Beach Brewing
- MC: Sam Bethune, Bintani

Discover how Moffat Beach Brewing maintains an industry leading level of beer excellence across multiple categories. 

3:30 pm - Building a Lasting Indie Business
- Panel Host, Will Ziebell, The Crafty Pint
- Katherine Brown, Brown Brothers
- Stuart Whytcross, Voyager Malt
- Ben Kraus, Bridge Road Brewers

Gain insights from the challenges and knowledge of running family businesses over 134 years! Join Katherine Brown, a fourth-generation winemaker, as she opens up and shares her insights on the famed Brown Brothers of Milawa. With a rich history dating back to 1889, Brown Brothers is a testament to the enduring legacy of family dedication to craftsmanship. Stuart Whytcross of Voyager Malt also boasts four generations of family business, having gained his first 50 acres to farm in his own way at the age of 12.

4.30pm - Closing and thankyou - Will Ziebell, The Crafty Pint

JOIN US FOR A HOP GARDEN TOUR ON THURSDAY MARCH 21

BOOK HERE: The High Country Hop Harvest Tour