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“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 2Relevant 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 AcademyTo find out more about supporting the show or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact craig@craftypint.com.
Headlines: First hostages freed in Israel-Gaza ceasefire deal Peter Dutton promises tax-free lunches for small businesses TikTok back online for American users after Trump promises to save it Djokovic skips post-match AO interview awaiting apology from Nine Deep Dive: Who decides what beer is served on tap at your local bar, pub or club? It might not be obvious from all the brands and styles of beer on offer, but something like 80% of the beer we drink in Australia is owned by two Japanese megacompanies Lion and Asahi - both of which have spent millions of dollars buying up craft breweries in Australia. And if you're a pub owner in need of renovations, or a new tap system, or you’re opening up a new venue, there's a good chance you'll be hearing from one of these companies, calling to make an offer that’s hard to refuse. Mazen Hajjar is CEO of Hawkers Beer, one of the largest independent producers in Victoria. He argues there’s a market duopoly at play, and it’s strangling what might otherwise be a thriving craft beer industry in Australia. He joins Bension Siebert on this episode of The Briefing to explain why. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's the second episode of our traditional end of year celebration recorded live at Hawkers with the inimitable Mazen Hajjar and there's some massive news if you listen carefully to this one. NB - There's some pretty strong language in this one so if you're listening with the kiddies in the car you might want to wait till you've dropped them off at the pool! If you want to sip some great Hawkers beer while you listen to the episode make sure to visit their online store here: https://hawkers.beer/collections/our-beers We cover a heap of ground in this episode and there are some massive scoops about the future of the brewery, beers we can expect from Hawkers in 2025, the issues the industry is facing but also the things that make him inspired and excited for the year ahead. Maz is also amazingly open about the voluntary administration process that the brewery underwent in 2024 explaining not just the mechanics of the process but also the personal impact of owning a business that goes into VA. And he also drops us a massive scoop about how the business will be structured in 2025. We also discuss his favourite beers of the year, his thoughts on brewing competitions, pinstriped cans and the origins of Mediterranean Pilsners! Make sure you listen in for Episode 252 featuring the audience questions part of the conversation which will drop soon!
It's our traditional end of year celebration recorded live at Hawkers with the inimitable Mazen Hajjar and as ever there's a heap to talk about. NB - There's some pretty strong language in this one so if you're listening with the kiddies in the car you might want to wait till you've dropped them off at the pool! If you want to sip some great Hawkers beer while you listen to the episode make sure to visit their online store here: https://hawkers.beer/collections/our-beers We cover a heap of ground in this episode and there are some massive scoops about the future of the brewery, beers we can expect from Hawkers in 2025, the issues the industry is facing but also the things that make him inspired and excited for the year ahead. Maz is also amazingly open about the voluntary administration process that the brewery underwent in 2024 explaining not just the mechanics of the process but also the personal impact of owning a business that goes into VA. Make sure you listen in for Episode 251 featuring the second part of the conversation which will drop soon!
It finally happened! Mazen Hajjar welcomes the Coolroom to Hawkers for a live show with plenty of great stories about his journey in brewing. We hear all about his first adventures in brewing back in Lebanon and what led him to set up in Melbourne. We get to taste 6 of his great beers and hear all about the team that makes them reality. What are the "things he said he'd never do" that he's gone on to do, and why does he still check the ratings of his beers? Davydd goes off script and starts drinking hazies as Mazen explains the virtues of stouts for the Australian summer. Oh and you want scoops? We got scoops! Listen in to find out what's currently ageing in Hawkers barrels and upcoming explorations of terroir!
I've said it before, and I'll say it again...this one could go anywhere! And it did!Chats with Mazen Hajjar are a lot of fun for me! He is smart, opinionated, funny, and never going to leave you to die wondering where he stands on an issue...makes for great podcasting!In this episode, we discuss everything from how he used the Covid interruption to take a deep dive into his business and make some big changes, to his thoughts on why he doesn't feel the need to jump on board the Haze Craze, and how he wants to use storytelling (one of my passions) to help drive his business forward. These chats are about a love of beer, going off on tangents, and just having a great chin wag! I enjoy them immensely, and I hope you do to.Hawkers BeerWant to help spread the craft beer gospel?Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTubeRate, Review and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts...click the link on your phone and scroll to the bottomOr Follow/Subscribe on your favourite podcast player
In this Melbourne-themed group Sesh, we had a couple of our favourite guests back on the show in Sean Ryan from Killer Sprocket & Mazen Hajjar from Hawkers and for his first time on our show, we welcomed Professor Pilsner, Pete Mitcham from Radio Brews News in for a chat. We had a heap of laughs talking with these 3 bloody legends. We hope you enjoy it too!
Mazen Hajjar is the CEO of Hawkers, a craft beer brand based in Australia. He talks about establishing 961 beer in Lebanon in 2006, the brew‘s ancient history in the Middle East, the important scientific and technological breakthroughs the industry has sparked and why you should never drink beer from a bottle.
Mazen Hajjar is the CEO of Hawkers, a craft beer brand based in Australia. He talks about establishing 961 beer in Lebanon in 2006, the brew‘s ancient history in the Middle East, the important scientific and technological breakthroughs the industry has sparked and why you should never drink beer from a bottle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In times of great uncertainty there are three things we know for sure. Firstly, seriously how good is the pub? We miss the pub. Second, Mazen Hajjar of Hawkers Beer always has a story to tell, insightful, hilarious and at times moving. Third, Matt McIver from Range Brewing is a total dreamboat. S*#T we mean their beers are great! Yep that’s what we meant. Great beers. Three hosts, two brewery owners and 2,383.7 km’s of separation. How good is the pub?Check us out on socials @stepbrewersContribute to our Patreon! - https://bit.ly/2QkjkJg
It's March 2020. With everything that's going on, we thought we'd have a beer & a chat, almost just to put a stamp in time to look back on in years to come. Turns out our mate Mazen from Hawkers was up for a yarn as well, so we got him on to tell us about what's going on in his neck of the woods. We spoke about a lot of things, including Covid-19 & what's new at Hawkers, but none more important than what the consumer can do to help the breweries & venues we love to keep their doors open & keep their staff in their jobs through this unprecedented pandemic. Because let's face it, the other side of this drama is gonna be way less fun without them! Sorry about the fan noise in the background, but we got isolated in a room without A/C. And a huge thanks once again to Mazen for Joining us!
Strap on your seat belts pod casters, this episode covers a lot of ground!For those of you who know the name Mazen Hajjar know that he is never afraid to speak his mind and he doesn't take life too seriously…a great mix for having a great conversation about something we both love, craft beer. If you don't know Mazen, you need to take a long hard look at yourself. The Middle Eastern born, new Australian is the heart and soul of Victorian brewery Hawkers. He's an entrepreneur, a visionary, a bit of a hustler, and now he is an Aussie we can also call him a shit stirrer!!Mazen has a lot to talk about on this episode…raising funds for fire victims with Christian O'Connell, a new collaboration with 3 Weavers, how his brewers biggest mistake became one of their success stories, and a big Crowd Funding plan.
Over the next three hours - yes, it's a long one - you will hear Pete Mitcham and Matt Kirkegaard, joined by Hemingway's Brewing head brewer Anthony Clem and Cryer Malt's Queensland & Northern Territory Sales Manager, Fergus Seppanen reveal the results live. We chat with a cavalcade of brewery representatives, including Brendan Varis and Will Irving from Feral, Scott Hargrave from Balter, Nick Boots from Stone & Wood, Christen McGarry from Your Mates and Mazen Hajjar from Hawkers as well as GABS new owner, Mike Bray and the man who pulls it all together, Craig Williams. We sincerely thank our presenting partners Cryer Malt, Yakima Chief Hops and Barrett Burston Malting. without whom we could not have gotten the team in one room to create the show. Yakima Chief Hops; a 100% grower-owned global network of family hop farms, known for their innovative products, including Cryo Hops® Pellets, the concentrated lupulin of whole leaf hop cones, processed at sub zero temperatures! Now available through their supply partners Cryer Malt Australia. We also thank Hemingway's in Cairns for having us along and being such generous hosts. If you happen to be in Cairns or Port Douglas, you're missing out on a great experience if you don't go and visit the breweries and drink the beers that are actually from up there. Our live stream was produced by Jon Guarna. Now, settle in and listen to the Radio Brews News team call the last two hours of the countdown and discuss all the results…
Over the next three hours - yes, it’s a long one - you will hear Pete Mitcham and Matt Kirkegaard, joined by Hemingway’s Brewing head brewer Anthony Clem and Cryer Malt’s Queensland & Northern Territory Sales Manager, Fergus Seppanen reveal the results live. We chat with a cavalcade of brewery representatives, including Brendan Varis and Will Irving from Feral, Scott Hargrave from Balter, Nick Boots from Stone & Wood, Christen McGarry from Your Mates and Mazen Hajjar from Hawkers as well as GABS new owner, Mike Bray and the man who pulls it all together, Craig Williams. We sincerely thank our presenting partners Cryer Malt, Yakima Chief Hops and Barrett Burston Malting. without whom we could not have gotten the team in one room to create the show. Yakima Chief Hops; a 100% grower-owned global network of family hop farms, known for their innovative products, including Cryo Hops® Pellets, the concentrated lupulin of whole leaf hop cones, processed at sub zero temperatures! Now available through their supply partners Cryer Malt Australia. We also thank Hemingway’s in Cairns for having us along and being such generous hosts. If you happen to be in Cairns or Port Douglas, you’re missing out on a great experience if you don’t go and visit the breweries and drink the beers that are actually from up there. Our live stream was produced by Jon Guarna. Now, settle in and listen to the Radio Brews News team call the last two hours of the countdown and discuss all the results…
When news broke that CUB has been purchased by Asahi for $16 Billion the comments and questions came thick and fast. Some things were clear, if the sale went ahead Asahi would become the worlds third largest brewing company. What was not so clear was the fate of the various company layers within the CUB network. Questions and opinions soon began circulating as to the future of CUB's craft brands like 4 Pines and Pirate Life as well as online services such as Booze Bud and Rate Beer. We turn to Mazen Hajjar, co founder of Hawkers Beer, who is very forthright in his opinions on all things business. He shares what the sale might mean for the Australian beer landscape as well as his views on tap contracts, anti competitive behaviour and the role of the IBA and ACCC. Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt. With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world's best local and imported malts. Your premium brewing partner and proud supporters of Brews News. We thank Rallings Labels and Stickers for sponsoring this podcast. Call Rallings on 1300 852 235 to discover a more efficient way to get your small batch canning labels done. And we welcome Unleashed Software as a supporter of the show. Unleashed is more than inventory management software. It's a system that runs your whole business operations and gives you an unfair brewing advantage. Learn how Unleashed can help you run and grow your brewery. If you like what we do at Radio Brews News you can help us out by: Sponsoring the show Reviewing us on iTunes or your favourite podcasting service Emailing us at producer@brewsnews.com.au to share your thoughts All letter writers will receive a brews news bottle opener and go into the draw to win a mixed six-pack thanks to our good friends at Beer Cartel who sponsor our letter for the week.
When news broke that CUB has been purchased by Asahi for $16 Billion the comments and questions came thick and fast. Some things were clear, if the sale went ahead Asahi would become the worlds third largest brewing company. What was not so clear was the fate of the various company layers within the CUB network. Questions and opinions soon began circulating as to the future of CUB's craft brands like 4 Pines and Pirate Life as well as online services such as Booze Bud and Rate Beer. We turn to Mazen Hajjar, co founder of Hawkers Beer, who is very forthright in his opinions on all things business. He shares what the sale might mean for the Australian beer landscape as well as his views on tap contracts, anti competitive behaviour and the role of the IBA and ACCC. Radio Brews News is proudly presented by Cryer Malt. With over 25 years in the field, Cryer Malt has been bringing you the world’s best local and imported malts. Your premium brewing partner and proud supporters of Brews News. We thank Rallings Labels and Stickers for sponsoring this podcast. Call Rallings on 1300 852 235 to discover a more efficient way to get your small batch canning labels done. And we welcome Unleashed Software as a supporter of the show. Unleashed is more than inventory management software. It’s a system that runs your whole business operations and gives you an unfair brewing advantage. Learn how Unleashed can help you run and grow your brewery. If you like what we do at Radio Brews News you can help us out by: Sponsoring the show Reviewing us on iTunes or your favourite podcasting service Emailing us at producer@brewsnews.com.au to share your thoughts All letter writers will receive a brews news bottle opener and go into the draw to win a mixed six-pack thanks to our good friends at Beer Cartel who sponsor our letter for the week.
This week Pete Mitcham takes on not one, not two but three streams of beer consciousness as he catches up with the spiritual heads of Hawkers Beer and Liberty Brewing. Hawkers and Liberty have joined to brew Liberty beers here in Australia as well as hatching plots to brew more collaborative brews. Joe Wood from Liberty Brewing in Helensville, NZ was at Hawkers to launch the initiative and Pete caught up with him, Hawkers co-founder Mazen Hajjar and National Sales manager Mik Halse. It's a wide ranging chat which shows how brewers across wide divides can work together and also shows that sometimes the best friendships begin in the most surprising of ways. Enjoy the conversation.
This week Pete Mitcham takes on not one, not two but three streams of beer consciousness as he catches up with the spiritual heads of Hawkers Beer and Liberty Brewing. Hawkers and Liberty have joined to brew Liberty beers here in Australia as well as hatching plots to brew more collaborative brews. Joe Wood from Liberty Brewing in Helensville, NZ was at Hawkers to launch the initiative and Pete caught up with him, Hawkers co-founder Mazen Hajjar and National Sales manager Mik Halse. It’s a wide ranging chat which shows how brewers across wide divides can work together and also shows that sometimes the best friendships begin in the most surprising of ways. Enjoy the conversation.
Today we were lucky enough to sit down with the charmingly enigmatic Mazen Hajjar of Hawkers Beer. We talk about tap contracts, limited releases and quality control. Mazen's career has been varied; war photographer, airline CEO and brewer. Now the owner of the 3rd* largest brewery in Australia, Mazen is forging his own path and putting it all out there. A great guest and even better shit-talker, which means he fits right in with us. To learn more about Hawkers beer go to https://hawkers.beer/
This week we catch up with Denita Wawn, Chief Executive Officer of the Brewers Association and also Mazen Hajjar, co-founder of Melbourne's Hawkers Beer. Our chat with Denita is very wide ranging and discusses the role of the Brewers Association, which represents the large breweries of Australia and New Zealand in their legislative and regulatory affairs. We end up looking at the association's role in assisting to fund the recently launched Tasmanian Brewery Trail. We also chat with Mazen Hajjar to discuss his background founding a brewery in Lebanon and his very forthright views on the local craft beer market. Don't forget to send us your feedback, or leave a voicemail by calling (07) 3040 1508, that we'll play on our next show. Radio Brews News is hosted by Matt Kirkegaard and Pete Mitcham and is produced by Lachie Mackintosh. Download the audio or subscribe below.
This week we catch up with Denita Wawn, Chief Executive Officer of the Brewers Association and also Mazen Hajjar, co-founder of Melbourne's Hawkers Beer. Our chat with Denita is very wide ranging and discusses the role of the Brewers Association, which represents the large breweries of Australia and New Zealand in their legislative and regulatory affairs. We end up looking at the association's role in assisting to fund the recently launched Tasmanian Brewery Trail. We also chat with Mazen Hajjar to discuss his background founding a brewery in Lebanon and his very forthright views on the local craft beer market. Don't forget to send us your feedback, or leave a voicemail by calling (07) 3040 1508, that we'll play on our next show. Radio Brews News is hosted by Matt Kirkegaard and Pete Mitcham and is produced by Lachie Mackintosh. Download the audio or subscribe below.
Curious about the craft beer scene in Middle East? This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy Carbone is joined in the studio by Mazen Hajjar, the brewer behind Lebanon’s 961 Beer. Hear what the typical Lebanese beer enthusiast drinks, and learn why Mazen decided to grow 961 Beer and distribute internationally. Jimmy is also talking with a wide variety of Long Island Brewers. Mike Philporick of Port Jeff, Greg Martin of Long Ireland, and Curt Potter of Blue Point Brewing Company are in the house talking about a Long Island collaboration beer, Surge Protector IPA. Surge Protector is a benefit beer for victims of Hurricane Sandy on Long Island, and for Barrier Brewing based in New York. Wendy Littlefield from Vanberg & DeWulf calls in to talk about New York’s Coast to Coast Toast! Craig Flymark also calls in to talk about Barrier’s brews post-Hurricane Sandy. The studio’s packed on this week’s Beer Sessions Radio; tune in! This program has been brought to you by GreatBrewers.com. “Sometimes we get to the point where we try to push the IBUs and do all this crazy stuff, but we forget the basics. If we don’t make drinkable beers, we’re failing the consumer.” [35:00] “The more beers out there, good beers- the more converts we will get.” [42:00] — Mazen Hajjar on Beer Sessions Radio
We talk to home brewers Vickie Watson and Ken Dollar from Mississippi, where home brewing is illegal. We also talk to Mazen Hajjar, owner of the first brewpub in Beirut, Lebanon.