Early bird rates available now. The Australian drinks Awards 2016 is now accepting entries and submissions for the five drinks categories and fifteen subcategories. An early bird entry rate is available until 31 March 2016. Alternatively, all entries to the Awards close 13 May 2016. Visit the Australian drinks Awards 2016 website for more information and how to enter.

Bryan Fry, currently Managing Director, Pernod Ricard USA, has been appointed Managing Director, Pernod Ricard Pacific and will report to the Chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard Winemakers. He replaces Julien Hémard whose new appointment will be announced shortly. Organisational changes to the Pernod Ricard global structure were announced last night from Paris, with the creation of new management entities aligned with the Pernod Ricard EMEA model. “Our organization and ...

Trade are being invited to have their say on the review of the lockout laws. The review is being led by former High Court Justice, the Hon. Ian Callinan AC QC, and will assess the effectiveness of the 1.30am lockouts and 3am last drinks legislation that applies in Kings Cross and Sydney CBD precincts, while also looking at the state-wide 10pm restriction of take away liquor sales. The review will ...

The wine region of McLaren Vale now has its first dedicated whisky distillery, with several others in the pipeline for other SA wine regions, amid a groundswell of whisky production activity in the state. The McLaren Vale Distillery has been founded by John Rochfort, former CEO of Tasmania’s Lark Distillery, and his family, together with business partner Jock Harvey, who also owns Chalk Hill Wines. They are consulting with undisclosed parties on distilleries that ...

The Keystone Group has announced the sale of The Newtown Hotel to Colonial Leisure Group. The iconic Sydney venue will change hands in late March this year. The Keystone Group purchased the pub in 2010 and undertook extensive renovations to restore it to its original state. Under the group’s management, The Newtown Hotel has returned to its former glory as one of the suburb’s landmark pubs. “We are pleased to confirm ...

Carlsberg has chosen Australia to be among the first markets globally to launch its new Carlsberg Mid 3.5%. The beer will be managed by Coopers Brewery and distributed through Premium Beverages. Coopers will also brew Carlsberg Mid locally, at its Regency Park headquarters. National Sales and Marketing Director, Cam Pearce, says the brewery believes there’s a strong demand for mid-strength beers in Australia. “Sales of Mild Ale 3.5% grew by 13.7 per ...

By Mal Higgs, Project Manager for the ALSA Retail Insights Project www.alsaretailinsights.com.au As retailers, we tend to spend most of our time concentrating on our ‘customers’, as these are the people who make our cash registers ring! This however, instinctively means that we are focussing on the customers who walk through our front door – our regulars. Occasionally we will read or hear about ‘consumers’ and what they are doing ...

The 2016 Australian International Beer Awards - Australia’s largest annual beer competition - is now open for entries. Entries should be submitted online at www.rasv.com.au and will close on Thursday 24 March. Brewers this year could stand to win from a number of 30 trophies, including the inaugural New World Pale Ale Trophy, which will recognise one brewer’s distinguished use of New World hops predominantly from New Zealand and Australia. “RASV, ...

39 redundancies from Boag’s Brewery in Launceston were announced this week, following Lion’s decision to move around 20 million litres of annual brewing volume from the site to the mainland. James Brindley, Managing Director of Lion Beer, Spirits & Wine Australia has said that the decision is not something the company has taken lightly. “This is no reflection on the dedication and capability of our people at Boag’s Brewery or the ...

Announced today, Stolen Spirits Australia is moving distribution from Beam Suntory/CCA to Think Spirits effective on the 29th February. Jamie Duff, Stolen Founder, says, “Brands are built over time, brick by brick, by having good products and even better people and teams. We think that Think Spirits (and we think a LOT) are going to be another team of great people we are fortunate to work with.” Think Spirits Managing ...