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Last week, brewers, distillers, farmers, bakers, and other supply chain partners came together at the Whitton Malt House in New South Wales at the inaugural Grainstock while farmers around the country prepare for harvest.

With an inspiring key note from Jarrod Deaton from Three Mills Bakery and technical presentations on all things grains and malt – it was an opportunity for learning, but also for reflection and connection.

Why don’t governments and consumers think about beer as an agricultural product? We have four ingredients – malt, water hops and yeast. What we make comes from the land. Grainstock provided the inspiration to think about how we can continue to communicate this message in new and different ways.

Matt Kirkeagaard made a cameo at the event and summed up his thoughts on this point in a recent post, “Beer deserves more quiet respect and a little of the romance afforded to wine, with the added credit to brewers that they defy the vagaries of the seasons to master consistency in their craft.

Beer isn’t a commodity, it is an affordable* and unpretentious glass of sociability, one that transforms the work of farmers into a liquid expression of agriculture, craft and community.“

When Stu (Voyager Craft Malt) first started sharing his ideas for what would eventually become Grainstock – they were as much about connecting us with the land, as they were about connecting with each other. And that happened in spades. Being outside our day to day environment gave us the opportunity for deep conversation about the brewing industry, our place in it, and its future. But also the chance to connect as people. As it turns out the challenge of trying to limit the sugar intake of a five year old is almost universal…

It was amazing to see just how far our members travelled for the event – perhaps none as far as Watsacowie Brewery from down on the Yorke Peninsula – an over 11 hour drive away. So huge thank you to all of the bus sponsors (and drivers) for helping our members to participate. And thank you to our members for taking the time out of their busy lives to come together.

For me, while there is a lot more reflection to do on what I learned, one question I walked away pondering was whether ‘bringing joy back’ was a legitimate strategy? Because all of us that attended felt the joy and we want to bottle it up.

Finally, the conference day at Grainstock gave us the opportunity for a passing of the baton from Kylie to me and the chance to reflect on all the IBA accomplished under her tenure, where we will focus next, and the opportunities for closer alignment between brewers and distillers where it makes sense.

Thanks to Stu, Voyager Malt, and all of the staff at the Whitton Malt House for their kind hosting.

If you missed out this year folks – mark your calendar as soon as the dates are announced for 2026.

Cheers, Sabrina.