Bridge Road Brewers have just announced the full lineup for their Technical Symposium, part of the annual High Country Hop Festival, presented by the Independent Brewers Association. 

This year’s symposium will be headlined by a keynote presentation from Matt Brynildson of the famed Firestone Walker. Matt will be presenting on behalf of the Hop Quality Group, who advocate on behalf of craft brewers for maintenance and improvement of hop quality. 

The carefully curated program aims to provide the brewing industry with meaningful information, promote dialogue, and provide inspiration from their peers as well as suppliers. 

Special guest Topher Boehm of Wildflower Brewing and Blending has put together a diverse panel to discuss the beer industry’s environmental impact. Panelists include Bruce Maynard (TBC), inventor of the No Kill Cropping System and winner of the 2022 Bob Hawke Landcare award. This session aims to highlight simple measures that will enable small brewers to make a big impact via inspiring and thought-provoking content. 

Kylie Lethbridge, CEO of the IBA, will provide an update on their activity and future priorities in their representation of Australian indie brewers. 

Hop Products Australia, the country’s largest hop producer with their largest hop plantings located less than 30km from Beechworth, will provide an update on the 2023 harvest as well as their exciting plans for the future. 

The Crafty Pint team will lead a panel discussion featuring a diverse range of independent suppliers to the industry on the challenges facing such businesses and the solutions they’ve found. We’ll hear from guests including Jade McManus of Ryefield Hops to gain an insight into what it takes to establish a hop garden, and Derek Lacey, founder and CEO of Bluestone Yeast. 

Matt Vitale of Birchal will provide insights into what has been cutting through and gaining results when it comes to the ever-competitive space of equity crowdfunding. 

A combined team effort from Bintani, NZ Hops, and Fermentis will be providing a sensory session on NZ’s anticipated new hop, 102, and its interaction with various yeast strains. 

Spaces will be extremely limited, with a discount available to IBA members. Tickets include lunch and refreshments. 

Bookings