The Good Beer Co received a $3,000 donation from Bintani Australia last week, tipping the Good Beer Always Helps campaign over the $30,000 mark, and providing 1,500 four-packs for Aussie essential workers. Right now there are four days left on the fundraising campaign, which is currently at just over $40,000 of a $50,000 target. Donate here.

Holgate Brewhouse announced in their reopening post that their canning machine is now up and running with co-founder Paul Holgate and the team working hard to install it over the past few weeks. It can produce 6,000 cans per hour in-house and it will be canning its June beers, including 2020 Empress Imperial Mocha Porter next month.

Asahi took out a 1.185 trillion yen ($17 billion) loan from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp (SMBC) to pay for its acquisition of the AB InBev acquisition, which has already received approvals from the Foreign Investment Review Board and the ACCC. According to Reuters, the deal is set to close on June 1st, although no official word yet on the acquirer of several beer and cider brands including Strongbow, Bonamy’s and Little Green Cider brands, as well as Stella Artois and Beck’s. Speculation has suggested Coca Cola Amatil is in the running.

Young Henrys is reaping the rewards of bringing in new head distiller Carla Daunton, winning a gold medal at San Francisco’s World Spirit Awards.

Bad Shepherd Brewing Co will be reopening on 2nd June, and is launching its Rules of Engagement to keep the state government on side.

Yakima Chief Hops has brought in new chief financial officer Howard Allred, who YCH said has worked at Adidas and Nike previously.

Hemingway’s Brewery sold out of its newly-launched FNQ Resilience Lager in Cairns, and only has limited stock remaining at Port Douglas.

Lion-owned Furphy is hosting its last virtual pub this Friday at 5.30pm. Check out the event on Facebook.

Newly-opened brewery Jervis Bay Brewing Co has been listed in a host of bottle shops on the NSW South Coast, from Sydney to Bateman’s Bay including at a number of independents as well as Dan Murphy’s and IGAs.

Queensland has advised that a meal is not required to satisfy the dining in provisions of the COVID-19 venue reopening restrictions, but snacks, like nuts or chips are acceptable foods to be served with alcoholic beverages.

With the coronavirus pandemic hitting hard on local pubs and bars,Sydneyindependent breweryEndeavour Brewing Co. has announced it will be offering 100 free kegs to lend a helping hand to Sydney-based pubs and bars.

Aether Brewing was at Hilltop Hops Farm for a harvest to develop a not-for-profit Bright New England IPA using Brisbane grown hops, Queensland yeast and all-Australian malts. All proceeds will be donated to Queensland mental health awareness group Livin.

Moon Dog World in Preston, which normally has a capacity of 750, is back in action from Monday 1st June, as is Moon Dog Craft Brewery’s Abbotsford site. Bookings are essential under new rules.