I decided to make a living as a craft brewer because… beer has been a long time passion of mine and it felt like the right time to follow the dream. A friend from university who has a lot of experience in running businesses was also looking for a change, so we saw the opportunity and ran with it.

Barons is different from the mass-produced beer you might find in the liquor store because… it’s an independent Australian beer company and our beer is made from the best ingredients we can source. Our products contain no preservatives or additives and our native range of beers use Australian ingredients such as wattle seed and lemon myrtle to create a unique imbibing experience. Our native spices are sourced from Outback Pride who work with indigenous communities to produce the best crops available.

Demand in the current economic climate is… holding up well.  Demand for beer is always solid both in good economic times and in bad. We have observed a shift to customers drinking more at home because it’s now possible to find a quality six-pack of beer that’s better value than a good bottle of wine.

The most satisfying thing about producing beer is… having people approach you and tell you that they love what you put your blood, sweat and tears into.

The biggest frustration in producing beer is… I love creating new, unique beers so it can be frustrating at times to be limited by the cost of releasing new beers into the market.

The best meal I’ve eaten this year was… at the Glebe Point Diner. Their focus on local produce, seasonal menus, ingredient outsourcing and quality suppliers make for a memorable meal.

My most treasured food/beer memory is… the last beer dinner I did with the chef at Sticks in the Chalk Hotel in Brisbane. He took a lot of time and effort to match each beer with the perfect course, and you could really see and feel his passion. He went as far as sending five litres of Barons Black Wattle beer to an ice cream maker to create Black Wattle Bon Bons, made with Black Wattle ice cream coated in dark chocolate.

Slow Foodies should check out… http://www.outbackpride.com.au to learn more about what they are doing with bush foods and native ingredients.

The most important thing about the sustainable food movement is… that people care where their food and drink comes from and have a vested interest in the people who produce it. It makes for a much more appreciative dining experience.

If Slow Food members could do one thing to make food, wine and beer in Sydney better, cleaner and fairer, it would be to… demand better maintenance of beer lines in pubs and ensure that your local has Barons!