Australian National Homebrewing Conference

Paul (Riggers) is a passionate homebrewer, family man, BJCP judge, ex-cartographer, general ‘handyman’ and past winner in both Vicbrew and the Australian National Championship.

Paul started home brewing 25 years ago when money was tight and cheap beer the major requirement. A black plastic rubbish bin covered with a tea towel was his fermenter and Paul admits, “the beer was hideous, but it was cheap!” Home renovations, career and family then suspended his brewing pursuits for a number of years.

Following a number of trips to England and the Continent where he sampled many regional and CAMRA beers and ales, Paul found the commercial brews available on the home front were uninspiring and restrictive while imported beer was prohibitively expensive. He decided to put his spare time, experience and technical skills into concocting ‘a reasonable brew’. Starting with kits, then on to extract brewing his zeal, obsession and know-how grew and led him inevitably to all-grain brewing where his knowledge and technical expertise continues to grow.

Over the years he has won many awards both locally and nationally, demonstrated grain brewing techniques at Grain and Grape for over 10 years, become a Certified BJCP judge, judged at brewing competitions for many years and lectured about brewing to interested groups outside the brewing fraternity. Paul has been a member of Westgate Brewers for over 15 years, President twice, and was Treasurer of the Vicbrew committee for 6 years.

Above all Paul is very passionate about beer and brewing.