In this doubleheader episode, Paul Taylor chats with both Demetrius Limnatitis owner and founder of Diablo, and his production manager Ian Dalloway. Demi's is a bit of a stalwart of the Sunshine Coast entertainment scene. He's the owner of live music venue Soul Bar and a number of other venues as well. He's also a champion of Ocean Street in Maroochydore, helping make it one of Queensland's Premier entertainment precincts. His newest passion is Diablo. He makes a devilishly good beer. It says so on the label. He also makes some very special rum, as well as vodkas, gins and liqueurs. Join Paul, Ian, bartender extraordinaire, and Demi having a devilishly good time!

In this episode of In Pursuit of Hoppiness, the ‘Spirit’ series heads to Caloundra to learn the history and inner workings of award-winning gins at Beachtree Distillery Co. Steve Grace and Kirra Daley turned a passion into a business. Beachtree is Australia’s only First Nations-owned-and-operated distillery, producing small-batch artisan gin – and with names like Quokka and Koala – you know that native botanicals are a key ingredient. The proof is really in the gin itself - they entered the World Gin Awards and won gold with their first gin within a few months of opening in 2021. Stay tuned for some rum and whiskey that is currently maturing in barrels out the back!

In Pursuit of Hoppiness continues in good spirits with Paul Taylor catching up with Matt Hobson, co-founder of Sunshine & Sons distillery based at the Big Pineapple precinct in Woombye. Within minutes of tuning in, you’ll be transported to your happy place just by listening to Matt’s passion and zest for the Sunshine Coast way of life – no spirits required!

You’ll learn that after Matt’s discussion in 2018 about starting up a distillery on the Coast with Brisbane-based mate Michael, the lads bit the bullet and made the move to the sunny side. Only the move started out with a round-the-world venture (in the name of distilling research of course!), which included a stop in the Caribbean to learn the trade secrets of rum distilling. Shortly after the lads’ return, they set up Sunshine & Sons, their Sunshine Coast gin distilling brand. And not long after that, their rum brand Nil Desperandum hit the scene. Today, Matt and his distilling compadres produce some of Australia’s finest gin and are also the third largest producer of rum in Australia. Now that’s what we call The Coast Spirit!