With a background in sensory science, Karli Small began her brewing career as a lab technician at West End Brewery in Adelaide, South Australia.
She held a series of brewing roles at West End before relocating to North America, where she was hired by Bell’s Brewery.
Bells is the Michigan-based company behind Two Hearted IPA, voted ‘best beer in America’ four years running since it unseated Russian River Brewing Company’s Pliny The Elder Double IPA in 2017.
Karl spent almost five years at Bell’s, finishing as brewing manager in September 2019.
She’s back in Australia now, based in Sydney as head brewer & production manager at one of my locals, The Grifter Brewing Company.

I started by asking Karli how it was that she found her way from Michigan to Marrickville.
More:
Nose Dive author Harold McGee on ‘smell echoes’ in drinks: S8E7
Pilsner: How the Beer of Kings Changed the World – S8E2
Vegan beer, sake and wine hybrids with Yulli’s Brews: S5E2