When Seb Costello opened the cocktail bar Bad Frankie in Melbourne in 2014, he did something that was almost unthinkable at the time; creating a drinks menu comprised completely of Australian craft spirits.
Seb understandably became known as a champion of Australian distilling. This, coupled with his sensory skills and broad appreciation for different spirits categories, saw him appointed chief judge of the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards in 2020.
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At the time of this episode going to air, Seb Costello and the other judges – led by new chief judge, Shaun Byrne – are preparing to appraise this year’s entries to the ADSA, the only spirits competition endorsed by the Australian Distillers Association.
This seemed like the appropriate juncture to have a long overdue chat with Seb about craft spirits in Australia.
First up, we get his reflections on those three years as lead official of the ADSA.
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