Powder Monkey Business – Dave Padden

The Crafty Pint Podcast · Mar 4, 2026 · 1h 1m

“The brewpub model has proven itself to be the right model over the last few years.”

Few people have been through as eventful a few years as Dave Padden. The founder of Akasha Brewing spearheaded a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2022 which enabled the acquisition of two new venues, only for one of them to later close overnight, followed by a period in voluntary administration, and a subsequent merger with fellow Sydney operation Wayward.

Soon afterwards, both businesses were acquired by the Powder Monkey Group, a UK-based operation whose Australian wing, headed by Southern Highlands…