His passion for craft beer was sparked at the beginning of his many travels abroad in much freer pre-COVID times, and since then he's not only sampled "thousands" of different blends but has even dabbled in brewing his own.

"I just bloody love craft beer," he laughed, happy to indulge the Times with tales of his favourite topic.

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From downing innovative craft beers in America, sampling conservative beauties in Germany, and thoroughly enjoying the mix of cultures in bountiful Prague and Canada, there isn't much he hasn't tried.

Picture it: 2014 in Colorado, America, and Daniel walks into a bar.

"I drank beer before that, but a love of craft beer? I discovered that in Colorado, because the scene over there was just huge," he said.

But Denver blew his mind. "I was a kid in a candy shop", walking into a pub with around 100 beers on tap.

"[The scene] was nowhere near as big in Australia then, but the scene here has really exploded, and my love of Australian craft beer really developed."

Germany was a completely different vibe altogether, with the oldest food regulation law still in play.

The so-called 'purity law' - Reinheitsgebot - makes it illegal to have beer with any other ingredients than the staple four of water, yeast, hops and grain.

"They have no frills, but what they do have is very, very good," he noted.

"They're incredibly clever and inventive in how they can combine those four ingredients."

Back on home soil, he bought himself a craft beer subscription in an effort to familiarise himself with all the Great Southern Land had to offer, sharing photos and reviews on social media almost daily for months.

"It wasn't a personal project as such, it was more: I like beer, I'm just going to keep posting on Instagram. This is my passion and I want to share it."

Having toured hundreds upon hundreds of breweries over the seas and closer to home, Daniel has even tried his hand at making his own.

"I did some pretty experimental stuff, got some dud batches of course, but made some really interesting things," he said, listing off maple red ale, passionfruit pale ale, coffee stout - just to name a few.

"My tips? Get out of your comfort zone. Experiment with grains rather than with just malt extract. Experiment with different kinds of yeasts. Experiment with different styles - the more you experiment, the more you learn and the better your home brew gets."

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While not brewing any more - "I leave that to the experts" - he's is now pouring himself into being Inverell's The Welder's Dog manager, a job seemingly crafted for him.

"The top styles I'd recommend would be firstly a hoppy NEIPA," he explained.

"I wouldn't go past a sweet porter either, but I also have a soft spot for a Pilsner or a German Witbeir."

Grateful for the way residents have flocked to the Sapphire City's newest bar for their deliveries and pick-ups since the lockdown commenced, he says it was abundantly clear that Inverell "is full of beer lovers" just like him.

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