It's craft v draught in amber war in Australia
SYDNEY publican Alex Lind knows more about the habits of beer drinkers than most. And he knows they have a thirst for premium beer while better-known brands linger in kegs.
From this week, Mr Lind's Clare Hotel on Broadway will no longer serve VB on tap. ''People just aren't buying it, so we're concentrating on indie beers.''
The Clare is just one of many Sydney pubs tapping into increased demand for premium Australian and imported beers, and ''craft'' beers made by microbreweries producing less than 30,000 litres a year.
An IBISWorld industry report on Australian beer and malt manufacturing said there had been ''double-digit growth'' in the sale of premium and low-carbohydrate beers, which have driven industry revenue for the past five years.
Industry giants Fosters and Lion Nathan have invested in the production of craft beers. Fosters has launched beers such as Fat Yak and Big Helga, where Lion Nathan has James Squire and owns a stake in Little World Beverages, which produces Little Creatures
IBISWorld analysts forecast that smaller breweries will ''continue encroaching on Foster's and Lion Nathan's existing duopoly''.
But David Lipman, publisher of Beer And Brewer magazine, said that even though small breweries were on the rise, the operating costs for microbrewers meant they were no threat to big players.
He said that because beer was highly taxed, smaller companies struggled.
Barons Brewing Company has responded to the difficulties faced by microbrewers by buying licensed brands and distributing them in Australia and around the world. Microbrewer Scott Morgan, of the Rocks Brewing Company, said a love of beer has kept him in business, even though turning a profit is a struggle.
Knowing the tastes of his patrons, Mr Morgan now sells only beers from microbreweries, including his own, at Harts Pub in the Rocks. ''I don't think the big guys are worried. People want quality beer, they don't mind spending a bit more on small brands if they taste good,'' he said.
The Clare's younger crowd is predominantly students. Most have little disposable income, yet they choose to spend it on craft beer.
Harts Pub is popular with a slightly older crowd, many of them home brewers who are passionate about beer and interested in the different ingredients and brewing methods used. ''There's an evolution in what people are drinking,'' he said.
By Alicia Wood
Based on the following sources:
http://www.smh.com.au/
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