STUDY FINDS DRINKERS WANT TO KNOW WHO MAKES THEIR BEER

An Australian study of 17,000 craft beer drinkers has revealed that ownership matters when it comes to beer selection, with a strong preference for independently owned breweries.

Created by craft beer retailer Beer Cartel, the 2017 Australian Craft Beer Survey is the most comprehensive, publicly available, study ever undertaken with Australian craft beer drinkers.

Key findings of the research included:

• Brewery ownership is important: 64% want to know who owns the beer they’re drinking.
• There is a strong preference for craft beer from independently owned Australian breweries: 99% are happy to buy craft beer from an independent Australian owned brewery. In comparison, just 23% are happy to buy craft beer from a large multi-national company.
• There is strong interest for a seal to identify whether a beer is from an independent Australian brewery: 82% indicated that an independent brewers seal would have a medium to large impact on the craft beer they purchase.
• Pirate Life is Australia’s best craft brewery: voted number one by Australian craft beer drinkers, ahead of Feral Brewing which took out the top position in last year’s study.
• Pale Ale reigns as Australia’s most consumed craft beer style: Pale Ale is enjoyed by 92% of craft beer drinkers Australia-wide.

Richard Kelsey, Director of Beer Cartel said the findings were a reflection of the attitudes of those who purchase craft beer.

“Craft beer is an artisanal product that is produced by skilled workers using the best ingredients possible. There is a story behind the beers and the brewery that makes them. Independent ownership is a part of this story that drinkers buy into,” said Kelsey.

“We’re seeing consumer backlash when small breweries sell out to a large corporation worldwide. An Australian example was the displeasure voiced when Perth’s Little Creatures was bought by Lion in 2012. As a result, these findings are not altogether surprising, but the difference in willingness to buy craft beer from an independent brewery compared to a large corporation is.”

Craft beer is the only segment of the Australian beer market which is in continuous growth, with overall consumption of beer in decline.

You can see the full results of the survey by clicking here .

 

 

Main image:  Richard Kelsey & Geoff Huens, Beer Cartel.