E-Malt.com News article: Australia: Local craft beer consumption on the rise

For the first time on record Australians’ consumption of craft beer in an average four-week period has increased to more than one million, however the overall preference for locally brewed beer is on the decline, Hospitality Magazine reported on July 4.

Figures recently released by Roy Morgan Research reveal the proportion of Australians aged 18 and over who consume locally produced craft beer has risen from 3.5 percent, or 592,000 people in the year to March 2010 to 5.7 percent, or 1.04 million people in March 2014.

The brews are proving most popular with those under 50, particularly the 25-34 age group – in 2010, 7.9 percent drank craft beer in an average four weeks, a figure that has since risen to 10.7 percent.

Craft beer consumption is on the rise among people from New South Wales and Queensland in particular. Between 2010 and 2014, it was adopted by 186,000 people in New South Wales, meanwhile 99,000 Queensladers developed a penchant for the beverage.

Despite the popularity of local craft beer, overall domestic beer consumption is on the decline. In the year to March 2010, a total of 36.7 percent or 6.1 million Australians opted for local beer in an average four-week period; however by March 2014 the figure had dropped to 31.9 percent, or 5.8 million Australians.

“In positive news for the Australian beer market, the last five years have seen local craft beers fighting the increasing popularity of imported beers,” said Angela Smith, group account director – consumer products at Roy Morgan Research.

“However, what the local craft market has gained appears to be at the expense of the local mainstream beers.”


25 July, 2014