While craft brewers struggle to survive a COVID-19 tax hangover, they’ve still managed to dominate Australia’s Hottest 100 of beers.
Key Takeaways
- Melbourne’s Hawkers Beer and Adelaide’s Big Shed Brewing Co. are the latest casualties – going into voluntary administration.
- The number of craft breweries in Australia has grown by more than 80% in the last eight years.
- About 20 craft breweries have disappeared in the past year.
- The Independent Brewers Association has made a federal budget submission calling for tax relief and treatment more like the wine industry to stop more going to the wall.
- Craft breweries contributed $1.93 billion to the local economy in 2021 according to a KPMG analysis.
- Craft brewers employ 10,000 people directly – more than half of the entire brewing industry despite producing only 7% of all beer.
- The 2023 GABS Hottest 100 beers announced last week were dominated by independent brewers, including Mountain Culture at No. 1.
- The big brewers and retailers have further squeezed…