Beer production in Australia has traditionally been dominated by regional producers. Since the 1980s, there has been a steady flow of acquisitions and mergers, and now the two main producers (which were once Australian-owned) are Carlton &, United Breweries (CUB), and Lion. In one of the largest acquisitions in recent years in the Australian beer industry, Japanese brewery Asahi Holdings acquired a majority stake in the country's largest brewery, Carlton & United Breweries. Australia's competition watchdog, ACCC, was not opposed to the acquisition, as Asahi ceded some of its cider and beer brands after the consumer watchdog raised concerns about the deal, which would lead to a decrease in competition in those market sectors.
This led Asahi to sell its Strongbow, Bonamy's and Little Green cider brands and the licenses of the Stella Artois and Beck's beer brands. Carlton & United Breweries, popularly known as CUB, is an iconic brewing company founded in the mid-19th century in Australia. It is the largest brewery in the country. The company has a diverse portfolio of more than 400 brands and produces some of Australia's best-selling beers.
Headquartered in Melbourne, Carlton & United Breweries employs nearly 1,600 people in five breweries and several offices in Australia. Before the recent acquisition by Japanese brewery Asahi, it was a subsidiary of AB InBev as part of AB InBev's acquisition of SABMiller. The Carlton & United Breweries portfolio includes Foster's, Victoria Bitter and Carlton, along with the artisanal brands 4 Pines and Pirate Life. Asahi beer brands include Asahi Super Dry, Peroni, Mountain Goat, Green Beacon, Cricketers Arms, and Two Suns.
She also owns the Schweppes soft drink business in Australia. The McLaren Vale region is proud of its first-class wines, but among the vineyards you'll also discover the award-winning Goodieson Brewery. The owner, Jeff, combines traditional techniques with natural ingredients to serve big, bold beers. Enjoy a tasting on the terrace with views of the extensive vineyards and a tree-lined stream.
Known for its adventurous spirit, BentSpoke in Canberra is a modern brewery filled with award-winning beers that are hard not to love. Try everything from IPA with caramel and berries to wheat beer with raspberries. Even better, the brewery operates with an environmentally friendly system, which defends a series of sustainable practices. The outskirts of Melbourne are home to not just one, but two Moon Dog breweries.
The converted warehouses, adorned with street art and garlands of lights, are as vibrant as the beers they serve. Expect to try eccentric flavors like Peach N' Plum Sour Ale beer, or choose something elegant with the Cognac Barrel Aged Double IPA. Some of the beers that Brick Lane has brewed for them have won major trophies both here and abroad and, at the time of writing this article, a large Tinnies banner is located at the top of the craft beer page of the Liquorland online store. Dominated by three breweries, the Australian beer market has been in long-term decline for the past decade, as Australian drinkers have opted for other alcoholic beverages, such as wine, instead of beer.
They have accumulated a lot of significant silverware over the years and have gone from being a contract brand to owning the impressive Nest, their brewery and venue, in western Melbourne, which has helped boost the craft beer scene in that part of the city. Its Pacific Ale helped to change the image of the local beer scene, while the founders' decision to create the multi-brand umbrella company Fermentum, the entity bought by Lion, is an example of the independent beverage brand families that are now in Australia. Lion focused especially on its breweries and its beer brand, which included the best-selling Lion Red brand. This drop is attributed to consumers increasingly rejecting traditional beers in favor of higher-priced craft and premium beers.
People now have more interest in how beer is made and more interested in the stories behind various beer brands, which is fantastic. They can choose between five and seven brands instead of one or two, and craft beer is now one of those seven. However, the sale was dependent on the ACCC's stipulations that Asahi sell several cider and beer brands, including Strongbow, Bonamy's, and Little Green, as well as Stella Artois and Beck's. There has been a lot of noise about the rise of craft or independent beers, but the figures show that the approximately 450 small breweries account for about 3.5% of total beer sales in Australia, says Brett Heffernan, executive director of the Australian Brewers Association, which represents Australia's top beer manufacturers.
The Gold Coast brewery, with a quartet of famous surfers among its founders, combined trophy-winning beers and a brand with great appeal to achieve great success. While Coles has hired brewers to create own-brand beers for them for many years, the Tinnies brand is the one they seem to be focusing on the most. .
