Craft beer crazies Beer Cartel have released the 2019 edition of their award-winning Australian Craft Beer Survey, with the latest trends in preferred brewers and styles.
Beer Cartel was started as an online-only business in a storage shed in 2009 by beer mega-nerds Richard Kelsey and Geoff Huens, because they “couldn’t find the beers we wanted to drink”.
A decade later, with a bricks and mortar store in Artarmon, Beer Cartel says it’s “Australia’s number one craft beer retailer online”, stocking over 1,000 ever-changing brews.
Its store was the first Sydney bottleshop to offer growler fills, and in 2016 it furthered its commitment to the country’s taste for tasty beer with the voluminous Australian Craft Beer Survey, now an annual report card for the industry and estimated 600 breweries operating in Australia.
In 2019 over 23,000 craft beer drinkers completed the extensive questionnaire.
Despite holding only a few years history in operation, Balter Brewing triumphed for the second year in a row as Australia’s best craft brewery. The win comes on the back of it also topping this year’s Hottest 100 list out of GABS.
“We’ve been kicking around for two and a half years and it has been a pretty amazing journey to date,” says Stirling Howland, co-founder and brand director.
“When we started Balter, it was always about the beer and connecting to our community through our work. We’ve been blown away by how well our beer and brand has been received and these types of people’s choice awards are a real affirmation that we’re on the right track.”
Also of significance this year is the first time cans have proven first preference for consumers, increasing eight points to 38 per cent to pip glass (down to 27 per cent) and ‘no preference’ (35 per cent).
The Independent Brewers Association (IBA) seal has grown in consumer awareness, up ten points from 31 per cent last year, with most (58pc) saying it influences their purchase behaviour.
More information and full results of the 2019 Australian Craft Beer Survey HERE.
Australia’s Best Craft Brewery 2019 – Top 10
- Balter
- BentSpoke
- Stone & Wood
- Bridge Road
- Black Hops
- Modus Operandi
- Pirate Life
- Hop Nation
- Dinaton
- 4 Pines
