Balter from the Pack as Australia's Best Brewery Crowned

A study of over 18,000 craft beer drinkers has revealed Balter Brewing, established just over 2 years ago, is Australia’s best craft brewery.

Created by craft beer retailer Beer Cartel, the 2018 Australian Craft Beer Survey is the most comprehensive study ever undertaken with Australian craft beer drinkers.

Richard Kelsey, Director of Beer Cartel said that Balter taking out best craft brewery really highlighted how young and dynamic the Australian craft beer industry is.

“We’ve been doing the Australian Craft Beer Survey for the past three years - in that time three different breweries have taken out the title of Australia’s best brewery. With now well over 400 breweries in Australia and a new brewery starting every week it really does show how quickly the industry is evolving,” said Mr Kelsey.

Key findings of the research included:

1 - Balter has been voted Australia’s best craft brewery. For a third year in a row, consumers have voted a different brewery as Australia’s best.

2 - There is a strong desire to support Australian Independent Breweries. One-third are aware of the Independence Seal released by the Independent Brewers Association in May 2018. Of these, most (83%) said the seal will influence future purchases.

3 - Two-thirds of drinkers are aware of the buy-out of at least one of the three leading Australian craft breweries in 2017. Over half (56%) of those aware have since reduced or stopped purchasing from these breweries.

4 - Consumers have a reasonable concept of the taxes that go into the price of beer. Collectively survey participants were able to closely estimate the average tax ($24.56) in an $80 case of craft beer.

5 - The majority of craft beer drinkers are on the lookout for new beers to try. Almost half of purchases by Australian craft beer drinkers are for beers they have never previously tried.

6 - Few use the Container Deposit Scheme the NSW Government implemented in 2017. Just 14% regularly take their used bottles and cans to a collection point, with the majority (68%) preferring kerbside recycling.

Stirling Howland, Co-Founder and Brand Director of Balter Brewing Company said the result was incredible.

“To win this award on the back of the Hottest 100 earlier in the year is a wonderful feeling. We’ve been kicking around for two and a half years and it has been a pretty amazing journey to date. 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” said Mr Howland.

To learn more about the 2018 Australian Craft Beer Survey visit: http://www.beercartel.com.au/blog/2018-australian-craft-beer-survey-results/

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High resolution images and interviews available on request.

Beer Cartel is Australia’s leading craft beer bottle shop, stocking over 1,000 craft beers from Australia and overseas. Purchases can be made through the Beer Cartel website (www.beercartel.com.au) and its Sydney store.

Beer Cartel
9/87 Reserve Road, Artarmon, NSW 2064

Media Contact:
Richard Kelsey
Director, Beer Cartel
Phone: 0405 251 864
Email: richard@beercartel.com.au

This release was published on openPR.